But why would anybody invest so much when the market is saturated with much much cheaper commodity hardware which would run AROS better?
It'd not be an investment, it'd be a donation.
please, not again this mantra.. wha does one need to explain just everything over and over.
you have an os4 system? if so, you are sure using some sort of rtg Card with it, maybe even some other pci Expansion commodity hardware. would you prefer all these hardware to be reinvented along with an incopmpatible bus system, let call ot "xorro" or "yorro". probably ypou would, maybe i would, but even your existing os4 system consists of said commodity chips just a little rearranged, which apparently does not bother you.
now, supporting existing commodity hardware is actually means to avoid investments in it, in order to be able to invest in software, which exactly might offer the said return. figures?