opinions on ppc options ..please

[spirantho]

I'd also look out for a second hand Sam 440ep. I have the 600Mhz one and it's a really nice machine. Plus if you get it second hand it'll likely come with the OS4 license, so you shouldn't end up paying much more than you would do for a PowerMac running MorphOS (OS4 machines can be had for quite reasonable prices now, as people have upgraded to Sam 440s to Sam 460s and XEs to X1000). True, PowerMacs are a fair amount faster, but many people don't need the extra speed (I still enjoy my Sam despite it being slower than many).
It really depends on whether you prefer MOS or AmigaOS 4, but that's an old argument that's entirely down to the user - prefer MOS? Get a PowerMac. Prefer AmigaOS? Get a Sam.

Either way, they're both good options. I wouldn't go the BlizzardPPC route, though, they're expensive, underpowered and unreliable. That said I still enjoy my CSPPC.

(My wife says get a PowerMac, because MorphOS is blue and has a pretty butterfly - can't argue with that really )

[spirantho]

One thing that should be pointed out is that whether you go AmigaOS 4, MOS, AROS and whether you buy the X1000 or an Efika, you're going to have fun with it. All the options are good, each has their own strengths and weaknesses. So really go with what appeals to you at the time.

[spirantho]

Basically, Karlos gets it right there.

AmigaOS 4.x is a brilliant OS, but on the BPPC or CSPPC it's little more than a toy. The other machines are the ones for which OS4 apps are written, usually, so it suffers on speed.
This is exacerbated by the amount of ports from the non-Amiga (i.e. faster) platforms there are for OS4, which makes the problem seem even worse.

That said, though, Amigas are for the most part toys. Sure, they can be used for serious things, but most of us use them because they're fun. So in that respect AmigaOS 4 on the BPPC/CSPPC fits the bill perfectly.

My A4000 on which I'm typing this is the only machine on which I can run OS4 and OS3 apps by dual-booting, and for that reason it classes as "cool" in my book. Sure it's not as practical as other solutions, so I would recommend it to complement a new AOS4/MOS machine, not to replace it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I think after having written this post in an OS4 browser, I fancy a game of slamtilt. On my Amiga, using an Amiga keyboard, and an Amiga AGA chipset. No PowerMac or AmigaOne can do that.

[spirantho]

Funny you should say that.
I came across my Sim City 2000 disks on my way to my Slam Tilt ones.

I installed it (this in OS 4) straight from the disks, and ran it, not expecting much.
It gave a yellow alert of the font being corrupt, and came up with the screen requester, allowing me to use any screenmode I wanted, as long as it was PAL Hi-Res Interlaced (SC2000 doesn't use RTG).
Not expecting much, I launched it, and switched my TV to use SCART instead of VGA...

... and it works perfectly! I played it a bit and it ran at a good speed; even the display was nice because the TV is a TFT one which automatically scan-doubles. The graphics were still a little slow, as you'd expect for AGA, but just seeing it under OS4 natively is very cool.
I shall have to give John (Jones-Steele - who ported it) a virtual pat on the back next I see him - he works in the office opposite.