LUnix

LUnix, short for "Little Unix",[1] is a Unix-like multi-tasking operating system designed to run natively on the Commodore 64 and Commodore 128[2] home computer systems. It supports TCP/IP networking (SLIP or PPP using an RS232 interface). Unlike most Unix-like systems, LUnix is written in 6502 assembly language instead of C.

Not to be confused with Linux.
LUnix
OS familyUnix-like
Working stateHistoric
Latest release0.21
PlatformsC64, C128
Default user interfaceCLI
LicenseGNU General Public License
Official websitelng.sourceforge.net

The first version of LUnix was released in 1993, the current version 0.21 dates from 2004. Amongst others, it supports preemptive multitasking, Unix pipes, a variety of protocols like TCP/IP, SLIP, PPP and RS232, dynamic memory management and virtual consoles. It contains a web server and clients for telnet, POP3 and FTP and can act as a terminal or terminal server over RS232.

LUnix was developed by Daniel Dallmann and contributed by Ilker Ficicilar, Stefan Haubenthal and Paul Gardner-Stephen in late 1990s. The first generation LUnix had support for faster RS232 via clever software tricks, 80 column VIC and VDC screen support, PS/2 keyboard support, and small set of standard Unix commands. It is possible with this first distribution to attach two keyboards and two monitors and one RS232 terminal to set up a three simultaneous, multitasking sessions on a C128. LUnix also supports 2 MHz mode and boot disk convenience of C128 platform.

LUnix came with an extensive documentation at the time. Well-defined library calls, relocatable code support and decent memory management functions made it possible to develop software for LUnix easily.

See also
  • OS-9 a multi-tasking operating system implemented in native code for the 6809 microprocessor
  • GeckOS a multi-tasking operating system for the 6502, offering binary compatibility with LUnix when linked to lib6502

References
  1. "About LUnix" Archived 2010-08-23 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved on 2010-08-27
  2. "LUnix Sourceforge Homepage", Retrieved on 2010-08-28
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