State of the Amiga, 2007

[Mallette]

mrescher wrote:

Mallette wrote:
I don't mean what is now understood as "VM," which is neither virtual nor memory.  I mean VM, as in not distinguishable from RAM.  

GigaMem was totally transparent to the OS.  

Virtual Memory is memory that's any combination of memory physical, stored on disk etc. that's addressed as though it is all one piece of memory. Programs that run on the OS are not aware if they're being run in physical RAM or off disk.  

Correct me if I'm wrong, but GigaMem was transparent to the OS as it was a method for implementing virtual memory in an operating system (AmigaOS) that didn't already support it.  What I'm saying is that I think existing virtual memory schemes will work better than GigaMem ever could because they do work at the OS level and because the OS is better at slicing up the memory pie than you or I will ever be.

The one thing that I don't think I've seen done as well as on the amiga is the Datatypes.  This was an excellent idea - wherein everything that used datatypes could suddenly load a JPEG by dropping in the JPEG datatype.
I want to know why haven't we seen this type of advance outside the Amiga?  I think a lot of the issues are caused by vendor lock in.

Imagine if Microsoft released the Word datatype, then you could use OpenOffice or whatever you like and it would automatically understand Microsoft's Word format.  You could then choose the application you want on its features, performance or interface instead of having to buy the only one that supports the format your document is in.

The datatypes really were a brilliant invention.  I bought an A4000 on ebay and, as a result of datatypes, it understands PNG - a format that wasn't standardised until after Commodore sold their last Amiga.  That's pretty cool.

Fully agree about datatypes.  File compatibility in an OS is FAR more important to me than a uniform GUI as imposed by Windows.  What a spreadsheet has to do with photo retouching eludes me...

Anyway, I can follow what you are saying about VM just fine, but can't tell if you ever used it.  Windows implementation of "VM" is, from what I can tell, in no way comparable.  When I say "transparent," I mean the only difference was speed.  I've had Windows run out of memory when there was gigabytes of HD space left untouched.  There was no limit on GigaMem except available drive space and the OS limitations, which I think were 1gb.  I suspect you could have run every program available to the Amiga simultaneously in a gig.  I certainly don't understand what you mean by Windows handling it better.  As I said, GigaMem worked PERFECTLY.  I do not ever recall being able to notice it at work except the drive starting to run flat out when it came into play.  The memory optimizers for Windows and such are poor comparisons, IMOH.  

Dave

[Mallette]

Well, I'd be the first to admit I am no expert on such things.  I know when they work and when they don't, why is a question for true High Nerds.  I am just a wannabe...

I am messing around with Ubuntu right to see if it is ready for prime time.  I was surprised to see it required a swap file.  I still do not understand why when RAM is dirt cheap.  You'd think they'd at least allow an option to use physical memory.  

I still say any OS that cannot be shut down with the power switch is an accident that WILL happen.

Dave

[Mallette]

mresher:
Ubuntu appears cool.  I installed it on a laptop that has a hardware bug that causes it to shut down when there is a lot of HD activity.  It took several tries where sometimes I'd get all the way to 97% and it would shut down.  Ubuntu doesn't seem to have a way to complete a failed installation, so every time it started back at partition and format.  No complaints...it still went better for free than most Windows installs I ever did.  

Wired net came up perfectly, but not wireless, and sound did not install...though I can't see anything wrong with it and the "Test" function doesn't indicate anything.  OTOH, all it does is show a 25% bar and say "Press OK to Finish" so I can't be sure.

Oh well, it's new to me and I suppose I've new tricks to learn...

Once I am familiar I'll install it on the kids computers instead of you-know-what.  Most of what they do is browse, anyway and perhaps they'll learn to be non-conformists like the rest of us.

Once my Amiga skills are back from the upcoming A4000 resurrection project, maybe I'll hunt down some 1200's for them.  Yeah, that'll do it.  They'll go to school, get sat down in front of Windows, look at the teacher and say "WTF is this POS?  :pissed:

[Mallette]

stopthegop wrote:
@Mallete:

lol.  Too funny.  I have my little nephew doing the same.  A whiz on the A1200 I bought him, he's totally fascinated by it. Will be funny to see his reaction when he starts kindergarden and they plop him down in front of a Windoze box.. Like you said, "WTF is this piece of sh1t??!"      haha  

Actually, in the context of Windows, "POS" stands for "Pitiful Operating System."  :-D