New AROS bounties

[bloodline]

I think something like  Mattahtias BASIC would probably be a good bet...

http://sourceforge.net/projects/mattathias/

[bloodline]

Krusher wrote:
My best bet is getting people the programming language they remember.

Yes... and Mattahtias BASIC is an open source AMOS clone... that's why I suggested it :-)

[bloodline]

Krusher wrote:
Oops, did not know that, sorry.

But why use that since the sourcecode of Amos is published?

AMOS is totally 68k ASM and tied completely to the Amiga hardware.

[bloodline]

Krusher wrote:

bloodline wrote:
...
AMOS is totally 68k ASM and tied completely to the Amiga hardware.

Good for me as a hardcore lover of Amiga hardware.

New Bounty then, 68k ASM compatible. But that's already a bounty right?

Yes, the AROS - Kickstart replacement bounty... that's one I'm really looking forward to!

[bloodline]

HenryCase wrote:

Now the Kickstart is low level code and can be reverse engineered. If we can think of a way to recreate the clean room technique and assign two or more 68k coders to assist each other in this way then we're on to a winner (there also needs to be a fair way to split the bounty but lets not worry about that right now).

The only way I can think of to recreate the 'clean room' technique through the Internet is if the person doing the decompiling and analysis stays completely anonymous and unreachable to the 68k code writers. Or maybe there is another way to do it. Any ideas?

I can assure you the legal issues of this and all techniques required have been discussed in great detail on the AROS dev list. The only problem is lack of interested developers.

[bloodline]

Einstein wrote:

Also, doesn't the x86-64 version of AROS already have partial memory protection? If so, is there any reason why this can't be applied to the other versions of AROS fairly quickly?

Difference between partial mp (A) and full mp (B) is like being attacked by a samurai when one carries a shield (A) and when one sits in a tank (B). :-D
Partial mp is just a retrofit mp, with full mp huge portion of the API needs modification/rewrite, that's why it takes time.
As for AROS32, i don't know if that will be supported for enhancements, it's up to the devs.

I'm pretty sure that any enhancements that can be brought in from AROS64 into the other ports will be. x86 is currently being finalised for ABI V1 by the workaholic Staf, I expect him, Robert and Michal will sort something out before ABI V1 is finished... and there are bunch of guys working on the PPC port, which is nowhere near a finalised ABI (but also has Michal Schulz working on it) so plenty of time for it to be improved.

:-)

[bloodline]

HenryCase wrote:

Well I'm glad the legal issues surrounding the techniques have been discussed. As for the lack of willing/interested developers, as far as I can tell it is a huge task, and one where a team would be preferable. I am prepared to dig around some places we may find willing coders if I knew these things:

1. How are bounties split when there is a team (or if this hasn't happened in the past has this been discussed)?

Never been done before, the team members will have to figure it before they start work, and then inform Dammy.

2. Other than the clean room technique, what other legal methods of creating a kickstart replacement are there?

Firstly lets get something that POSTs the machine :-) all that requires is a Hardware Reference Manual and plenty of time/motivation... we make it compatible later ;-)

3. Was there a strong consensus on which would be the best (or easiest) method to use?

Yes... we need more 68k, Amiga hardware hacker devs. :-)

Other than the kickstart replacement bloodline, any AROS bounties you'd like to see?

Yes, actually... I want EFI and SMP support... but I can only dream at the moment :-)

-Edit- Oh and S-ATA support would be nice too... but there is a bounty for that already.

[bloodline]

SamuraiCrow wrote:

bloodline wrote:

Krusher wrote:
My best bet is getting people the programming language they remember.

Yes... and Mattahtias BASIC is an open source AMOS clone... that's why I suggested it :-)

Mattathias BASIC will be more than a clone.  It will be more like a backward compatible sequel.  Imagine Amos 3.0 with AGA support or graphics card support running in any machine language you would like.  8-)

I hoped you'd show up :-) Come on lets get Mattahtias Basic on AROS! :-D

[bloodline]

XDelusion wrote:
I'd be interested in seeing it on the XBOX. 64Mb of RAM would go a long way with an Amiga like OS I'd think.

For the consoles, I think the best option is to run AROS on top of a minimal Linux, that would solve pretty much all problems and be quick to implement.

[bloodline]

Piru wrote:
@HenryCase

reverse engineering & reimplementing Kickstart ROM

This is a huge task, however. You make it sound as if it'd be couple of months for 2-3 guys.

More like 5-10 years, assuming you find skilled and well motivated hackers to do it.

PC BIOS was only couple of KB, trivial in comparison.

Indeed, for AROS the real quest is to write a ROM that will POST the machine and allow it to boot AROS... That should be enough for most software (OS legal apps would be dependant on AROS, and most games and demos tend to bypass the ROM once the machine is brought up to a known state)... then work can progress at making it more compatible if needs must.

[bloodline]

@HenryCase

Unless you got the offset right you have now got 3000 pages of garbage :-)

By the way you have now rendered youself unable to work on a kickstart replacement :-(