No, they're producing a PC in a C64 case.
==Yes they are not denying that. We all know it is....
Luck had nothing to do with it. Money did. The Commodore and Amiga brands have been passed around like a two-dollar whore since the bankruptcy back in 1994 - Barry's just the latest "client."
==Commodorejohn, can I ask you to please refrain from such language? Because there's really no need to be so rude mate. Can you please just stick back to the topic at hand (which is alternative operating systems?). Thanks....
Is that what's important? That as long as it's Americans exploiting the brand, insulting the community, and slandering and demeaning anybody who raises objections, it's okay? (And should I even have to point out that the C64x is generic Chinese PC components in a case manufactured overseas, and IIRC assembled in China as well? It's about as American as escargot.)
==Well for some folks, I suppose it IS important (Commodore's history WAS American and I believe that it should stay American for all times sake, out of respect for those folks who once lived and worked in Chester). But I disagree with you on the disrespect part. NOBODY should be disrespectful to anyone....
Look, I understand how you guys feel about the importance of 'preserving' the essence of Commodore & Amiga's past, but you guys are also missing some key facts here. The truth is the Commodore of today is 'but a fragment' of its past. Much of its patent portfolios were sold as has past technical knowledge and knowhow - so it has to start from scratch somewhere without ploughing millions or tons of resources which it doesn't have at its disposal. We acknowledge it isn't Sony, but it can be done with the right mindset. But saying that, building systems from an x86 architecture isn't a bad way to start. You could call it 'building clone computers like everyone else' - but I call it 'moving with the times'.
Starting from scratch with an x86 basis today doesn't necessarily mean the end of the Amiga line. If utilised correctly we'll get our 'perfect' system of being able to use both retro and modern software in a great case/setup - because the technology is already there. And unlike the old Amiga system of the past we'll have a system that is constantly upgradable and future-proofed. All that's needed is the casing, the updated OS, and relevant parts. If such parts are exclusive to CUSA, the systems they produce could still be 'just as unique' as the old Amiga.
One thing I would like to mention is that while you may think 'going the x86 route' is against everything Commodore/Amiga was, please remember that Jay Miner first originally chose the Motorola chip for the Amiga based upon its predicted performance and nothing more. It was chosen because it was the only chip available at its time that could do the things he thought it could do. Now that the x86 has surpassed the 68k design not just in sales but support, it is high time Amiga as a line/brand should do the same and become 'mainstream'. But instead of focusing on just architecture like it has on the past, it should now focus on the OS, systems performance and value and the kinds of things ie. software/apps/hardware it could offer the end user. If done well, a brand with its own exclusive OS and hardware dedicated to fun, gaming, performance and individual creativity can still be met and be proud to call itself an Amiga....
Also the idea of switching platforms to one of emulation (like what CUSA has done with using Amiga Forever/Vice/UAE) isn't a bad one. A good example of this is Sony's new PS Vita. Despite being a 'Playstation portable' the new Vita actually only emulates the old PSP games using the new ARM-based quad-core chips.
As for the C64x, no the motherboard is not Chinese it was Taiwanese. But the case IS made in Florida with the help of Motorola.
Okay, even taking that statement at face value? Why is that a good thing!? Commodore corporate never had any idea what it was doing, not since the initial success of the C64 and the launch of the Amiga. The community is armed to the gills with tales from engineers and programmers ready and willing to attest to how ineptly things were run. We'd be better off trying to figure out what post-Tramiel Commodore would never have done in a million years than try to follow some theoretical progression from the days of R&D malaise, countless failed side-projects, and executive malfeasance.
==Yes, we know that. And that's unfortunately that's a trait of the computer business....
It's not just Commodore who had this problem. I remember Steve Jobs had mentioned this about Apple too in its early days (watch Jobs' Next videos on Youtube). There were too many engineers coming up with so many ideas ie. too many cooks who could spoil the broth that the company was being stalled and coming to roadblocks.......because it couldn't decide where to go. It was the same problem that Apple faced, same problem that Commodore faced (and where they failed). This is the same problem CUSA and we as a community are facing today. The issue now however is, technology has moved on, and we DO have a choice. X86 is clearly a winner (after winning the markets all these years with its potential for expandability). All that is needed now is the porting over of AmigaOS to the platform, updated to 64-bit etc. and exclusive to CUSA systems and we're set!
Here's my question, though. If you're not making something different, then you're going head-to-head with the entire established industry. And if you're doing that, what could you possibly have that would leave you in a position to even stay afloat, let alone make any headway? Here's a hint, a brand and a fancy case are not going to cut it in the cut-throat, slash-price world of PC clone manufacturers. You'd have better luck trying to swim in a pool of pirahnas.
Yes, Barry to you 'may' be seen as having nothing to do with Commodore in your eyes, but I see him differently. To me, he has done AS MUCH for the Commodore and Amiga brands as has Hyperion et al (and I've been following the computers market for years).
I ask you to just try to put yourself into his shoes. If YOU were Barry today and running Commodore today, what can you possibly do to revive the brand? Given the fact that there is FAR MORE competition today than there ever has been, the tech and software for the original Amiga is outdated and most software today is practically designed and based for x86 PC including Apple? In business terms, if you're not in this market or supporting this market you are finished.
But if you create a system and brand with an OS that is designed not just for gaming/retro gaming but made for programming in general; not just for simple videos but ideal for multimedia, graphics and broadcast use; not just for digital photography/3D but ready for high-level power image processing, rendering and next-gen softwares and OSes - then you have an Amiga - which was basically the 'Lamborghini of computers' in its time. And this is what recreating an Amiga on an x86 platform is all about....
