when you have something portable you are not betting, only if you set everything on one platform without any chance to change direction (like Hyperion and MorphOS team did)
Not sure its so much "betting" per see by Hyperion/MorpOS. Not sure if they ever had/have any illusions to be a whole lot more than a niche product/OS.
If there are enough people that for various reasons stick around AOS/MorphOS, its probarly enough to keep small buisnisses alive. And I guess people like you just enjoy the challenge of dabbling with unique OS's regardless of how competative they are.
I find myself nodding when reading Thomas's posts. I dont see X86 platforms vanish any time soon. Then again, with the highlevel languages the hardware platforms doesnt seem to matter a whole lot. Or?
More and more of the people around me move slowly away from the huge stationary any selfrespecting nerd got, and moving towards laptop at most. And to increasing degree Pads take over (with some connectivity for keyboards).
I cant really see AOS changing away from their direction, tho Im pretty sure many of us would sign up for an x86 OS version since "everyone" got such a machine.
Considering the amount of money the loyal users/customers have sunk into their "NG" machines, I doubt AeonKIT or Hyperion would consider ...annoying their prime userbase.
You could maybe argue that you would tap into a much bigger customerbase if you moved AOS onto mainstream x86, but I assume it takes less effort and resources to stick with the current path.
Would be intresting to see if AmiKit could make a streamlined AOS4 installation to make a Emulation of "NG" for dummies. Might boost sales even more beyond the step by step deals you have to go thru now (at the mercy of Toni's intrest in developing+Rom file issue).
Very intresting and informative thread/discussion.