This meant, outside of Microsoft DOS and Unix, the ST had what could be considered a top-tier, industrial strength hierarchical operating system with a mature API and hard disk support. One of the little-known facts about the ST that made it a cut above the regular home computers of the time is the OS is not just a pretty face, but Digital Research actually based their code on CP/M-68K. If you had a monitor, it could output a high mono resolution of 640×400, or monitor/TV medium 640×200 (4 colors) or low resolution 300×200 in 16 colors from a palette of 512. Like the Mac and Amiga, it comprised a 8mhz Motorola 68000 and could be expanded up to 4MB of RAM, though as-standard our STFM had 512kb. The ST, unlike its contemporaries (Macintosh, Apple //GS, Amiga, Archimedes, IBM PC), was lower priced at launch and fully 16-bit. There were 16-bit computers before it, such as the Sinclair QL, but those machines were more 8/16-bit hybrids. The Atari ST was the first reasonably priced, fully 16-bit microcomputer, and the first computer with a colour graphical interface. Having both now, I do kind of regret the choice, though again I had way more friends with Speccies than anything else by a huge margin. Really, instead of the Spectrum 128+2 I should have gone for the C64. There was something about that system that didn’t gel quite as well for me. It didn’t take me long to yearn to get back into programming.

One of the systems closest to my heart is the Atari ST, because that was our entry into the 16-bit computing era.Īt the time the Amiga was out of budget for many of us in our home town, so as well as being the cost-concious option, it was also the best bet for access to games to swap. Previously I got my MiSTer set up afresh, and I mentioned part of the motivation was to get back into retro programming. Atari ST fan and envious of all the attention the Amiga gets? Ever wanted to program your own game for the Atari ST?

Atari st emulator mac