Z80 Gets New Operating System in 2026
▼ Summary
– Scott Baker has created a new, from-scratch operating system called NostOS for the Z80-based RC2014 retrocomputer.
– The OS is designed to run from ROM, fits within 64kB, and supports memory banking, serial devices, and floppy controllers.
– It supports alternative storage like Compact Flash cards and includes drivers for technologies like bubble memory and vacuum fluorescent displays.
– The project is fully open-source with comprehensive documentation and includes features like text-to-speech and a port of the game Zork.
– While built for the Z80, the operating system is also designed to be compatible with the Intel 8080 processor.
While some may consider the classic Z80 microprocessor a platform with enough legacy software, developer Scott Baker has taken a different view. He has created a completely new operating system named NostOS, built from the ground up for the popular Z80-based RC2014 retrocomputer. Baker describes the system as CP/M-like, but it is entirely original and incompatible with the iconic CP/M standard, incorporating several unique features of its own.
Designed for vintage hardware constraints, NostOS is rommable, meaning it is crafted to run directly from read-only memory and fits within a 64kB footprint. It naturally supports banking memory to surpass the 16-bit address limit and includes native drivers for common serial devices. Storage options are a highlight, with support for the classic WD37C65 floppy controller. For those without disk drives, the OS accommodates a compact flash card, a feature not found in traditional CP/M, and even the intriguing Intel Bubble Memory. Baker has a noted fondness for bubble memory, a technology once thought capable of replacing both hard drives and RAM. The inclusion of drivers for vacuum fluorescent displays adds another layer of retro-tech appeal.
This operating system would have enabled a remarkably capable machine in its era, especially when paired with Baker’s implementation of text-to-speech using the SP0256A-AL2 chip. Imagine a talking version of Zork, which he has indeed ported to the platform. The entire project is open-source and available on GitHub, accompanied by exceptionally thorough documentation that evokes the feel of a classic software manual. For those who prefer video, Baker provides a detailed walkthrough, though his blog and GitHub repository contain all necessary information.
It is worth mentioning that NostOS is not strictly tied to the Zilog Z80. The system should also run on an Intel 8080 processor, such as the one found in the Prompt 80 computer Baker restored earlier this year.
(Source: Hackaday)