Aw, too late for our meeting. However, we did look at TRIANGULAR μOS 1.27 for the C64. With the Ultimate 64, at 48 MHz. it was way too fast.
When we dialed the U64 down to 2 MHz. or even 4 MHz., that felt just about right.
Unfortunately, SimCity caught bug from adaptation to μPETSCII and I had to locate it. Games beyond that have some sounds and improvements applied. It will be developed further and GP Brazil is still far cry from what it had to be in 1.44. Nonetheless, version 1.44 is exceptionally stable, especially in new areas: μPETSCII-256 adaptation, updated message box and new SDK tool Charset.
But more important is fact that TRIANGULAR μOS 1.45 development has started!
It will be really big milestone for μOS in Commodore 128 era. Just looking at task list I can say it's scope of changes will beat past 1.35 and even 1.25 (that bring standard μOS look of 1.25-1.41) versions.
Obviously biggest change will be finalization of μPETSCII-256 implementation. Already I've narrowed down from hundreds of C64/128 charset fonts to 34 candidates for final release (probably 3 to 5 of them will be selected). Also new mouse pointer shapes and list selection will be added.
Beyond those main core changes Synth will be completely redesigned (I will base it on BASIC music program from famous polish C64 cartridge Black Box 9). Sounds system will be also improved in games and in whole system.
SDK tools will be further updated with new simple Font program for easier creation of system fonts (or rather merging new font letter part with already developed μPETSCII-256 graphic part) and Sprite program for faster sprite creation without need of SPRDEF command or CBM prg Studio (it will be extremely useful for mouse pointer shaped development).
Already I've tested few possible candidate fonts and it will be great feature. Also color options are distributed differently in Settings Window and Desktop tabs. Besides many small error are bug fixed. More in task list below (that in time will be expanded even more).
However, since lack of time compared to winter (where from end of November to December and January I've pushed out 6 full releases from 1.29 to 1.43), I will have to slow down releases frequency to avoid rushed out versions. This means I will not release 1.45 in one month time and probably not even in March but in early April. Giving 1.46 at least another month (due to bitmap, paint app and multi-windowing features) and 1.47 another, I will end μOS C128 development in June/July. Then I will learn C65 architecture and release 2, 3 at max versions of series 1.5x for it. And by December I should start development version 1.60 for MEGA65. First ML-BASIC version 2.00 should arrive mid-year of 2025. That's my timeline for now (semi official - it can always change).
TRIANGULAR μOS 1.45 for Commodore 128 Task list:
- Finishing μPETSCII-256 font system with multiple fonts => Currently in development
- System sounds serviced by PLAY => TODO
- BIOS: Reused errors on other machines and C65 & MEGA65 detection added => TODO
- PSoD: Implemented across the board along with file checks => TODO
- GUI: Multiple mouse pointer shapes => TODO
- GUI: Add Selection lists to BASICALLY API => TODO
- GUI: In between window memory extra bit handling added => TODO
- Settings: Rearrangement of Window & Desktop tabs => DONE
- Settings: Title bar change fixing => TODO
- Disk: Improved disk content retrieving system using DIRECTORY => TODO
- Disk: Fix new file list not empty => DONE
- CMD: Improved disk content retrieving system using DIRECTORY => TODO
- CMD: Display disk type on disk error => TODO
- CMD: New F-key commands => TODO
- Monitor: New F-key commands => TODO
- Words: Save and load non .txt files => TODO
- Synth: Vast redesign => TODO
- SimCity: Debugged and improved with sounds => TODO
- Star Wars: More sounds added => TODO
- Crab in New York: More sounds added => TODO
- GP Brazil: Expanded, race track improved, explosion & sounds system added => TODO
- SDK: Charset expanded with copy, delete and reverse buttons + visual changes => TODO
- SDK: Tool added for font merging => TODO
- SDK: Sprite tool added => TODO
- SDK: Documentation expanded => TODO
- Improvements and bugfixes => Currently in development
Further updates on TRIANGULAR μOS website:
triangular-uos.blogspot.com/2024/02/triangular-os-145-for-commodore-128.html
When we dialed the U64 down to 2 MHz. or even 4 MHz., that felt just about right.