It’s been a really, really long time since the last status update from the AROS team – the last one dates back to before Christmas. AROS was still progressing nicely, as evidenced by the Icaros Desktop releases we’ve reported on, but it’s still nice to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. The AROS guys have given another status update, and a long one to boot. There’s also a computer for sale with AROS pre-installed.
While a lot has been happening the past 6-7 months in AROS land, two things stand out. First, AROS finally has its very own native web browser (OWB), filled with modern goodies like CSS support, JavaScript, tabbed browsing, and a download manager. This may not seem like the world to non-AROS users, but you’ll realise just how important a modern browser is the moment you don’t have one.
The other thing that stands out is work on AmigaOS compatibility. Oliver Brunner has been working on the UAE integration bounty, which would eventually allow full integration of AmigaOS applications in AROS. Currently, AOS applications can be ran in their own window in AROS, and Brunner is now working on menu integration.
There’s also something we haven’t yet covered on OSNews before: the iMica system. This is an Atom-based (Intel Atom 330 dual-core) small computer (detailed specifications), which comes pre-installed with Icaros Desktop, making it the first and only pre-installed AROS computer currently for sale. It comes courtesy of UK-based ClusterUK, and sells for 275 GBP.
I’m not really sure how to order to system, but it’s pretty darn cool nonetheless.
Does AROS run well on netbooks like the ASUS EeePC901?
Is it possible to install from USB? I don’t have a portable DVD drive so it’d have to work either from 2GB SD in a USB drive or ye olde iomega Zip CD drive (God help me USB 1.0 and only x6!!) if I were to give it a spin.
–bornagainpenguin
I don’t think it would support the wireless
I’d love to see AROS focus on the Netbook market given that all the Netbook manufacturers so far have the same mainboard with the same components.
I believe it will run, but wireless drivers for most cards aren’t implemented yet so its usefulness on a netbook would be severely limited.
There’s quite a bit happening on the AROS err.. “Distro”, possibly for want of a better word Icaros :-
http://www.vmwaros.org/
Not tried it myself, as since my AMD XP2600 blew up, my house is a i86 free zone.
I’ve tried AROS some years ago and it was, well… “OK” back then but you couldn’t do much with it. I’m surprised that there are plenty of Amiga style applications like GfxPaint (I just love it, despite the fact I’m using it on windows) or milky tracker running so fast and flawless on that intel atom machine now.
I will definitively give Icaros a try.