And pumps out a PiAno, and a Pi 4 upgrade scheme.
A number of systems on which RISC OS can be run also have Linux distros available for them, which means it’s very easy for RISC OS users to have a hardware platform for running our operating system natively, and a hardware platform for running a more widely supported OS – while only having a single hardware platform on the desk. With the Raspberry Pi, for example, it’s just a matter of changing the SD card to the OS you want before switching on, and for Titanium users, it’s possible to launch into Linux from RISC OS.
Not to be outdone, RISCOSbits have now launched their equivalent solution called EDOS – Easy Dual Operating Systems – which is available for all machines in the PiHard range (i.e. those available from the PiHard website, so that’s the PiHard, FOURtress, and PiAno systems – see below for more information about those).
There are two different versions of EDOS, which operate in a slightly different way:
- Linux Prime: This version makes Linux booting sticky; once a user boots into Linux, the system will continue to do so until the user decides otherwise; an application is provided in the Linux system which, when run, causes the system to revert to RISC OS.
- RISC OS Prime: This version behaves a lot like Elesar’s GoLinux application for the Titanium, in that a RISC OS user can choose to boot into Linux, but when the machine is next started up it will do so in RISC OS again.
If you are a seasoned RISC OS user who may occasionally wish to run Linux, RISC OS Prime would seem ideal, but if you wish to run Linux more frequently – perhaps doubling up your hardware as a work machine using Linux as well as a home machine running RISC OS – Linux Prime may be more suitable. Both systems cost £25.00, purchased alongside one of the suitable platforms.
Anyone who has already purchased a FOURtress Lite should contact RISCOSbits if they’d like an easy route to add EDOS to their system.
For existing Pi 4 owners, RISCOSbits are launching an upgrade scheme that enables them to turn it into a FOURtress with EDOS pre-installed. This means they’ll have a system that can easily boot into RISC OS or Linux, with the advantages of each available when necessary, along with RISCOSbits’ power and fan control software. Contact RISCOSbits for more information.
Introducing PiAno
At the recent Wakefield ‘Virtual’ Show, during the RISCOSbits slot, Andy Marks talked about a new system called PiAno, a compact, entry level system based around the Raspberry Pi 4.
The system’s name is yet another pun on the word Pi embedded in another word, this time inspired by its case, a fetching translucent (i.e. frosted) white and matte black number. I’m sure Zebra may also have been considered for a name, but it’s difficult to see where and how a Pi-based pun would work in that.
There’s an integrated fan to provide cooling where necessary, an internal USB drive which can be either 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB, and it comes with either 2GB or 4GB of RAM. RISC OS and a bundle of software weighing in at over 2GB is provided as standard on a 32GB SD card, and there are various add on packs available – both hardware, and additional software – as with the other computers available from the PiHard site.
Prices for the pre-configured machines begin at just £139 – 2GB RAM and 64GB storage – rising to £179 for a 4GB machine with 256GB storage, and you can also request a quote for your own preferred specification (such as opting for an 8GB Pi at its heart).
