Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => General chat about Amiga topics => Topic started by: mihcael on December 09, 2005, 09:06:07 AM
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This is my first post!!! (obligatory comment to get things rolling)
I was wondering...
What is amiga?
--Is it the Hardware? it started it all but is it still relevant to amigans.
--The software? Workbench. Applications that just work... better!
--The community? Amigans!! There still around!
And i don't understand the tensions that appear between AOS - AROS - MOS - (others UAE,amithlon), surely we all want the same thing?
To experience the Funness of amiga!!
I miss my Amiga!!!
Is this too much for one thread?
Whats the limit for "Stupid questions" for a newcomer?
I was going to ask about AOS 4 (release details), but... "when its done" seems to be the rave here!!
ok?
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My version of what Amiga is:
It is a unique meld of custom chips, innovative design and multitasking ability which (at the time) had no rival and still today has no equal in terms of how the thing 'feels.'
It is much the same as a vintage automobile...there are replicas of those classic cars, but they aren't the same. The build, the spirit, the intent is not the same. And sure, there are much more sophisticated 'supercars' out there today but they do not encapsulate the essence of the machine as it was back then and as it still appeals today.
Edit: by the way, welcome to Amiga.Org...
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Amiga is a mindset. It takes hold of you and shows you what personal computing can be, what many say ought to be.
It is community. A group that enjoy usings the machines, tinkering with them and the OS, programming them. Enjoying a fun piece of hardware, pushing it to it's limits, pushing themselves to their limits. An exciting challenge with awesome rewards.
Like an Old Brown Shoe (I'm in love with you.
I'm so glad you came here, it won't be the same now, I'm telling you thx to the FF), it fits comfortably. It is reassuring.
It can play well with others; it can BE others.
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Hey man!
thanks for the reply!!!
i thought i must of done something wrong.. no replies!!!
(patience is a virtue!!!)
Vintage i think is a bit of an insult!!!
More like a 1971 Ford GT-HO..(aussie car) So far ahead of its time, if only it (and amiga) had the continued developement imagine where they would be!!!
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Hey man!
thanks for the reply!!!
i thought i must of done something wrong.. no replies!!!
(patience is a virtue!!!)
Vintage i think is a bit of an insult!!!
More like a 1971 Ford GT-HO..(aussie car) So far ahead of its time, if only it (and amiga) had the continued developement imagine where they would be!!!
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Welcome to a.org!
mihcael wrote:
This is my first post!!! (obligatory comment to get things rolling)
I was wondering...
What is amiga?
Today it's the name of an IP-squatting company. It once used to be a series of cool computers, but that was a long time ago.
(The OS from those cool-but-dead computers still lives on in several shapes today, however.)
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Seehund wrote:
Welcome to a.org!
mihcael wrote:
This is my first post!!! (obligatory comment to get things rolling)
I was wondering...
What is amiga?
Today it's the name of an IP-squatting company. It once used to be a series of cool computers, but that was a long time ago.
(The OS from those cool-but-dead computers still lives on in several shapes today, however.)
Notably as the Free, open source AROS ;-)
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[color=ff0000]WARNING!!! OPINION!!![/color]
Amiga is a family of computers manufactured by Commodore during the 80's and 90's. Nothing else is an Amiga.
Amiga is certainly not the "community".
OPINION>
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80s and early 90s = great hardware and a great OS
present = Obsolete junk hardware (amigaone) and a OS (OS4) which runs on hardware what no longer can be purchased (some future eh?).
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Was the OS4 and ppc hardware a negative or a positve move for amiga?
Are they moving towards the evil x86 or away, as i see this as the only direction they could take that would actually increase the amigas use.
The amigaone sounded very exiting when i recently came back to amiga, but then you see how long its been going on for and still waiting.
I think its the OS addiction that keeps poeple coming back!
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Amiga is what Amigans think it is (take a look on Macintosh)
Is it a Mac an MacOS 9 powerMac? (different CPU 68k->PPC)
Is it a Mac a macG5 with MacOSX? (different OS)
Is it a Mac a computer with an Intel cpu? (next generation macs)
Same thing for Amiga.
For me an Amiga can be classic, AmigaOne with AmigaOS 4.0, Pegasos with MorphOS, Aros in an x86/PPC/68k box. (we are like the BSDs right now :) we got 3 choices ;-))
PS: well thats 4 but classic 3.x doesnt really count anymore :P, the classic hardware on the other hand can use the other three OS options I mentioned.
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mihcael wrote:
Was the OS4 and ppc hardware a negative or a positve move for amiga?
Are they moving towards the evil x86 or away, as i see this as the only direction they could take that would actually increase the amigas use.
The amigaone sounded very exiting when i recently came back to amiga, but then you see how long its been going on for and still waiting.
I think its the OS addiction that keeps poeple coming back!
I think if they'd got the OS released back in 2001 when it was supposed to, along with a cheap full PPC computer (as opposed to just a motherboard) designed by experts who knew the Amiga inside out (such as Dave Haynie or the ex-Phase 5 guys) like the Mac Mini, easily identifiable as an Amiga, and got it into stores at a decent price (£299 / $449 including the OS) it would have sold in decent numbers (I'm thinking well into the hundreds of thousands here) and it would have been a base to move on from.
But instead Amiga refused to negotiate with the people who could have helped them, made unreasonable demands, and spent the next four years trying to shove the AmigaDE down our throats while allowing Eyetech to import and rebadge Terons while taking $100 per board for the right to have an Amiga sticker on it.
Today, almost in 2006, I don't see any future for the Amiga beyond a cult hobbyist machine, something like what the C64 has become.
I also suggested back in 2001 in emails to Amiga (which were ignored) a handheld Amiga with the AGA chipset on FPGA, which would have ran rings around the GBA. A 320 x 256 LCD screen, capable of running old Amiga games, maybe give it a video-out port so you could hook it up to a TV.
I still think this would have sold a lot of units, and the development costs wouldn't have been prohibitive - we've got guys now recreating the Amiga on FPGA's in their bedrooms single-handedly, we've got people creating their own handheld NES consoles from Casio Pocket TV's and old Nintendos as hobby projects.
Today, of course, against the Nintendo DS, and PSP, it wouldn't stand a chance, but back in 2001 when the handheld console market was still largely untapped by anyone except Nintendo, it could have made it.
The guys at Amiga Inc were simply clueless, as far as I'm concerned.
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Maybe the handheld console which can plug into a TV could exist in the market place still?
Look at the "Atari 2600 Flashback" in the marketplace.
It would depend on the price point. I think there is still room below the PSP price bracket ;)
Here is my random thought on the future of Amiga. What if an Amiga OS (AROS for example) were to run on x86 architecture but with amiga specific PCI daughterboards etc?
That way you want a A500/A1200 platform, plug in the 68k card, like what has been done with the SID chip etc.
That way it runs on x86 hardware but you can get more of the Amiga feel if you cough up for the amiga hardware that you want.
Just my random thought
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Today it's the name of an IP-squatting company.
:lol: Nice one.
My short answer is...
Amiga is/was an OS/Computer that catered more to the "right brain" type of user. Other systems ('cept for Mac maybe) are more for the "left brainies". It always attraced a much more interesting group of people IMHO. Some of who live on today on this and other sites hoping for a revival of some type.
Plaz
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"What is Amiga?" is a far more complex question than "what was Amiga?"
In spite of the years and all the crap, the name -Amiga- still holds a special place for anyone who was there. The sense of nostalgia is still strong. If it wasn't, none of us would be still talking about it.
I think Amiga was about making technology fun and engaging.
For me, the Amiga is no longer about physical hardware, I sold all of mine to people who could enjoy it anew. Its not even really about software, sure there were a few good games and the OS was clever, but tech' has moved on apace.
Nowdays, Amigans being understandably frustrated and dissapointed at the Amiga's situation, have let that frustration fragment their community and in some cases, turn to bitterness.
In the future, I'd like to see some genuinely fun Amiga products come into existence, but I really dont mind if Amiga just remains a set of fond memories.
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For me the Amiga is the little computer that could do alot. I still to this day have my A4000D running a Video Toaster 4000 Flyer and people that have there PC video editing system still do not understand how an Amiga with only 16mb ram and 2 video graphics memory can do what it does. True multi-tasking at its finest in my opinion. The Amiga will for many be used for years to come. I dont know of many PC's that are as old as the amiga that are still working and have a use.