Free MorphOS compatible systems for developers

[amigadave]

Yes, you read it right!  Myself and some other MorphOS users are banding together to promote the use and development of native MorphOS software by providing MorphOS compatible computers to developers who are writing software native to MorphOS.

If you are a developer that wants to write native MorphOS applications, or games, contact me through my earthlink.net email address.  If you live within the USA, Canada, or Mexico, I will find and send you a MorphOS compatible computer for just the cost to have it shipped to you.  If you live outside of North America, there are other MorphOS users that have agreed to help you get a MorphOS compatible computer system.

All that I ask is that you describe what software you are working on, or plan to write and include a native MorphOS version of and provide progress updates on it once every 30 to 60 days and if you ever decide to change your mind and stop developing for MorphOS, or if you replace this system with a better MorphOS compatible computer, that you return this donated computer, or forward it to another developer who wants to write MorphOS native software.

Due to my low retirement income, this offer will most likely be limited to one computer to be donated to a developer per month.

[amigadave]

A post of this would probably do well within the Console development scene. Those kids love tinkering with and writing code for all sorts of obscure machines, especially down in Mexico.

Do you have any links for sites that you think this thread should be posted on?  I am not too sure about trying to make MorphOS developers out of people that have zero experience with Amiga, or MorphOS.

Also, for everyone here, this is not intended for people that are just casually interested in learning to program.  It is intended for established programmers that have a proven track record of completing software projects that do not already have a MorphOS compatible computer system, but want to begin writing software native to MorphOS, and/or porting software that they have already written for other platforms, to MorphOS.

To get a free computer, you need to write me an email which describes specifically what software application, or game you are going to work on writing for, or porting to MorphOS.  Answer these questions in the email.

1. Your name
2. Where you live (to have the computer mailed to you)
3. A list of software applications, or games you have completed in the past.
4. The name of the first software application, or game you intend to write for, or port to MorphOS
5. A rough guesstimate of how long it should take you to complete your first MorphOS native software project.

You will be expected to pay the shipping to receive the free computer and the model of MorphOS compatible computer will vary depending on what can be found at a reasonable price.  If your software project has any special requirements that would prevent your ability to complete writing the code on the lowest spec MorphOS compatible system (an Efika5200b), or your software requires specific hardware ports, or PCI cards to be installed within the development system, indicate that in your email as well.

[amigadave]

Hello

Thanks for letting me know about this. It is indeed interesting but I'm afraid I can't reasonably make a commitment to develop for MorphOS. Not that I wouldn't like it, but I have very limited time and knowledge.

That being said, I truly admire initiatives like this and wish you all the best with it. Hopefully those machines will be on the hands of very talented MorphOS developers and great software will be done

Regards,
Efrén

Thanks for the encouraging words Efren.

If your time commitments change in the future and you find that you would have more time to commit to writing software for MorphOS, please contact me and I will see what can be done to obtain a MorphOS compatible computer for you.

[amigadave]

Great initiative there amigadave and good luck with it.
Im sure I dont need to tell you this, and its good to see you have a reasonably safe criteria, but Id advise a little caution. Ive seen it many times with these sorts of initiatives over the years that some people with no real knowledge (but enough to sound convincing to those with less) take advantage of this sort of thing, only to never contribute anything back other than a few write ups and excuses after theyve received their machine. Not to say there's a deliberate intention to deceive, but some peoples eyes are bigger than thier brains    (that's to say their interest in what's offered outweighs their ability to deliver).

Hey fishy_fiz, quit describing me with that eyes bigger than brains comment!  My interest has always been outweighed by my (lack of ) ability to deliver.  :lol:

Well, I still have the deserving developer in Australia that needs help getting a MorphOS system, if anyone can help in that country, please contact me.

I also have a deserving programmer in Spain that has actually completed porting some software to MorphOS while only using an unregistered Efika 5200b computer that he has to reboot every 30 minutes.  He just wants a keyfile donated so he does not have to reboot all the time, but I told him I would first look to see if we could find him a more powerful MorphOS compatible computer to register, instead of his Efika.

Although, the Efika at 400MHz is actually a very capable computer when running MorphOS2.7, but the limitation of only 128mb of RAM can cause challenges under certain circumstances.

Any MorphOS users within Spain interested in helping solve this request for keyfile, and/or more powerful MorphOS system?