Are you a child of the late 80s or early 90s who went to school in the UK? If you are, then you might remember the Acorn Archimedes and its built-in operating system, RISC OS. RISC OS was a revolutionary GUI-based operating system that introduced many forward-thinking and intuitive design elements. Although Acorn, the company behind the Archimedes, shifted its focus away from computer development in the late 90s, RISC OS has managed to survive.

In this article, we will explore the history and development of RISC OS, and show you how to install it on your Raspberry Pi 400. The Raspberry Pi, with its ARM-based architecture, is the perfect platform for RISC OS to thrive. We will also cover the latest version of RISC OS, its features, and how to run classic Acorn Archimedes and BBC Micro apps and games on it.

A Brief History of RISC OS

RISC OS was first released in 1987 under the name “Arthur” for Acorn’s new ARM chipset. It was the first GUI-based operating system for many users and was included with all of Acorn’s ARM-based machines. However, Acorn’s focus shifted away from computer development, and in 1998, the company canceled the Phoebe computer, which was supposed to be their next release.

After Acorn’s demise, two separate forks of RISC OS were developed. Risk OS Limited acquired the rights from Acorn’s successor, Element 14, and continued its development. The rights were later sold to Castle Technology, who developed their own version of the operating system. In 2018, the two forks merged and were released as an open-source project.

Today, RISC OS can run on various platforms, including the Raspberry Pi. The Raspberry Pi 400, with its all-in-one design reminiscent of the Archimedes, is an ideal modern-day platform for RISC OS.

Installing RISC OS on Raspberry Pi 400

To install RISC OS on your Raspberry Pi 400, you will need a blank SD card. You can either use a new one or format an existing one using the official SD card formatter tool. RISC OS 5 is available as one of the standard options in the Raspberry Pi installer, but for this guide, we will use RISC OS Direct, a more fully featured version with pre-installed software, games, and emulators.

First, download the RISC OS Direct disk image for the Raspberry Pi 400 from their website. Then, write the image to the SD card using Etcher, a tool available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Once the card is written and verified, insert it into your Raspberry Pi 400 and power it on.

Please note that RISC OS currently does not support Wi-Fi on the Pi, so it’s recommended to connect to the internet via an Ethernet cable. Also, you will need a three-button mouse to fully navigate RISC OS, as it relies heavily on the middle mouse button. Most modern USB mice, including the official Raspberry Pi mouse, have a clickable scroll wheel that acts as the middle button.

Exploring RISC OS

Upon booting up RISC OS on your Raspberry Pi 400, you will be greeted with the RISC OS desktop, also known as the Pinboard. The Pinboard is where you will find icons for opening applications and performing file manipulation tasks. The desktop also features an icon bar at the bottom that provides quick access to various functions.

RISC OS may feel different from modern operating systems due to its origins in the late 80s. However, the RISC OS Direct team has included a helpful cheat sheet as the default wallpaper that explains the key mappings for the Raspberry Pi keyboard and mouse buttons. The middle mouse button, equivalent to a right-click in other operating systems, plays a crucial role in navigating RISC OS.

One of the unique features of RISC OS is the ability to manually allocate system resources. By clicking on the resource icons on the Pinboard, you can adjust their values and allocate RAM to specific tasks. Although allocating resources may not be as essential on modern hardware, it gives users full control over system tasks.

RISC OS Direct also includes additional features not found in the standard RISC OS distribution. For example, you can customize the screen resolution to make it more visible, especially if you’re watching on a mobile device. You can also access a built-in calendar and organizer, similar to an old-school Filofax, to keep track of appointments, birthdays, addresses, and notes.

Conclusion

With its rich history and intuitive design, RISC OS brings a touch of nostalgia to the Raspberry Pi 400. Installing RISC OS on your Raspberry Pi is a straightforward process, and the RISC OS Direct distribution offers a more feature-packed experience. Whether you’re curious about the origins of GUI-based operating systems or looking to relive the classic Acorn Archimedes and BBC Micro era, RISC OS on the Raspberry Pi 400 is worth exploring.

Take a trip down memory lane and experience the magic of RISC OS on your Raspberry Pi 400 today!

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