Exciting developments in Commodore world -- Ideas for GS dev?

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

The amazing Commodore 64 and Commodore 128 computers just keep
going and going and going...

There is more development for these units than for the GS!  Their new
OS can provide ideas for possible GS development.  I saw this in the
comp.sys.cbm newsgroup...

>>>

Subject: Re: New Geos?
From: Phil Porth <vnporth@spots.ab.ca>
Date: Mon, Mar 30, 1998 01:49 EST
Message-id: <Pine.LNX.3.96.980329233718.13329B-100000@cheetah.spots.ab.ca>

The new version is actually two new programs the first being Wheels written
by Maurice Randall. The second was written by a couple of German fellows.
the program is called megapatch, and one of the people was the fellow who
also wrote Top Desk. I have a buffer capture file of the megapatch program,
and the info on wheels is available at Maurice's site
(http://people.delphi.com/arca93/)

the following is captured text from the authors:

Here are some of the features of GEOS MegaPatch V3:
(Please exuse my english, i hope you will understand
what i want to say...)
 
- MP3 supports als kinds of RAM:
  BBGRam, GeoRAM, Commodore REU, RAMLink, RAMCard
- TaskSwitcher: Open up to 9 applications and switch
  between them. An Example:
  You just open GeoWrite, then open GeoPaint, then create
  a photo-scrap, then switch back to GeoWrite and "paint"
  the photo-scrap in your write-document! Of course you
  can now switch back to GeoPaint, your Paint-document
  ist still open!
- ScreenShot-function. Just create screenshots from your
  current GEOS-screen (GeoPaint-format).
- MP3-64: Printdriver always in RAM. It is not longer
  necassary to have the printdriver on disk.
- Change the printdriver, whenever you want! Just start
  the TaskSwitcher and select the new printdriver!
- MP3-64: No more swapfiles when starting a DescAccessory!
- Screensaver included!
  (Programmers can create their own screensavers!)
- PrinterSpooler: Print multiple copies of your document!
- New file-selection-box:
  * Up to 255 files,
  * Select file by typing in the filename,
  * view files in alphabetical order,
  * and more...
- MP3 will automatically set color, even in older
  GEOS-programs...
- Faster graphic-routines,
- Pull-down-menus modified,
- New getstring-editor. Correct your textinputs with the
  cursor-keys!
- SuperCPU is integrated in MP3:
  Up to 30% more speed when using MP3 instead GEOS2 and the
  original CMD-patch for the SuperCPU.
- Faster "MoveData"-routine for SuperCPU (16 Bit!)
- Load DeskTop from drive A: to D:,
- No more CONFIGURE... It's time for MegaEditor!
  * Select/install drives much easier,
  * Select boot-partition for RAMLink-partitions,
    (every drive from A: to D: can be a different
    partition on the RAMLink, so you can use four
    RAMLink-Drives at the same time!)
  * Change SuperCPU-speed/optimization,
  * Change cursor-speed,
  * Install TaskSwitcher,
  * Select ScreenSaver and more...
- New device-drivers,
  * RAMLink-drivers (1541,71,81,Native) much faster,
  * Special FD/HD-drivers for 1541,71-partitions.
 
The new DeskTop, called WinDesk98, looks like WINDOWS95.
Windows, taskbar, links to applications/documents =>
just klick on the icon on your DeskTop and the file
will be opened. It is not necassary to know the partition
or the drive which contains this file. WinDesk98 will
search for it!
 
Use MSDOS-disks on your C64/C128!
A special DOS-reader/writer is included: GeoDOS 64, a
"free to copy"-program, which can copy,convert,print
MSDOS/PETSCII and GEOS-Files. You can use GeoDOS as a
DeskTop too! Format disks,un-/delete files, view/print
directory, edit file-informations, swap drives, create/
delete native-directorys, validate disks.
GeoDOS is the first program which includes a full
online-help-system (just press <F1> and the help you
need will appear on the screen!)

<<<

I am impressed by the level of hardware and software development
in Commodore world, but I am even more impressed by the wild
enthusiasm of Commodore users.

I was thinking...GS/OS uses a Macintosh style desktop. Some
GS users may be more comfortable with a Windows 95 style
interface.  How difficult would it be to make a set of patches or
inits and extensions to GS/OS to add a Windows 95 look with a
taskbar like this new GEOS?

Another interesting possibility is the writing of a similar upgrade
for A2 GEOS.  If memory serves, A2 GEOS was very similar to
Commodore 128 GEOS.