SymbOS 4.0 released | MSX Resource Center

Prodatron just announced that SymbOS 4.0, the latest version of the multitasking operating system for Z80-based computers is released on 31 January 2025. This new upgrade includes several new features and cool improvements. The list of changes is very long, but here is a summary:

• The Desktop Manager has received new controls, such as one for drawing large grids and the long-missing fully functional tree view with collapsible nodes. Lists, trees and pulldown menus can now contain icons thanks to the new inline support of the Advanced Text Control.
• The Sound Daemon provides platform-independent sound services for multiple programs. With PSG and Wavetable support, users can enjoy high-quality sound effects and music in apps and games. GUI events can be assigned to system sound effects, improving the interactive experience.
• The Printer Daemon acts as a spooler for multiple print jobs and supports unified formatting codes and network TCP/IP printing. It ensures seamless printing from different applications using a printer-specific driver.
• SymbOS C Compiler (SCC) is the new ultimate developer kit for building SymbOS applications using the C programming language. Based on the Fuzix compiler, it features a proper libc port for plug-and-play compilation of existing code, extensive (Posix) wrappers and helper functions for SymbOS system calls, detailed documentation to help you get started with SymbOS programming, multithreading, graphics and sound support, and a complete sample application for reference. It can run on Windows as well as directly on SymbOS!
• SymbOS 4.0 supports kernel-level data compression to save disk space. Transparent file management allows compression of existing file formats, data blocks can be decompressed up to 63 KB at a time.
• Many other improvements have been added, such as the famous Alt+Tab task switcher, a start menu full of beautiful icons, Beer IDE support, and countless more things.
• Since the last SymbOS release, more than a dozen new applications have been added, including the Excel-like spreadsheet SymCalc, a complete CP/M virtual machine called CPvM, the PDP8 emulator, the famous card game Solitair, and more.
• Three new supported platforms have been added to the SymbOS family, including Amstrad NC100/150/200, ZX Spectrum Next, and SymbOSVM, which allows SymbOS to run almost natively on modern 32- and 64-bit platforms.

SymbOS 4.0 is a significant step forward, bringing modern features and improved performance to Z80-based computers. Explore the new features and enjoy a more efficient and enjoyable computing experience with SymbOS 4.0!

Check the SymbOS website if you like to see more detail about the release or download it yourself. And of course don’t forget to check the user manual (PDF) to find out all the details!

Relevant link: SymbOS website

Source: https://msx.org/news/en/symbos-40-released