Decided to join the EFIKA crowd today!

[amigadave]

I have been searching for used Pegasos2 systems for a short while without success (just missed one that got away recently), so a few minutes ago I purchased an EFIKA and case from Directron and a Radeon 9250 low profile w/VGA + DVI + TV out, from Tiger Direct.

Hopefully before the end of the week I will be testing MorphOS2.1 on my very own EFIKA!   :-D  

The total came to under $250 with shipping and taxes included.

Edit: I made sure to put this in the Alternative Operating Systems forum so I wouldn't upset anyone.

[amigadave]

skurk wrote:
I hear you.  I haven't decided whether I should register or not yet, either.

€150 for a keyfile is unfortunately too steep a price.  €50 would be reasonable.

Well I would agree if you were just buying a keyfile, but you are actually buying an entire OS and repaying the team of coders that have worked so long and hard to bring you such a fine PPC OS.

[amigadave]

gazgod wrote:
Congratulations :banana:  :banana:  :banana:  :-D

If you need any ideas for cases its fairly simple to modify a external hard disk case, see here :-
http://lincsamiga.org.uk/wordpress/index.php/members-amigas/macmigas-efika/
This was our first attempt and I built a similar one for my efika but i build a Ethernet switch in to it as well.

Ive got the update installed on my efika and its working fine but i haven't really used it much because I have a Peg2 as well and its registered. :-D

Gaz

Nice case work, but I bought the case, PSU and EFIKA mobo from Directron already.  I might get a better looking case down the road when I have some money.

I am jealous of you having the Peg2.

[amigadave]

Thanks for the tip Debaser.

Congrats arnljot for joining the party.  I hope you won't be one of the MorphOS users that does not thank the OS team by registering and paying for MorphOS2.1.

We will probably never see MOS3.x, or any MorphOS on the Mac Mini PPC (or any other Mac PPC) if we don't support the development team.  I'll be registering 2.1 just as soon as I get my next retirement check, if not sooner.

@Thread,

If you can't support both AOS4.x and MOS2.x, choose one or the other of them and start supporting it in some way before they all are gone.  If I can do it on my tiny retirement income, anyone can.

Edit: I agree that MOS2.x is expensive and not worth the money when compared to other OSes, but I look at it differently because I choose to support the development team for the future.  I don't hold it against any that don't feel the same way, but will always try to encourage them to change their minds.  :-D

[amigadave]

skurk wrote:

amigadave wrote:
Edit: I agree that MOS2.x is expensive and not worth the money when compared to other OSes, but I look at it differently because I choose to support the development team for the future.  I don't hold it against any that don't feel the same way, but will always try to encourage them to change their minds.  :-D

I agree, and trust me, I will squeeze every penny and see if I can afford it.  I have a family to support, so I have a very limited "amiga budget".

But, I still think the price is unfortunate and may prevent curious users from trying it. Let's hope I'm wrong.

Well, thinking of all the curious users is why the MOS2.x team released a time crippled version.  It give them enough time to evaluate if they want to keep and use MOS2.x.

I also have a family to support with a Son wanting to go to medical school in a few years. YIKES!!!  I need a second career that pays a six figure income on top of my retirement.

pan1k wrote:

I'm jealous AmigaDave! I'd like to get one too... but, no money! Maybe next year!

That is okay Chris, I didn't really have the money either, but what the heck, it's only money, right?

I will let you play with mine (I mean my EFIKA, that needed to be clear :lol: ) on the way to and from AmiWest 2008 in a few weeks. :-D  

[amigadave]

EFIKA owners, do you think this would fit in place of the IDE hdd on the EFIKA without any cable required?  A CF card used as the primary storage and boot device should be much cooler and quieter than a medium to large capacity 2.5" hdd.

I had read that it was not recommended to use any slave IDE device, due to cable restrictions on the EFIKA's IDE controller.

If the above dual slot CF to IDE adapter would fit on the pins of the IDE controller without any cable needed, I think it should work.  What do the rest of you EFIKA owners think?

Is a Thumb drive required to load the OS to the hdd/CF card?  Can't I install the MorphOS iso via a network connection and then disconnect the EFIKA and reboot it straight into MOS2.1?

What about installing it to a CF card in an x86 PC card reader? (probably not, I think)

Lastly, I would like to have a CDRW, or DVDRW+ on my EFIKA, but to be practical, as long as I can connect the EFIKA to my home network and see and use all the devices on other computers on the network, I don't really need a CD or DVD reader/writer physically in or attached via USB to the EFIKA.  How essential is having a CD, or DVD connected to an EFIKA?