MorphOS - YOU should try it too

[slobu]

I cannot speak for MacOS, but I can for Windows.  This case is only partly true with Windows, provided that you did not purchase an OEM copy of Windows -- the kind that comes with computers purchased from Big Box or a system builder.

While you may have the technical ability to install your OEM on any other machine, your licensing does not legitimately allow doing so.  When your OEM computer dies, your OEM license of Windows dies with it.

Purchase a retail copy of Windows and you can move from machine-to-machine, you just have to jump through the activation phone call at times if using XP or later.  XP Home Edition used to run between $169 and $199 retail, so you pay about the same as MorphOS for about the same situation, relatively speaking.

Windows 3.x, 95, 98, 98SE, 2000, and ME do not suffer the WGA activation, so you can plug away on those all you want.  Hell, for that matter even XP is loosely controlled these days (only loosely since it is still a viable alternative to 7 if you can get drivers.  I have had to re-activate my XP x64 once or twice due to hardware changes.)

Hey LoadWB!  Hope your weekend is starting off awesome

The key file is far worse.  I don't need to prove anything.  I'm a paying customer.  The harder you make it for me to use and reinstall my OS the less I'm willing to purchase your product.

I stopped buying Windows at XP Home due to experiences with activation.  Are you listening MorphOS devs?

[Piru]

Are you listening MorphOS devs?

Yes, but I'm not hearing any better alternative being suggested.

[Akiko]

The key file is far worse.  I don't need to prove anything.  I'm a paying customer.  The harder you make it for me to use and reinstall my OS the less I'm willing to purchase your product.

I stopped buying Windows at XP Home due to experiences with activation.  Are you listening MorphOS devs?

Yes, but I'm not hearing any better alternative being suggested.

A physical copy with manual I'd thought would be a more ideal solution, it could be distributed by the Amigakit and Vesalia, and would not only eliminate keyfile issues, it would also increase the exposure of MorphOS by being available from two very popular Amiga web stores.

[pVC]

A physical copy with manual I'd thought would be a more ideal solution, it could be distributed by the Amigakit and Vesalia, and would not only eliminate keyfile issues, it would also increase the exposure of MorphOS by being available from two very popular Amiga web stores.

That would enable the piracy pretty much. And the fuss of making new physical copies with each (newly) supported platforms... In my opinion it's much better to have downloadable ISO file and easy registering like it's now. You get the latest version always, physical copy would be obsoleted quickly and the wait of getting it etc. Only advantage of removing keyfile protection is the easy switching between machines, but as said it would enable easy illegal copying. But I think there could be some sort of discounted second keyfiles or something like that to encourage users to register to some platform even if they are thinking later to upgrade to others.. that sort of thing could be some kind of compromise...

[spihunter]

These are just my impressions.  I'm glad that there are so many fans of a new alternative operating systems!

MorphOS is asking for a serious sum of money so I expected more.  At the time I installed everything was not as polished as other operating systems such as BeOS.  The user interface and stability all looked hobby OS to me.  Again, this may have been before the 2.xx series really took off so the situation may have improved.  

Partition encryption does not equal encrypting your boot drive.  If the spooks or other criminals can log in it's game over.

The OWB failed to deliver a good enough experience loading and displaying web pages.  Again, this may have been an earlier version.  Also, we're talking about user experience so I don't care if it's flash performance is the same on Linux - it sucked.

Finally, with Mac OS or Windows I can stick in my OS CD and install the OS on any machine I have.  I don't need to prove to ANYONE my machine is broken.  I don't care if Mac Minis don't break that often.  It's MY choice when and where to install Mac OS.  With MorphOS I need to "prove" it's broken.  Not good.

..and to make it clear I object to ANY form of activation on any other platform.  Activation is wrong by principle.  I bought a piece of property not a license.

Despite my less optimistic review than the OP I would QUICKY snatch up MorphOS if it had:

* No activation.  I own the software.
* User/Password security.  No one should access my files but ME.
* Full boot disk encryption.  Same deal.

Again, this is just my experience with an early 2.xx revision.  I didn't mean to get into a point-by-point debate.  just thought I'd clarify a bit!

Carry on

Is full boot disk encrytion really all that big of a game changer for an aternative/hobby OS?
We only use that at work for machines that leave the building. I'd say about 1 out of 10 of them end up becoming unbootable because of the encryption software.

[4pLaY]

That would enable the piracy pretty much. And the fuss of making new physical copies with each (newly) supported platforms...

Nothing is uncrackable, the only thing preventing cracking of MorphOS or "ilegall" useage of it is the lack of interest in the system beyond hardcore users. As it is now however, the current scheme is preventing some users buying it as they dont like the single machine type of license.

[buzz]

Nothing is uncrackable, the only thing preventing cracking of MorphOS or "ilegall" useage of it is the lack of interest in the system beyond hardcore users. As it is now however, the current scheme is preventing some users buying it as they dont like the single machine type of license.

I agree, but also the price too for some people (like me).

[AmigaHeretic]

Everything in my house has AMD, Intel, or 68k will it run on any of those?

[Piru]

Nothing is uncrackable

Certainly true. However some effort has been spent in making the cracking quite difficult. Also, being the whole OS rather than a single application certainly makes it harder.

However, using "nothing is uncrackable" as a rationale for removing the protection doesn't quite sound right to me.

the current scheme is preventing some users buying it

We might lose some potential users with this hw-tied-keyfile for sure, but at least we avoid rampant piracy. It's impossible to please everyone.

[Piru]

Everything in my house has AMD, Intel, or 68k will it run on any of those?

MorphOS Supported Hardware

[Paulie85]

MorphOS Supported Hardware

I'd heard a rumour that there was an ARM version in the works.

[4pLaY]

Certainly true. However some effort has been spent in making the cracking quite difficult. Also, being the whole OS rather than a single application certainly makes it harder.

Yes, harder, but not impossible . Lets be honest, if this was Windows it would be cracked on release if not sooner no matter the protection.

However, using "nothing is uncrackable" as a rationale for removing the protection doesn't quite sound right to me.

Thats all up to you, but in this small market if i wanted to make money on something i would go out of my way to please and make it as easy to use/register/etc as i could for my potential customers.

We might lose some potential users with this hw-tied-keyfile for sure, but at least we avoid rampant piracy. It's impossible to please everyone.

That might be so, but it dosent change the fact that it will be cracked if it ever reaches the interest of enough people and then you are right were you tried not to be with this scheme wich only annoys some of the potential buyers.

All in all its up to you guys to do as you want with your property and users will buy it if they can live with the rules you have set.

[kolla]

If the spooks or other criminals can log in it's game over.

There's noting to "log in" to.

[Piru]

That might be so, but it dosent change the fact that it will be cracked if it ever reaches the interest of enough people

That would only apply the the specific version released at that point. If any crack would appear the security measures would be tightened for the next release. It's a cat-and-mouse game, as always. So far the cat has been lazily lying in the sun. There hasn't been any mice to chase.

[kolla]

The point of the MorphOS license fee is not that of paying the value of the product, it's more like an entrance fee to a cry party
The devs are more or less developing MorphOS for their own pleasure, they're really not that interested in growing a new plattform or gaining more users, as that requires lots of work and resources that are not available.

[LoadWB]

The point of the MorphOS license fee is not that of paying the value of the product, it's more like an entrance fee to a cry party
The devs are more or less developing MorphOS for their own pleasure, they're really not that interested in growing a new plattform or gaining more users, as that requires lots of work and resources that are not available.

I never quite got the MorphOS bashing.  From my perspective, as a user and AmigaOS enthusiast, MorphOS has everything I need, and supports plenty of software both native PPC and via 68k emulation.  I have yet to see anything which represents a stumbling block to me doing what I want, and it targets a number of machines which are easy to obtain inexpensively.  While it may be an unintended side-effect of their work, that represents value to me.

Yeah yeah, the argument about cheap Atom machines, ARM, etc.  There's always AROS for x86.  Classic PPC machines?  OS4.1 Classic.  Several different approaches toward the same end.

I have no issue with the MorphOS team wants to protect their investments into the operating system.  I see it as a niche product with a currently limited user-base -- limited only by the growing list of supported hardware -- but a user-base nonetheless.  A user-base in which many openly and brazenly express the desire, wont, and fully justified penchant for piracy.

Additionally, you can get a fully operational product to try all you want in 30-minute stints before it goes into a low-performance mode.  But it still performs.  So it is not 30 days of full operation before whacking out, but still an operational trial period.  Just another angle on try-before-you-buy.

And the argument that anything can be cracked is facile at best.  You can kick in my French doors, but I still lock them.  I do not begrudge anyone the ability to ensure that the product of their labor is not abused.

So to not be understood, I get your point about the "cry party" and this is not meant as an attack on you.