[orangecomputer]

I know it had 640k extended memory via the startup memory check.

I don't know how much processing power nor memory it had. I had never owned a computer, and my dad left it behind for me after the divorce so I had something to use. I had no idea what was inside.

I'd agree that this would be a very relevant factor if I had programmed a "true" operating system (since most true programmers would probably be knowledgeable with the amount of memory usage going on etc), but to take things a bit more indepth, I suppose I haved't actually coded an operating system, but rather a dos Shell of sorts that is a facsimile of an 80s-style operating system. It merely uses the same commands as dos and interprets them into a visually descriptive feature on the screen (such as a split-screen with directory and file listings for example), as well as a few commands of my own that I added in. My terminology is not fantastic, but I suppose indicative of what I considered to be an OS. A Graphical shell might have been a more accurate term.

I remember the specs of all the systems I've had since then, but with the 486, I didn't spec it out myself, and was merely a kid with a computer at that point.

[DennisP]

Incidentally if you ever find you miss coding, there are plenty of modern languages that are much easier than C++, which is pretty much the most complicated one you could have picked.

[mysterydip]

I'd like to add: a language that may be more up the OP's alley is Blitz3D, a BASIC dialect for games that's recently become free and open source: http://www.blitzbasic.com

[DennisP]

Yeah that looks pretty cool.

A more mainstream option would be python. The free courses at udacity.com would be an easy way to get started.