In my opinion, the biggest problem is that different FPGA developers are working towards different goals.
Actually, I think that's a strength. If you had 4 projects all with the same goal they'd be competing for the same space - which is not good in such a small market.
Some people want new FPGA-based Amigas to have new features that make those devices stand out. They want a new generation of software that can't run on older systems. They, it seems, haven't learned much from the PowerUp versus WarpOS, MorphOS, AROS, et cetera, compatibility issues.
I disagree. Although I see advantages to both sides, I definitely see the attraction of a product like the Vampire. High performance speeds up legacy apps (not so with PowerPC), while the new features tease developers to create enhanced 68K software that can take advantage - which is already happening.
Compatibility issues are overstated. Is there some software that does not run? Sure. But is it any worse than when the Amiga 1200/3000/4000s were released with new chipsets, processors and kickstarts? No, and I'd say compatibility is actually better and getting better all the time.
Now, I understand concern for those that hate the Vampire for some reason and are afraid of being left in the dust. But Vampire users enjoy very good compatibility and I suspect it will only get better.
Really, did people complain when 030/040 accelerators or new Amigas were introduced into the market? The same arguments can be made - "we are fracturing our userbase!"
Others want new accelerators and/or new computers based on FPGAs which can run existing software (the reason most of us have Amigas) with modern components and with much greater speed. Extra features are nice, but I don't think there are that many of us who are clamoring for features in new software which make that software not backwards compatible.
I think there are many people looking for extra features. Look at how many Vampires have been sold and there is still a backlog! The Vampire community seems bigger and more active than the NG community, and it has only been a couple years. Wait until the 1200 and standalone versions are released!
But I understand your point that some users want hardcore compatibility and no new/little new features. For those people there are already standard accelerators, though not 060s for a reasonable price. Perhaps the FPGA Arcade will be the product to fit that niche (for those wanting a standalone device). If a market really exists for a basic FPGA accelerator with max compatibility and no/few added features then someone will create one. Perhaps Jens?
Personally, I'd like an FPGA m68k core that looks like an m68040 with an m68040 MMU that has a superset of all m68k instructions, particularly 64 bit instructions that are on the '040 but not '060, and all the FPU instructions that are on the m68881 and '882 but not on the '040 FPU. I'd like everything to Just Work%&$#?@!%&$#?@!%&$#?@!8482; without wondering. Something like this could work on Macs, Ataris, and NeXTs, too, if it was made to fit in an '040 socket.
Interesting idea, but is it possible with so much software out there that bangs the hardware? If C= and Motorola could not do it with relatively humongous pockets, can someone today? And then you add in other platforms and want 99.99% compatibility with all software? Seems like a lofty goal, but if a hardware developer shares the same want as you it would be an interesting project!
I think what a lot of people fail to understand is that this market is driven by developer wants, not money. No one is getting rich off of these products, so a developer needs to have a strong desire to create something or there is no reason to. And when it's no longer fun or interesting development stops.
I hope that does not happen to the Apollo/Vampire team because they are truly creating what I think is an interesting evolution of the 68K Amigas, which is what attracts me and I think most Amiga users to their product. PowerPC is pretty boring to most Amiga users I'd say.
