ReadyOS

ReadyOS PRECOG is an experimental REU-first environment for a modern Commodore 64 setup. Its long-term center of gravity is the new Commodore 64 Ultimate and related Ultimate-family hardware, but it is intended to support a wide range of C64 setups that have a reasonably large REU. That includes VICE, Ultimate-family hardware, and other practical REU-capable modern paths. PRECOG 0.2.3 is the current release-candidate line.

The current 0.2.3 release candidate is still comparatively generic rather than being explicitly tailored to the new C64 Ultimate. The next release is expected to push further in that Ultimate-first direction while still trying to stay usable on other REU-capable C64 setups.

The Concept

What if a Commodore 64 could feel ready, not just nostalgic? ReadyOS treats waiting as the enemy. It is a keyboard-first, full-screen terminal-style environment built around instant app switching, suspend/resume, shared clipboard and history, and deeper links between apps. The goal is a C64 workflow where READY means responsive, reliable, and repeatable.

At a glance:

• requires an REU-backed modern C64 path and is tested at 16MB REU
• main product direction: new Commodore 64 Ultimate and Ultimate-family workflows
• practical secondary path today: VICE with REU enabled
• still intended to support other C64 setups with a decent-sized REU
• tuned to stay usable from 1MHz up through 48MHz
• ships multiple release SKUs so the runtime can fit D64, D71, D81, and EasyFlash cartridge workflows
• emphasizes "instant" app switching with apps suspended in the REU

Project links:

• GitHub: https://github.com/ReadyOS-C64/ReadyOs
• Homepage: https://readyos64.com
• Wiki: https://readyos.notion.site/

Getting Started

The canonical release layout is:

• releases/<version>/precog-easyflash/
• releases/<version>/precog-dual-d71/
• releases/<version>/precog-d81/
• releases/<version>/precog-dual-d64/
• releases/<version>/precog-solo-d64-a/
• releases/<version>/precog-solo-d64-b/
• releases/<version>/precog-solo-d64-c/
• releases/<version>/precog-solo-d64-d/
• releases/<version>/precog-solo-d64-e/

Targets:

• VICE
• THEC64 Mini / Maxi
• Commodore 64 Ultimate-family hardware such as C64 Ultimate, Ultimate 64, or Ultimate Cart

So far tested in VICE and the Commodore 64 Ultimate.

Recommended baseline:

• enable the REU
• set REU size to 16MB
• follow the helpme.md inside the selected releases/<version>/<profile>/ directory

Boot note:

• disk SKUs boot with the documented PREBOOT chain for that profile
• precog-easyflash boots by mounting readyos_data.d64 on drive 8, attaching readyos_easyflash.crt, and resetting into the cartridge
• during that boot, the on-screen cartridge label reads precog cartridge (beta)

Current Status

• Base release: 0.2.3
• Local builds use the existing rolling suffix flow for artifact filenames only
• Builds release media per profile
• Currently includes 17 apps with 24 app slots reserved in the REU

What's New In 0.2.3

• New precog-easyflash cartridge SKU for VICE and Ultimate-family setups. It boots from an EasyFlash CRT, keeps a companion D64 on drive 8, and preloads the launcher, app snapshots, and ReadyShell overlays into the REU.
• The cartridge path now has a supporting build and verification stack rather than being a one-off artifact. The release flow generates the CRT, raw EasyFlash image, layout metadata, companion disk, cartridge docs, and the EasyFlash smoke verification path used by local release checks.
• Cartridge boot visibility is better than it was in the 0.2 line. The border colors now indicate loader setup, shim setup, cartridge-to-RAM copy, RAM-to-REU transfer, final handoff, and the explicit REU-missing error path.
• The EasyFlash loader now checks for REU early and returns to BASIC on a key press if REU is missing instead of trying to continue in a broken state.
• A small launcher progress-display bug was fixed in the normal load-all-to-REU path so the on-screen X/Y preload counter stays correct while the standard disk variants are filling app snapshots into the REU.
• New system info app reports machine, ROM, video, REU, cartridge visibility, Ultimate UCI status, and drive status for devices 8 through 11; on the C64 Ultimate it shows a variety of Ultimate machine details, including networking information and IP addresses.

Release Variants

ReadyOS now ships the same runtime in 9 public media variants because the target drive types, disk capacities, and cartridge support are different.

Profile	Media	Why It Exists	Boot Flow	App Set
precog-easyflash	CRT cartridge plus companion D64 on drive 8	full cartridge cold-boot path for VICE and Ultimate-family setups that can keep a disk mounted	reset into cartridge boot	full current app catalog
precog-dual-d71	two D71 images on drives 8 and 9	default full-content profile for 1571 setups and the main local verification target	PREBOOT -> SETD71 -> BOOT	full current app catalog
precog-d81	one D81 image on drive 8	full-content single-disk profile for 1581/D81 setups	PREBOOT -> BOOT	full current app catalog
precog-dual-d64	two D64 images on drives 8 and 9	reduced profile for 1541-compatible capacity limits	PREBOOT -> BOOT	curated subset of the current app catalog
precog-solo-d64-a	one D64 image on drive 8	standalone single-disk subset with editor, reference, and dizzy	PREBOOT -> BOOT	editor, hexview, readme, dizzy
precog-solo-d64-b	one D64 image on drive 8	standalone single-disk productivity subset with quicknotes, calculator, clipboard, and files	PREBOOT -> BOOT	quicknotes, calcplus, clipmgr, simplefiles
precog-solo-d64-c	one D64 image on drive 8	standalone single-disk planning subset with tasklist, calendar, and REU viewer	PREBOOT -> BOOT	tasklist, cal26, reuviewer
precog-solo-d64-d	one D64 image on drive 8	standalone single-disk experimental subset with simple cells, calculator, 2048, and deminer	PREBOOT -> BOOT	simplecells, calcplus, game2048, deminer
precog-solo-d64-e	one D64 image on drive 8	standalone single-disk ReadyShell-focused subset for one-disk-only environments	PREBOOT -> BOOT	readyshell and its shell-focused subset

The cartridge SKU has one important nuance: readyos_data.d64 is still part of the expected runtime. The cartridge contains the EasyFlash boot code and the preloaded payloads, while drive 8 remains the normal disk-backed place for runtime files, help content, and app data.

The cartridge SKU also now performs an explicit early REU check. If REU is not present, the boot loader shows a clear error, waits for a keypress, and returns to BASIC cold start instead of trying to continue.

The dual-D64 profile is intentionally smaller. Right now it keeps the core productivity path that fits on two D64s: editor, quicknotes, calcplus, clipmgr, tasklist, simplefiles, game2048, sidetris, deminer, and cal26.

The solo-D64 variants exist for environments that can mount only one D64 at a time, such as some web emulators and simplified media loaders. The split is intentional.

EasyFlash Boot Colors

The precog-easyflash cold boot now uses border colors so the long preload is visibly doing work.

• light blue border: loader setup and general control flow
• green border: shim install and shared-state setup
• yellow border: cartridge-to-RAM copy
• orange border: RAM-to-REU stash or REU restore
• light green border: final launcher handoff
• red border: REU missing, waiting for keypress to return to BASIC

The blue background remains constant. Long yellow or orange phases are expected and mean the machine is still preloading launcher, app, and overlay snapshots.

App Catalog

The launcher-visible catalog lives in cfg/profiles/*.ini and is generated to apps.cfg on drive 8 for the selected profile.

App Config Format

Each profile file in cfg/profiles/ becomes the generated apps.cfg on drive 8. The real file format has three sections in this order: [system], [launcher], and [apps]. The dual-d71 profile begins like this:

[system]
variant_name=precog dual d71
variant_boot_name=precog dual d71

[launcher]
load_all_to_reu=0
runappfirst=

[apps]
9:editor:editor:1
text editor with clipboard

8:quicknotes:quicknotes
reu-backed note editor

8:cal26:calendar 26
calendar for 2026 with appointments

How it works:

• [system] carries launcher-visible variant text. variant_name is the general profile name, and variant_boot_name is the boot/display variant string when that needs to differ.
• load_all_to_reu controls whether the launcher tries to preload all app payloads into the REU at startup.
• runappfirst optionally names an app token to auto-launch after boot.
• Each app record uses drive:program:label[:slot] on one line, followed by a human-readable description on the next line. Used a lot for automated app testing.
• In 9:editor:editor:1, 9 is the source drive, editor is the PRG token, the second editor is the launcher label, and the trailing 1 is the default hotkey slot. The parser accepts slot values 1..9; omitting the fourth field means no default slot binding.
• A catalog entry such as 8:readyshell:readyshell (beta):2 assigns ReadyShell to launcher hotkey slot 2 at boot, even though ReadyShell does not currently support runtime rebinding from inside the shell.
• drive must be numeric and in the range 8..11.
• program must be lowercase, must not include .prg, must not include a Commodore file-type suffix such as ,p, and must be 12 characters or fewer.
• label is the launcher-visible app name and is limited to 31 characters.
• The description line is limited to 38 characters.
• Source text is expected to be lowercase. The build step writes the final apps.cfg as a lowercase-PETASCII SEQ payload, and the launcher reads that generated file from drive 8.
• Blank lines and comment lines are allowed in the source profile. App records still follow the same alternating entry-line / description-line structure.

Global App Hotkeys

ReadyOS supports up to nine direct app hotkey slots.

• CTRL+1 through CTRL+9 launch or switch to the app bound to that slot.
• CTRL+SHIFT+1 through CTRL+SHIFT+9 bind the current app to that slot at runtime in apps that use the shared hotkey handler.
• The same slot numbers can be seeded at boot from cfg/profiles/*.ini by adding the optional fourth :slot field in the [apps] section.
• Apps with their own raw keyboard input loops may not support runtime rebinding even though launcher-configured default slots still work.

Real C64 versus emulator key forms:

• On a real C64, launch uses CTRL plus the number key.
• On a real C64, bind uses CTRL+SHIFT plus the number key. Those are the same physical keys that print shifted digit symbols: ! " # $ % & ' ( ).
• In emulators, host keymaps vary. Some map cleanly to CTRL+SHIFT+<digit>, while others deliver CTRL+!, CTRL+", CTRL+#, and so on.
• ReadyOS accepts both forms in apps that support runtime rebinding, so use whichever chord your emulator keymap produces.

Drive	Program	Display Name	Current Role
9	editor	editor	Text editor with selection abilities, clipboard, find, and disk save/open
8	quicknotes	quicknotes	Split-pane REU-backed notes with save/open and search
9	calcplus	calc plus	Expression calculator with history, modes, variables, and clipboard
9	hexview	hex viewer	Memory browser with PETSCII and screen-code views
9	clipmgr	clipboard	Multi-item clipboard manager with preview and file import/export
9	reuviewer	reu viewer	Visual 256-bank REU map
9	sysinfo	system info	Read-only machine, REU, Ultimate, cartridge, and drive status; on C64 Ultimate, also shows Ultimate machine details including networking information and IP addresses
9	tasklist	task list	Hierarchical outliner with notes, search, and file persistence
9	simplefiles	simple files	Dual-pane file manager with copy, rename, delete, and SEQ previewing
9	simplecells	simple cells (alpha)	Single-sheet spreadsheet with formulas, formatting, and save/load
9	game2048	2048 game	2048 puzzle game with resume/app switching
9	sidetris	sidetris	Sideways block-drop game with suspend/resume
8	cal26	calendar 26	2026 calendar with month, week, day, upcoming, and REL-backed appointments
8	dizzy	dizzy kanban	Kanban board with REL-backed persistence, search, and reorder
9	readme	read.me	In-system ReadyOS guide viewer
8	readyshell	ready shell	A command line language for the c64, with many file commands, but also a robust object pipeline programing language shell with wildcard directory queries, and text/file commands including cat, put, add, del, ren, and copy
8	deminer	deminer	Minesweeper-style puzzle with suspend/resume

Notes:

• ReadyShell guide: src/apps/readyshell/README.md
• ReadyShell tutorial: src/apps/readyshell/ReadyShelltutorial.md
• ReadyShell architecture: docs/ReadyShellArchitecture.md
• ReadyShell overlay inventory: docs/readyshell_overlay_inventory.md
• ReadyShell now ships eight overlays allowing language and command functionality that otherwise couldn't fit into the memory of a c64: rsparser, rsvm, rsdrvilst, rsldv, rsstv, rsfops, rscat, and rscopy.
• ReadyShell preloads and REU-caches all eight overlays at startup. Bank $40 holds overlays 1, 2, 3, and 5; bank $41 holds overlays 4, 6, 7, and 8.
• Current ReadyShell command set: PRT, MORE, TOP, SEL, GEN, TAP, DRVI, LST, LDV, STV, CAT, PUT, ADD, DEL, REN, and COPY.
• LST accepts wildcard patterns, optional drive selection, and optional comma-separated file-type filters such as PRG, SEQ, USR, and REL.
• LDV and STV accept either embedded drive syntax like "9:snap" or a trailing drive argument like "snap", 9.
• PUT and ADD use direct COMMAND <expr>, <filename> syntax. PUT creates or replaces PETASCII text files; ADD appends to SEQ files and creates them when missing.
• cal26 currently has a known regression: task reading is broken.
• showcfg.prg is a BASIC inspector for the generated apps.cfg payload on drive 8.

Architecture Snapshot

Runtime memory layout:

• app runtime window: $1000-$C5FF
• REU metadata/system table: $C600-$C7FF
• resident shim: $C800-$C9FF
• hardware I/O region: $D000-$DFFF

Runtime model:

• the active app owns $1000-$C5FF
• the shim stays resident outside that window
• app switching works by stashing and fetching the app window through the REU
• apps can return to the launcher or switch directly to another app without treating each transition as a fresh process launch

REU layout:

• bank 0: launcher/system state
• clipboard payload banks: dynamic allocation pool, with legacy bank 1 wording retained only in parts of the older contract surface
• banks 2-25: app slots (24 total)
• higher banks: dynamic allocation pool
• bank $40: ReadyShell overlay cache bank for overlays 1, 2, 3, and 5
• bank $41: ReadyShell overlay cache bank for overlays 4, 6, 7, and 8
• bank $43: ReadyShell debug/probe ring
• bank $48: ReadyShell scratch, metadata, command registry, and REU value arena

Disk layout:

• media shape depends on the selected release profile
• dual-d71 is the default local run/test target
• d81 and dual-d64 profiles reuse the same runtime with different media maps

Build And Run

Requirements:

• cc65 toolchain: cl65, ca65, ld65
• VICE tools, especially x64sc, c1541, and petcat
• python3 for building and bash
• only tested "on my machine" on macOS. The PowerShell build script is likely obsolete.

Main entry points:

• bash ./run.sh rebuild the default release profile and launch ReadyOS in VICE
• pwsh -File ./run.ps1 PowerShell entry point for the same workflow
• bash ./run.sh --profile precog-d81 build and launch a non-default profile
• bash ./run.sh --list-profiles print the known release profile ids
• bash ./run.sh --build-all build every release profile and exit
• bash ./run.sh --force-artifacts-from-d71 --build-all promote non-excluded SEQ files and current REL files from the latest built precog-dual-d71 images into cfg/authoritative/, then rebuild all profiles from that updated authoritative set
• make seed-cal26 seed CAL26 REL data into the latest built precog-dual-d71 drive 8 image
• bash ./run.sh --vice-fast launch with VICE drive traps enabled, true drive emulation disabled, and the emulator starting in warp mode
• bash ./run.sh --skipbuild launch using the latest built artifacts for the selected profile
• make build the default profile release package
• make release-all build all release profiles with one version stamp
• make audit-release-assets extract packaged SEQ/REL files from every built image and compare them against the source of truth
• make verify run the repo verification, app host smoke checks, and the full readyshell-host-tests suite
• make readyshell-host-tests run the full host-side ReadyShell parser, VM, overlay-command, and REU tests
• make readyshell-parse-smoke-host run the fast host-side ReadyShell parser smoke checks
• make readyshell-vm-smoke-host run the host-side ReadyShell VM smoke checks, including the overlay-aware C64-flavored harness build and mocked file-command coverage
• make readyshell-reu-tests-host run the host-side ReadyShell REU heap/value and RSV1 serialization tests

Notes:

• run.sh is the preferred local workflow because it rebuilds disks, updates generated assets, and preserves managed disk state correctly.
• --force-artifacts-from-d71 is opt-in. Without it, ordinary builds keep the existing repo-authoritative behavior.
• Disk-seeding and authoritative sync helpers should resolve their donor or destination D71 from the latest built precog-dual-d71 release manifest. Root-level readyos.d71 / readyos_2.d71 files are not the source of truth.
• --vice-fast only changes the VICE launch configuration. It does not affect build outputs or the packaged release images.
• Manual launch should match the setup in the Getting Started section.
• make verify now runs the full readyshell-host-tests aggregate target, which includes the parser, VM/overlay, and REU ReadyShell host checks.
• Windows support is still less exercised than the Unix shell path.

Generated Assets And Public Docs

Generated build-owned assets include:

• apps.cfg from the selected cfg/profiles/*.ini source
• src/generated/readme_pages.c and src/generated/readme_pages.h from src/apps/readme/readme_lite.md
• src/generated/build_version.h and src/generated/msg_version.inc from the local run/build flow

Authoritative editable support payloads now live in cfg/authoritative/. That includes the shipped SEQ and REL support files such as editor help, example tasks, myquicknotes, clipset1, clipset3, sheet2, cal26.rel, cal26cfg.rel, dizzy.rel, and dizzycfg.rel.

cfg/authoritative/sync_inventory.json tracks the sync-managed support set that may be promoted from the latest built precog-dual-d71 images when bash ./run.sh --force-artifacts-from-d71 ... is used. Build-owned exclusions such as generated apps.cfg and generated support payloads still come from the normal code/build pipeline rather than from disk extraction.

Forced sync is exact for non-excluded SEQ files and discovered REL files: new files are extracted into cfg/authoritative/, changed files replace the repo copies, and previously authoritative sync-managed files that are no longer present on the dual-D71 source images are removed so later rebuilds stop reinserting them.

Normal profile rebuilds preserve non-managed user files from the prior profile build while replacing build-owned artifacts in releases/<version>/<profile>/.

The packaged release audit extracts those internal SEQ and REL files from the built images and checks them byte-for-byte against cfg/authoritative/ plus the generated apps.cfg.

Public supporting docs in docs/ currently include:

• docs/clipboard_bundle_seq_format.md
• docs/quicknotes_seq_format.md
• docs/simplecells_seq_format.md
• docs/readyshell_overlay_inventory.md
• docs/ReadyShellArchitecture.md

Rendered documentation exports in docs/ currently include:

• ReadyOS SHIM Architecture Report (HTML)
• ReadyShell Overlay Inventory (HTML)
• ReadyShell Architecture (HTML)

Repository Layout

• src/boot: bootloader and BASIC boot helpers
• src/apps: launcher and user-facing apps
• src/lib: shared TUI, REU, clipboard, storage, and resume libraries
• src/shim: resident shim and switch/runtime support
• cfg: linker configs and catalog inputs
• build_support: local build-chain support, verification, and disk helpers
• docs: public format notes and related documentation

Notes For Contributors

• Treat the launcher + shim path as the real execution model for ReadyOS.
• Respect the fixed app window and resident shim/system regions.
• Use run.sh, run.ps1, make, and make verify for normal public build-and-check workflows.
• look at existing apps to see the "micromodule layout"
• Apps should always be compiled with the full OS for now (so we don't have to support backwards compatibility with the ABI, and REU patterns change)

License

ReadyOS is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for the full text. Copyright (c) 2026 Karl Prosser.