Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!think!ames!elroy!cit-vax!cit-vlsi!michael
From: michael@cit-vlsi.Caltech.Edu (Michael Lichter)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re:  Anyone tell me anything about Super DOS?
Message-ID: <6565@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu>
Date: 16 May 88 22:28:18 GMT
Sender: news@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu
Reply-To: michael@vlsi.caltech.edu (Michael Lichter)
Organization: California Institute of Technology
Lines: 41

In article <253@prcpto.PRC.SID> pdvscm@prcpto.PRC.SID (Steve Monroe) asks:
> A friend of mine recently bought a turn-key PC based system that
> runs a multi-user "Super DOS".  Can anyone provide information
> on where to get some documentation (he didn't get any) and also
> any experiences with it.  ...is it truly DOS .. will it run any dos
> application..

Well, I used to work for Bluebird Systems (Carlsbad, CA, 619/438-2220)
which produces an operating system called SuperDOS.  SuperDOS is a disk
operating system, but it is in no way related to or compatable with
MS-DOS.

SuperDOS is a business-oriented multi-user operating system.  SuperDOS
is designed to be a low-overhead, fast system with a high priority on
interactive response time.  It is a true multi-user system; I've seen
AT's operating with at least 16 terminals attached (on proprietary
terminal boards).

SuperDOS memory management is very simple.  Each terminal is logically
attached to a "task", which is a block of contiguous memory and a set
of data structures.  Configuration is done at boot time.  There is no
virtual memory, but overlays are possible.  File allocation is also
static (or was, last time I looked), meaning that you say how much disk
you want, you get a continguous block of storage, and you cannot expand
or contract the block dynamically.  Job scheduling is purely
round-robin, with no priorities.

SuperDOS currently supports three different flavors of BASIC,
compatable with DG's Business BASIC, Datapoint's DataBus, and Wang's
BASIC dialect.  I hear that C and Pascal will be available soon.
Support for MS-DOS applications is limited to the PC console, and then
only with a special version of SuperDOS.  Only moderately-well-behaved
MS-DOS applications will run (e.g. one's that chain to the clock
interrupt rather than just grabbing it).

If you want to buy a copy of SuperDOS or get documentation, contact
Bluebird at the number above.  I have no idea what they charge.
Normally, SuperDOS is only sold to OEM's or with business packages, and
I think it is only sold bundled with hardware.  Check it out.

Michael