Amiga OS 4 should be ported over to the xx86.

[stone]

Why does PPC offer any more potential than x86 for custom machines? In theory, couldn't a custom x86 motherboard be created? (Eg. using some sort of Kickstart equivalent instead of a BIOS, with integrated custom GPU.)

opposed to intel and amd you can go to ibm and have any powerpc cpu you could ever imgaine created to suit your spefic needs. with power/powerpc you are covered in every imaginable product from space shuttles and supercomputers to coffeemachines, pda's and childrens toys.

now thats a real potential. wheter its a viable one worth aiming for is another matter.

/stone

[stone]

We should now forget the PPC, the cost for one would turn a lot of people off. And our community's small enough as it is.

cost is quite a poor argument considering the widely spread use of powerpc chips in cheap hardware and game consoles. amd and intel systems are way expensive in comparison.

Today there's fantastic technology sold at very low price, produced by the people who really know how to do their job

definitly, and an awful lot of that technology isnt x86 based.

/stone

[stone]

1. How much does it cost to get Big Blue to customize a PPC core?

2. Why not just stick with AMD or Intel and have them customize a x86 core for your needs?  It's got to be cheaper.

price obviously depending on what you need done. wheter you need modifications to an exciting design or you need something radically different.

first off, amd and intel cant modify their chips as ibm can. so besides it being way more expensive, even smaller modifications would be magnitudes more expensive, while bigger changes is basicly impossible as an intel or amd customer you buy what they offer or nothing.

the entire concept of powerpc is buildt up around modular and extendable components. that is why ibm can do powerpc chips in the first place. that is why microsoft, sony, nintendo and lots of other companies all have their custom cpu's made at ibm - if you didnt realise this before participating in this discussion, you might want to read up on a few facts.

http://www.power.org/about/technology/
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/power/newto/

Aren't all three next generation consoles using PowerPC variants?

yes they are. im sure his post was ment as irony.

/stone

[stone]

Emmm, it seems one didn't factor in
1. NASA's purchase orders for X86 based micro-controllers.
2. Surrey Space Technology Limited's satellites i.e. refer to "PCs in space".

As for "childrens toys" refer to "100 dollar" laptop.

it seems one missed the point and instead ended up providing proof that you buy off the shelf parts at intel/amd while ibm provides any custom made powerpc cpu you might want.

AMD counter that proposition with Torrenza platform i.e. leveraging high volume infrastructure and HTT compatible custom co-processors.

co-processors are exactly that, and doesnt give you any more or less customaization options over the cpu. torrenzo doesnt do anything in this league either as it only allows for a series of cpu's to be used in the same socket. and counters what exactly? ibm has always provided its customers this option for years, while amd only will offer it in 2007 at the earliest. at best its a minor step and a fraction of what ibm can do.

/stone

[stone]

It really is a shame A-inc listened to the vocal nutters in the community when planning the A1 and OS4

i think its safe to say that they didnt base any development based on a vocal fanbase. if you have any proof that they did, pleaes point me to it. i base my belief on the fact that even back then the userbase was too small to support any future products and hence a buisneess plan would have to focus on the broader perspective.

its very rare to see a userbase that is well enough educated to even know what is best for them, and the amiga user sure isnt one either

x86 chips are a lot more modular than you think. Intel and AMD just can't be bothered making tons of custom variations of their flagship CPUs when they already sell millions of each "generic" core they produce

sure they are able to produce different versions of them, but calling them modular in comparrison to powerpc is complete nonsense and rather farfetched.

you cant make something similar to a cell, p.a.semi's pwrficient or xilinx's programmerble powerpc based on any intel/amd offering without massive production costs. basicly meaning making a brand new cpu/architecture.

I assume you'd like to spend $2,500 for a motherboard just for the novelty of having a custom-built PPC that is unlike any other?

no reason to waste my time by assuming things. in my first post i clearly put a questionmark to wheter the fact that the powerpc is so flexible holds any value or is worth aiming for.

it all depends on where you want to take amiga and amigaos.

seems to me you are assuming im arguing for the use of powerpc when my posts all spins around customization possibilities.

i like powerpc. its a very impressive piece of technology. but its not nessessarily the right way to go at this time.

As a group, they can enable each other as individuals to deny reality of the situation

the interesting thing to notice, is how well your own postings fit into your own cult definition.

the important thing is to keep things in perspective. like mindlessly dismissing powerpc cathegorically without considering the strengths and possibilities really is rather foolish.

/stone