Given the reactions here, there is neither an interest in an updated AmigaOs, nor in updates for P96. So why should I invest any work into such an activity? I've a lot of other things to do these days. These ideas are dead, deceased, ceased to be, and have seen its maker. AmigaOs is finally, completely, utterly dead. Whether that's good or bad is of course everybodies choice.
I do not see it as a choice. For me it is a necessity. Please understand, I for one am very greatful. Even as a developer, I can only guess at the amount of work that has gone into designing and implementing AOS and P96.
But as you demonstrated yourself, legal issues surrounding Amiga are way too complex. We do need to stay clear of it.
If copyrights are violated, we need to fix this. But I wonder, if what you claim is true about APIs, even implementing the instruction set of an 68k CPU can never be legal... so all of this would be pointless...
I *really* wonder whether Gunnar is fair enough to release the sources of his FPGA, or rather whether he wants to sell his own work on the back of free software developers.
So, if Gunnar does not open-source his core, then any time spent developing AROS is not waisted. And looking at AROS, it still needs a lot of work...
We can not force him, and IMHO it is fine if he does not. Linux runs on Intel chips, which are not open-sourced and yes, there is a movement to develop open hardware, but it does not matter too much.
I for one congratulate him and his team on the apparent success and hope no legal battles destroy his plans....
I personally would not want to work for free to fill somebody else's pocket. But again, that's just me. As said, I'm an old fashioned guy.
I fully understand where you are coming from. I used to think that way. But when it comes to a hobby-machine and a comunity-effort, it is paid by other means... and yes some will benefit (see
http://www.ares-shop.de/) but that's fine, as long as it is permitted by the license.
