the pros and cons of A1 versus PC

[Desmon]

@Bodie

And over $1000 Australian dollars .  :-o

You know, I put together a whole mid-spec PC for less than that (sans OS, but including monitor) this weekend.

There's no way I'm rushing out to buy an AmigaOne anytime soon.

[xeron]

I'm getting an AmigaONE almost entirely because I *love* developing for AmigaOS, and don't really enjoy developing for Windows or Linux. OS4 takes the platform I love and extends and improves on it, so i can't wait.

Also, sheer bloody minded stubborness is a factor. I saved up for a Phase 5 G4 card, then an AmiJoe, and now an AmigaONE. One way or another i'm damn well going to get a G4 powered AmigaOS box if it kills me :-D i've waited long enough...

[KennyR]

@Wayne

AmigaOne versus PC is much more of an emotional decision than a logical one. It always has been.

True Wayne, but this has been the case for Amiga vs. PC since 1995. Emotion is not a bad thing, as long as we keep our heads. If it's any consolation I agree with you that the A1 is just too expensive, which is why I won't be buying one. That was not an easy decision to make.

@Carls

Commercialism doesn't bother me, in moderation. Over-commercialism does.

[dammy]

There is no way I would buy a A1 as a primary machine.  Unless you have the extra cash for a "fun" machine at their price, I certainly would go X86.  Now, if you can build a A1, you can build a damn killler x86 box for well under that.

For instance, I just bought ASUS A7V8X-X for $79.99 with 3 day FedEx shipping.  It supports whatever the top flavor of Athlons are out there (quick look, XP 2500 is mid range speed at $148).  

As for OSs, let me point out besides everyone pissing and moaning about XP and Linux, there are other OSs you can try, like BEOS and my favorite, AROS.  Considering how big and inexpensive DH's are, this gives you a bounty of OSs you can boot from.  

What a cheap x86 box to run AROS from?  Try Walmart and they should have a mini-ATX at 1.1GHz for $199.  Rather have a Athlon for a few dollars more?  Look on Pricewatch
and see what box kit you want.  

Now, if your dead set against x86, there is always a Peggy2 in Sept. =)

Dammy

[jeffimix]

Amiga ones aren't too expensive. Let me explain how. Now: Compare cost of A1 board to comparable windows board (hard to find 800Mhz boards out there but just imagine). So okay, we've lost money on the board. But, AmigaOS4 is going to be very cheap comparably (and for exmaple MOS1.3 comes with the liek 600$ Pegasos boards, doesn't it?) So if we compare it to say, buying windows 2000 server software, it becomes comparable, simply because of how extremely expensive that software is.

The argument is lost vs. Linux, but then again whats really cheaper than free? AOL?   :lol:

[Paul_Gadd]

Why are you mentioning software? A1 vs PC has nothing to do with software, a x86 board offers more than a A1 period and at a fraction of the price, if OS4 could be run on other boards (PPC ones) and they was cheaper i doubt anyone would touch a A1 with a bargepole.

Catch 22.

[The_Editor]

Hey, Bargepole seems like an ok kinda guy.

I know I dont want an A1 unless it costs *LESS* then a cheap PC motherboard... if it cost even 100$ less then Pegasos I think it would still be overpriced... considering it only runs Linux and it dosent have firewire... the one with the soldered on CPU you can totally forget... I'd rather have a cheap calculator then that thing... in my opinon i havent seen such shabby quality since an integrated Cyrix board I used in a compaq in 1995.... total junk

[SlimJim]

My take is quite simple, really:
 
I have waited for a new Amiga for more than ten years. I
hanged in here during all these years when a whole lot less
was happening and the Amigaworld was a lot darker. I have
been patted on my head by friends shaking their heads at
my seemingly never-ending fruitless waiting.
I'll be damned if I bail out *now*. Call it stubborness, call
it pride, whatever.
 
If AOS4 doesn't come to be for some reason, I will most
probably go Linux full-time. And that has nothing to do with
the merits of MOS. - But it requires a certain dedication, a
certain sentiment for me to put my effort and
enthusiasm into a "underdog" OS for perhaps another
decade.
 
I'm tired, to be honest.
Tired of being outside the mainstream and all the
compromises that forces me to do (which is why I use
Linux more and more, albeit with far less personal
involvement). Tired to listen to an old and venerable
community tearing itself to shreads. Tired to live without
the features of a mainstream OS (and in this respect I
consider Linux to be that, at least compared to MOS/AOS).
Tired of being patted on the head because "I still haven't
understood the Amiga is really, really dead". Tired of being
insulted in forums (albeit indirectly by means of
generalization so far) because I don't bash this or that, don't
hate this or that or choose to visit this or that website. It is
tiring. And it makes it difficult for me to summon the
enthusiasm so desperately needed in order to find
enjoyment with this little computer world and its offerings.
 
  But I think I can summon that enthusiasm one last time for
AOS4 and an AmigaOne, even though it - just like MOS - is
currently yet another underdog. I think I can get excited
again. Now, MOS doesn't produce that feeling with me, and
that has nothing to do with its technical merits. It's simply
the way I feel about it, at this time anyway. And without
that sentiment I cannot rationalize my involvement and my
commitment. Then my tiredness take over.
I know many others have a different take and a different
history than me. Noone is more right or more wrong.
.
SlimJim

SlimJim I can understand all you're saying... but you really should check out MOS and Pegasos... it's made by Amiga people... it's the work of long time community members and coders...not the work of outsiders... it's a system the community can fully feel is their baby...not the baby of gateway or some other company with other motives...

[The_Editor]

I know how you feel SlimJim.  Me too.

Now summers nearly here I'm tempted to go buy some fishing gear and spend some tranquil time out in the middle of nowhere.

Haven't been fishing since Dad died in 82.  (Ironically, he had a major heart seizure at a fishing match !!)

[SlimJim]

@mips_proc

SlimJim I can understand all you're saying... but you really should check out MOS and Pegasos... it's made by Amiga people... it's the work of long time community members and coders...not the work of outsiders... it's a system the community can fully feel is their baby...not the baby of gateway or some other company with other motives...

 
I have been in this community a long time you know. I know
all the background and I have heard most of the arguments.
I'm not going into any "what is an Amiga" -argument here.
Your opinion is just as valid as mine. It's just different.
.
SlimJim

[Alkemyst]

by SlimJim on 2003/5/4 19:36:56

My take is quite simple, really:

I have waited for a new Amiga for more than ten years. I
hanged in here during all these years when a whole lot less
was happening and the Amigaworld was a lot darker. I have
been patted on my head by friends shaking their heads at
my seemingly never-ending fruitless waiting.
I'll be damned if I bail out *now*. Call it stubborness, call
it pride, whatever.

If AOS4 doesn't come to be for some reason, I will most
probably go Linux full-time. And that has nothing to do with
the merits of MOS. - But it requires a certain dedication, a
certain sentiment for me to put my effort and
enthusiasm into a "underdog" OS for perhaps another
decade.

I'm tired, to be honest.
Tired of being outside the mainstream and all the
compromises that forces me to do (which is why I use
Linux more and more, albeit with far less personal
involvement). Tired to listen to an old and venerable
community tearing itself to shreads. Tired to live without
the features of a mainstream OS (and in this respect I
consider Linux to be that, at least compared to MOS/AOS).
Tired of being patted on the head because "I still haven't
understood the Amiga is really, really dead". Tired of being
insulted in forums (albeit indirectly by means of
generalization so far) because I don't bash this or that, don't
hate this or that or choose to visit this or that website. It is
tiring. And it makes it difficult for me to summon the
enthusiasm so desperately needed in order to find
enjoyment with this little computer world and its offerings.

But I think I can summon that enthusiasm one last time for
AOS4 and an AmigaOne, even though it - just like MOS - is
currently yet another underdog. I think I can get excited
again. Now, MOS doesn't produce that feeling with me, and
that has nothing to do with its technical merits. It's simply
the way I feel about it, at this time anyway. And without
that sentiment I cannot rationalize my involvement and my
commitment. Then my tiredness take over.
I know many others have a different take and a different
history than me. Noone is more right or more wrong.
.
SlimJim

I feel the same.
 
I so nearly bought my self a kick ass PC for online gaming but i did not want Windows & even more so as i dont like the way windows is heading.

If amigaOs fails i will be going the way of the Apple.

Its been an effort holding off buying a PC/Apple for liking AmigaOS so much over the year. But would not like to do it all over again by moveing from failing AmigaOS to  another OS that is even  smaller in userbase.

If this effort fails im going mainstream, i have had enough.

[Ilwrath]

@Wayne-

If you're going with an Amiga platform machine, cool, but the question of how much "cool" that $500 going to buy you is strictly relative to your desire to be different. Same with Macs. AmigaOne versus PC is much more of an emotional decision than a logical one. It always has been.

Yep... this is about the most accurate advice I've heard.  Personally, as cool as the A1 might be (if AOS4 ever ships, but that's a different story) I just don't think it'll be $500 cool.  

I mean, I built my PC, and took the $500 and bought a SGI Octane (512MB, R10k, SSI -- $200) and a TiVo ($300).  Now THERE'S two cool toys for the $500!  ;-)

[Paul_Gadd]

This is supposed to be Amigas great comeback but there is no chance when the hardware is still so expensive as if it was the late 80s/early 90s.

Gold plated solder on the board  :lol:

[Marky_D_Sahd]

No, no!  You were all supposed to talk me INTO buying the AOne!  What's the matter with you?

Actually, though, it begins to look really bleak.  I can't fork over that much dosh for a new and improved antique game machine.

I know that a few developers are still doing stuff for us, mostly Hyperion and..... Well, Hyperion!

Are there any commercial hardware (or software, at the risk of polluting this topic) developers working on wonderful things for the AOne?  Or are they waiting to start when sales reach a magic number?