The BOS 2000 operating system was unveiled last week as BOS Software Ltd’s all-singing all-dancing marketing campaign took off in grand style at the Cafe Royal (CI No 818). Going all out to carve itself a serious niche in the operating systems marketplace, BOS has brought out a product it believes not only provides portability across different machines but across different types of software too. It says this is achieved with a new Application Executive, or Apex, feature. PC-DOS, OS/2, Novell NetWare and DEC VMS all run under BOS 2000 which is available in four versions: single-user SBOS 2000 which is single screen and single tasking; MBOS 2000 for multi-user, -screen, tasking applications; concurrent CBOS 2000, single screen and multi-tasking; and finally networked BOS/LAN 2000 for single or multi-tasking, multi-screen computers linked in a local area network. The new operating system can run on a range of computers based around Intel’s 8086, 80286 and 80386 processors; the Motorola 68000 family, and the DEC PDP-11, MicroVAX and VAX 8000. IBM PS/2s, Personals and compatibles are fully supported for multi-user and networking operations. BOS reckons that although BOS 2000 is the host system, applications running under it won’t be significantly slower. In the 8-bit micro days when the original operating system was written developers had to work to strict limits and memory space was put to its best advantage. Saffron Hill According to the Saffron Hill, London-based company BOS 2000 typically requires less than 100Kb for the operating system and 64Kb for each active task, so more screens and tasks can be supported on any one computer. Disk cacheing holds recently accessed data in memory to reduce disk traffic and increase performance and the RAM disk feature makes use of additional memory as a fast access disk alternative. BOS 2000 is said to make effective use of memory ranging from 256Kb to 16Mb and beyond. It also features BOS Communications which enables telecommunications applications such as automatic dialling, unattended operation and session logging to be developed. Terminal emulation, file transfer facilities and IBM 2780/3780 emulation are also available. The VMS version acting with BOS has been out in the field for the past four months. Typically BOS 2000 would cost UKP200 for a single user, UKP690 for two to three screens and UKP990 for four to 12 screens. An upgrade from standard BOS costs UKP30. The UKP3.8m-a-year company also has new look products to show off. Its business software packs including sales ledger, invoicing, sales order processing, stock control, spreadsheet and nominal ledger which has been completely re-written – now have multi-tasking, windowing and colour facilities with increased integration between modules. BOS says it intends to develop links with companies that have expertise in NetWare and VMS and expects to make an announcement in the next two to three months. So with its newspaper advertising banners flying high, proudly proclaiming the fastest operating system comes from Saffron Hill not San Francisco, BOS Software is hoping the BOS 2000 range will see it well into the twenty-first century.
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