MorphOS 2 vs. AmigaOS 4.1 (pros/cons)

[amiga4ever]

Hello all,

Ok, I know the title is flamatory, but that was only to grab people's attention. I hope i do not put anyone off reading! This is not intended as a "my OS is better than yours thread"...if I wanted that I would have posted this in either AmigaWorld or MorphZone. I post here at Amiga.org hoping for nuatral adult advice.

I am considering buying either a Peg2/MorphOS 2 or SAM/AOS 4.1 system and I basically would like people's IMPARTIAL (if that's posible!!) opinions on the the advantages and disadvantages of each system.

I'm interested in the little details I guess. Like I already know that MOS2 is binary compatible with 68k and so can run old OS friendly apps from classic AmigaOS. Is the same true for AOS4.1 Also, what about memory management features of AOS4.1, I know it has it but is it a big advantage over MOS2?

I already know of the broad issues of price, etc.

What are the streaghts and weaknesses of each system in comparison to each other (not in comparison to Windows/Linux)

Thanks in advance for any opinions, comparisons you can offer.

[Matt_H]

Is the same true for AOS4.1

Yes, OS4 is 68K compatible. Has been forever. System-friendly stuff only, obviously, and that goes for MorphOS, too. I found 4.0 to be a little more crash-happy with 68K stuff than MorphOS. I haven't yet tried 4.1, but it sounds a little more stable.

Regarding multimedia, the MorphOS MPlayer port is zillions of times better than the current OS4 version. But TuneNet, an OS4-only audio player, supports a zillion different audio formats.

I prefer MUI to ReAction. I think MorphOS's (MUI-based) GUI configurability is easier and more powerful than 4.0's. Again, I don't yet know what's changed in 4.1.

I really dislike the use of shared objects in OS4 (There's a new directory called SYS:SObjs). They should really be Amiga shared libraries instead.

Bottom line, though, I think you'll be satisfied no matter which you chose.

[zylesea]

IMHO MorphOS is the smarter choice for a couple of reasons. One of the biggest advantages is the better hardware support: You have support for Efika, Pegasos 1&2 and  soon G4 Mac Mini.
While the Sam may be a nice board its price/performance ratio is really poor, plus OA4.x has nothing to offer that MorphOS hasn't (but that is my personal assessment).

[CLS2086]

and what about the WarpOS support ?
It's not yet adapted to AOS4.1 for SAM440...
while it's ok with GOA on MOS side

[zylesea]

On MorphOS WarpOS and Warp3D just works fine (I still like and play WipeOut 2097 on my Pegasos very much). But also PowerUp applications are no prob on MorphOS. Also the OS4 Emu (which is no emulation, but an API wrapper) enables many OS4 apps to run on MorphOS.

[KimmoK]

@zylesea

"better hardware support" Both are pathetic in that. Both have only one board available to buy, both dream about the not-anymore-in-production MacMini.

"While the Sam may be a nice board its price/performance ratio is really poor" Exactly the same goes also for Efika. Efika cost less but also gives less.

If HW has to be taken into account in choosing the OS, I would go (I went) for SAM because it fills the minimum specs of a usable NG Amiga desktop. 128M RAM is not enough and one PCI slot should be free for expansion, etc...

Otherwise, I think MOS2.x and AOS4.x are both good options as the next gen AOS.

[Daff]

Here some others comparisons :

- Solid movement/resize of windows are faster on OS4.
- You can buy a relatively good card with OS4 : Sam440ep.
- OS4 have the official name "Amiga".
- Dragging screen are builtin on OS4.
- OS4 have a tool for CD/DVD-RW.
- Cygnix is available on OS4.

- 3D is better supported on MorphOS.
- There are better games on MorphOS.
- PowerUP programs are supported on MorphOS.
- WarpOS programs are better supported on MorphOS.
- Warp3D programs are very well supported on MorphOS.
- 68k compatibility is a little better on MorphOS (Magellan,...)
- MorphOS have multiple mouse pointer.
- MorphOS can launch some OS4 programs.

[Piru]

Solid movement/resize of windows are faster on OS4.

I would say they're as fast. Both use gfxcard hardware for GUI rendering these days. It depends more on the performance of the gfxcard really.

Cygnix is available on OS4.

And MorphOS has ixemul.

@KimmoK

both dream about the not-anymore-in-production MacMini.

dream?

[xeron]

zylesea wrote:Also the OS4 Emu (which is no emulation, but an API wrapper) enables many OS4 apps to run on MorphOS.

Really not much OS4 software runs under OS4Emu, and not everything that runs works all that well.

[Daff]

Piru : about windows resize, you can try with IBrowse. The difference is big. The MorphOS resize "flicker" a lot (perhaps because of the MUI configuration ?).

It's the same gfx board (Radeon 9250PRO) in both machine and the OS4 machine is slower (SDRAM memory, 933 G4) than my Pegasos II G4.

[KimmoK]

@Piru

I know MOS already runs in a usable way on MacMini, even though the version is not yet released.
(IIRC, AOS4 has been made to boot on MacMini only as an guick and dirty experiment)

But my point is that it's not a huge advantage because PPC Macintoshes are no longer in production etc.


PEG2 was pretty much superior to the current offerings. I wonder if there is further production run in plans?

[Piru]

@KimmoK

But my point is that it's not a huge advantage because PPC Macintoshes are no longer in production etc.

They're a) cheaper b) faster c) easily available via ebay or other 3rd party markets d) likely remain the fastest even remotely feasible platform for any forseeable future.

PEG2 was pretty much superior to the current offerings. I wonder if there is further production run in plans?

Not that I know of.

If you think Peg2 is superior.. well Mac Mini runs circles around Peg2 G4.

[amiga4ever]

Thank you very much guys, listening to ALL the opinions so far have been very helpful. for my requirements MorphOS appears to be leading choice right now. and if I want this peg2 (from a friend), i have to purchase it within days! if i decide to get SAM in future it will be easy as they are still making them.

piru: i have heard a rumour that there "may" be plans for it porting of MorphOS for MacMini someday? you probably cannot say much but would you "advise" to prepurchase a mini? as a hint

i'm still enjoying everyone's oppinions and have not decided 100% yet, so, please, if you have any other opinions please keep posting. Especially i would like to know how much advantage the memory management features of AOS4.1 are over MOS2...

thanks

[Lorraine]

/

[skurk]

Does anyone know if the AOS4.x and MOS2.x binaries are interchangeable?

I.e. will one platform run the other's binaries?  (I doubt it, but I'm interesting in knowing why, and the effort required to pull it through)