Optimized Systems Software: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 21:51, 23 July 2005

Latest revision as of 04:56, 19 August 2025

(204 intermediate revisions by 69 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{more footnotes|date=April 2015}}

'''Optimized Systems Software''' (OSS) was a small company producing [[operating systems]] and [[programming languages]] for the [[Atari 8-bit]] and [[Apple II]] computer families. OSS is most noted for authoring Atari's BASIC and Disk Operating System (DOS) products.

{{Infobox company

== History ==

| name = Optimized Systems Software

| logo =

| caption =

| type = Software Company

| genre =

| fate = Merged

| predecessor = [[Shepardson Microsystems]]

| successor = ICD

| foundation = {{Start date and age|1981}}

| founders = Bill Wilkinson<br />Mike Peters<br />Paul Laughton<br />Kathleen O'Brien

| defunct = {{End date and age|1988|01}}

| location_city = [[Cupertino, California]]<ref name="atari">{{cite web |url=http://www.atariarchives.org/iad/introduction.php |title=Inside Atari DOS - Introduction}}</ref>

| location_country =

| ___location =

| locations =

| area_served =

| key_people =

| industry =

| products =

| production =

| services =

| revenue =

| operating_income =

| net_income =

| aum =

| assets =

| equity =

| owner =

| num_employees =

| parent =

| divisions =

| subsid =

| homepage =

| footnotes =

| intl =

}}

'''Optimized Systems Software''' ('''OSS''') was a company that produced [[disk operating system]]s, [[programming language]]s with integrated development environments, and applications primarily for [[Atari 8-bit computers]]. The founders of OSS previously developed [[Atari DOS]], [[Atari BASIC]], and the [[Atari Assembler Editor]] for [[Atari, Inc.]], and many OSS products are substantially improved versions. {{nowrap|OS A+}} and [[DOS XL]] are based on Atari DOS. [[BASIC A+]], BASIC XL, and BASIC XE are based on Atari BASIC. EASMD and [[MAC/65]] are modeled on the [[Atari Assembler Editor]]. [[Action! (programming language)|Action!]] is an [[ALGOL]]-inspired compiled programming language with an integrated full-screen editor. OSS also sold some software for the [[Apple II]].<ref name=finest/>

[[Atari]] planned to follow up its successful [[Atari VCS]] computer game system with a more powerful [[home computer]], to be introduced at the January 1979 Comsumer Electronics Show. [[Microsoft BASIC]] had been licensed for this purpose, but the task of retrofitting the code into an 8k cartridge proved too difficult to meet schedule. Consequently, Atari turned to Shepardson Microsystems, Inc. (SMI), which proposed jettisoning Microsoft BASIC in favor of an SMI product. Atari proceeded to contract with SMI for not only Atari BASIC, but the Atari [[Disk Operating System]] itself. Development of both products was completed ahead of schedule.

OSS transitioned to the [[Atari ST]] with Personal Pascal<ref name=ppmanual>{{cite web|title=Personal Pascal for the Atari ST Manual|url=https://archive.org/details/OSSPersonalPascal|website=archive.org}}</ref> and the [[Mac (computer)|Mac]] with Personal Prolog (which was also advertised for the Atari ST, but may not have been released). OSS was not as significant in those markets. The company merged with ICD in 1988.

In early 1981, SMI concluded that their BASIC and DOS products were not viable, and permitted them (with the Atari Assembler/Editor product) to be purchased by one of the developers, who formed Optimized Systems Software. The new company enhanced the products, renaming them OS/A+ (the Disk Operating System), BASIC A+ (a disk-based language), and EASMD (a powerful macro-based assembler / editor).

== History ==

OSS continued to work with Atari on enhanced products, most of which never actually reached the market. OSS' independent products fared somewhat better, particularly the [[Action programming language]]. In January 1988, ICD and OSS merged. Later, Fine Tooned Engineering owned all of ICD products. However, with Atari's decline in the shadow of the exploding [[IBM PC]] clone market, OSS faded from the computer market.

Optimized Systems Software was formed in early 1981 by Bill Wilkinson, Mike Peters, Paul Laughton, and Kathleen O'Brien.<ref name="savetz">{{cite web |last1=Savetz |first1=Kevin |title=Paul Laughton Interview |url=http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-the-atari-8-bit-podcast-paul-laughton-interview |website=ANTIC: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast |date=October 21, 2014}}</ref> Laughton, the primary author of [[Atari BASIC]], was still employed by Atari, Inc. at the time, and had permission to be involved with OSS from his manager. O'Brien wrote the [[Atari Assembler Editor]] for Atari. Laughton and O'Brien (married) were not as involved with the company and were bought out by Peters and Wilkinson.

OSS purchased Atari BASIC, [[Atari DOS]], and Atari Assembler Editor from [[Shepardson Microsystems]] who had concluded that their versions of BASIC and DOS were not viable.{{Citation needed |date=April 2024}} The new company enhanced the programs, renaming them OS/A+ (the Disk Operating System), BASIC A+ (a disk-based language), and EASMD (an update to the Assembler Editor). OSS continued to work with [[Atari, Inc.]] (who had previously contracted with SMI) on enhanced products, most of which never reached the market.

== Products ==

OSS debuted at the [[West Coast Computer Faire]] in March 1981. The products they released over the next several years became respected among Atari programmers, particularly the [[MAC/65]] assembler, the [[Action! (programming language)|Action!]] programming language, and BASIC XL. In a 1984 interview, Bill Wilkinson said the company consisted of 15 people.<ref name="ellison">{{cite journal |last1=Ellison |first1=Peter |title=Bill Wilkinson Interview |journal=ROM |date=August 1984 |volume=1 |issue=7 |page=13 |url=https://archive.org/details/ROM_Magazine_v1i7/page/n12}}</ref>

=== OS/A+ ===

In January 1988, OSS merged with ICD (the makers of [[SpartaDOS]] and various Atari computer hardware add-ons). In 1994, Fine Tooned Engineering obtained limited rights to ICD's 8-bit products before disappearing.

OS/A+ was a disk-based replacement for the Atari DOS and the Apple II DOS. The last version produced was OS/A+ 2.1.

==Disk Operating Systems==

Atari DOS consisted of two portions, a memory-resident portion that facilitated access to disk files by programs, and a disk-resident portion providing menu-driven utilities to format, copy, delete, rename, and otherwise manipulate files on Atari's 810 disk drive. The menu system was too large to keep memory-resident, but the necessity to reload the menu system after every program was frustrating to many users.

=== OS/A+ ===

Atari ''DOS 2.0S'' consisted of two portions, a memory-resident portion that facilitated access to disk files by programs, and a disk-resident portion providing menu-driven utilities to format, copy, delete, rename, and otherwise manipulate files on Atari's 810 disk drive. The menu system was too large to keep memory-resident, but the necessity to reload the menu system after every program was frustrating to many users.

* ''OS/A+ 2.0, 2.1'' was a disk-based replacement for the Atari DOS and the Apple II DOS. It replaced the menu-driven utilities with a compact command line approach similar to [[CP/M]] (and later, [[MS-DOS]]). The command line was small enough to remain in memory with most applications, removing the need for the dreaded post-program reload. When first introduced at the West Coast Computer Faire, the program was named CP/A, but a lawyer from [[Digital Research]] (owners of CP/M) visited the booth and the name was changed. OSS couldn't have afforded even a court filing fee.

* ''OS/A+ 4.1'' OSS extended the successful OS/A+ product with additional capabilities for version 4, many of which were arguably ahead of their time. For example, the strict "8.3" naming scheme (eight alphanumeric characters with a three character extension) was replaced by "long" filenames, similar to the Microsoft DOS transition to [[File Allocation Table|VFAT]] in 1995.

However, unlike VFAT, ''OS/A+ 4.1'' disks were not [[backward compatible]] with earlier systems; Atari DOS or ''OS/A+ 2.1'' could not read disks formatted by ''OS/A+ 4.1'', breaking backward compatibility. The [[memory footprint]] was larger as well, resulting in insufficient memory to run some popular applications. As a result of these drawbacks, ''OS/A+ 4.1'' did not achieve the market penetration as the earlier product. OSS did reissue ''OS/A+ 4.1'' for a brief period when they decided not to modify ''DOS XL'' for double-sided disk support.

=== OS/A+ 4 ===

=== DOS XL ===

OSS extended the successful OS/A+ product with additional capabilities for version 4, many of which were arguably ahead of their time. For example, the strict "8.3" naming scheme (eight alphanumeric characters with a three character extension) was replaced by "long" filenames, similar to the Microsoft DOS transition to [[VFAT]] in 1995.

{{Main|DOS XL}}

[[DOS XL]] was designed to replace ''OS/A+''. Included support for single and double-density disk drives. Utilized the command-prompt of ''OS/A+'' but also included a menu program. Featured extensions that took advantage of unused memory space in Atari XL/XE computers and OSS supercartridges. Included support for Indus GT Synchromesh. Due to lack of demand and Atari working on a new version of DOS, OSS decided to halt development of ''DOS XL 4'' and reissue ''OS/A+'' version 4.1.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}}

However, unlike VFAT, OS/A+ 4 disks were not backward compatible with earlier systems; Atari DOS or OS/A+ 2.1 could not read disks formatted by OS/A+ 4, breaking backward compatibility. The memory footprint was larger as well, resulting in insufficient memory to run some popular applications.

==BASIC==

As a result of these drawbacks, OS/A+ 4 did not achieve the market penetration as the earlier product.

The team that developed Atari BASIC while at Shepherdson Microsystems developed a series of three increasingly sophisticated [[BASIC interpreter]]s at OSS.

=== BASIC A+ ===

{{Main|BASIC A+}}

[[Atari BASIC]] was designed to fit in an 8K cartridge, with an optional cartridge for the second slot of the Atari 800 adding additional capability. The second cartridge was never produced. Instead, OSS produced the disk-based [[BASIC A Plus]] (or BASIC A+), which is compatible with Atari BASIC, corrects several bugs, and adds many new features. It includes PRINT USING (for formatted output), trace and debug enhancements, direct DOS commands, and explicit support for the graphics hardware including [[Sprite (computer graphics)|player/missile graphics]]. Because BASIC A+ had to be purchased, programs developed using its extended features could not be shared with people who did not own the interpreter.

[[Atari BASIC]] had been designed to fit in a single 8k cartridge, with an optional second cartridge adding additional capability (the [[Atari 800]] [[home computer]] featured two cartridge slots). However, the second cartridge was never produced.

=== BASIC XL ===

Instead, OSS produced a disk-based product called [[BASIC A Plus]] (or BASIC A+), which was compatible with Atari BASIC but corrected several bugs and added quite a few features. Among the notable features were PRINT USING (for formatted output), trace and debug enhancements, direct DOS commands, and explicit support for the Atari computers' exceptional graphics hardware.

BASIC XL is a bank-selected cartridge version of the language that replaced BASIC A+. It fixes bugs and has even more features. The '''BASIC XL Toolkit''' contains additional code and examples for use with the BASIC XL and a runtime package for redistribution.

A significant change in BASIC XL is the handling of line number lookups in [[GOTO]]/[[GOSUB]] and FOR...NEXT loops. In Atari BASIC, any GOTO searches the entire program for the provided line number, and FOR...NEXT loops use the same code. [[Microsoft BASIC]] simply jumps to a FOR statement via its address. The BASIC XL FAST command replaces constant targets of GOTO/GOSUB/NEXT with addresses. This gives a huge performance boost, making loops run as fast as Microsoft BASIC, and the program as a whole even faster. The downside is that an address becomes invalid if the program is edited during runtime, preventing it from being CONTinued, unlike Atari BASIC which generally allows this after any edit.

Because BASIC A+ had to be purchased, programs developed using its extended features could not be shared with people who did not own the interpreter.

''[[Antic (magazine)|Antic]]'' in 1984 stated that "BASIC XL is the fastest and most powerful version of BASIC available for Atari computers", with "exceptional" documentation. The magazine concluded that "This is the language that should be built into Atari computers. Is anyone at Atari listening?"<ref name="antic198403">{{Cite magazine |last=White |first=Jerry |date=March 1984 |title=Product Reviews |url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/v2n12/productreviews.html |magazine=Antic}}</ref>

=== ACTION! ===

=== BASIC XE ===

OSS' last product was a cartridge-based language that combined the readability of BASIC with the performance of the [[C programming language]]. The [[Action programming language]] used in-memory compilation (presaging [[Turbo Pascal]]) straight to very efficient 6502 executable code. Action was known for its execution speed, but never became popular beyond Atari home computers.

BASIC XE is an enhanced version of the BASIC XL bank-selected cartridge, with additional functions and high-speed math routines. Because it requires 64KB, it only runs on an XL/XE systems. A runtime package was not released. The ''BASIC XL'' runtime can be used, but restricted to XL functions.

===MAC/65=Assemblers==

=== EASMD ===

This programming language was written by Steven Lawrow. The [[6502]] editor [[assembler]] featured built-in editing and debugging.

EASMD ('''E'''dit/'''AS'''se'''M'''ble/'''D'''ebug) is the first editor/assembler from OSS. Based on the original [[Atari Assembler Editor]], it was released in 1981 on disk. It was superseded by [[MAC/65]].

=== MAC/65 ===

{{Main|MAC/65}}

MAC/65 is a [[MOS Technology 6502|6502]] editor and [[assembly language#Assembler|assembler]] originally released on disk in 1982, then on a bank-switched "supercartridge" in 1983 which includes an integrated debugger (DDT). Like [[Atari BASIC]], MAC/65 uses line-numbered [[source code]] and tokenizes each line as it is entered. It is significantly faster than Atari's assemblers. The '''MAC/65 Toolkit''' disk contains additional code and examples.

=== BUG/65 ===

BUG/65 is a machine language [[debugger]]. It was initially included with MAC/65, but the cartridge-based version of the assembler added its own debugger, DDT. BUG/65 was later added to DOS XL.

==Other languages==

=== Action! ===

{{Main|Action! (programming language)}}

A cartridge-based development system for a readable [[ALGOL]]-like language that compiles to efficient [[MOS Technology 6502|6502]] code. [[Action! (programming language)|Action!]] combines a full-screen editor with a compiler that generates code directly to memory without involving disk access. The language found a niche for being over a hundred times faster than [[Atari BASIC]],<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Moriarty|first1=Brian|title=A New Langue for the Atari!|journal=ANALOG Computing|date=1984|url=http://www.cyberroach.com/analog/an16/action.htm|access-date=2015-08-01|archive-date=2017-06-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170627190315/http://www.cyberroach.com/analog/an16/action.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> but much easier to program in than [[assembly language]]. Compiled Action! programs require the cartridge to be present, because standard [[Library (computing)|library]] functions are on the cartridge. The separately available '''Action! Run-Time Package''' overcomes this limitation and allows distribution of Action!-compiled projects.

The '''Action! Toolkit''' (originally called the Programmer's Aid Disk, or PAD) contains additional code and examples for use with the Action! language.

=== C/65 ===

C/65 is a [[compiler]] developed by LightSpeed Software for a subset of the [[C (programming language)|C programming language]].<ref>{{cite web |title=C/65 |url=http://www.atarimania.com/utility-atari-400-800-xl-xe-c-65_19204.html |website=Atari Mania}}</ref> C/65 outputs assembly source code. An assembler like [[MAC/65]] is needed to create an executable file.

===Tiny C===

Tiny C, stylized as '''tiny-c''', is an [[interpreter (computing)|interpreter]] for a subset of the [[C (programming language)|C programming language]]; it was developed by Tiny C Associates.<ref name=finest/>

=== Personal Pascal ===

A one-pass, [[machine code]] generating compiler for the [[Pascal (programming language)|Pascal]] language developed by J. Lohse for the Atari ST and released by OSS in 1987.<ref name=ppmanual/> It came with a 500+ page manual.

==Applications==

=== The Writer's Tool ===

A word processing application available in a bank-selected cartridge and a double-sided disk (master disk on one side, dictionary disk on the other side).<ref name="wt-antic">{{cite journal|last1=Rainbow|first1=Tom|title=8-bit Product Reviews: Writer's Tool|journal=Antic|date=March 1985|volume=3|issue=11|url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/v3n11/reviews.html}}</ref> It was developed by Madison Micro and published by OSS in 1984.<ref name="wt_manual">{{cite book|title=The Writer's Tool Manual|date=1984|publisher=Optimized Systems Software, Inc.|url=http://www.atarimania.com/8bit/manuals/The_Writers_Tool_manual.pdf|archive-date=2016-02-09|access-date=2016-04-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160209103325/http://www.atarimania.com/8bit/manuals/The_Writers_Tool_manual.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to Bill Wilkinson, OSS was already building a word processor, but stopped when ''The Writer's Tool'' was submitted.<ref>{{cite web|title=Interview 7: Bill Wilkinson|url=http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-7-the-atari-8-bit-podcast-bill-wilkinson-oss|website=ANTIC The Atari 8-bit Podcast}}</ref>

=== SpeedRead+ ===

SpeedRead+ is a [[speed reading]] tutor developed for the Atari 8-bit and Apple II computers.<ref name="finest">{{cite web |title=The First and Finest (OSS magazine ad) |url=http://www.atarimania.com/pubs/hi_res/First_and_Finest_In_Systems_Software_1982_ad.jpg |website=Atari Mania}}</ref>

== Sales ==

According to Bill Wilkinson, OSS sold about 12,000 copies of ''Basic XL'' before the ICD merger. ''Basic XL'' outsold ''Action!'' by about 2.5 or 3 to 1. ''MAC/65'' outsold ''Action!'' by about 1.5 to 1. ''Basic XE'' sold poorly and lost money. Personal Pascal sold over 10,000 copies. {{Citation needed|date=February 2011}}

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

;Notes

{{Refbegin}}

* Wilkinson, Bill (1983). ''The Atari BASIC Source Book''. Compute! Books. {{ISBN|0-942386-15-9}}.

* ''A User's Guide and Reference Manual for DOS XL 2.30'', 1983

* ''OSS Newsletter - Spring 1984''

* ''OSS Newsletter - October 1984''

{{Refend}}

== External links ==

*[http://retrobits.net/ Dan's tribute to OSS] &mdash; A site dedicated to the products produced for Atari 8-bit computers by Optimized Systems Software.

*[http://www.laughton.com/paul/abps/oss/oss.html The Atari 400/800 and OSS]

*[http://www.atarimagazines.com/v4n9/basicxe.html Antic Vol. 4, No. 9 - Jan 1986] Basic XE from O.S.S. (Product Review)

{{BASIC}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Optimized Systems Software| ]]

[http://www.atariarchives.org/iad/introduction.php Inside Atari DOS] Introduction by Bill Wilkinson, 1982

[[Category:Defunct software companies of the United States]]

[[Category:Atari 8-bit computers]]

[[Category:Software companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area]]

[[Category:Companies based in Cupertino, California]]

[[Category:American companies established in 1981]]

[[Category:Software companies established in 1981]]

[[Category:Software companies disestablished in 1988]]

[[Category:1981 establishments in California]]

[[Category:1988 disestablishments in California]]

[[Category:Defunct companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area]]