Bloatware AmigaOS?

[A6000]

persia wrote:  
The custom chips would have long been done away with, it's easier and cheaper to use off the shelf video cards.

I must disagree with you here, if the last 12 years has taught us anything it is that it is IMPOSSIBLE to build an amiga at a competetive price using off the shelf parts.

The custom chip set has always been of critical importance to the success of the amiga, and I think that any new amiga cannot compete on price and specification UNLESS it uses a third generation custom chipset, even if it is little more than an asic gluing together some third party chips.

The amigaone was extortionately priced and was only bought by the true believers, it did not add any new users to our community.

I hope that the next minimig version does not copy AGA but goes straight to an HDTV ready graphics mode, IE: 1920 x 1080 x 24 with an external DSP for 24 bit audio. The custom chipset meant that the amiga could do more than a pc yet cost less, if the amiga is to survive another 25 years we must return to that concept.

[A6000]

Another problem with off the shelf parts is the very short life cycle of parts nowadays, we suffered greatly when motorola announced the end of the 68k line, yet there is a suggestion that we use a whole raft of third party chips which will result in obsolescence and the need to redesign the amiga every time one of these chips is discontinued, at least in future, if an amiga manufacturer were to use custom chips they would have more control over the lifecycle of their products.

Also, an integrated custom chipset results in tighter kickstart code, and a more stable platform.

[A6000]

Every day our community shrinks, for the amiga to survive we need new users or when we die the amiga will die.

We need to pursuade new users to buy a 3rd gen amiga ( when they become available) instead of :-
1. pc
2. games console
3. mac
4. linux box
5. anything else

To do this the new amiga must be as far ahead of the pc as it was in 1984, and be reasonably priced.
This can only be done by a manufacturer with a business plan to make, market and sell a minimum of 500,000 units a year.
The cost of designing a custom chipset will be amortised over 500,000 units and production costs will allow the amiga to compete on price.
The major costs come in persuading people to buy the machine (marketing).
The amiga does not have to replace the pc, simply! carve out a niche for itself.

[A6000]

Our saintly OEM could participate in the opensource openGL graphics processor projects, Nvidia's processors are discontinued after 2-3 years, we don't want that pain again.

[A6000]

Actually, it's 2007 :lol:

The amiga is/was a very special machine, we do not want a pc clone by another name.

Whilst it is possible that apples OS could replace windows (if they let it), it is more likely that most macs will be running vista eventually.

[A6000]

AmiGR wrote:

The amiga is/was a very special machine, we do not want a pc clone by another name.

I find Downix' argument far more convincing. What is a "PC clone" supposed to be? Computers are standard nowadays, no matter what OS they run.

pc's are standard, the amiga is different.

Whilst it is possible that apples OS could replace windows (if they let it), it is more likely that most macs will be running vista eventually.

You really do not understand Macs then. Macs are not Wintel PCs. They can run Windows, yes, but I know of no single person who has bought a Mac to run Windows exclusively. I know of people who used to use bootcamp to run a few apps and they are now running their Windows apps on virtual machines alongside MacOS and even in patched Vm environments that make Windows applications appear as windows on the MacOS desktop. No-one spends the money to get a Mac to get a Vista machine, people can buy cheaper and more powerful Vista machines elsewhere.

Guilty as charged.

The important consideration is software availability, if a new amiga runs on a "standard" pc motherboard, then software producers will make their job easier by insisting we buy a copy of vista and run pc software.

[A6000]

Still available as new and improved amiga anywhere :lol:

[A6000]

Just as I thought I was out, they drag me back in!

THERE IS NO SUGGESTION OR POSSIBILITY THAT AMIGA INC WILL DO THIS.

What I am suggesting here must be done by an OEM with SERIOUS intentions of Mass Production of Amiga computers. A company fully committed to the Amiga concept. A company staffed with people with the vision and talent of the original hi-torro company, but with a lot more money.

[A6000]

downix wrote:

A6000 wrote:
Just as I thought I was out, they drag me back in!

THERE IS NO SUGGESTION OR POSSIBILITY THAT AMIGA INC WILL DO THIS.

What I am suggesting here must be done by an OEM with SERIOUS intentions of Mass Production of Amiga computers. A company fully committed to the Amiga concept. A company staffed with people with the vision and talent of the original hi-torro company, but with a lot more money.

This I don't think will happen, but it does not need to happen either.  Hi Torro needed a lot of cash due to the nature of the chip market back then.  Today, with modern HDL toolkits, they could have done a lot more with a lot less cash.

Anything less will fail, Mass Production is necessary to achieve a competetive retail price, a lot of money is required for Marketing.