Linked by Thom Holwerda on Tue 14th Jul 2009 15:30 UTC
So we finally meet! You can't imagine how hard I've tried to get my hands on a machine that could run AmigaOS 4 in all its glory. I've never used the Amiga before - not during its heydays, and not during its afterglow - so it meant an unexplored world for me. You can imagine my excitement when ACube Systems, makers of the sam440ep board that runs AmigaOS 4.1, offered a review machine to me, built around their own PowerPC sam440ep flex motherboard.
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Member since:
2005-07-07
I never found snapshotting a problem, and as it didn't work for you, it's difficult to form the snapshotting routine that Amiga users had or have. Moving from Amiga to Mac, I was never struck by the superiority of the Finder's method.
I miss snapshotting windows into place. If during the course of my task I need to move it to the other side of the screen and make it larger, I know that the next time I open it, it'll be back where I like it. The classic MacOS never had this and my new Mac can't even remember to open my folders in list view when I specifically tell it to.
It maybe that you, I and/or other users are much less meticulous and fussy about how we organise files in windows than we used to be. Also, when dragging an icon into a folder/drawer, you would instinctively drag it into exactly it's resting place. Some habits have been lost.
If you really want to get into the old-school Amiga paradigm, try forgetting all your modern multi-user knowledge about file organisation. Start mixing apps and folders of documents together by function.
The Amiga was more relaxed about this than any other OS I've used. Mainly, I think, because you need a .info file for an icon to be shown. Even on the classic MacOS there seemed to be a greater sense of enforced structure in the visual file manager.
Once you start really caring about your own structure and your own particular workflow, you start laying things out nicely and snapshotting your windows in an almost OCD way. It makes the experience of using an Amiga far more personal and unique than OSes today, IMO.
These days, the desktop picture is the biggest distinguisher of one desktop from another - if I powered up my Amiga 500+ it's totally my desktop. Part of this comes from what now can seem like the rigmarole of snapshotting icons and windows into position.
Having said all that, a little snapshot icon on the window titlebar would be a superb addition (something for AROS to think about!)
It may not be for everyone, but that's the best justification I give for this behaviour, based on what I actually miss about my (beloved) Amiga.
Edited 2009-07-15 11:19 UTC