68K/OS

{{short description|Operating system for the Sinclair QL microcomputer}}

{{Infobox OS

| name = 68K/OS

| logo =

| screenshot = ROM-68k-OS.JPG

| caption = 68K/OS EPROM expansion card

| developer = GST Computer Systems

| source_model = Closed source

| kernel_type =

| supported_platforms = Sinclair QL microcomputer

| ui = Command-line interface or menu

| family = Disk operating systems

| released = {{Start date and age|1984}}

| latest_release_version =

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| latest_test_version =

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| working_state = Discontinued

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| website =

}}

68K/OS was a computer operating system developed by GST Computer Systems for the Sinclair QL microcomputer.

It was commissioned by Sinclair Research in February 1983. However, after the official launch of the QL in January 1984, 68K/OS was rejected, and production QLs shipped with Sinclair's own Qdos operating system.{{cite magazine

|url=http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jg27paw4/yr07/yr07_05.htm

|title=QL Affairs = Operating with a difference

|author=Leon Heller

|magazine=Your Spectrum

|issue=7

|date=September 1984

|access-date=2009-03-26}}

GST later released 68K/OS as an alternative to Qdos, in the form of an EPROM expansion card, and also planned to use it on single-board computers based on the QL's hardware.

The operating system was developed by Chris Scheybeler,{{cite magazine

| magazine = Personal Computer News

| url = https://archive.org/details/NH2021_PersonalComputerNews077-08Sep1984.pdf/page/2/mode/1up

| issue = 77

| date = 8 September 1984

| page = 3

| title = QDOS under fire

| quote = [...] said Chris Scheybeler, who is in charge of the 68K/OS project [...]

}} Tim Ward,{{cite web

|url=http://www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk/Museum/Sinclair/ql/

|title=Sinclair QL

|work=Binary Dinosaurs

|first=Adrian

|last=Graham

|access-date=2009-03-26

|quote=It was my mate Tim Ward who wrote the alternative O/S - 68K/OS.

}} Howard Chalkley and others.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}

The few ROM cards that were made mean that surviving examples now fetch a high price: On Feb 04, 2010 one sold for £310 on eBay.{{cite web

|url=http://offer.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=110486246010

|title=Sinclair QL - GST 68k/OS 68kos VERY RARE!!

|author=Ebay

|access-date=2009-02-05}}{{dead link|date=September 2021}}