Nina KalininaDec 18, 2024

A while ago I posted a bit of info about a Russian desktop PDP-11-on-chip clone. Today I stumbled upon a couple of operating systems for a home computer BK-0010, and wanted to share a few screenshots from those. It's possible this is going to be quite unlike to what you've seen!

A few interesting things, before we begin:
* This computer series has a funny naming; for example, one of the models is called БК-0010.01Ш
* The keyboard layout is not QWERTY, and the default code page is not ASCII or PC-compatible CP866 but (almost) KOI-8
* The CPU is compatible with PDP-11, so the computer was used with RT-11 quite a bit. There is a modern UNIX V6 port for it, but, sadly, it was not a thing when the computer was still popular (only its older sibling DVK got a true UNIX back in the days)
* Designed in 1985, it was manufactured until 1993, and was still popular in the late 90s (but not as popular as ZX Spectrum)
* It has an unauthorized port of Monkey Island 2 with music and an alternative ending from 1995!

🧵

Show threadNina KalininaDec 18, 2024

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.

Show threadNina KalininaDec 18, 2024

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.

Show threadthe esoteric programmerDec 18, 2024
@nina_kali_nina andos, what's that? android inside dos?
Show threadNina KalininaDec 18, 2024
@esoteric_programmer please do check out the thread! This is an obscure operating system running on a household PDP-11 clone that was surprisingly popular in the ex-USSR in the 1990s
Show threadthe esoteric programmerDec 19, 2024
@nina_kali_nina ahh, I see it now, wouldn't know it was a thread if you didn't tell me. Seriously, there has to be a mastodon client one of these days, which tells me if the post I'm seeing right now is part of a thread. On mastodon and similar, the whole thread may not show, and that's OK for some definitions of OK, but with go to social those threads load properly
Show threadNina Kalinina
@esoteric_programmer yeah, could be super confusing, especially when you see it in your feed...
Dec 19, 2024 at 4:47pmWeb
Show threadthe esoteric programmerDec 19, 2024
@nina_kali_nina yes, that's exactly what happened. Hmm, I'd make it so that the algorythm of mastodon would be cronological timelines as it always was, but except for threads, in which case posts are reordered so that the top of the thread appears first in the timeline