68060 speedup patches + more

[stefcep2]

LOL.  I was thinking the same thing when I saw that list. Although I will admit that I still run a couple of those utilities, it's probably more of a placebo effect - they're not really helping anything.

Thomas - I did have one thing that I've always kind of wondered about though. Even on an RTG system, wouldn't Fblit still help for non-RTG screenmodes? For example, system-friendly games and apps that aren't promoted to an RTG screenmode (but use NTSC 640x200, for example)?

Would love to hear your thoughts on this. Thanks!

I'm not Thomas but going off ancient memories my understanding is that the entire point of ftext and fblit-moving functions that happen in Amiga chip ram in to fast ram.  Which is why you should- I do- see more chip ram available with those patches. The screens data on an RTG system with RTG screens is held in the graphics ram.  Amiga screens are held in chip ram unless fblit shifts them into fast ram.  So the answer in my experience is" "yes".

[stefcep2]

@thomas. My memory of history is that Amiga Inc *wanted* to release a 1 MB ROM with 3.5 but it was too costly for them to have the chips manufactured, not that it was technically difficult.  Hence the "into fast ram instead" solution users got stuck with.

Personally what i loved about Amiga was the fast boot.  OS 3.5 took that feature away with the reset on cold boot.  This reset only existed because Amiga Inc didn't provide the physical 1 MB ROMS.  

I see nothing immoral if someone goes the expense, time and effort of making a 1 MB ROM.  My argument would be that it was what the owners of 3.5 and 3.9 should have done anyway.

The fact people will go to the trouble of doing all this tells us they would gladly pay for an official 1 MB.  If the copyright owner won't shut up and take their money, who is to blame.

[stefcep2]

Could we please stop this "what-if" game? A flash chip was not available back then, and would have been even more expensive to ship the kickstart with it.  Besides, it does not solve the licensing issue, as there is neither a licensed 1MB ROM *image* you could flash.

The software solution allows easy upgrade, with the machines available today, and with no hassle, and no extra cost for the user.

I actually think for those users who now do have a way to make their own 1 MB ROM the current system IS a hassle.

They are not depriving you or any author of any revenue, and if it fails, no-one is demanding anything from you.  They simply want all the patches and fuctionality available at first boot.

Does it really matter if someone uses a different medium ie ROM as opposed to hard drive and RAM to load the same information if thats what they want, knowing the risks of bugs in ROM?

[stefcep2]

And the hassle is exactly what? SetPatch keeps care of it, or LoadModule.  Yes, all the functionality, at no charge.

What? The 3.5/3.9 updates are paid for with OS 3.5/3.9 CD, as are the Boings 1 and 2, and Boings 3 and 4 are PD and need the official 3.5/3.9 CD to work

[That is what Amiga users want. Sorry, won't go. The ROMs generate no revenue for me, instead they would require a new ROM every year, or every time someone fixes a bug or moves out a new version. This doesn't scale and it is completely unpractical. In reality, how much are users expected to pay for a reduction of boot time of 15 seconds or so?

You don't need to do anything additional than what you already are. The user can burn their own ROM at their expense.

If you want a half-way decent ROM with *some* patches in place, get the one from Cloanto. What, too expensive? Not completely up to date? See, this is the drawback of the ROM. Have *YOU* in specific bought this product? No? Why not?

No I haven't bought the Cloanto ROM because this is the first time I heard of it. Its not on a ROM chip so it still leaves me with a double reset which i detest so much.  Instead I have created a 3.1 environment with PD off aminet with enough of the 3.9 functionality that i don't notice that i'm not on 3.9

You cannot get both. Cheap, updated - or slow upgrade policy and expensive. Pick one of two. But don't complain to me. I support both versions. The Cloanto ROM works perfectly fine with MuFastROM. LoadModule works perfectly fine if you use the RAM-Upgrade path. If you don't trust me, Heinz' ROM-Updates also work fine.

No disrespect to you or your work but I have never used it....knowingly.

Now what is exactly your problem? That you cannot pirate existing software and create your own ROM and have it supported for free? I'm sorry, I won't offer that.

My problem is that the licensing is unncessarily closed to people who simply want to use software they have paid for ina more efficient form that they are willing to create for themselves and at their won risk

*Sigh*. Once again: The *medium* does not matter. The process of dissecting the existing ROM matters, and the integration of RAM-based modules into the ROM matters.  

In what sense does it matter?  Licensing?  Functionality?  Stability?

INAL, but this is as far as I see and understand it not covered by the license. I do not know the precise conditions off my head concerning the kickstart, but if you'll look at my own software as an example, it's license clearly says "Everything must be kept together in original unmodified form".

Whoch is fine- i don't use it as i said earlier

I would be astonished if CBM/Hpyerion/Cloanto would allow you to rip their products apart to create something new. But again, don't ask me. Ask Hyperion or Cloantom and please post the response here. I'm happy to change my mind if they indicate positive feedback and allow this process - for whatever use they seem fit.

People having been using rom2fast and numerous other system patches that were not official since the very first amiga.  They've paid for the system software, they are using it for their own purposes, they are not expecting any additional support, they are not depriving anyone of any revenue nor passing the work off as their own.  They simply want another way to run it different to the original design.