_OMEN`Key`FeaturesTEXT€OD¥ ”™P ”™‡%Ø”™‡%Ø€ee‚````TEXTÿÿÿý£ The ¥O¤pen ¥M¤ultitasking ¥En¤vironment: A good ¥OMEn¤ for computer users" () 1994 Esquimalt Digital Logic Inc. All rights reserved. Five key points make OMEn a truly unique operating platform withgreat benefits for users. These are outlined below, plus a sectionmentioning additional important features. £1) The Most Open Operating System OMEn software will work on any machine running OMEn regardless ofcomputer type and configuration without changes, special installationprocedures or recompiling. Only one version of an application needsto be created. This is very unlike UNIX where programs need to be recompiledfor different machines. It is also unlike having to create oneversion of an application for Windows, another for Mac (maybe), andignoring all other types of computer systems, new and old, which havesmaller markets. New assemblers are planned which will compile RISC code (PowerPC, etc) from existing 680x0 source code, making 680x0 assemblylanguage portable and allowing current, debugged software to port tonative mode on RISC PCs. £2) Easy Software Development OMEn is a simple componentware operating system that is easy forprogrammers to understand and write software for. Innovative conceptshave been carefully applied to achieve this goal, which translatesinto better application software with less effort. The importance of this efficiency can be illustrated by earlyMacintosh programs, which were superior to most of what was thenavailable on DOS even though far more development resources werefocused on DOS systems and over a longer period of time. Thedifference between programmon OMEn and existing systems (includingthe Macintosh) will be just as striking. £3) Application Integration: Component Software With OMEn's componentware nature, totally independent applicationscan work together as if they were just different features of onelarger program. This structural integration has never before beenachieved at the operating system level. It has major advantages forprogrammers and users. Software is able to specialize more and do onething well instead of having to do a number of different things. For example, pictures created with Paint`Booth can be includedin text documents, and Paint`Booth and Text`Ed can both be running atthe same time. It is not necessary that Text`Ed have picture drawingbuilt in - it would be redundant. Or, a stand alone spelling dictionary would work with Text`Ed orany other word processor or desktop publisher (as can any softwarecompiler). Authors of the word processor, the paint or draw program, andthe spelling dictionary all working independently in their areas ofbest expertise will bring out the best quality software.£4) Hardware And Software Independent Multi-Platform Operation While based on Motorola 680x0 processors, OMEn has an extendableopeninput_output (I_O) system instead of a fixed BIOS" inside thecore, which gives it the ability to interface to any hardwareconfigurations and software protocols. This allows computers of greatvariety to run the same system and the same software, instead offorcing conformity of hardware. Current target platforms include: * Atari computers * Macintosh computers * Amiga computers * PC computers, 80286+ (using 68331 OMEn processor card: ~$200) Additional possibilities also include: * RISC Machines: Power PC, Pentium, DEC Alpha (emulation, etc) * Multi-media Machines: Sega CD, Atari Jaguar (68000 machines) * New 680x0 OEM Machines of various descriptions. Many of these  will be economy model home computers or multi-processor  systems. * Embedded control systems for home, lab, shop, office, plant. £5) Third Party Developers Can Enhance And Interface The OMEn System £(in addition to writing applications for it) OMEn is modular, component software with separate files.The basicsystem is made up of a number of separate files: OMEn core, InterfaceManager (GUI"), File Manager, Protocol Translators, and I_O PortDrivers. The three independent interface layers are: (a) Internal layer (Core, Interface Manager, Applications) (b) Software interface layer (Protocol Managers) (c) Hardware interface layer (I_O Port Managers) £Other Important Features Ability to do virtually any computing job, economically, was a majordesign goal, and the above features are not the whole picture. All the desirable operating system features are there: invisibleand automatic memory management, vector graphics and fonts, audio andMIDI, multiple disk formats, networking, and so on. A versatile file management system gives a new level of accessto files and prevents lossof work if an applications hangs or bombs. Upgrading OMEn only adds new features. It should never causeolder software not to work properly any more. OMEn also bucks the dinosaur trend to huger is better". At 1/8of a megabyte it performs more functions than big name operatingsystems. It loads fast and leaves memory free for valuable dataintstead of hogging it for the system. It will even run on slowermachines with under 1 megabyte of memory and a floppy drive,expanding its market to large numbers of older 68000 machines whichare still used in homes and schools. OMEn is available from Esquimalt Digital Logic Inc, 820 DunsmuirRoad, Victoria BC, V9A 5B7, Phone 604-384-0499, Fax 604-384-0575.