Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Software Issues and Discussion => Topic started by: Phonic on January 17, 2006, 12:32:22 AM
-
Now I have the A1200 running nicely with a bare 3.0 install are there any essential apps I should be on the lookout for?
Bear in mind my machine has no expansion whatsoever (If anyone has anything to sell let me know)
:)
If someone could suggest a good CDROM driver/mounter I'd appreciate it to.
Thanks all.
-
Congrats on your A1200 - best amiga ever made imo..
For CD Rom driver - check Aminet for AmiCdfs ( i think thats the name)
magnetic
-
I think AmiCDFS got to v2.38 and I find it the best.
I think the A1200 is the best Amiga too, the hardware options are endless!
I think the first thing you need to get is a program like Directory Opus for managing your files quickly. v4.12/4.17 is now freeware - it's a really nice bit of software.
-
There are lots of threads about essential Amiga programs. Check out:
http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=19234
-
Not an application itself, but MUI is a real must-have. Vast amounts of software rely on MUI for their GUIs
The shareware version is available on Aminet.net (mui38usr IIRC) and is fully functional. Registering will allow you to customise the look and feel of it.
What kinds of things do you want to use your A1200 for?
-
kingcon is essiental so is cygnus editor :-D
-
The first thing to install (after installing WorkBench)
is DiskMaster2. It's the best file-manager ever made,
and very easy to configure. You can download it from here:
http://kazong.privat.t-online.de/DiskMaster2.zip
:-)
-
ABCdir is better than DiskMaster2.
http://www.aminet.net/package.php?package=util/dir/ABCDir.lha
Try them both and compare.
Edit-
See my ABCdir config:
http://www.amiga.org/gallery/images/2187/1_2176.png
-
DirectoryOpus is far better than previous both.
Opus incarnation V4 is free ( which is a filemanager ), the V5 is called magellan and its till buyable ( which is a powerfull desktop replacement )
-
DirectoryOpus is far better than previous both.
I totally disagree. I think DirectoryOpus is an overrated ugly bloated load of crap. That's just my opinion though and if anybody likes it - good for them.
-
What kinds of things do you want to use your A1200 for?
Since my first PC things have been nothing but a ballache, there's no PC community in the real sense - you just have to look at 99% of PC-hardware forums to gather perspective on how close their members are, flame wars and fanboy-ism is always the topic of the day.
So, in a nutshell I want to do everything I do on my PC now.
I have this huge, fast machine sitting in front of me and all I really do is surf the web, chat and the occasional bloated forum reply.
I think my DRM/TPM/Klez/ActiveX/Blaster32-free A1200 can do that without the extra B.S. and harassment you get from using Windows.
And all within a few MB.
Thanks all.
-
So, in a nutshell I want to do everything I do on my PC now.
I have this huge, fast machine sitting in front of me and all I really do is surf the web, chat and the occasional bloated forum reply.
I think my DRM/TPM/Klez/ActiveX/Blaster32-free A1200 can do that without the extra B.S. and harassment you get from using Windows.
And all within a few MB.
Thanks all.
Sorry, couldn't bother to read the whole reply, so I skipped to this paragraph.
I can only say; forget it. Surfing the net with anything less than 040 CPU and graphics card isn't recommended. Furthermore the web browsers on Amiga aren't that great, as many sites isn't displayed correctly.
Just for testing purpose; try setting your screen resolution on your PC to 640 x 480 and surf the net. You will get annoyed pretty fast I believe, and without graphics card on the Amiga you won't be able to get much more than this.
My suggestion is to use the A1200 for playing retro games and what ever you else do. If you get it online, just use it to download games.
-
@mr_a500 wrote:
ABCdir is better than DiskMaster2.
ABCdir is totally out of date! I have used it and
it sucks! It's an old proggy from 1993, and it's
never been updated since then. DiskMaster2 is
regularly updated.
@DeQuevedo wrote:
DirectoryOpus is far better than previous both.
No, it isn't...It's to big and memory-hungry!
Opus incarnation V4 is free ( which is a filemanager )
DiskMaster2 is also free and regularly updated.
V5 is called magellan and its till buyable ( which is a powerfull desktop replacement )
Dopus5 is not only a file-manger, but also a crappy
Workbench replacement. :-(
So, compared to the other 2, DiskMaster2 is still the best!
:-D
-
ABCdir is totally out of date! I have used it and
it sucks! It's an old proggy from 1993, and it's
never been updated since then. DiskMaster2 is
regularly updated.
Yes ABCdir has not been updated since 1993 and that is a tragedy. But that doesn't automatically make it suck. Wordworth 7 hasn't been updated since 1998, but it still blows away the buggy, slow AmigaWriter from 2001.
I just tried DiskMaster2 again to compare and ABCdir is way better. It is faster, has a better layout (just move pointer to sides to get parent directory, more buttons), uses less memory, has built in shell, smooth scrolling, scroll up/down with mouse button and you can define 2 different actions for each filetype - one on double-click, one on left-right click. Can you explain exactly why you think ABCdir sucks?
-
@mr_a500
Your argument that ABCdir uses less memory and is
faster, is not true. Do you have any proof to backup
this nonsense?!
(just move cursor to sides to get parent directory, more buttons), uses less memory, has built in shell, smooth scrolling, scroll up/down with mouse button.
You can use all this options with DiskMaster2 too and
you can add as many commands as you like, and even more!
(You can add the shell command as well, and it opens
on the DiskMaster screen.)
My guess is that you don't understand how the DiskMaster confuguration works... :crazy:
:-D
-
You can use all this options with DiskMaster2 too...
Let's see:
"just move cursor to sides to get parent directory"
Nope, it doesn't work - you obviously don't know what I mean
"has built in shell"
Nope, I'm not talking about being able to open a shell on the screen - I said "built in shell" and I don't see one
"smooth scrolling"
Nope - regular scrolling
"scroll up/down with mouse button"
Nope - doesn't work
"define 2 different actions for each filetype"
Nope - I don't see it
My guess is that you don't understand how the DiskMaster confuguration works...
I think it is even more likely that you haven't even tried ABCdir since you don't know what I mean for almost every point. :crazy:
-
@mr_a500
Nope, I'm not talking about being able to open a shell on the screen - I said "built in shell" and I don't see one
I never claimed that DM2 has a build in shell!
Can't you read?! I wrote: "You can add the shell
command as well". So you must add the command in
the DM2 prefs file.
All the other things works as well with DM2:
To get the parent directory, just klik on the
"S" button. And you CAN scroll the mouse up/down
and left/right! Use the arrows!
Maybe there's something wrong with your mouse?
I think it is even more likely that you haven't even tried ABCdir
Yes, I have...I have it installed on my A600 & A4000.
It's stable with my A600 system, but it crashes a lot
on my A4000 with OS3.9. DiskMaster2 is very stable on both systems! And you still haven't come up with any proof
that ABCdir uses less memory and that it's faster...
Your obviously don't know what you're talking about!:rtfm:
:-D
-
Your argument that ABCdir uses less memory and is
faster, is not true. Do you have any proof to backup
this nonsense?!
OK, I just did some tests and you're partially right. ABCdir doesn't use less memory. Surprisingly it uses EXACTLY the same memory as DiskMaster2. I did an avail, ran DiskMaster2, avail - then closed DiskMaster2 and did the same with ABCdir. It was the same memory to the byte. (strange)
CORRECTION: I was only looking at Chip usage. I ran the test again and found that DiskMaster2 uses more than 2X the memory of ABCdir! (778240 vs. 355008) Don't believe me? Do some tests yourself.
ABCdir is definitely faster though. DiskMaster2 seems to take 3 times longer to startup and seems slower at displaying directories.
By the way, you still didn't explain why ABCdir "sucks".
EDIT:
I posted this before I saw your last reply. If I had seen it first I wouldn't have replied. I tried to have a logical unemotional discussion, but you seem to insist on insulting without even reading or understanding my posts.
EDIT #2:
I have modified my post to remove an obvious insult. It is just frustrating trying to talk to someone who doesn't read posts carefully, apparently doesn't follow the logic of it, then comes out with insults and annoying statements when I'm calmly trying to explain.
-
@mr_a500 wrote:
By the way, you still didn't explain why ABCdir "sucks".
Like I mentioned before:
* It crashes a lot with OS3.9
* It's really out-dated. (no updates)
* DiskMaster is faster with startup. (just checked it).
* DiskMaster is faster with displaying directories. (just checked it).
* DiskMaster is more easy to configurate.
* There are on regularly base free updates and runs
like a charm on any Amiga with any OS, unlike ABCdir.
:-D
-
mr_a500 wrote:
I posted this before I saw your last reply. If I had seen it first I wouldn't have replied because obviously I've been talking to a moron. I tried to have a logical unemotional discussion, but you seem to insist on insulting without even reading or understanding my posts.
That's a real pathetic and childish reaction! :crazy:
You just know that I'm right about DiskMaster2,
and this is how you react on the situation.
Really sad... :-(
-
Funny to see a peachful thread about which Workbench applications to use can start out a flame war. Why don't the two of you crow up? Peoples preferences are individual, shouldn't be hard to understand...
-
Peoples preferences are individual, shouldn't be hard to understand...
I agree with that. :lol:
-
OK, back on topic. There's also a nice little proggy called "Toolsdaemon".
"ToolsDaemon allows you to run programs simply by selecting a menu item
from the menu strip of Workbench 2.0 or higher. Shell and Workbench
programs are supported, including arguments and tool types for both of
these. The menu items can be arranged in several menus, with sub-items
and keyboard shortcuts.
ToolsPrefs is designed as a preferences editor for the ToolsDaemon menus.
It features a font-sensitive localized GadTools front-end and supports the
2.0 AppWindow feature. This means it allows you to drag programs into its
window and they will be automatically added to the menu items list.
ToolsDaemon is the background program that will launch the tools you
select from the menu strip. It is meant to be dragged into the WbStartup
drawer so it will automatically be launched on startup."
http://de4.aminet.net/util/boot/ToolsDaemon21a.lha
and a patch for OS3.9:
http://de4.aminet.net/util/boot/ToolsDaemon22.lha
:-)
-
Ordering, One of the best, lightest and configurable file managers (And i`ve tried all the others), A lot like Dopus on a diet.
http://main.aminet.net/util/dir/Ordering_v1.18.lha (http://main.aminet.net/util/dir/Ordering_v1.18.lha)
Give it a try.
Trooper
-
1. HappyENV
2. Ordering
3. MUI libaries
4. Voyager
5. Genesis
6. wbstartup+
7. MUI asl
8. golded
9. hippoplayer
10. more
-
@mr_a500
I agree that Directory Opus is too huge and ugly, and I do think ABCdir is REAL Cool looking! But How the heck do you use it and configure it?
I think DiskMaster 2 is absolutely without a single doubt the best and easiest and lightest of them all.
it seems to be the one that would be included in Workbench as Standard if Workbench ever came with one. its just right.
Most important of all (at least for me) it works on a TV and I dont need a Monitor like for ABCdir, because the text is to tiny.
I sure do wish that DM2 looked like ABCdir and was smooth like it.
looks great on my RGB monitor though. Makes it seem like a high end app.
By the way......thanks! I can finally use ABCdir more regulary.......I couldnt before bcause I couldnt figure out how the heck to go to he PARENT directory hehe!.
kind of excited now!
But how do I make it show the correct Volumes? right now I am forced to use their config of DH0, DH1, DH2......etc...
My Harddrives are HD0,HD1,HD2, HD3...etc..
How do I fix this?
-
leirbag28:
If you want DiskMaster2 more similar to ABCdir, you should check out the one that Trooper suggested - Ordering. I just tried it and it's like a cross between the two. It even has the parent like ABCdir (left or right border) and the option to use right mouse button to scroll like in ABCDir (like I tried to explain to AmiDude - not scrolling with scrollbar!). You can even configure all the fonts. I think Ordering is faster than ABCdir, but other than that it doesn't quite make it. It lacks some of the features I like in ABCdir. It's better than DiskMaster though.
In ABCdir, to change any of the buttons, click the "D" beside the "VOL" button. The "D" will be highlighted and while it is, it is in config mode and any button you press can be configured. Make sure you save the configuration when you're finished (and click D again to go to regular mode). ABCdir config is tricky to begin with (especially if you don't read the manual), but once you start, it's easy.
Oh, and the crash that AmiDude mentioned has an easy solution (and I would have told him if he had been less insulting). When you have a button or filetype configured to execute a program - always "execute in background". The other potential crash - don't rely too much on the built-in LHA support. Some newer LHAs may have a problem. Just make a button for Voodoo-X or WizArc and you can avoid this problem completely.
-
@mr_a500 wrote:
...and I would have told him if he had been less insulting...
Are you starting this **** again?
You're the one that's been insulting pal! Calling me
names like moron...I was just pushing your nose on
the facts...nothing more, nothing less. If you can't
take that then you're a pathetic looser! So, keep your
big mouth shut in the future!
-
I think the first thing you need to get is a program like Directory Opus for managing your files quickly. v4.12/4.17 is now freeware - it's a really nice bit of software.
Actually it's gone all the way up to 4.21 =)
-
If you can't take that then you're a pathetic looser! So, keep your big mouth shut in the future!
Maybe you didn't notice but I removed that comment hours ago. I was going to let it go until you added that last line on your post - proving you just want to drag this thread into a fight.
Moderator: Please close this thread.
-
@mr_a500
Well, this proves it all! You're the one that
started this, and now you're chickening out!
Now we all can see your true face...
-
"Chickening out", "you're the one that started it all" and "now we all can see your true face"?
Not that I am part of the previous flaming, but what I quoted above is OBVIOUSLY written in a way to provoce. The way I see it the only mature thing would be to not comment the whole issue any more. To keep commenting on it is just to keep feeding the fire. Feeding the fire is immature. Not bothering at all, would be the mature thing to do right now (and that's just my point of view, not saying that it is some kind of not to be questioned fact).
So, drop it, both of you! :-D
-
Thanks for the suggestions.
No thanks for the flamewar.
Mods, please close this travesty.
-
As you guys all can see, I went back on topic
by pointing at another subject about Toolsdaemon.
Then mr_a500 starts again by accusing me for the
second time for insulting him. So, he's the only
fire-starter around here...
-
AmiDude: Just drop it. People can read the thread for themselves and see what happened if that is what they feel like doing. Just don't be a part of the flamewar and it will die out eventually because there is no more fuel to be found.
Essential apps:
MCP - Somewhat essential to me, partly because of some of the hacks to be found in it. They can prove to be really nice, if you just take you time browsing them all through.
FBlit / FScreen - If you're not running on RTG FBlit or FScreen will help speed up things quite a bit, actually, an absolute essential.
-
So what was the best flame- err... file-manager again?
I still didn't get it... :lol:
:crazy:
-
I think a good flame war is better than noone talking at all.
There's passion in the old community still...
Personally I keep a combination of Directory Opus 4.12 and Ordering. The latter allows you to perform a Version command on all selected files just as you would do SIZE on your selected directories.
I used Ordering all the time until I got DOpus free with a laptop hard drive.
Here's a few other nice things:
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
ftp://de.aminet.net/pub/aminet/util/time/VLTimer.lha - a small stopwatch/uptime thingy
ftp://de.aminet.net/pub/aminet/util/wb/Tinymeter_V431.lha - a program to display your disk sizes graphically, launch programs etc.
ftp://de.aminet.net/pub/aminet/util/misc/Snapper.lha - a tool to snapshot the position of those annoying non-MUI requestors/windows that always revert back to their original positions
ftp://de.aminet.net/pub/aminet/util/cdity/mcx256.lha - a tool to give you a screenblanker that has other cool functions like opaque-window moving and middle-mouse-button control
ftp://de.aminet.net/pub/aminet/util/time/TolleUhr.lha - a lovely clock for Workbench
ftp://de.aminet.net/pub/aminet/util/wb/FullPalette22.lha - a preference program to lock the Workbench colour palette (handy if you don't have a GFX card and some program changes your icon colours purple and blue!)
Here's MUI 3.8:
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
ftp://de.aminet.net/pub/aminet/util/libs/mui38usr.lha - Get this as it will be needed by a lot of newer programs to enhance their appearance
For the Amiga's premier anti-virus program:
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
http://www.vht-dk.dk/vhtdk/amiga/ve/VirusExecutor.lha
http://www.vht-dk.dk/vhtdk/amiga/xfd/xfdmaster.lha - checks crunched programs for viruses (used by VE)
http://www.vht-dk.dk/vhtdk/amiga/div/xadmaster000.lha - checks archives for viruses (used by VE)
http://www.vht-dk.dk/vhtdk/amiga/div/xadmaster020.lha
http://www.vht-dk.dk/vhtdk/amiga/div/xadmaster060.lha
http://www.vht-dk.dk/vhtdk/amiga/div/xadmaster-key.lha - keyfile for xadmaster library
Oh, and don't forget killer commercial apps like Deluxe Paint 5 (AGA compatible) and Wordworth 7!
-
I have this huge, fast machine sitting in front of me and all I really do is surf the web, chat and the occasional bloated forum reply.
You can do all that, but you will have to upgrade your a1200 to get a pleasant experience out of it. What you need is a accelrator and some ram and you also need a graphics card, so that you dont have to surf slowly in low res, few colours and so on..
-
Oh, and don't forget killer commercial apps like Deluxe Paint 5 (AGA compatible) and Wordworth 7!
Do not forget about Brilliance 2. There's not that much that Brilliance 2 can't do that DPaintV can (maybe all the animation options, haven't animated in Brilliance 2 at all, actually). But Brilliance 2, on the other hand, can do much that DPaint can't. But I haven't used them much lately, so don't take my word on it. Anyways, Brilliance 2 is worth checking out, better or not.
In the end, I guess it is really a matter of taste.
-
You stinking liar! Deluxe Paint 5 is king!
-
@Hyperspeed
I know your joking About Deluxe Paint V
But it is true that Brilliance 2.0 dethroned DPaint long time ago.
Only people who left the Amiga scene before Brilliance came out think DPaint is still king.
Brilliance's Interface is unbeatable....on any machine including OSX and Windows XP.
I have yet to see an interface like it. I wish there was one on the PC, I know there is one similar to DPaint though.
Anyone know of any apps like this on Windows or Mac? or even Linux?
-
Well I've never used Brilliance/2.0...
But if it doesn't have animation facilities with lighttable then you can't genlock your stick-man cartoons over old wedding videos no?
Does Brilliance have that Photoshop style 24-bit airbrush, cutting and pasting of brushes to use as smudgers, drawing implements and stencils?
What about palette blending and cycling, not to mention shape defined gradients!
Interesting to know what people feel about Photogenics, TV-Paint etc.
-
Brilliance is the best paint program on Amigas.
Now I have GFX board on my A4000 and I try many paint programs for GFX board, still I think that Brilliance is the best.
Long time ago I also used DPaint, great soft, but Brilliance rulez. And yes you can do animation like in DPaint, but Brilliance have better options/effects for this than DPaint.
Best feature of Brilliance is HAM8 mode. (you can paint pix in HAM8 mode and save like real 24bit image (or HAM8).
Also conversion 24bit>HAM8 is look superb when use Brilliance.
Regards
-
And yes you can do animation like in DPaint, but Brilliance have better options/effects for this than DPaint.
Oh, nice, did not know that since I've never tried using animation in Brilliance 2. Though, do you also have all that pseudo-3D-tweaking of brushes? Making them rotate, zoom and other stuff in X-Y-Z, and so on?
Anyone know of any apps like this on Windows or Mac? or even Linux?
Actually I gave it a go, together with a friend, and tried everything we could get our hands on, demos, commercial applications, freeware programs... but no luck whatsoever. My friend bought pixel magazines which held tutorials on how to make those isometric pixel graphics which one often sees on webpages (you know, eBoy: http://www.eboy.com/eboy), but HECK! Don't you know it? THEY USED FREAKING PHOTOSHOP OR PAINT SHOP PRO TO DO THAT IN THEIR TUTORIALS! And they seemed so PROUD of it. Ooooh, you know, change the mode from RGB to Indexed Colour, make a grid (which you can't follow with the help of a brush showing exatly where the "pixels" will be plotted), do this and that and then that and some other things and then finally you can do some pixel grapchis wihtout the proper use of brushes and absolutely no way of actually seeing what you are doing until the dots have been plotted (and often just slightly not where it was to be plotted. Photoshopwas the worst but Paint Shop Pro wasn't much better).
Anyways, point is. The reason for my friend being so eager to find a Brilliance / DPaint alike app for the PC was that he saw me play around in those programs. He saw how I in minutes, sometimes seconds, did that isometric pixel graphics with ease, never really having tried to do it before, much thanks to the great use of brushes, grids, math / colour modes and more. If it hadn't been for him toying around in these two programs after seing me do it, he would probably have considered them tutorials in the magazines of great help. Now he laughs at them, because, really, they looked like nothing but: "HEY, we have found a WAY! Not that these applications EVER had this in mind, but WE FOUND A WAY TO DO IT! Now everyone uses this way, just like everyone is using Windows, without ever questioning if there is a better way.". OH. MY. GOSH.
Anyways.
Grafx2 can always be used. It's an Windows app and a DPaint / Brilliance clone. Although it isn't finished, very buggy and it seems it won't be developed any further.
Oh, and the latest eBoy poster: http://www.eboy.com/image/MSH_koelnposter_29t (it would be great to know what apps he have used, and how long it takes to do a poster such as this one).
-
If you're looking for a file-manager with a
real nice graphical interface: ClassAction:
http://de4.aminet.net/util/wb/classaction.lha
Or choose another one from this list (3 pages)
http://www.aminet.net/search.php?path=util/dir&start=0
In the end it's all about personal taste...
:lol:
-
@Legerdemain
Animation (tweaking) with brushes work great with Brilliance.
One example:
You can simply load anim into Brilliace, cut animbrush (set how many frames you won to cut), and use this animbrush in pseudo 3D animation tools, with fade in, fade out,selecting first frame, last frame, preview, speed, etc. After that you can save tweakins settings and use again in another animation.
And all this is very simple to do with brilliance paint soft like Brilliance. ;-).
On my A1200 I have one great animation created with Brilliance/Lightwave/VistaPro and packed with Scala.
Looks great on AGA amigas, and I pack all animation with Brilliace. (170 Mb anim8 format)
-
Sounds 'brilliant'...
:-)
I got Deluxe Paint IV AGA with the Desktop Dynamite pack, Deluxe Paint 5 I got from WOA '98 from the Guildhall stand for £2 (no printed manual or box!).
I'd like to get more killer apps but where do you buy new software from these days? I know the market is a little better in Germany...
As for Lightwave, is that still being traded for gold bullion?