The C64 and the GEOS 8-bit OS With a GUI

[Retro]

A graphical GUI OS bundled with the C64. This is the first I've heard of it and I didn't think that the 8-bit computers had enough memory to run such an OS. Mind you, could it run much else after the resources that this took up?

GEOS (8-bit operating system) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[HEXdidnt]

Weirdly, there was a period (in the late 80s?) when GUIs started springing up on almost everything, whether warranted or not. The 48K Spectrum had Max Desktop, which was designed for use with Microdrives, but it does seem like an awful lot of wasted memory just for a flashy, Mac-style interface. Apple have a lot to answer for.
There was also DRiVER on the SAM Coupé, but that has a bit more memory and up to two floppy drives. You know DRiVER is a proper GUI because it comes with a version of Minesweeper.

 

[Mort]

I don't know about GEOS being bundled (perhaps it was at one point - CBM did like to try and promote the serious aspects - including a C64 printer and disk drive bundle, that I can remember my late Grandad buying) - but it certainly was a very impressive system.

I recall using GEOS on a friends computer, and as i'd been using the Mac Classic at college at the time, was rather impresed with it. GEOS Write and Pait - were certainly not at all bad for system.
C64 users had at least a pretty solid drive system right from the start - and this was ideal.

On the other 8Bit side - although sadly not on SAM (technically possible though!) I did see a CPC running SymbOS at RetCon - which is also available on a few platforms. Very impressive - and yes, it also supports Minesweeper

 

[chrisgreen]

I’m surprised to read your original post @Retro - last year when we were mucking around with the idea of doing a GCC streaming channel and trying to get HDMI capture widgets to work, all the demo/test streams I did on the Thursday calls were of me demoing GEOS on the C64 😂

GEOS is a surprisingly good effort for a GUI OS overlay on an 8-bit system. Commodore also had quite a bit of success selling a C64 serious bundle of a C64C, floppy drive, mouse and GEOS for a fair premium. It’s also surprising how much of the exact same look, feel and functionality was ported into what became TOS on the ST.

 

[Retro]

I’m surprised to read your original post @Retro - last year when we were mucking around with the idea of doing a GCC streaming channel and trying to get HDMI capture widgets to work, all the demo/test streams I did on the Thursday calls were of me demoing GEOS on the C64

Totally forgotten about that, lol. I think it's fascinating that they managed to cram so much into such a small amount of memory.

I remember how even back in the day that this few K was tight even then. Amazing how they squeeze all those games and tech demos into it.

I remember pre covid, @CosmicCruncher at WHCC one night, running a really cool tech demo written in the last few years on, I think, his VIC 20 (correct me if I'm wrong). Yes, one could see the huge pixels, but it somehow still looked amazing and it ran really smoothly, too. Would love to see that one again.

I remember the C64 ads on TV advertising the "huge" 64K RAM on them and the elephant on there.