Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => General chat about Amiga topics => Topic started by: carnid on December 07, 2009, 08:23:29 PM
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I am getting back into the Amiga scene after a long absence and I am in the process of configuring my Amiga 4000. I recently ordered OS3.9 and just today received it in the mail. I was a bit surprised to see that it looks like a color photocopy label and cd cover. I am wondering if this is how the OS is or if there is any way to tell if I received a legitimate copy?
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I suppose it depends where you got it from. My OS3.9 package was quite professional, but only in a CD case while 3.5 came in a full sized box.
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Yeah it came in a jewel cd case and I don't think I need to question it as I got it from a reputable seller - I was just a bit surprised as it looks like a cheap copy. The main thing is so long as the OS installs and works fine :)
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If it's a pressed CD and not a CD-R, that might tell you.
(I'm just assuming they didn't originally use CD-Rs!)
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I'm pretty sure it's a CD-R with a label stuck on.
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Eesh, sounds like a copy to me, but I don't have an original to look at myself.
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You should try installing the OS3.9 "Boingbag" updates, as these won't install without a genuine OS3.9 CD being present.
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That's not at all true, I've installed the boing-bags by simply doing an assign to a directory containing the 3.9 CD's files. Any 1:1 duplicate of the CD would work as well.
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My copy is a normal pressed CD. Not CD-R.
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So I guess I bought a copy then - a bit expensive considering I paid $34.95 and it seems like it isn't authentic after all. Oh well live and learn.
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So I guess I bought a copy then - a bit expensive considering I paid $34.95 and it seems like it isn't authentic after all. Oh well live and learn.
The seller may not have known he had a fake. IIRC there was a UK based (?) Amiga company selling fake 3.9 CDs for a while. This was year ago, my memory is hazy but something like that happened.
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So I guess I bought a copy then - a bit expensive considering I paid $34.95 and it seems like it isn't authentic after all. Oh well live and learn.
Where did you get it from? IIRC, there were some dealers that had rights to create their own copies of the OS3.9 CD's and sell them, with a portion of each sale going back to Amiga Inc., but I could be wrong. I know that there was another thread about this a while ago, that I am sure of. I had two purchased OS3.9 CD's that looked completely different. One was purchased from Software Hut and I am not sure where I bought the other from, it might have come from a private party who had bought it from another dealer, I am not sure. So, you see you might have a legal copy that was just reproduced badly by one of the dealers that have a license to do so, which I think Software Hut has such a license, but my memory may be faulty.
One of my copies went bad, I think from a old CD-ROM that might have ruined it.
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I think the second official, bugfixed batch was CD-R.
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Mine's a pressed CD, in a plain transparent slimline jewel case and a HAAGE & PARTNER sticker over the case opening if that helps.
It either came from Vesalia or AmigaKit, can't remember.
- Ali
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Mine is a pro copy, no labels on the one I have.
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Yeah, mine was all pro. Box, shrink wrap, silk screen printing on the cd and jewel case insert.
@ carnid - Yours kinda sounds like some flea market boot leg to me. None of it is protected in anyway, and you don't need a cdrom drive at all to install it. I used a PCMCIA to CF card to do mine.... uh, what tone007 said.
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Thats good to know. I bought it from a place called software hut - they seem to be an authorized dealer here in the states so I am assuming it should be fine. I was just a bit surprised at the CDR / photocopied cover, but since this is an old OS I shouldn't be fussy.
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IIRC, there were some dealers that had rights to create their own copies
I never ever heard of this before - all copies of OS3.9 (including my own) were "normal", professional produced CDs in a standard jewel case. Maybe an e-mail to Haage&Partner would clear things up.
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Thats good to know. I bought it from a place called software hut - they seem to be an authorized dealer here in the states so I am assuming it should be fine. I was just a bit surprised at the CDR / photocopied cover, but since this is an old OS I shouldn't be fussy.
Well I think S.H. is a good place too. Just strange that you did not get a 'boxed version'
Although, thinking about it, the original boxed production run was loooonnng time ago. Sooo, there maybe none left in reality. In which case, vendors make a copy and sell ?
It should work fine for you, none the less...
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The more important bit, (as zipper alluded to) is the version (regardless of where it was made), since the original is buggy.
http://www.gregdonner.org/os39faq/installtips.html
worth a complete read ^^
#6
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The Red, is the first version, printed, that contained a bug. A second pinker one, probably made in a mad hurry can seem like a copy as far as i can remember reading somewhere.
Why not take a picture?
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Well everything seemed to install perfectly so I am not too concerned anymore. It does look like this was the newer pink version, however the color label looks more purple. Anyway, I am just glad I finally have my 4000 up and running again :)
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Yeah, a picture would be good.
Mine is a pressed CD.
Also, inside the Cover of the jewel case is a professionally made manual. About 15 pages, half in English and half in German.
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Got OS 3.9 from amigakit a few years back now and its on a cdr with a professional looking label on the front dated 02/2001 and it came in a jewel case while OS 3.5 is a pressed CD in a big box.
Didn't really think anything of it at the time.
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So I guess I bought a copy then - a bit expensive considering I paid $34.95 and it seems like it isn't authentic after all. Oh well live and learn.
Well.. I didn't learn :(
Here's what happened. Last june I bought on eBay a "Rare Commodore Amiga OS 3.9 Sealed in Case" and paid 51 dlls for it. The thing is I didn´t ask the seller to send it directly to Mexico but to California (a friend's house), thinking I could pick it up this month during my travel to attend Amiwest (Great show by the way! I surely want to go back! :hat:).
So... I was very happy thinking I had a new and original OS 3.9 CD and to my surprise... it is a CD-R copy... just as carnid said, with some kind of color copy or printing in ordinary paper and also a printed label sticked to it. I was so angry! :angry:
Since my purchase was almos 5 months ago... it's too late to do anything, I just wanted to comment this and warn about this seller (p166user), who is still selling Amiga OS 3.9 CDs as can be seen here (http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-Commodore-Amiga-OS-3-9-CD-Jewel-Case-MINT-/320608638775).
I saw Vesalia sells it for almost the same price I paid... I should have bought it with them and save all the trouble (and money). I can safely assume that Vesalia's CD is the real thing... right?
Now I'll learn...
Regards,
Efren
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Well.. I didn't learn :(
Here's what happened. Last june I bought on eBay a "Rare Commodore Amiga OS 3.9 Sealed in Case" and paid 51 dlls for it. The thing is I didn´t ask the seller to send it directly to Mexico but to California (a friend's house), thinking I could pick it up this month during my travel to attend Amiwest (Great show by the way! I surely want to go back! :hat:).
So... I was very happy thinking I had a new and original OS 3.9 CD and to my surprise... it is a CD-R copy... just as carnid said, with some kind of color copy or printing in ordinary paper and also a printed label sticked to it. I was so angry! :angry:
Since my purchase was almos 5 months ago... it's too late to do anything, I just wanted to comment this and warn about this seller (p166user), who is still selling Amiga OS 3.9 CDs as can be seen here (http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-Commodore-Amiga-OS-3-9-CD-Jewel-Case-MINT-/320608638775).
I saw Vesalia sells it for almost the same price I paid... I should have bought it with them and save all the trouble (and money). I can safely assume that Vesalia's CD is the real thing... right?
Now I'll learn...
Regards,
Efren
No problem - Mr. Does from Vesalia is still in contact with most of the original developers (i.e. Frank Mariak/CyberGrafX 4; Haage&Partner/ArtEffect4, AmigaWriter; Andreas Magerl,Olaf Barthel/CED5; etc.). So buying from Vesalia (I suppose Andrew/AmigaKit has a similar approach) should be the most official and cleanest way to get hold of original software at the moment. Though I must admit I don't know how Software Hut works in this regards...
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I saw Vesalia sells it for almost the same price I paid... I should have bought it with them and save all the trouble (and money). I can safely assume that Vesalia's CD is the real thing... right?
Now I'll learn...
Regards,
Efren
I purchased an AmigaOS 3.9 CD from Vesalia not long ago, and I can confirm that they sell CD-R copies as well. It came with no CD inlay card and the CD case was of the slim type. It was also sealed with a couple of Haage & Partner stickers.
I guess the reason why the discs are offered as CD-R is simply because the demand for AmigaOS 3.9 CD's aren't big enough to justify a pressed CD's run nowadays.
But as "cha05e90" points out, purchasing the CD from Vesalia or AmigaKit seems to be the safest way to make sure you get a legitimate version of AmigaOS 3.9, and the same probably goes for SoftHut as well.
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I purchased an AmigaOS 3.9 CD from Vesalia not long ago, and I can confirm that they sell CD-R copies as well. It came with no CD inlay card and the CD case was of the slim type. It was also sealed with a couple of Haage & Partner stickers.
Mmmm the one I got was not slim case and without stickers... it was just wrapped in plastic.
Well... I think I'll be waiting for someone who decides to sell his/her pressed CD.
Thanks!
Efren
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I am currently setting up OS3.9 for another member here who sent me the disc he bought, It looks very much like a copy as the label stuck on it looks like it's been printed out on a home printer. Still at least it works I suppose... :)