E-DOS: Innovating disk management in Atari 8-bit | Download
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E-DOS is an innovative menu-driven disk management system for Atari 8-bit computers, recently launched by Erez "Whomper" Yaary (Israel). Designed to provide a user-friendly interface with advanced features, it enhances the overall user experience.
This software modernizes the classic Disk Utility Package (DUP) and runs on disk operating systems like MyDOS and SpartaDOS. It introduces functionalities not found in traditional interfaces, such as sector copying and memory dumping.
Compatible with multiple DOS solutions, E-DOS offers a consistent interface without relying on specific APIs, utilizing the fundamental building blocks of CIO or SIO. While disk operations can be destructive, EDOS mitigates risks by incorporating visual cues and color-coded indicators to distinguish between read and write actions, reducing the chances of accidental data loss. Additionally, EDOS is open source, allowing anyone to review and use its code with proper attribution.
The origins of E-DOS date back to 1984, when Yaary acquired his first Atari 600XL computer. Teaching himself assembly language, he developed various utilities and games, eventually working on his own version of a disk utility package for Atari. Years later, after rediscovering his old codebook, he decided to revive the project. Equipped with a new Atari 1200XL setup and two 1050 disk drives, he obtained a MAC/65 cartridge and resumed his teenage endeavor.
E-DOS integrates essential commands that reduce the need for external utilities. A status bar at the top provides key information, including connected drives, the default drive number, high-speed mode status, and available extended memory. Notable commands include directory display, file copying, disk mirroring, file deletion, disk initialization, viewing files, sectors, and memory, file protection and unprotection, binary file loading and saving, and file comparison.
The EDOS project consists of several files, including EDOS.M65, EDOSVARS.M65, UTILS.M65, MACROS.M65, and SYSTEM.M65, each playing a specific role in software development. Through the AtariAge forum, "Whomper" invites the community to review the code, available on GitHub, and contribute feedback or report any issues.
E-DOS for Atari 8-bit computers
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