Our first stop is a popular-ish operating system for BK0010 called ANDOS. Like many other DOSes for this computer, it has a Norton Commander-style shell. Unlike other DOSes, it tries to be MS-DOS compatible rather than RT-11-compatible. It works with FAT12-floppies, and has a multitude of tools to work with IBM PC files, including TXT and PCX.

You'd be surprised to discover that you CAN'T just open a TXT file on this computer.

A curious detail about this OS and many programs for it is that they're very HACKER-like, demoscene-like, with in-group jokes, fancy animations, nice touches for fellow hackers. The OS'es boot screen has the text "ANDOS" flying around the screen in pseudo-3D, like this isn't a computer with 32KB RAM.

Another curious detail is that the video mode is "fake monochrome" - you'll see it in true colours later.

I tried to use the system and couldn't. The keyboard is obviously not PC-like, so I have no idea what "3" I need to press to call "3 View" and read the Readme files. Thankfully, there is a program called RUNME that explains that to read VXT files, I need to press "AP2" and "3" at the same time.

"Well, judging by the fact you're reading this text, this must be your first time using ANDOS, which is quite surprising."

I want to note that ANDOS was a commercial system, on sale for 50,000 RUB, or about $10 back in the days. It is freeware now. So it is not that unexpected to have a detailed manual coming with the system.

@nina_kali_nina what machine is this exactly? i must have missed it

maybe unrelated but I'd LOVE to find a DVK-2

@nina_kali_nina ahh so it is related, nice :)

I've lusted after the DVK-2 for a long time but would love any PDP-11 microcomputer tbh

@wyatt8740 :< hope your contact is OK.

My family should have one somewhere, but I doubt it still works. IIRC those were using very custom very VLSI chips