Despite the fact any platform is defined by its software, Amigans spend way too much time arguing about form factors and technical supiriority.
Meanwhile, software platforms like Linux, Java, and arguably even Windows (since MS doesn't make hardware), have taken over practically everything, leaving Apple as the only true hardware company capable of surviving in the PC desktop industry. Even Apple, though, must have a damned good OS and seek profits from other markets to survive, like iPod.
If AmigaDE ever makes its debut and delivers its promise to run on anything, Amiga might make it back into the mainstream market. Otherwise, the Amiga is doomed to be what it has been since Commodore went under -- a hobby plaform that will continue to dwindle.
Yeah, we've actually got AmigaOnes and OS4 is around the corner. What will we run on it? 5-year-old apps running on 68K emulation. It would be nice if those good ideas involved designing new tools and apps, rather then what the next Amiga motherboard will look like.
Very few ideas I've seen around here are applicable to today's computer market. Unless someone's idea involves rounding up hundreds of millions of dollars to make a new hardware platform that must be redeveloped every year, the only thing that can really be done is to get AmigaOS running on stock hardware, rebuild a small dev community, and then move on to other hardware options as the software starts to materialize.
Never underestimate the power of a geek with too much free time. But, you can't make software if a platform is too expensive and too hard to acquire. :-)
