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Amiga computer related discussion => General chat about Amiga topics => Topic started by: redrumloa on May 04, 2006, 05:44:01 PM

Title: Amiga Inc doesn't own rights to Amiga custom chips?
Post by: redrumloa on May 04, 2006, 05:44:01 PM
First I heard of this! Maybe someone should dial up Jack Tramiel?

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Commodore responded by launching the even better Amiga, which was the ultimate games machine, but eventually, both companies ended up producing IBM PC clones (there was a very nasty dispute about who owned the Amiga chips, because Jack did a deal with the designers, but they took the view he'd been wearing his Commodore hat when they signed).


HERE (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/02/21/commodore_chickenhead/)

Interesting... :-o
Title: Re: Amiga Inc doesn't own rights to Amiga custom chips?
Post by: Tahoe on May 04, 2006, 06:19:49 PM
There is an interesting documentary on this on (I think) the bonus disk from Amiga Forever.
As we all know the Amiga was not designed by C= at all, at least not the A1000 which started it all. Jay Miner and his team, designing the Amiga, came in financial troubles and signed a contract with Atari loaning them money.
If they didn't repay their debt by a certain date the company would fall in Atari's hands. (including the Amiga, ofcourse). The company BTW was worth a lot more then what Atari had paid. Last minute Jay signed a contract with C= who paid the money jay owned Atari, getting the (c) for the Amiga....

So, to make a long story short: Tramiel almost owned the (c)...
Title: Re: Amiga Inc doesn't own rights to Amiga custom chips?
Post by: Thomas on May 04, 2006, 06:42:13 PM
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Amiga Inc doesn't own rights to Amiga custom chips?


AFAIK Amiga Inc. does not *own* anything Amiga related. All patents are still owned by Gateway. Amiga Inc. licensed only the name Amiga and the software (AmigaOS), nothing hardware related.

Bye,
Thomas
Title: Re: Amiga Inc doesn't own rights to Amiga custom chips?
Post by: uncharted on May 04, 2006, 06:44:28 PM
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redrumloa wrote:
First I heard of this!


Really? The Amiga-Atari thing is very well known


Quote

HERE (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/02/21/commodore_chickenhead/)

Interesting... :-o


Don't rely on The Reg for solid facts.
Title: Re: Amiga Inc doesn't own rights to Amiga custom chips?
Post by: redrumloa on May 04, 2006, 08:09:57 PM
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uncharted wrote:
Really? The Amiga-Atari thing is very well known


I know the Atari-Amiga history, but this is Tramiel specific. I never heard in the Atari story about a battle over custom chip rights.