So how is MorphOS?

[pVC]

The main things Im needing are:

Some sort of word processor, PDF creation is a bonus but not required

Unfortunately there aren't good native word processors yet (Papyrys wasn't that good apparently), but good old word processors from Amiga do work fine. At least Pagestream can save to PDF.

Web browsing obviously

MorphOS version of OWB is really good, but also IBrowse and other old Amiga browsers work fine if you're used to them and want to experince some real speed

some sort of chat client, preferably including MSN, AIM and gchat, if possible

There are some programs for those... but I can't remember the names just now. IRC FTW AmIRC (there's MorphOS native version with some fixes since 68k versions) and WookieChat are good IRC clients.

MP3 player. Bonus points if it can play .ogg and mod files as well

AmiNetRadio for the modern bloat (plays lots of formats including mp3, ogg, mod, ahx, hvl etc) and SongPlayer, AMPlifier, AmigaAMP etc for traditional mp3/ogg playing. UADE for precise mod and other Amiga format playing.

UAE in some form or fashion

There's E-UAE ports and MorphOS runs system friendly 68k software transparently with its own Trance emulator.

If there's a decent graphics / paint program thats a bonus (and if all else fails, there's Deluxe Paint 4 in UAE I guess)

MorphOS has ShowGirls, which is excellent image viewer and processor. It's especially designed to process digital photos. MorphOS also includes Sketch, which is basic, but pretty modern painting program.

Most of the Amiga's graphic programs work too. I keep using ArtEffect, PPaint and FXPaint2 regularly, but for example ImageFX, Photogenics, Elastic/Fantastic Dreams and TV-Paint do work too.

You can check MorphOS 2 review for more detailed information about the system and included programs

[DiskDoctor]

The advantage is also that while using Mac Mini for MacOSX (my case) and also other Mac machines anytime soon, one can see Mac's HFS+ partition in a read-only mode.  So you can have access to all your Mac files.

That's an advantage, especially in my case because I store most files on my Mac at home.

[gdanko]

Is MorphOS still being developed?

2.5 just released

[som99]

Well just a note, MorphOS do not have JavaVM, atleast for me JavaVM is quite important. (I would be fine with any release ported to Morph like IcedTea etc)

But as I have heard they are working on Java for OS4?

[redrumloa]

Well just a note, MorphOS do not have JavaVM, atleast for me JavaVM is quite important. (I would be fine with any release ported to Morph like IcedTea etc)

But as I have heard they are working on Java for OS4?

Jamiga? It's been 5+ years and afaik no public beta to show.

[som99]

Jamiga? It's been 5+ years and afaik no public beta to show.

Im not talking about Kaffe/Jamiga... I read somwhere that AmigaOS4.x team was planning on porting JVM, but not sure where I read that.

Still neither AmigaOS4.x or MorphOS has JVM, that would open a whole new world for both OS'es.

Haven't heard anything about Java for MorphOS since 2003 :/

[Matt_H]

Jamiga? It's been 5+ years and afaik no public beta to show.

It was just updated. No idea how usable it is, though.

[som99]

It was just updated. No idea how usable it is, though.

Quite unusable still But something is happening atleast! So for AmigaOS 4.x java is being worked on ^^

Nothing heard from MorphOS and Java yet? :/

[XDelusion]

Funny, Java is bloatware, and Amiga users want it.

[Piru]

Well just a note, MorphOS do not have JavaVM

At least the MorphOS Team will not be working on Java VM. If some third party does that, we won't be stopping them obviously.

Personally I think Java has no future on desktop.

For current web experience flash is much more important. It's available for MorphOS OWB from http://fabportnawak.free.fr/owb/plugins/

[takemehomegrandma]

What does it do that OS4 doesn't?

Here are a few pro arguments for MorphOS compared to OS4:

1. Cheaper hardware.
2. Faster hardware.
3. Better OS 3.x compatibility.
4. Better WarpOS, PowerUP and Warp3D compatibility.
5. Faster 68k JIT.
6. Better 3D drivers.
7. Better USB support.
8. Better foreign filesystem support (FAT, ext2, XFS, NTFS...)
8. Free OS upgrades (all MorphOS 2.x updates have been free)
9. Possibility to try-before-you-buy (burn the ISO to a CD, find a Mac mini somewehre, boot the CD and play around. It's 100% free, 30 minutes at a time. If you like it, you can easily locate Mac mini for yourself and buy the keyfile for it)
9. Good resale value of the HW (esp Mac mini)
10. Better OWB (web browser with flash, html5 etc) and MPlayer (very good video player).
11. Better desktop (Ambient vs. Workbench)

[takemehomegrandma]

In short its the most mature, fastest , most compatible "NG" amiga OS around.

That's a description most people would agree to, yes.

(in terms of efficiency, cant compete with aros when aros is running on machines much, much faster obviously)

Efficiency is one thing, speed is a different issue. While you have a point about speed of newish x86, I would say that AROS lacks in so many other areas that *it's not* a realistic alternative to MorphOS.

[AmigaNow]

Sounds like a solid AmigaOS. But I was wondering if there is a player for DVD movies that works with MorphOS?

[Gulliver]

Mplayer does that job.

[pVC]

Sounds like a solid AmigaOS. But I was wondering if there is a player for DVD movies that works with MorphOS?

MPlayer and VLC at least. Although they're both bit unfinished on DVD playing part (mainly DVD menus), but job gets done usually...

[zurt]

It runs on newer hardware!

From a realistic point of view, I don't think that Pegasos I, Pegasos II, Efika, eMac or PPC MiniMac are modern hardware.

Sorry. :-)