Castle Technology have this morning etched another mark in the history of RISC OS by buying RISC OS from the previous corporate owner Pace. The purchase went for an undisclosed sum. As part of the deal, Pace get an intellectual property rights licence to the RISC OS technology.Also, an embedded version of RISC OS will be produced from a joint venture with Castle and Tematic Ltd. for "smart multimedia products". This is presumably another attempt to throw RISC OS in to the set top box and consumer electronics market.
Castle say this acquisition of RISC OS will "ensure that RISC OS products continue into the future". After the Acorn breakup in 1998, RISC OS was bought by Pace and the rights to develop and distribute a desktop version of RISC OS was granted to RISCOS Ltd. in the form of a licence. Now RISC OS is firmly in the grasp of Castle, who of course now own the OS. This means RISC OS is firmly back inside the platform community rather than hanging from a licence with a corporation.
"The purchase of this technology combines perfectly with our expertise in manufacturing and marketing RISC OS computers (illustrated by our recent success with the launch of the IYONIX pc). This deal will allow us to be at the heart of exciting new products", explained Jack Lillingston, Castle's Managing Director. "RISC OS provides a proven, small-footprint solution, for cutting edge products such as handheld media devices; we are all very excited with this new development and relish the future for RISC OS".
Anthony Dixon, Company Secretary of Pace added, "We wish Castle every success for the future". Pace is looking forward to maintaining support for their existing RISC OS based products.
The impact of today's move by Castle and Pace on other RISC OS licencees and sub-licencees is unknown at the moment. The 4th of July is American Independence day, and perhaps now RISC OS independence day.
More details to follow.
Links
Castle press release
Castle website
Pace website