"Hyperion Entertainment is very pleased to announce the immediate availability (for registered AmigaOne customers) of Amiga OS 4.0, The Final Update. Originally released in May of 2004, Amiga OS 4.0 is the most stable, modern and feature-rich incarnation to date of the multi-media centric operating system launched by Commodore Business Machines (CBM) in 1985 with which it still retains a high degree of compatibility. Amiga OS 4.0, The Final Update is the culmination of 5 years of development and takes the form of a stand-alone ISO image which contains a full installation of all Amiga OS 4.0 components. A list of new features can be found here. Availability of PowerPC hardware suitable for operation with Amiga OS 4.0 will be announced by third parties early 2007." Together with Microsoft selling Linux and Apple switching to Intel, this is the definitive proof that hell is now officially frozen. I sure know I'm taking ice skates with me to the grave.
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Member since:2005-07-06
I can't actually think of any UI that was more ugly and less intuitive than the Amiga workbench.
Maybe Workbench 1.x, okay. As for Workbench 2.x and higher, they not only looked nice, but they had a lot of features that other UIs of the time lacked. *At least* compared to MS Windows (and I used both at the time).
The one serious defect of the Amiga UI, IMHO, was the default String gadget. Until they started releasing it with ClassAction as a default (in 3.5 or 3.9?), you couldn't copy & paste text. There were a number of other issues with it, too, but that's the one that always burned me.
Member since:2005-09-28
Member since:2005-11-15
You can't think of a UI worse than Amiga?
Have you never used TOS? Windows 3.11? Which version of Amiga OS are you talking about? 1.3? Compare that with Windows 1 which came out about the same time?
Seriously what problems do you have with Amiga OS? the hiding of the right mouse button options until you press the right mouse button? Or the different drag down screens (which I think, anyway) work as well if not better than the modern Linux Multiscreens? and much better than Windows XPs alt+tab?
Member since:2006-01-10
I used GEM (which is the actual GUI of the Atari ST. TOS was more of a wannabe Unix underbelly of the Atari Operating System, GEM was the actual GUI.) I completely agree with you though, it was pretty ugly. Even Workbench 1.3 was better looking, at least it had a default color of blue instead of green (never could figure that one out, GREEN?)
I could be wrong about this, but I think AmigaOS was the first to have color icons, plus it had the drop-down screens, etc. It was very much a innovative and very usable operating system. There are still many capabilities that still are not comparable in modern day operating systems.
The 2.x and above versions of it were simply works of art. Especially after you add in some of the third party mods like magic menu, mUI etc. They make it much smoother than Windows XP. I've tried several times to make my Gnome desktop more Amiga like, but it doesn't quite make it. There is the amiwm, but it doesn't quite do it justice either. Hell half the time I boot up uae just to play with the AmigaOS.
Member since:2006-05-29
I bet you only knew Amiga OS 1.x. Version 2 was rather pretty (especially compared to the arse-ugly Windows 3.1 of that time. A few of us had Graphic cards back then (which where rather uncommon in Amigas since most people just stuck with amiga native graphics chipset) and with an picasso graphics card, amiga os 3 together with MUI it was realy beautifull.
And an UI i can think of that was even uglyer than Amiga OS 1.x was RISC OS, the definately uglyest OS ever concieved. With those horrible patterns stuck to everything RISC OS looked like it was designed by an 6 year old (IMHO).
Member since:2006-09-10
@El-Al
I can't actually think of any UI that was more ugly and less intuitive than the Amiga workbench.
Really? Have you seen http://www.amikit.amiga.sk/screenshots.htm ?
And that's not even the latest AmigaOS4.0! It's AmigaOS3.9...
Member since:2006-01-09
Wow! Those screenshots are gorgeous. It is the first time that I felt like running an Amiga computer for the look and feel alone.
I specially like this window decorator (although I´ve seen it on another Amiga screenie before): http://www.amikit.amiga.sk/image/screenshot/amikit_3.jpg
Member since:2006-09-03
>I can't actually think of any UI that was more ugly and less intuitive than the Amiga workbench.
mmmm.... windows 3.1 (years later?) .... at the time there was absolutely nothin more intuitive and easy tham AmigaOS (it was also easier to configure and to restore than any windows version ever 
Did you ever use it? it seems not so...
Member since:
2006-04-17
"And is had nice graphical interfase..."
Umm....sorry but!
I can't actually think of any UI that was more ugly and less intuitive than the Amiga workbench.
But it's what you get used to I guess.
Stepping into christmas right now...see y'all after the festivities are over