RISC OS, a general-purpose desktop operating system for ARM platforms, has been around since the 1980s and is still relevant today, thanks in part to its port on the Raspberry Pi. However, with the rapid evolution of technology, RISC OS needs to adapt to stay current. To address this, RISC OS Open, the company behind its development, has launched a Moonshots Initiative aimed at modernizing the OS.
Support for 64-bit platforms is a top priority for RISC OS Open, and they are seeking developers, funding partners, and community advocates to help achieve this goal. Without memory protection, software complexity is limited, and self-hosting debugging tools become impossible. RISC OS has a basic userland memory protection mechanism, but the “kernel” extension allows supervisor-mode code without protection, which affects many existing software applications.
RISC OS’s development team is impressive, given its age, but this also poses challenges in updating the system. The company acknowledges that some software, like Pico and Windows Notepad, has stood the test of time and doesn’t require frequent updates. Nevertheless, RISC OS Open aims to bring “carefully crafted 32-bit assembly language” into the future.
The question on everyone’s mind is: why use RISC OS instead of a more modern operating system like Debian Linux? The answer may lie in its unique strengths and loyal user base. By supporting RISC OS, developers can contribute to its revival and ensure its continued relevance.
Source: https://hackaday.com/2025/03/30/help-propel-the-original-arm-os-into-the-future