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Amiga News and Community Announcements => Amiga News and Community Announcements => Amiga.org site announcements => Topic started by: Kees on May 16, 2003, 10:07:25 PM

Title: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Kees on May 16, 2003, 10:07:25 PM
We're doing an interview with Ben Hermans of Hyperion Entertaintment. Please submit your question and we'll relay them

WARNING : He is nice enough to answer a few questions for us.  DO NOT use this thread to debate, agendize, or try to answer the questions for Mr. Hermans.  Stay on Topic!  If you do not do so, your comment will be deleted or edited as appropriate.
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: chris on May 16, 2003, 10:44:57 PM
I'll start the ball rolling then  :-)

1. With the additional work and delays so far with OS4, how long (approx) will it be between the CSPPC and AmigaOne releases of OS4, or has the additional work required for the AmigaOne release been running concurrently and will result in an almost simultaneous release?

2. There are some items in the OS4 featurelist which are marked as "not yet done", such as NOVA and USB Mass-storage and HID drivers.  What is the current status of these modules and will they make OS4.0?

Chris
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: zacman on May 16, 2003, 10:47:41 PM
Will Hyperion attend Amiwest 2003?
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: zudobug on May 16, 2003, 10:48:54 PM
I have another question about the features:

Has a line been drawn yet on what features are being developed for OS4? What's being left until the next version. Also, when can we see the final feature list?

Ta,

-zudo
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: on May 16, 2003, 10:49:37 PM
Mr Hermans,

I would like to run Amiga OS4 on a Pegasos motherboard, and I am not alone in this need.

Are you going to release a version of AOS4 to run on the Pegasos sometime in the future and therefore increase Hyperions profits by selling to a larger customer base?

There is no technical reason for not doing so, so I really cannot understand why you don't want my money if you won't release AOS4 for the Pegasos boards.

Kind regards and best wishes,
Nicholas Otley
mdma AT aros DOT org
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: xisp on May 16, 2003, 10:55:15 PM
Many people believe (me included) that Amiga Inc.
demise, (forcing AmigaOS4.x rights falling entirely in
your hands), would be a good thing to happen, after all.

Is it convenient? Is it desirable? Would AmigaOS4
release be more difficult without AmigaInc? or not?
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: downix on May 16, 2003, 11:14:57 PM
Alrighty, I have a question:

Other than the trademark, what is there to differentiate your product
(AmigaOS 4.0) from the competitions product (MorphOS 1.3) from the
viewpoint of someone outside of the community?
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: takemehomegrandma on May 16, 2003, 11:26:35 PM
WHEN?  ;-)
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Paul_Gadd on May 16, 2003, 11:29:30 PM
Are you guys going to include a proper webbrowser with OS4? say like Mozilla?
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: on May 16, 2003, 11:31:39 PM
Quote

downix wrote:
Alrighty, I have a question:

Other than the trademark, what is there to differentiate your product
(AmigaOS 4.0) from the competitions product (MorphOS 1.3) from the
viewpoint of someone outside of the community?


Ooooooh............. Good question, I wish i'd thought of it!
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: takemehomegrandma on May 16, 2003, 11:41:49 PM
Ben H, judging from your previous posts, you are clearly aiming for the OEM/STB/Convergence market as main target markets (money-wize) for OS4. That makes a lot of sense; I would instantly have rejected your efforts as meaningless if it haven't been for this. But from a business point of view: Why will you succeed? Tell the people who is thinking about putting development efforts towards your OS platform how their efforts will be rewarded. What future does your OS have, and why (business-wize)? How will you "make the future bright"? Are you solely relying on the brand name "Amiga", or can you give us a hint of your strategies?
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: gnarly on May 16, 2003, 11:52:46 PM
What is being done to support modern Printers and Scanners in AmigaOS 4.x?
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Xand on May 17, 2003, 12:27:50 AM
How long after the CSPPC and A! release will be the BPPC version?
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: sTix on May 17, 2003, 12:37:57 AM

 :-x  argh!

Quote

Paul_Gadd wrote:
Are you guys going to include a proper webbrowser with OS4? say like Mozilla?
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Rodney on May 17, 2003, 01:28:44 AM
Has a feature list for OS4.2 been developed yet? You have a lot of developers, im guessing that since you are so close to completion, some developers may have no work left with OS4 (they've finished there parts). Are these developers working on OS4.1 or 4.2? Or does everyone still have at least something to do on OS4.0?
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: meerschaum on May 17, 2003, 01:39:39 AM
my questions

Question # 1  if/when IP that Amiga.inc owns (e.g AOS code) fall into others hands... will you be able to create an AmigaOS beyond OS4.0 ?...

Question # 2 what do you think of these rumors floating around Amiga.inc... do you think their funny aswell? like 'hahahahahah' funny, and not 'hehehehehe' funny? ... or what
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Billsey on May 17, 2003, 02:10:58 AM
Ben,

I'm tired of using an OS (MacOS9) that seems to keep getting slower and slower and slower, and that sucks hard drive space down a black hole half a gig at a time. Please tell me that OS4 is coming soon. :-)
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: meerschaum on May 17, 2003, 02:24:56 AM
Billsey I can do that and I'm not even Ben...

hey Billsey! 'OS4 is comming soon!"
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Billsey on May 17, 2003, 03:38:49 AM
:roflmao:

I guess I deserved that. :-)
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Jope on May 17, 2003, 07:12:55 AM
Mr Hermans,

Please heavily consider providing a progress report (completed
features vs. advertised features) that's updated weekly.

I'm sure many people in addition to me would like to know that
progress is really being made.
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: WarPiper on May 17, 2003, 08:35:36 AM
edited by admin: abrasive

Real question : When is AmigaOS for the x86 coming (OS5)?
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Bodie on May 17, 2003, 08:41:58 AM
@WarPiper

It's "coming"  :-P .
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: carls on May 17, 2003, 09:09:24 AM
Allright:
How much energy is REALLY put into developing OS4? How many programmers are involved? I believe the first screenshots of the new GUI were available during summer last year. This is almost a year ago and at that time OS4 must have been under development for what, another year? Two years seems like a plausible timeframe when you're one or two programmers.
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: z5 on May 17, 2003, 09:17:28 AM
I think this is a good idea.

Questions:
- What are you most proud of during this past one and a half years of OS development. What has been the most exciting moment in teh development?
- Anything yet on the final GUI layout, icons, backdrop,... In short, what about the OS4 look? When will you be able to come out with it and show us?
-Do you feel more confident now that OS4 will be released eventually.
- When does the ball start rolling. Seeing OS4 in action (demos) would be a very positive sign towards the community that things are shaping up. So when do you start to come out with it.
- How big is the gap between Cyberstorm and AOne version in terms of development.
- Are you planning on supporting the demoscene. A stunning demo/intro can sell machines (remember juggler demo).
- How many sales are you targetting with  the Cyberstorm version. Do you feel that it will help fund development of the AOne version.
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Kurt on May 17, 2003, 09:19:53 AM
Edited by admin: off topic
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: jahc on May 17, 2003, 09:44:12 AM
@Kurt

I agree with some of your points, and disagree with others, but CAN WE PLEASE KEEP THIS THREAD ON TOPIC.. When I open this thread tommorow morning, I want to hear about what people want to ask Ben Hermans, not 50 posts debating Amiga politics..

Please people, post replies to Kurt in a new thread. Or just dont reply.

Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: uncharted on May 17, 2003, 10:07:07 AM
One of the best things about OS 4 from my point of view is the new kernal.  But when will we be at a point where we can start taking advantage of things like VM and MP?  Will we have to wait for 4.2 until all the OS components are compatible with the MP.

Also does Hyperion still have a good relationship with Titan?
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: ID4 on May 17, 2003, 10:28:59 AM
- Will be SharkPPC version of OS4?

Thanks!!!!.
Quote

Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: AmiGR on May 17, 2003, 11:16:36 AM
edited by admin : off-topic
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Mr_Capehill on May 17, 2003, 11:19:44 AM
Ok:

- How many times have you considered to drop supporting the Amiga platform? Or what are your motives today?

- Any clues about future game ports?

- Is there some HAL stuff missing in A1's OS4 version still?

- Would you consider porting games and for example, Warp3D, for MorphOS?

- Would you port OS4 for Pegasos if they sign the contract with Amiga?

- What is your  favourite beer?

- How can you tell if you are talking to Hans-Jörg or Thomas?  

- Does Steffen Häuser yell into phone "Hi!!!"?  :-D
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: AmiGR on May 17, 2003, 11:31:37 AM
edited by admin : This topic is Questions for Ben Herman -- please do not use this topic for debate and answering questions best left to others.
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Rogue on May 17, 2003, 11:44:55 AM
Quote
They are not the same person, you can tell who you're talking to, they use different expressions:)


Thanks, Alkis ;-)
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Mr_Capehill on May 17, 2003, 12:16:24 PM
Rogue: I hope you didn't mind  :-D It always amazes me how  you and Thomas seem to think about same things at the same time, ie by sending a message about same subject with the same content at the same time, but with different wording of course.
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: T_Bone on May 17, 2003, 12:23:11 PM
Quote

WarPiper wrote:
when is the x86 version OS 5 comming?

and now that Aminga Inc is DEAD, where do you see the amiga two years from now.

give a list of software companies that are developing for the new OS,  GIVE ME A REASON TO WANT TO BUY YOUR PRODUCT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


You're asking the wrong man, Hyperion have nothing to do with AmigaOS5, you'd have to ask Fleecy.
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Warface on May 17, 2003, 12:23:21 PM
@Kurt

Thanks Kurt, we know that you're the worst kind of red trolls, no need to make us remember to that.

@all

Let Ben Hermans answer the questions, don't answer to each other's questions please :-)

@Ben Hermans

It has been partly asked, but is your contract for AmigaOS 4.0 or AmigaOS 4.x? If the first, is it possible to keep your project going further with Updates/Boingballs/Anything?
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: AmiGR on May 17, 2003, 12:33:04 PM
:-P
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Mr_Capehill on May 17, 2003, 12:35:31 PM
Some of the questions might have been answered a year ago, probably the most of the answers are still valid:

http://www.student.oulu.fi/~jniemima/interviews/ben_hermans.html

Talking about the Friedens, it would be interesting to have twice a monthly technical QA with them. There is an interesting thread here:

http://amigaworld.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=555&forum=4

Of course, I fear that their time is very limited  :-)
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: olegil on May 17, 2003, 02:10:01 PM
I agree, that thread was really good. And I don't even read amigaworld.net :-)

However, I need to point out a couple of things. If something has already been answered, it shouldn't be asked again, so it's perfectly valid for one user to answer another users question. Saves Ben the time to copy'n'paste their answers ;-).
Also, if Rogue is here commenting in a thread about questions to Ben Hermans about OS4, why not just frelling ask him instead? ;-)
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: redrumloa on May 17, 2003, 03:04:23 PM
Now that time has passed and the market has changed, would you be willing to reconsider porting AmigaOS4 to the Pegasos with say a USB dongle?
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Paul_Gadd on May 17, 2003, 03:21:16 PM
Ben would you recommend Mr Sheen or Pledge?

Also include if it came in a aerosol can or a spray bottle.
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: logain on May 17, 2003, 03:27:45 PM
It its already on the list i think, however.

I would like to know how the situation really looks if Amiga Inc got
bust and the sub-license they have get redundant.

Is Hyperion still allowed to use the Amiga brand and Sources of
the AmigaOS?

Is Eyetech still allowed to use the brand too?

What would be in case 'anyone' else would get a (sub)-license
for the Amiga brand and sources?

How does it effect the future development for this platform fe for
OS>=4.5 then? (afair Hyperion didnt really want to do anything else
but selling games after OS4.2)






Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: uncharted on May 17, 2003, 03:49:29 PM
Quote

redrumloa wrote:
Now that time has passed and the market has changed, would you be willing to reconsider porting AmigaOS4 to the Pegasos with say a USB dongle?


As other people have said this is not up to Hyperion alone, for example Amiga Inc. still have the licencing thingy.  It's also down to Bill Buck and the Genesi team.  Just because Bill acts nice on public forums towards the Freidens doesn't mean that he is willing to co-operate.

"Beware the guy who has one hand behind his back when he shakes your hand"


===EDIT===

I don't mean to flame Bill Buck or decend this thread in OT land, I just wanted to point out that this question is slightly unfair as the ball is not solely in Ben or Hyperion's court.
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: chris on May 17, 2003, 05:19:33 PM
Quote
I would like to know how the situation really looks if Amiga Inc got
bust and the sub-license they have get redundant.


I just want to add something to this.  If AI go under, would Hyperion and Eyetech consider forming a partnership to purchase the Amiga trademarks etc?

Chris
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: redrumloa on May 17, 2003, 06:42:46 PM
@uncharted & chris

I want to get an official answer from Ben Hermans. If we are to discuss this furthwer please start a new thread to keep this one on topic.
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: The_Editor on May 17, 2003, 07:22:10 PM
Hey,

I suspect Hyperion are "On schedule and... (http://www.aingarfield.freeserve.co.uk/anims/entert/entert04.gif)

 :-D
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Jose on May 17, 2003, 08:21:43 PM
1- Could you explain in more detail the contract between Hyperion and AInc. in regard of what could happen if AInc. goes bust? I'm specially interested  in knowing if any of these two situations could happen:
 a- AInc. not going bankrupt because someone buys part of it. The company buying part of AInc. would have more than 50% of AInc. and control it.  Could they still buy AOS4 and do whatever they want with it?
 b- The contract is only in regard to AOS4, so if the Amiga name gets sold, some company could market AmigaOSX, or XXX, and there would be much confusion in the main public.

2- There seems to be some worriness arrising from potential  A1 and AOS4 buyers.
What would be the probability of AInc favouring you ( or maybe a joint effort between the left Amiga companies, say Hyperion, Eyetech, Elbox...) to buy the IP and name, in the hypoteticall situation of they going bankrupt?
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: olegil on May 17, 2003, 08:34:31 PM
Paul:

We love you, but you need help. Please seek counselling (and I don't mean from a lawyer, or Ben would be sure to help you). Ok?

 :-P
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Rogue on May 17, 2003, 09:56:55 PM
Quote
I hope you didn't mind


No problem. As they say, great minds think alike ;-)
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Mr_Capehill on May 17, 2003, 10:29:03 PM
@Rogue:  :-D I wonder what if there was 4 of you?

At least Ben would be in trouble while having meeting I think  ;-)
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: DeQuevedo on May 17, 2003, 10:38:49 PM
Hi!

I would like  to know when OS4 for CSPPC and One versions had been released there will be OS4 version for Bppc and/or Shark PPC? When?

Thank you in advance

Best Regards

-DeQuevedo (The AMiGA OS Fan in Spain)
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: chris on May 18, 2003, 12:10:39 AM
A few more about OS4 features:

1. Will MediaToolBox (or whatever it is called now :roll: ) be able to resize and move partitions without losing the data on those partitions?

2. Will the CD-ROM filesystem be able to read DVD-ROMs?

3. Will software be included to play DVD Video?

4. How compatible is OS4.0 with older applications - both 68k and PPC - on CSPPC and AmigaOne hardware? (preferably from real-world tests)  Are there are any particular applications  that don't work or have problems? Are there any old games that do work :-D?

Chris
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: jahc on May 18, 2003, 02:15:28 AM
I'm interested in coding for OS 4.0.. Last I heard, Olaf Barthel was working on developer documentation. Whats the status on that? Can we expect docs to be ready when OS 4.0 is released?

(Cant wait cant wait cant wait)
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: JC on May 18, 2003, 03:28:11 AM
I'd like to know if OS4.0 is going to be as simple and fun to use as previous versions of the Amiga OS.

I'm also curious to find out if it will be as stable and reliable as previous versions.

Jerimy
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: redfox on May 18, 2003, 03:28:19 AM
Mr. Hermans:

In the case of the original Amigas, part of the OS was in ROM.  Will any part of AmigaOS 4 be contained in ROM on the AmigaOne, or will the ROM be used mostly for start-up and "BIOS" (for lack of a better word) type stuff?

-------------
redfox
Title: Re: Ben Hermans Interview - submit your questions
Post by: Kees on May 18, 2003, 08:13:12 PM
We made a selection of questions wich where send to Ben Hermans.

Thanks for submitting - No new posts are allowed in this thread.