Is the current PPC Amiga development the right direction?

[Zetr0]

In truth i have argued an X86 aproach for years on other forums,

alas the die-hards seem to think that by including an intel based co-processor perverts the Amiga cause (one of the reasons I am not on A.Org)

One could easly run a C7 1ghz x86 companion chip passively cooled or with a laptop cpu cooling unit, the tech has already been designed and implemented all it needs is to be constructed for another use...

one could easly add to this a 68k compatible chip and SDRAM interface

if anyone here remembers the PC286 card for the A500, it had 1MB of ram on board that it could share with the miggy, as well as use chip and fast.

The way i see the x86 AOS, would only really work for me atleast with a transparent 68k emulator that would function in seamless motion as the code-header chunks are inspected and then executed for the right cpu (similar to the warp-up code).

On another more direct x86 AOS (legacy almost free ) I would of hoped Amiga.inc would of adopted a basic linux and bade it thier own, from this there own implementation of OpenGL with enough development it would offered another gamming platform.... hell theres not that much to it these days...

grab a cheap grafix solution,
slap a USB base controller,
yam on a simple CPU

proprietary is for large chip producing corps.

[Buleste]

The problem is what would be the point of AOS on a x86 processor? Linux works because it is free and has software support. AOS would cost money and have no software support. As for supporting old architecture, you're right there is no point in supporting the classic or even Amiga one archetecture and as AOS hos nothing to offer anyone the AOS for x86 is pointless. As an OS it offers no innovations and doesn't measure up to any of the newer OS so why bother? It would just be an exercise in futility and a backroom project for fanboys.

[Harrison]

Which is actually exactly what the PPC only Amiga OS4 currently is. There are so few PPC powered Amiga's that there is little point in it from a marketing or commercial standpoint. It is only the continuing Amiga fan base that has any kind of interest in it.

And those of us without PPC are completely locked out from it, with PPC cards being so rare now. Therefore what is the difference between the current OS4 running on PPC or x86 hardware?

Moving the future development of Amiga OS over to x86 hardware would instantly open it's accessibility to nearly everyone on the planet. You can build a pretty good PC these days for less than some of the PPC accelerators for the Amiga have been selling for second hand lately!

As for software compatibility. What native PPC software is actually available for OS4? Not much. So what would the difference be? Dual core x86 CPUs are now pretty much the standard, so an extra core could easily be dedicated to transparent emulation for older software support. Therefore opening up a x86 native Amiga OS to backwards compatibility. Plus you could run UAE on it for classic Amiga support if needed (where the custom chip emulation is needed).

I don't think continuing along any development that needs proprietary hardware is a good idea. Although moving to x86 would open up the ability to use the CatWeasel controller for direct access to Amiga floppies.

The other advantage of x86 is that current processors are far ahead of PPC in development and their speed is much faster. And again, look at the technology and hardware available for x86 based systems. Compare that with that available for PPC powered Amigas. Graphics cards many years out of date, and limited support for other cards.

If they continue down the PPC route the Amiga OS will just fall further and further backwards into complete obscurity and eventually vanish.

Why create a new version of Amiga OS for x86? For the future, not the past! We have classic Amigas in our collections, as well as emulation for the past. Amiga fans want a new Amiga OS, running on cutting edge technology again, taking full advantage of the hardware and software created that is in the present.

[Buleste]

Why create a new version of Amiga OS for x86? For the future, not the past! We have classic Amigas in our collections, as well as emulation for the past. Amiga fans want a new Amiga OS, running on cutting edge technology again, taking full advantage of the hardware and software created that is in the present.

What future? what you are describing is basically an OS replacement for windows that can be run on a PC that would be able to do stuff that you can already do via UAE but without any of the advantages of other replacement OS's. What i'm trying to say is that AOS is dead in all it's forms. The only reason that there is a slim possibility that PPC boards may be made is because of die hards like ourselves who would like to run AOS4 even though it's nothing special and it's not special because of the CPU but because all it is is a ported version of OS3 with PD stuff thrown in and a prettier look.
The Amiga and it's OS is dead. Long live the Amiga!!

[Harrison]

But, but, but... My point is that I want to see Amiga OS developed properly for the future. Therefore it need to go over to x86. Also as it is all but dead I also think it should go completely open source, making it a great alternative to Linux! Open source also means sudden increased interest in development of both an OS and it's software support.

[Buleste]

I know you want to see it developed for the future but even Open Sourced you couldn't go from 3.1 to a decent OS without thousands of people programming 24 hours a day for about 5 years. I say 3.1 because 3.5 and 3.9 are made of shareware and PD so all of that would have to go Open sourced and then if you look at all the other Open sourced amiga software then you'll see that even they have failed so why the OS would succeed i don't know.
As an Open sourced project it would always be at best 3 years behind windows and linux and therefore utterly useless.
Having said that isn't AROS basically what you're after? And thats been going for nearly 10 years and still hasn't become fully useable and is little more than 3.1 with a tart up due to better hardware and still cannot compete with even Win95 or 98. If anything a x86 port of AOS would show how bad an OS it is compared to modern systems and would be the final nail in the coffin. At leats if you're forced to dig out old hardware and conmnect it up you start to live in nostalgia land and become deluded into how good an OS it is.
Please don't get me wrong. I'd love for the AOS to be updated and for Amiga hardware to be able to carry on but the reality is the AOS will never again be a competitor in the computer market even as free software and as an OS there will be better OS's on MP3 players.

[Puni/Void]

The AROS project has made quite a bit of progress during the last year. Already in 2008, work is well under way when it comes to creating a webbrowser and an e-mail client. Besides, the deadline for UAE integration is in May, so it will be exciting to see what will happen on this front.

And you never know what is happening in the future. I don't think the AmigaOS is dead yet, and it could be that something is in store for us in 2008 or 2009.

If it is made open source, made usable for x86, then anything can happen. There's a lot of skilled developers and people still putting an effort into the Amiga, and I'm sure they could contribute with a lot.