What is RISC OS ?

RISC OS is a computer operating system (other operating systems include Windows, Linux and Mac OS). Note the capitals and space are important as there is a Unix variant called RISC/os. It runs on Acorn ARM Computers and Compatibles. (Just as Windows runs on IBM PCs and compatibles and Mac OS runs on Apple Macs). RISC OS was designed by Acorn in the early 1990's and originally used in its Archimedes range of Computers. (Note Acorn computers was effectively asset stripped for Arm holdings in the late 90s, the name is now owned by a company that unfortunately only sells standard Microsoft laptops, ITWorkshop does not endorse this new company.)

The licencing rights to RISC OS are now owned by Castle Technology. It was recently owned by PACE and is used in some of their set top boxes, such as the Bush Internet TV.

The desktop computer version of the system is developed by RISCOS Ltd.

Castle Technology have rights to produce Acorn ARM computers and have replaced the RiscPC with their own RISC OS computer, the Iyonix.

RISC OS computers are also produced by RiscStation, Advantage 6 and MicroDigital.
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What are the advantages of RISC OS?

It is very fast, 1000MHz processors are NOT needed for typical everyday use. You do NOT need to replace your computer every eighteen months.
It is very easy to maintain, whole evenings spent re-installing the system are not a common occurrence.
The user interface is very productive and also very consistent - (i.e. only need to learn things ONCE).
The display of text on screen is far clearer than most other systems.
The system is very modular - a task is usually done with several small simple programs rather than one very complex one.
Not being Windows, Windows viruses do not effect it.
The computers it runs on are very low energy consumption when compared to PCs.

What are the disadvantages?

The included printing system is slow compared to other systems (faster alternatives exist, and a new version is being developed by RISCOS Ltd.)
Some websites are poorly written (not to the HTML standards set by the World Wide Web consortium) and can cause problems for any browser that the author has not tested them on.
Some file formats do not have RISC OS programs to access them. (There is often a common format that can be used, and there are good reasons not to distribute certain file formats - e.g. MSWord, - although that particular example is not a problem to RISC OS users anyway.)