Wheels (operating system)
Encyclopedia
The Wheels operating system
for the Commodore 64
and Commodore 128
home computers is partially based on and an upgrade from (and generally backwards compatible with) GEOS
. Wheels gives new abilities to the C64 and 128: the ability to open several, movable, resizeable windows on the desktop and limited graphical web browsing
(and limited server abilities). At the core of the Wheels OS is the new Dashboard and Toolbox. The Dashboard is the name for the new desktop environment which makes using the C64/128 similar to using modern Mac or Windows Operating systems with icons and a menu bar. The Toolbox is the replacement for the GEOS Configure app and is leaps and bounds better and easier to configure your computer system with.
RAM expansion
to operate. However, it also supports hardware that standard GEOS and the standard C64 KERNAL
cannot handle, including Creative Micro Designs HD hard drive
s (up to four GB
), the Creative Micro Designs high-density FD-2000/FD-4000 floppy disk
drives (up to 3.2 MB
), the Creative Micro Designs RAMLink with expanded RAM addressing (up to 16 MB), and the Creative Micro Designs SuperCPU 20 MHz. accelerator with SuperRAM up to 16 MB.
As a GeoProgrammer upate:
Concept
Concept+
Concept was the first update to fix all GeoProgrammer bugs, but does not support the CMD Super CPU.
Concept+ supports the CMD SCPU, allows faster code assembly and faster Application linking, and
takes advantage of programming 16-bit applications.
Concept and Concept+ also allows "linking" any 6502 or other compatible processor 6502 Hex or assembly code.
Although to my knowledge you can still code 8-bit code applications, desktop acessories, drivers etc with Concept or Concept+.
As a programmers standpoint Concept and Concept+ is the newer best way to learn GEOS/Wheels 6502 machine language because of its
fine updates to fixing all original GeoProgrammer bugs.
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
for the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and Commodore 128
Commodore 128
The Commodore 128 home/personal computer was the last 8-bit machine commercially released by Commodore Business Machines...
home computers is partially based on and an upgrade from (and generally backwards compatible with) GEOS
GEOS (8-bit operating system)
GEOS is an operating system from Berkeley Softworks . Originally designed for the Commodore 64 and released in 1986, it provided a graphical user interface for this popular 8-bit computer.GEOS closely resembled early versions of Mac OS and included a graphical word processor and paint program...
. Wheels gives new abilities to the C64 and 128: the ability to open several, movable, resizeable windows on the desktop and limited graphical web browsing
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
(and limited server abilities). At the core of the Wheels OS is the new Dashboard and Toolbox. The Dashboard is the name for the new desktop environment which makes using the C64/128 similar to using modern Mac or Windows Operating systems with icons and a menu bar. The Toolbox is the replacement for the GEOS Configure app and is leaps and bounds better and easier to configure your computer system with.
System requirements
Wheels requires at least a 128 KBKilobyte
The kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
RAM expansion
Commodore REU
Commodore's RAM Expansion Unit range of external RAM add-ons for their Commodore 64/128 home computers was announced at the same time as the C128. The REUs came in three models, initially the 1700 and 1750 , and later the 1764...
to operate. However, it also supports hardware that standard GEOS and the standard C64 KERNAL
KERNAL
The KERNAL is Commodore's name for the ROM-resident operating system core in its 8-bit home computers; from the original PET of 1977, followed by the extended but strongly related versions used in its successors; the VIC-20, Commodore 64, Plus/4, C16, and C128...
cannot handle, including Creative Micro Designs HD hard drive
Hard disk
A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the...
s (up to four GB
Gigabyte
The gigabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage. The prefix giga means 109 in the International System of Units , therefore 1 gigabyte is...
), the Creative Micro Designs high-density FD-2000/FD-4000 floppy disk
Floppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
drives (up to 3.2 MB
Megabyte
The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...
), the Creative Micro Designs RAMLink with expanded RAM addressing (up to 16 MB), and the Creative Micro Designs SuperCPU 20 MHz. accelerator with SuperRAM up to 16 MB.
As a GeoProgrammer upate:
Concept
Concept+
Concept was the first update to fix all GeoProgrammer bugs, but does not support the CMD Super CPU.
Concept+ supports the CMD SCPU, allows faster code assembly and faster Application linking, and
takes advantage of programming 16-bit applications.
Concept and Concept+ also allows "linking" any 6502 or other compatible processor 6502 Hex or assembly code.
Although to my knowledge you can still code 8-bit code applications, desktop acessories, drivers etc with Concept or Concept+.
As a programmers standpoint Concept and Concept+ is the newer best way to learn GEOS/Wheels 6502 machine language because of its
fine updates to fixing all original GeoProgrammer bugs.
License
Wheels 64 and Wheels 128 are commercial software products. The Wheels Operating systems are available for sale alone and in bundles.External links
- Cmdrkey's Website developer of Wheels Operating system (Broken Link)