Posted By
MMS
on 2016-08-21
19:07:35
 |  Re: Z80 GUI: SymbOS
Thanks for the info!
OFF
I still follow the SymbOS topic, and recently a new project emerged, the ZX Spectrum NEXT with even 7Mhz CPU speed, full backwards compatibility, and will seems to support new GFX modes (bitplane or chunky mode is a great questionmark, but BW (no attribute) 512x192 could do the job required by a GUI or text writer) and native SD card and mouse support.
SymbOS would be a perfect combination with this machine.
Unfortunately the NEXT suffers from the same problem as mentioned: memory. CPCs have a special memory management, and till the time the memory switching is not what the SymbOS can support, the SymbOS will see only 48K, and it is far far less what is required for a modern GUI (even if CPU speed, resolution and mass storage are all OK).
BTW, if someone will able to create bigger external memory upgrade with NO internal modification for C16 and Plussy, it would be a game changer. GEOS (REU) compatibility would be great,
Actually such C16 64K cartridges were available (I went through historical paper magazines, but only the internal)
I do remember, that MIKE mentioned in his blog, that he added a big SRAM via expansion port to Plus/4 was much easier and simplier than he though.
It was back in 2007, but did NOT appear here, althoug SOLDER also confirmed in a a commetns, that it could work.
http://dailly.blogspot.hu/2007/01/plus4-memory.html
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