Amiga.org
Amiga.org specific forums => New User Introductions => Topic started by: clusteruk on November 18, 2008, 08:46:18 PM
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Hi All
My Name is Steve Jones and some may remember me as the face behind a couple of Amiga companies, Checkmate Digital ltd, HiQ and Siamese System ltd the last two which were basically the same but a name change.
I spent 10 years promoting the Amiga as a serious platform and tried to get the PCI Amiga card off the ground but failed. But please don't hold that against me.
My Love of the Amiga is undiminished but I use it rarely except to play with my much loved A1000 that I have had for 20 years, which makes me a hypocrit that must pay bills.
My ideal scenario is that AROS developers and Hyperion can get together. Cheap hardware and an OS that people can love again. Oh, and Bill from Amiga inc. hands the Amiga brand over to someone that can do it justice, as if that will happen. I failed to rejuvinate the Amiga with Gateway and the PCI 060 card but I tried, politics.
I have a hobby site which you are welcome to look at and pull to pieces. http://clusteruk.dns2go.com/
And if anyone has a Pal DCTV to sell for my A1000, I have two NTSC versions ;-)
Steve Jones.
Siamese Systems
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Hello and welcome to amiga.org!
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at least you tried to do something. Thank you :)
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Welcome Steve! Yep, Amiga's history can be harsh but at least you tried. Maybe in a distant future we can have an Amiga market again where businesses can flourish again.
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Hi Steve,
Welcome aboard :-)
Yes I remember your companies, glad that you have joined amiga.org and still have a passion for the Amiga. :-D
My ideal scenario is that AROS developers and Hyperion can get together. Cheap hardware and an OS that people can love again. Oh, and Bill from Amiga inc. hands the Amiga brand over to someone that can do it justice, as if that will happen.
I expect you have seen the other thread, entitled: 'Would Apple be the best custodian of Amiga technology?' Where we have been discussing just such possibilities. And I too agree that Hyperion are the future for the Amiga and the Amiga Inc. suck :lol:
Look forward to your imparting some of your knowledge of Amiga hardware. :-D
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Welcome Steve.
Back in the day, I used to have a Siamese for my A1200 and PC. I just wanted to say thanks for bringing such a great thing to both me and the community.
I had a quick look at your site yesterday but it appears your IIS server is having a strop now because too many people are connected. You've got to love Windows.
Anyhow, on your site, I think it says that you wanted to here from people that had pre-ordered the PCI Amiga. Although I thought it was a great idea, money can be a bit tight when your 15 ish years old. I just wondered why you wanted to here from people? Only cause I'm nosy!!
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Welcome!
Good to have you here.
:-)
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In answer to the question about the PCI card contacts.
Basically I made a mistake and took about 30 £50 deposits before Gateway turned us over and I lost everything. I am now trying to pay them back but contacting them has proved tricky. I know their names and original details but that is all, a handful I contacted but some have moved.
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Hi Steve!!!
I still use your Siamese v2.5 software (shame the Amiga on a PCI card never made it). Who has the code to that? I'd buy a Siamese 3.0 updated today if it was available that would work with OS3x and XP/Vista.
I'm waiting for hard drive support on the Minimig as it should allow Siamese to be installed and then use an old Win98 machine to provide CD ROM access and printer support. :-)
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Hi Steve and welcome. Despite the out come I appreciate all the work you put in. I was always impressed with the Siamese System. If not for the problems caused by the usual suspects, you might have gone far. So do you still have dev docs on the PCI card? :-D
Plaz
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clusteruk wrote:
In answer to the question about the PCI card contacts.
Basically I made a mistake and took about 30 £50 deposits before Gateway turned us over and I lost everything. I am now trying to pay them back but contacting them has proved tricky. I know their names and original details but that is all, a handful I contacted but some have moved.
Well I bought the Simaese software from you with an agreement that it would give me $50 (or was it pounds?) off the PCI card when it was released (and thus Siamese would have been "free"). As far as I'm concerned, there's no hard feelings as even though I wasn't really interested in Siamese at the time, once I used it I thought it was worth every penny.
Thanks for trying. :-)
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Hi Steve, welcome! Looking forward to share ideas and thoughts with you.
And you're an Alfa Romeo fan, too. Too good to be true ;-) Back in the days I had a 1979 Alfasud station wagon, 1983 Alfasud TI and a 1985 33. Great cars, lots of fun :-)
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RE: Well I bought the Simaese software from you with an agreement that it would give me $50 (or was it pounds?)
Send me your details and I will look into a refund.
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Yes I am an Absolute Alfa Nut. My present love is my second 156 v6. A beautiful red screamer.
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RE: So do you still have dev docs on the PCI card?
Unfortunately no, long story which I may post.
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clusteruk wrote:
RE: Well I bought the Simaese software from you with an agreement that it would give me $50 (or was it pounds?)
Send me your details and I will look into a refund.
Don't worry, I think I got the maximum value out of the Siamese software. I apprecaite the offer though.
It was a real shame that it wasn't used more widely at the time. I first used it on a Pentium 120MHz and my A1200 and couldn't believe that I could use an serial cable to put my workbench on the PC monitor in 1024x768 with all the colours of the rainbow. I also used it to install OS3.5 on my A3000 which didn't have a CD ROM (just don't ask how long it took). :-D
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clusteruk wrote:
Unfortunately no, long story which I may post.
If you ever have the time then I'd like to hear the story behind it (and all the frustrations involved).
Also, who has the source code to the Siamese software?
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Hi Steve,
I was a Siamese user with the little card. That was good stuff. Used in on my Dual Pentium Pro 200. and my video Toaster Flyer. Flyer clips were rendered on the PC and transfered to the Flyer.
The whole WB thing over serial was cool to.
Newtek does something similar with their Tricaster and IVGA, making a pc over Ethernet a video source.
The girl on the Siamese packaging was really cute too.
Cheers,
M
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Welcome!!!
I must check out this Siamese system.........
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Steve, where is my 8-Pak?? ;-)
Last time we talked (going back 10 years now) you were making were these cool cases which took multiple motherboards and I was working for Argonaut.
Don't suppose you know what happened to Mick Tinker?
What's the chance of making Siamese 2.5 RTG Cardware/Giftware? Or perhaps dare I say it, open source?
For those who do not know Siamese was the forerunner of VNC and Remote Desktop.
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RE: Steve, where is my 8-Pak??
I even had calls from NASA about these. I wanted to make Clustered computers, the truth is I lost the plot after the Amiga/Gateway mess and could not afford to put the 8-Pack or the 3-Pack into production. I have my 3-Pack and one in the garage and am looking into a new 3-pack watercooled version see videos on site.
No idea what happened to Mick but not bothered either.
As for the Siamese Software, this was the project between myself and Paul Nolan one of the best Amiga coders ever. Unfortunately we have not spoken since and he has the source code.
I believe we missed the boat, should have gone PC to PC as well as Amiga to PC. PC to PC was easy haha.
Steve
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Hi!
i remember you from the swedish Amiga fair Amitech, Siamese seemed pretty cool, never tried it myself though.
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clusteruk wrote:
As for the Siamese Software, this was the project between myself and Paul Nolan one of the best Amiga coders ever. Unfortunately we have not spoken since and he has the source code.
I believe we missed the boat, should have gone PC to PC as well as Amiga to PC. PC to PC was easy haha.
Steve
That's a shame. It certainly has more features than Amiga Explorer (as shipped with Amiga Forever). It doesn't deserve to fade away. Would you have any objections to copies being passed on to interested parties considering it is not available for sale?
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Paul Nolan? Coder of Photogenics?
He let me try out a beta of the Pocket Pc version of Photogenics. Great program...
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Yes thats Paul, very nice man, moved to california.
It would not be fair for me to change status to allow sharing the software, it would not worry me but it would be unfair to not get Pauls blessing.
I hope one day to resolve things with him.
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clusteruk wrote:
RE: So do you still have dev docs on the PCI card?
Unfortunately no, long story which I may post.
Love to hear it when you have the time. I'm aways interested in the history and the "behind the scenes" of these projects.
Plaz
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clusteruk wrote:
Yes thats Paul, very nice man, moved to california.
It would not be fair for me to change status to allow sharing the software, it would not worry me but it would be unfair to not get Pauls blessing.
I hope one day to resolve things with him.
I understand. I wonder what the chances are of him showing up on Amiga.org are and then we could ask him. :-)