While each later revision of the Atari Operating System (OS) was designed to be backward compatible with earlier versions, software incompatibilities were sometimes introduced. In particular, a number of programs written for the 400/800 OS versions do not run correctly or at all under the XL OS versions. In order to allow many "400/800-only" programs to be run on an XL (or later, XE) computer, Atari sold the Atari Translator on disk.
The auto-booting Translator diskette installs the 400/800 OS in RAM "under" the ROM-based XL OS in an XL/XE Atari computer. Once this disk has been loaded, the user is prompted to remove it and insert the application diskette (or cassette) and press the [SELECT] key. When this occurs the system undertakes a COLD START in the new, RAM-based 400/800 OS environment.
The Translator disk is a two-sided disk, providing two slightly different versions of the Translator. The Side A Translator provides a version of the 400/800 OS that is slightly modified to allow the [RESET] key to be pressed without reverting to the XL OS on ROM. The Side B Translator provides an even higher degree of compatibility, including support for programs that boot the 850 interface, but the 400/800 OS in RAM would be disabled if the [RESET] key is pressed.
Atari shipped two versions of the Translator disk: - Atari Translator DX5063 NTSC version: 400/800 OS Rev.B/NTSC - Atari Translator FK100807 PAL version: 400/800 OS Rev.A/PAL
Translator programmers at Atari: - Greg Riker: Original version 83-03-20 - Joe Miller: Added graphics and code for [RESET] 83-09-15
Atari Translator partial source code: http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/78381-xl-translator-source/
Similar "translator" programs from 3rd parties include: - XL Fix by Computer Software Services (CSS), 1983 (ad Antic Apr84p102) - Commercial program released (originally) in disk and cassette versions - Also released in ROM version - OldOper ver. 1.0 by MasterSoft, April 1984 - The FIXXL by Belathiel (widely distributed by Antic magazine), 6/11/84 - The Emulator by ATCO int. systems (ATCO-IS) Stuttgart, version 4.0, 1984 - "Home-Made Translator" by Angelo Giambra, ANALOG July 1985 p.28-34 - Follow-up by D.D. Davids II to above article, ANALOG Sept. 1985 p. 6 - XOS/Translator, by Computer Support, 1985 - Also released in ROM version as: XOS/Fix - Ultra Translator: Ultrafix/XL (400/800 OS Rev.B or Rev.A), by Tim Patrick - Revision 1.3, 1984/86 - Revision 2.0, 1984/86 - This version also produced on cartridge by Video 61 - Revision 2.2, 1984/86
See a separate section of this FAQ list for 400/800 OS "translator" products sold on ROM chips (replacement operating systems) |