Virtual Dimension has finished translating this year’s video coverage of the Amiga 2001 show. This annual show held in Cologne, is the highlight Amiga event among the dozens Amiga events being held annually all over the world. Highlights inlude an interview with Ben Hermans of Hyperion Entertainment about the development of AmigaOS4, an interview with Gerald Carda of bplan GmbH regarding their new PPC based PEGASOS motherboard and MorphOS; ‘a lightweight PPC OS which is able to emulate 68k AmigaOS and software on PPC hardware in a similar way to how Amithlon works on x86 hardware’ and finally it also includes a demonstration of AmigaOS XL powered systems. Amiga Inc and some AmigaDE partners were not present as they decided to attend a very small Canadian Amiga show, which was being held simultaniously to ensure some interest.
AmigaOS4 is currently being developed for use on the PEGASOS motherboard as well as for Eyetech`s http://www.stormloader.com/amiga/BAS/“>AmigaOne , which also allows AGA compatibility. Both AmigaOS4 and MorphOS will work on upgraded classic Amiga systems as well, but to avoid bottlenecks (like PCI-Zorro bridges) it is best to buy these new motherboards. Even work is being done on the development of http://www.merlancia.com/MISEL/torro.html“>PPC by companies like Merlancia Industries.
… or is the Amiga scene very, very confusing right now?
Please don’t get me wrong – I’m a long-time Amiga user from way-back (1989 to be exact) and I would like to see nothing more than Amiga make a viable comeback.
However … It might just be my rapidly-hardening synapses, but I can’t make heads or tails out of where Amiga is heading. Are they planning on PPC hardware? Intel/AMD? Something else? Multi-platform? If multi-platform, are they going to release specs for at least a standard platform, from which other companies can derive designs?
If I wanted to get back into the Amiga scene, am I just plain out of luck when it comes to all of my old software and hardware? (Amiga 2000, 40M HD, lots of floppies)
One of the best reasons I loved the Amiga was a programming language called “AMOS,” a compiled BASIC that allowed you very easy access to all of the powerful features of the Amiga that made it so much more special than what was available on other platforms at the time. Do any of the solutions being offered now, emulation or whatever, allow me to install and run AMOS?
At this point, I expect to hear someone bring up the argument about “clean slate,” “no backwards compatibility,” etc., etc. Fine. Whatever. That doesn’t do me, and I suspect, a lot of other people, a whole lot of good. If I’m realistic, I’m not about to go and invest in new hardware for a new OS, without one heckuva compelling reason. If emulating the custom chipset that made the Amiga isn’t practical, then the chances of AMOS programs running are slim & none, I suspect. Plus … how the *#$%? would I go about accessing my old floppies and HD data?
Questions, questions!
Sorry for the generally gloomy tone of this posting … it’s overcast and yucky here this early (for me) Sunday morning. Must be affecting my mood …
Amiga technology right now is a problem looking for a solution.
Problem being there seems to be lack of business direction (all these different flavors, people saying upcoming vaporware will tie things together, etc.). Solution being a killer app (which they can’t seem to put a finger on, hence the problem).
There are a lot of cool ‘pieces’. I don’t think the shotgun approach of trying to hit something with as many diversified flavors as possible will work though. It usually does not.
I imagine there is a lot of in-fighting between various people with this approach. The WinUAE vs AmiXL fighting is proof of this to some extent.
All the confusion doesn’t help the consumer either. And a confused consumer – goes elsewhere.
Let me see if got this straight. Amiga has:
Amiga OS 3.9: The long overdue update for those still using 10 year old Amiga hardware.
Amithon: An emulator for people that want to run 10 year old Amiga software but sold their boxes at a garage sale.
AmigaXL: Another emulator just like Amithon, but runs inside of QNX. Pro’s and exits between the two emulators, but Amiga wants to be sure nobody else sell an emulator???
AmigaDE: A virtual Amiga based on not the aging Amiga we know and love, but a brand new Amiga, that doesn’t really exist (yet???)
d’Amiga: A Crack-Nasty ™ el-cheap-o x86 box that includes some overpriced dev tools (for Amiga, XL, Amithon, DE????)
Amiga One: Not a product, but a “specification”. Refers to an x86 or PPC box that can “handle” AmigaDE as its native OS??
OK, I think thats about it. I’m *really* trying to figure out what the hell these people are doing becuase I’d like to use a computer and BeOS support may not be around in a few years. Windows 9x/Me has more issues than National Geographic. My Atari 800 multitasks better than WinXP/2k (esp when you try to print REALLY big reports, but thats another rant), not to mention I like to BUY my OS not RENT. Linux is a fat bloated mess of crap. BSD doesn’t support enough hardware. Macs are too $$$ and now as fkdup as Linux.
So anyways if Amiga can ever find itself and give another x86 OS or new relitively inexpensive PPC platform I’ll go there. I’m not interested in emulating old 68k PCs or running some Virtual Amiga. I want a real choice, hopefully if Amiga doesn’t provide one, somebody else will.
… or is the Amiga scene very, very confusing right now?
However … It might just be my rapidly-hardening synapses, but I can’t make heads or tails out of where Amiga is heading. Are they planning on PPC hardware? Intel/AMD? Something else? Multi-platform? If multi-platform, are they going to release specs for at least a standard platform, from which other companies can derive designs?
Plus … how the *#$%? would I go about accessing my old floppies and HD data?
Questions, questions!
Sorry for the generally gloomy tone of this posting … it’s overcast and yucky here this early (for me) Sunday morning. Must be affecting my mood …
Amiga technology right now is a problem looking for a solution.
Problem being there seems to be lack of business direction (all these different flavors, people saying upcoming vaporware will tie things together, etc.). Solution being a killer app (which they can’t seem to put a finger on, hence the problem).
All the confusion doesn’t help the consumer either. And a confused consumer – goes elsewhere.
Don’t feel bad, Amiga does not even know what the plan is
or why they are doing it…
“Amiga OS 3.9: The long overdue update for those still using 10 year
old Amiga hardware. Amithon: An emulator for people that want to run
10 year old Amiga software but sold their boxes at a garage sale.”
Note that Amithlon also runs OS 3.9. Although some 10 year old
software does still run on it, most of what I use is much more recent
– from 2 or 3 days old up to 2 or 3 years.
It is true that the software is compiled for 68k, but you really don’t
notice that, it is so fast.
Let me attempt to explain…
Here’s what we have *now*:
– AmigaOS 3.9. Currently the newest version of AmigaOS, released in late 2000. Based on the last Commodore version of the OS, 3.1, with a bunch of patches, GUI enhancements etc. on top. Still runs on the 68k family of processors. Developed and sold by Haage & Partner.
– MorphOS 0.something. A public beta of an *AmigaOS-compatible* OS running on PowerPC processors, currently only on PPC-equipped Amigas, though (publically). To be the default OS of the upcoming Pegasos PPC-motherboard (see below). Developed by Ralph Schmidt, Frank Mariak and others.
– AmigaOS XL. A package consisting of two separate Amiga emulators; Amithlon – which is based on a cut-down Linux kernel (boots straight into AmigaOS) – and AmigaXL – which is basically a version of UAE for QNX. Developed by several people and sold by Haage & Partner.
– AROS. An open source *AmigaOS-compatible* OS for PCs. In active development, but not yet in a usable state.
– Amiga SDK. A software development kit for AmigaDE (see below). Runs on PCs, on top of Linux or Windows. Being developed by Amiga, Inc. in conjunction with Tao Group, and sold by Amiga, Inc. Currently still offers very little in Amiga-derived features, which are way overdue.
– AmigaDE Player. A minimal version of AmigaDE (see below), for running DE-content on a variety of platforms. Publically available versions run on Linux and Windows on desktops. Internally, versions for a number of PDAs and STBs exist (apparently). Sold by Amiga, Inc.
And here’s what’s *in the pipeline*:
– AmigaOS 4. A PowerPC port of AmigaOS. Contracted out by Amiga, Inc., to Hyperion Entertainment and a number of other developers. To be the default OS of the AmigaOne (see below), but will also run on currently available PPC Amigas. To be released in a couple of months time.
– AmigaOne. A PPC-motherboard being developed by Eyetech. Based on the *zico* specs laid out by Amiga, Inc. To run AmigaOS 4. One of the features include the ability to plug in an A1200 motherboard for bull backwards compatibility. Missed several release dates already.
– Pegasos. A PPC-motherboard being developed by BPlan. To run MorphOS (commercial version), LinuxPPC, a version of BSD (can’t remember which), and possibly AmigaOS 4.
– AmigaDE. A platform independent operating environment being developed by Amiga, Inc. Based on Tao Group’s intent technology. To offer binary compatibility and consistent interfaces across different hardware platforms and operating systems. Release date unknown.
– AmigaOS 5. This is where AmigaOS and AmigaDE are supposed to merge. Release date probably far, far in the future.
Here are the links:
http://www.amiga.com“>Amiga
http://www.haage-partner.com“>Haage
<a href=”http://www.morphos.de“>MorphOS
<a href=”http://www.bplan-gmbh.de“>BPlan
<a href=”http://www.eyetech.co.uk“>Eyetech
http://www.hyperion-entertainment.com“>Hyperion
<a href=”http://aros.sourceforge.net“>AROS
http://www.tao-group.com“>Tao
=>Teemu
AmigaDE should be introduced into AmigaOS 4.2 before becoming fully integrated.
Back in the day, I was an Atari user. A buddy had an Amiga, and it seemed pretty cool but I can’t really claim I used it a whole lot.
I currently run BeOS on 700Mhz Duron w/256MB RAM, RADEON VE, MAXI SOUND Muse, HAUP PAUGE WINTV (Bt848), ZIP 100 (IDE), ZIP 650 CDR (IDE), IBM/Hitachi DVD (IDE).
BeOS is my Primary OS taking up half of my 13GB hard drive. The other half changes from Linux to QNX to AtheOS to Windows to whatever I feel like dicking with.
Now, is there an Amiga OS available NOW that I can buy, install on my second partition and USE. Where can I get Amiga software that will run on it? Will it support my current hardware?
When will MorphOS run in a TiPB
tom6789:
Yes there is, check the recent OS News article about AmigaOSXL.
Or surf here: http://www.amigabest.com , http://www.amithlon.net or http://www.amithlon.com
All the answers to your questions are there.