The Def Guide to Zzap!64

Posted: **Wed Jul 20, 2005 6:34 pm**

did any one ever use GEOS?
was it worth using or was it a waste of time?
is it available on the web?
is it worth me tracking down?

I really wanted to get geos when i was younger but im not sure why!

Posted: **Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:23 am**

I got an older version of it years ago for about £2.99 or something. It was quite impressive, but the apps for it were very expensive.

Posted: **Thu Jul 21, 2005 9:41 am**

It's an INCREDIBLE system, but you really need extra hardware to make the best use of it. I'm talking about some kind of RAM expansion and a larger capacity disk drive like a 1581 (3.5") or CMD hard drive.

I've run GEOS from a single 1541, and believe me it's slow.

Sure, the applications were expensive, but they do some incredible stuff.
The original was inspired by the Macintosh, and it really does turn your C64 into a mini-Mac, complete with icons, desktop publishing (through geoPublish), games and much more.

And the great thing is, there's still new things being developed for GEOS! GeoWrite v2.2 is due soon with enhanced printing. The new Wheels system is GEOS-compatible and makes better use of extra hardware. There's even an Internet browser!

Posted: **Thu Jul 21, 2005 10:52 am**

Professor Brian Strain wrote:...and it really does turn your C64 into a mini-Mac, complete with icons, desktop publishing (through geoPublish)...

I should have done The DEF Tribute on my C64 then, hehe.

Posted: **Fri Jul 22, 2005 10:58 am**

Don't laugh, it is possible.

Commodore Scene is laser-printed from a C128.

Commodore Currents is a new newsletter made on geoPublish. You can download the Postscript files and print it yourself, or download the PDFs.

With Geowrite 2.2 you can import GIFs and JPEGs.

Posted: **Fri Jul 22, 2005 11:20 am**

Until a few months ago, GEOS couldn't be downloaded for free, only purchased!

Now the copyright holder makes it available for free, but redistribution is forbidden (i.e. nobody can make it available for download on any other site). http://www.cmdrkey.com/cbm/geos/geos1.html is the site

Posted: **Sat Jul 23, 2005 12:25 am**

I had the C64 version of GEOS 1.3, though I had a C128. I had two I541-II's and it was still very slow... but two drives is still a great improvement as I could use the first drive as a kind of "hard" drive - letting GEOS run from that while the second drive loaded any other discs.

The thing that annoyed me the most was having to unplug my C1351 mouse if I wanted to type anything in... something to do with joystick port one, where the mouse had to be plugged into, and a bug in the CIA control chips. Highly, highly annoying.

Posted: **Mon Aug 01, 2005 9:51 pm**

Mr.Zzapback wrote:
Professor Brian Strain wrote:...and it really does turn your C64 into a mini-Mac, complete with icons, desktop publishing (through geoPublish)...

I should have done The DEF Tribute on my C64 then, hehe.

first time i saw geos was in a hotel in cornwall that had a c64 for its reception computer. i told a mate at school but he didnt belive me.