7.4) Are there Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) for the Atari?

Section started by: Andreas Koch
Other contributors: Mathy van Nisselroy, Kathleen Ferrante

G.O.S. by Total Control Systems (David Sullivan)
- Public domain program released 1986 (written in Action!)

Window XL/XE (c)1986, by Joerg Forg / Megamania Soft inc.
- Andreas Koch writes: a Turbo-BASIC XL GUI with some nice add-ons, like
  calculator, editor and other things.

RAOS (Rat Actuated Operating System) by Zobian Controls
- Marketed 1986/1987 for use with the company's SuperRAT or earlier RAT
  mouse controllers (neither of which shipped)
- Was to include Z-DOS desktop (DUP.SYS replacement)
- Never shipped

XL-TOS by Marc Ebner
- Published in Atari Magazin, 1987/01 Jan/Feb, with supplements published
  in issues 3/4-87 Mar/Apr and 5/6-87 May/Jun.
- Andreas Koch writes: the BASIC file, which consists of many data lines
  creates a short object code file); unfortunately this GUI only looks
  good, it loads almost nothing...

GOE (cartridge), developed by Total Control Systems (David Sullivan)
- Written in Assembly
- Promoted by Merrill Ward & Assoc. / Shelly Merrill as "ST Jr." early 1988
- Demo version(s?) released by TCS fall 1988
- Full cartridge version never shipped.

Diamond GOS, developed by Reeve Software / ReeveSoft (Alan Reeve)
(co-marketed by USA Media / Shelly Merrill as "ST Jr." Aug 1988 - Apr 1989)
- Supports: DOS 2.5 and compatible, SpartaDOS, DOS XE
   o  Diamond GOS version 1 (1988)
      - Diamond DeskTop 1.0 (disk) DUP.SYS replacement
   o  Diamond GOS version 2 (1989) package:
      - Diamond DeskTop 2.0 (cartridge) + Utility Diskette
      - Diamond Programmer's Kit (Programmer's Manual)
      - Diamond Paint (disk)
   o  Diamond GOS version 3 (1991) package:
      - Diamond DeskTop 3.0 (cartridge) + utility diskette
      - Diamond Paint (disk)
      - Diamond Write (disk)

Atari Desktop, by Piotr Bieniek (c) 1992 ABC Software (Poland)
  Andreas Koch writes: includes editors, converters, file copiers, sector
  copy, tape+turbo tape copy, small games, CMC finder and player and much
  much more; works with 64KiB RAM and keyboard input; disk manuals only in
  Polish language...

Screen Aided Management (SAM) by RaindorfSoft for Power Per Post (Germany)
- It is available in two different versions:
   a) Atari magazin type-in listings or Lazy Fingers disks (public domain)
   b) Commercial version 2.0 which has many add-ons
- Supports: Atari DOS 2.5
   - V1.25i, 1994 is available from DGS, http://www.dgs.clara.net/
     DGS SAM page: http://www.dgs.clara.net/sam.htm

BOSS-XL by Mirko Sobe (MS Software)
- Requires 64KiB XL/XE
- Supports: ATARI-DOS, Turbo-DOS
- Current Version: v4.5 Edition 2000 (primary development 1993-1997)
- System Software:
   - File Manager (Desktop was the BOSS-XL V2.0)
   - BOSS-font editor (XE-version)
   - Icon Editor (XL-/XE-Version)
- Written in Turbo-BASIC XL

BOSS-XE by Mirko Sobe (MS Software)
- Requires 64KiB XL/XE, 128KiB or more recommended
- Supports: ATARI-DOS, Turbo-DOS
- Current Version: v8.1 Edition 2000 (developed 1997-2000)
- Written in Turbo-BASIC XL
- System Software:
   - BOSS parameter
   - BOSS-font editor (XE-version)
   - Icon editor (XL / XE version)

BOSS-X by Mirko Sobe (MS Software)
- Requires 128KiB XL/XE, 256KiB or more recommended
- Supports: MYDOS 4.50 and above; Atari ST Mouse
- Current Version: 10:33, 2003 (developed 2000-2003)
- Written in Turbo-BASIC XL
- System Software:
   - File Manager
   - BOSS parameter
   - BOSS-font editor (X version)
   - Icon editor (X version for colored symbols)
   - BOSS-X framework
   - multiple screen savers

ST-TOS a small BASIC program, that looks like a GUI; it can merely load
  BASIC files and do a few DOS commands, like lock, unlock, delete and such...

BASIC desktop, a GUI written in BASIC just as a sample, what can be done
  with an 8-bit computer; this one loads BASIC and text files (maybe also ML
  files);

DCS, the desktop construction set from Tom Hunt; there are 3 different
versions available, a) for DOS 2.5, b) for MyDOS and c) for Sparta-DOS; I have
tested the Sparta DOS version, which worked with batchfiles and could easily
load some ML files, text files and BASIC files (which were already on the DCS
disk); it also works with high densities and/or hard disk partitions up to
16MiB and supports subdirs of course; hmm, freeware or shareware ?!?

ATOS - GUI by Tom Hunt/Closer To Home.
1) Lets you use any demo or intro as a screen saver!!
2) Works with all Atari hardware, BB, MIO and Hard drives, SpartaDOS support
3) Lets you run files like full games and demos and then
    return back to the desktop.  It uses Overlays.

TRS Desktop by Tristesse (By Epi, Pin, Trub) (2005)
- A graphic user interface for SpartaDOS X to be used with hard drives.
- http://www.atari8.info/trsdesktop.php
- http://trub.atari8.info/sdx_files/TRS_desktop_v09d_alfa.zip

GUI project demo, by Jonathan Halliday (2012)
- A work in progress
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