Ok. I know this sounds like the stupidest suggestion in the history of stupid suggestions, but I have a real rationale for the benefits behind it that I hope to explain. Hear me out and at least entertain this suggestion.
IMHO one of the things that gave Java that coolness factor and major mindshare was NOT that it was a great development environment, or a great language perse, although it is pretty good.
What got everyone excited about Java, at least originally was:
1. The promise of "Write Once and Run Anywhere", which is still isn't really achieving and is considerd in some circles to have failed at.
2. Applets. These were considered cool stuff to put on web pages to spice up websites and deliver richer browser client side interaction. It kind of failed at this too as Java is still considered notoriously slow and its UI is considered ugly.
It strikes me that the Amiga community already posesses a better solution than this. Enter.........Amiga Emulation.
There are numerous simularities to the Java runtime.
1. UAE is effectively a Virtual Machine, operating on 68k instructions rather than Java byte code.
2. Just as you need to download the Java VM in order to run Java applets or desktop applications, you would need to download UAE to emulate 68k(unless you automate installation from the web somehow).
3. The Java VM has been ported to notable platforms such as Windows, Unix, Linux and Mac supposedly fulfilling its Write Once Run Anywhere promise although some would say it has failed there too. As you know "UAE is written for Unixish systems; it is developed on a Linux machine but it should compile and run on any half-recent Unix-like operating system. It has also been ported to a wide variety of machines and operating systems, including DOS, Windows 95/NT, MacOS, RiscOS, BeOS and NextStep." UAE is actually DELIVERING on something that it wasn't designed to do. Write Once Run Anywhere.
4. Java packages programs in Jar and Zip files(right?) and the Amiga now has ADF!!
If UAE could be made into a browser plug-in for Internet Explorer initially, it would open up incredible possibilities for interactive websites. Then of course you can do the same thing for Mozilla and Netscape and the rest on all the other platforms.
You then host the ADF file on your webserver and put a tag in your HTML like this:
(This is only an example off the top of my head.)
(APPLET CODE="
http://myWebsite/myAmigaDiskFile.ADF" WIDTH=320 HEIGHT=200>
(PARAM NAME="kickstart" VALUE="1.3">
(PARAM NAME="processor" VALUE="68020">
(/APPLET>
The Demo coders would go INSANE at the possibilities. You could then have entire web sites based on Amiga tech with great animation, visual effects and sound and excellent interaction.
If UAE could be made to autoinstall like Shockwave or Flash plugins then suddenly you may find websites where you have a choice of HTML, Flash or AMIGA presentation. Hell you could even build such things in AMOS Basic and it would still be cooler than what we see anywhere today!!! Of course this does not preclude newer and more novel ways of creating content on an Amiga. Tell me an Eric Shwartz Animation doesn't kick Flash animations? Marketers want richer web advertising presentation and flash is starting to become a limitation. You can do more in a 4k Amiga demo.
Suddenly you have people asking, "Hey? what's all this cool Amiga stuff?"
I want some of that. Geeks start tinkering with it to spice up their personal web pages. And it starts to grow. Sometimes the challenge gets people on board.
As for the business side of things, for the following I have nothing substantial to back this up, and it is only based on my personal opinion as a web developer for several years. IMHO it appears to me that the nature of web application programming is moving slowly from the centralised server based model with thin browser clients, to the thicker client approach at the moment. This may be due to greater horsepower on the client, or a larger pipe to the internet or intranet. Suddenly a UAE browser plugin fits the footprint for today's internet/intranet delivered apps. And very soon, if not already, it will fit the footprint for mobile devices as well!!!!
As a thick client an Amiga App running through a browser can easily communicate to a backend server, just as well or better than Java can. It only needs to do a SOAP call, and that is only really XML sent over HTTP. Hell, you could even run a browser INSIDE a browser. So this isn't really a problem. You might want to cripple UAE in a sandbox though for security reasons just like Java. Actually that is important as I see it as the main thing that sets Java apart from ActiveX, which eventually died as a popular web delivery mechanism.
Where does this leave OS4?
1. Well it isn't really threatened, as its super fast, and if more developers are spurred on by the novel Amiga Applet concept it may just get them interested in taking it to the next level and buying the appropriate hardware and software. It would give the A1 platform further publicity and visibility in the mainstray.
2. With developers/geeks becoming more interested it can only help the proliferation of new and innovative applications. (of course for OS4 and 68k)
3. OS4 could become the defacto development platform for such rich internet content.
4. OS4 could become the server backend to the UAE client.
Maybe its time to think more like Macromedia than Apple!!
Downside, to do this you would probably need an agreement with Amiga Inc or KMOS to incorporate the Kickstart ROMS in the UAE plug in. Also Amiga Inc are so hellbent on AmigaDE, which should be a plug in but can't due to the TAO license, and would probably thwart such a plan for its similar ideal.
Another thing someone is sure to mention is that Java's UI is criticised more for its lack of integration with the host OS rather than its looks. This is probably true, but I dare say developers would have a better time of skinning Amiga applications than they do Java if it ever came to that. An Applet(UAE or Java) can be made to look like any regular application when launched within a new browser window.
I know I've come up with some unpopular suggestions in the past (namely the Amiga Enterprise Edition consisting of an Amiga Layer on top of Linux), but you have to understand that these suggestions are born out of the desire to see the platform grow. This is brainstorming. Please don't flame me. I'm trying my best. Some rational discussion would be appreciated.
I am fairly certain, that what I am proposing, UAE as a browser applet, is achievable, and relatively easy to accomplish.
Your thoughts???
