Finishing OS4 Mac PPC port?

[DiskDoctor]

Hi. there.

I just got a suggestion that somebody (not Hyperion, not AInc nor vendors like Acube) should get this amazing thing finished.

Arguments:
- it ALMOST works so we're pretty close to the end
- when done, one might MAKE Amiga Inc support this and any reseller might start shipping PPC Mac OS4 CD
- I managed to boot it on my Mac Mini so I'm horny until I have it all working
- highly low budget cost; despite of the eventual cost of the official CD to be, the hardware is cheap and available (50% of sam440 cost, minus hard and cd drive)

What is needed:
- all the specs possible (available) that is
- - hardware (sam, amigaone, pegasus, mac PPC
- - software (os3, os4, os4.1, morphos)
- some coding manpower (some three should do it)
- time and patience
- tests on every PPC spec around

The aim:
- to get AOS4.0/4.1 roughly functional on e.g. MAc Mini PPC
- - drives
- - internet
- - sound
- - necessary graphics
- - any other things would be cool
- spreading it throughout (AmigaInc?)

That's my point.
Any comments?

[Colani1200]

DiskDoctor wrote:

What is needed:
- all the specs possible (available) that is
- - hardware (sam, amigaone, pegasus, mac PPC
- - software (os3, os4, os4.1, morphos)
- some coding manpower (some three should do it)
- time and patience
- tests on every PPC spec around

You are missing one little thing here. Guess yourself...

[bloodline]

@DiskDoctor


I look forward to your completion of this project.









:roll:

[DiskDoctor]

@ Colani1200

Well let's assume I didn't guess.

I can surmise that you're suggesting it cannot be done.
Did I ever say that it is doable?

Please enlight me then.  I really want to know.

I suppose I quickly mentioned all the things considered mandatory here.

[spihunter]

- I managed to boot it on my Mac Mini so I'm horny until I have it all working

Ewww! you should keep that stuff to yourself!

[billt]

I'd tried suggesting the iBook as a suitable "Amiga laptop" a few years ago to the official licensing contacts. They weren't interested in allowing it to be done. But, for those interested in collecting specs/documentation for hte PPC mac hardware...

http://amigamac.wikispaces.com/

Though considering how very very very very little was contributed by anyone other than myself (I did copy/paste a couple small things from an email or two, but I did have to do that much too) I doubt it's really worth it at this point. And I would absolutely LOVE OS4 on a laptop. So much I've been trying to figure out other altarnatives for years. Ain't an easy problem to solve...

P.S. Why all the jonesin for the Mac Mini? It's still tethered to a particular location. I want something portable.

[Golem!dk]

@billt

There's less variation in specs of the minis, so they're easier to support.

[Ruud]

@DiskDoctor

I think Colani1200 might mean you don't have the source code for os4 or permission to make a port.  Although who you are supposed to get permission from is still to be decided in the courts...

[DiskDoctor]

@ Ruud

That's what I thought of, too.  Legal stuff.

OS4 source cannot and MUST NOT be retrieved, what I meant was reverse engineering some driver parts, compared against Mac stuff (OSX and Darwin available knowledge combined), plus morphos, pegasus... This is all connected.  Everything is connected in IT.  Though they differ much, both Windows and Unix seem POSIX system, don't they?  But, still, it's a sin, I know.

Yes, OS4 copyright owner (and any rights to hack it heavily) is not decided today, despite of the fact there EXISTS one virtually, which I am NOT at all.

What I meant to do/planned was a kind of a prank development in a legal sense.  It's like...

(...)

A couple continues arguing whose car is some, say, Ford Scorpio of theirs.  The radio in the car is broken.  Meanwhile, I simply break into it (not crashing anything) and fix the radio.  Then I knock at the door and say "Hey, I fixed Your radio.  You can sell it on ebay now 'cause it's highly profitable.  If not, keep it, fine, I'll just tell my friends how to fix such problem if occurs..."

**

Well, messy comparison but the point is obvious; eventually AInc/Hyperion could thrash the project (some policy I suppose) but hey, I meant fun, not business.  If someone seizes selling something, the decision may turn right or completely stupid.

But that is not my problem.

Or am I wrong?
Am I a thief thinking of that idea already?

[recidivist]

 Legally an AmigaPPC emulator might be safer?
The whole idea ,shared by both Apple Computer and Amiga Inc,that they can force you to use the software only on hardware approved by them  is repugnant.But  apparently legal.
Ever read the labels on spray cans for instance,amazingly,U.S. federal law dictates  that you must use products only as labeled.So don't be using that spray can of automobile touch-up paint on your Amiga case!
Will Shakespeare had a good idea.

[zylesea]

@ DiskDoctor

Why bother when there is an alternative: MorphOS will support the Mac Mini with the next major release.
Maybe even the Powerbook (no official word about the Pb yet).
Okay, MorphOS is not OS4 and taste differs, but even if you prefer OS4 MorphOS comes very close. And you don't have to deal with fishy licenses or doubtious hacking.

[jj]

There is no legal problem and why would you need the source code.

You can run whatever software you like on whatever hardware.

All that is missing is drivers.  You dont need the source code to write drivers.

[billt]

A couple continues arguing whose car is some, say, Ford Scorpio of theirs. The radio in the car is broken. Meanwhile, I simply break into it (not crashing anything) and fix the radio. Then I knock at the door and say "Hey, I fixed Your radio. You can sell it on ebay now 'cause it's highly profitable. If not, keep it, fine, I'll just tell my friends how to fix such problem if occurs..."

Laws are probably different for computer files, but you being in my car without permission is tresspassing. Someone went through my car a couple months ago when I forgot to lock it. Don't care that nothing was taken (maybe a dollar in cash, not sure), I do not want strangers in my car again. Maybe it's a repair task I'm waiting to have time to enjoy tinkering myself, and you just took that opportunity away from me. You do not know that entering my car and doing ANYTHING truely is the right thing to do in my peculiar circumstances, maybe I WANT it that way or have a need for it to be that way. You don't need to understand, just leave my stuff alone, and risk my wrath should you do more harm than good. Don' tbelieve there is no chance of you doing harm in your example. Simply telling someone you've just violated their personal space may give them psychological issues for years to come. Or doing it and not telling them. Just being there at all can have bad effects on some people. My dad is unreasonably obsessed with guns and doesn't like to be beyond arms reach of one since someone was in his home a while ago, and he wasn't even there at the time. I'm now a little afraid of my dad.

On to computers, there's places where laws allow reverse engineering, and places that do not. If you live someplace that does, then do what you think needs done.

[billt]

You dont need the source code to write drivers.

If you're going to make a good quality driver, it helps to know and understand the API.

[jj]

Yes it does.  But that  a dev kit is available is it not ?