Takers - One Woman's Opinion of the Amiga Mini

[Middleman]

@MissAnonymous

Hear, hear... This CUSA outfit is nothing more than a glorified sticker / re-branding company, which is totally bereft of the creativity, talent, commitment found throughout this community past and present.

Their "products" are about as innovative as the re-branded Tablet tat available from Amiga, Inc. They should really look back at the Commode Gaming's ill-fated endeavors, and realize once the novelty quickly wears off *and it will*, nobody in their right mind will pay a premium prices for hardware that is readily available elsewhere for much cheaper, simply for the privilege of a couple of stickers and a glossy desktop theme.

I have nothing but respect and admiration for all those talented people, actively developing in the Amiga spirit, may it be for AmigaOS, MorphOS, Aros and others.
The endeavors of CUSA pale in comparison, all they seem to want is invest the absolute minimum effort in order to extract the quickest buck.

I don't disagree with some of your comments Akiko, but I don't agree with some of them either.

I know Barry may have upset you guys with his previous unfulfilled product announcements and gaffs, but to be serious he's working under a lot of pressure. CUSA is no Apple with years of experience or budgets the size of a country's Balance of Payments accounts. They are still a fledgling company with only 2 years under their belt and are limited by the budgets they can spend. In particular is Barry....he is at heart a numbers man. And to convince him to produce the right products for us, he and his stakeholders Amiga Inc. and the related Commodore licensors they have to believe the market is still there, is supportable and is sustainable...

Also I think most of you guys have failed to realize the scope of what CUSA has brought themselves under. It is a HUGE undertaking to revive the Commodore and the Amiga brands, as you would probably know the past 20 years have shown from other endeavors into the foray that have failed miserably. You may call it what you will (that they're just hobbling together cheap PC machines with just a sticker on top) but the truth is it is more than that. You need REAL INNOVATION AND REAL GUTS and money to get out there and say you can do it to revive Commodore…..because otherwise you fall flat on your face. This is the danger and risk the CUSA team faces at the moment…..because while the hardcore users are all asking for their ideal dream machines at the ideal prices, they fail to realize the huge investment, efforts and capital needed to create the very things they want. And as a company working now in an industry with very little margins, they have to decide and consider is this endeavor still worth it?

But such risks can be lessened….if we work together as groups coming together, to create that demand. If you want them to produce the products you want, they're going to have to need money and capital. And the only way they're going to do this is your support for them by buying their products. This is the same for everybody whether you are Acube, Aeon, Amikit or otherwise….

That said, nobody in the Amiga communities should be at loggerheads with each other in various camps….everybody can co-exist and live together in harmony if only we work together and give each other the space for others, and time to cooperate, to create new ideas. If we do this, we can make it work and the dream will come true…that we will all have that proper Commodore branded modern Amiga box running the latest AmigaOS….

CUSA are no former CBM.....but please give them time. They will do good for the Amiga community eventually. I know they will…please have some faith….

[Middleman]

You know what? I've worked under pressure too. It makes me irritable and snappish sometimes - what it doesn't make me is a crude, tactless gasbag filled with unwarranted self-importance. In the two years CUSA have been active around here, Barry has been consistently rude to anybody who questions his actions or his plans, has allowed his company to post a large number of blatantly fake promotional materials (honestly, a trained monkey could do a better job with Photoshop,) and only sends Leo around to cozy up to the community when he really puts his foot in it (despite repeated assertions that we're "not the target market.") This isn't a matter of budgetary limitations or lack of confidence in the market, this is a matter of Barry being a sleaze.

I'm not affiliated with CUSA, but if I was its CEO I would apologise to you here....yes they handled that rather badly. If anything I would say just please don't judge Barry too hard.....he's a firm Commodorian for sure, just not a PR kind of guy....

That's a load of shít. In two years, all we've gotten are comically overpriced PC builds in some-degree-of-customized cases and constant assurances that something actually Amiga-related is definitely probably maybe in the works, in the distant future, if everything goes well. No plans, no details, no nothing. It's a stalling tactic, and it's screamingly obvious.

Point taken.....the prices are rather high I agree I don't doubt that. But also, you need to remember that the reason why we now have much higher component costs compared to yesteryear is, first, we have inflation. From something costing $500 in 1985 will be around $980 today. But also you can blame CBM....it's manufacturing process was superior! How on Earth Jack Tramiel can keep such amazing tech so low was a testament to his judgement and intellect as a businessmen.

That said, the closest we've had yet in recent years with this idea of 'computers for the masses not the classes' has been Apple. The current iPad is successful because it is actually following a Tramiel-style tactic with vertical integration of the manufacturing process. Apple can do this because it has its own plants. Having your own chip-fab plant goes a long way to maintaining costs in the long run, and Steve Jobs was well shrewd when he acquired PA Semi.

If I could reach you, I would smack you. I've done as much bagging on the X1000 as anybody, but for all my problems with the product, Trevor has shown guts and know-how and passion. He's the kind of person that deserves accolades for mere accomplishment, if we're going to be giving them out. Barry is a furniture reseller trying to make a fast buck off whatever gullible dupes he can scrape together, and he's not one hundredth the scrappy underdog enterpreneur that Trevor is (to say nothing of guys like Jens or the NatAmi team.)

Actually I quite like the X1000 believe it or not. Same goes with the Natami...I actually like it (ever since I heard about it). I'm surprised the go ahead hasn't been given to support the Natami chipset from Amiga Inc. It looks promising....

The difference being that Amikit actually makes things that I might want. Giving CUSA money for things I have no desire for and can't afford is not going to get me anywhere closer to the things I'd actually like, it's going to encourage them to produce more things I don't want and can't afford.

Well with the current prices of new components being produced, we're not going to expect miracles in terms of pricing. After all, Amiga IS a 20+ year old product....new stuff is bound to cost more and old stuff less....

I gave them plenty of time, and they've not only failed to provide any evidence of progress in any direction I'd like to see progress in, they've manage to alienate damn near everyone in this community. I think that says it all, really.

I know you're anxious but CUSA is still young, and I think giving it 2 years is still a little premature. As someone else said, you need to give them about 5 years to see whether they've succeeded (or not). But then again you are talking about the restart of a 58-year old brand with at least 40 years of business experience and manufacturing prowess behind it before it fell....it'll take CUSA I reckon a fair amount of time before they could get to their level...

[Middleman]

But isn't Middleman one of CUSA's resellers? So how can his/her comments be objective?

Well I try to be as much as I can whenever I can.....

About the reseller part, no I am not a dealer! Not currently or ever has been! This is the first time I've ever asked for this kind of thing. I was just enquiring about it because I was just curious as to what the plans are - it's nothing more than that to be honest. I already have a job (I run a small printing business here in Asia) so I don't need any more than I can handle as it were....

But if I do change my mind about it (as I've loved computers and the Commodore brand all my life), I'll let you know....

[Middleman]

Jesus, you really don't have a problem with what is going on? You don't see how bastardizing the Amiga name is going to affect us all? For outside observers all they will see is CUSA and you don't see the significance of this will do to our precious community? What are you completely retarded*?

I notice your name is highlighted in blue with the words vip/donor written underneath it. This implies you are of someone who commands great respect in these parts. I think you should be stripped of this as you don't deserve it.

Erm, I don't see that at all, sorry. In fact it will I reckon probably benefit the Amiga communities because it could trigger people who might remember the old machine and make them want to get back onto it....
And even through efforts like emulation, more people using Amiga Forever/Lemon Amiga all the communities may benefit...

Take me for example. I haven't had an old Amiga for a long long time, but all this talk of a 'new' Amiga is getting my appetites whet for an old one....am currently looking for a decent spec.

So getting the Amiga brand out there is mutually beneficial I reckon because its seen by so many people to be a 'performance and creative brand'.....it doesn't bastardize it....no not at all....

[Middleman]

Isn't the correct term horizontal integration? Or is that the same as sourcing? To me it sounds like a matrix (combination of both).

Erm, no it's not...

In business-speak, horizontal integration is when you acquire or have, businesses in similar markets. ie. when Morrisons took over Safeways that was horizontal integration because it was taking out a competitor to expand there business outreach. Vertical integration is when you acquire or control a business product/service from the top down, from design to output.
In Apple's case, they acquired PA Semi's plant and not just had their engineers, but they did own a plant in the States. Yes Samsung makes the A5 chip, but the first A4 chip used in the first iPad was produced at that plant...

[Middleman]

I would comment that the person who wrote this, is a wise person. CUSA is making shame of Amiga. Its sad, how they just dont care about the community. CUSA could help AEON with production of AmigaOne X1000 instead, or making an PPC Amiga into the Amiga Mini box they have made. MacMini runs MorphOS nicely etc. To be able to run AmigaOS4 is great and refreshing.

"Amiga Will never Die! Never!"

Well I wouldn't put it that way....there is still light at the end of the tunnel...

It's not like Leo hasn't tried before.....he has. I remember speaking to him last year about how things were getting on, and he said he had been in touch with the relevant Amiga parties including Jerri Elsworth and Aeon to work on things. With Aeon there were certain issues that they came across which prevented them from going ahead using their boards, and that was to do with the yields that were coming out of the X1000 board manufacturing. Unfortunately for the numbers CUSA was requesting, they weren't consistent enough in terms of quality for 'modern day' public consumption level (where factories in Asia fare better in terms of yield), so CUSA was hesitant to go ahead with it. Small numbers Aeon was fine with, but larger numbers they encountered problems. It may be better now I don't know, but that's what I had heard...

[Middleman]

Regarding original post ... Well said.

Yes I agree she has a point...the original Amiga was a tough act to follow....and still is. Even Commodore themselves had a problem getting it replaced....think about that! :lol:

[Middleman]

In my opinion things haven't changed with the Amiga Mini, because as far as we know not one has been actually sold.  They're only claiming to sell such things.  But without buyers who cares?

This operation seems to be either an attempt to revive and sell an old brand name to foreign manufacturers at a profit, or an investment scheme trying to pull in investment money, and make a generous salary or two out of the operation giving "naive hopes" that it will take off one day.  

In my opinion, what has been painfully obvious is that Barry hasn't had a real budget for _ANY_ development, be that hardware or software.  AROS still isn't ready as a consumer OS on any of its hardware platforms, and the AGA compatible and beyond fpga clone platforms aren't ready yet either if cusa would just license ROMS  and OS3.9 from Amiga Inc..  New PPC hardware is too expensive or underpowered and also requires the non-existant development funds to support it, so what does that leave for cusa to do, but to try and sell some commodity hardware with minimal cost software to pay the minimally accepted license fees with and keep the trademarks tied up on their behalf...

Well I'm happy to report that a little birdy told me the new Amiga Mini has been doing great. Sales of both barebones and built systems are doing well....so it means Amiga as a brand name, is coming back into the public conscience in a big way. With more people using Amiga Forever and the like, sales of Amiga-related software would no doubt I believe, bring much needed attention (and cash) to those developers.

As for AROS, well hopefully with this resurgence it'll help them too...that's what I believe anyways. But in the meantime before their projects are ready, will probably have to try and do an impossible Amigafan task, and that is wait (ie. be patient) until they are ready. But if we've waited for nearly 20 years for a new Amiga, I am sure we can wait just a while longer.

Reading from all this though, one thing I cannot fathom is, why all the flames if CUSA does create/sell a PowerPC with AmigaOS inside it? It's not like as if CUSA is getting it for free…they are paying Hyperion for their efforts yes? (to create a port for them)? Wouldn't Hyperion need this sort of extra funding? If I was a developer I know I'd certainly would. Also regarding the IP front if the problem exists primarily with Amiga Inc. and Hyperion's contract as regards to what AmigaOS is….why can't just one company buy out the other and then lease out the AmigaOS x86 IP to CUSA? What is stopping them from doing so (since many companies do this already to resolve IP issues?).

I mean think about this. When people talk of Apple IIs & Macintoshes compared to Apple MacBooks, most folks understand that Apple IIs & Macintoshes were 'classic' systems i.e. legacy systems and realize that modern Apples run on the latest Intel chips. Yet when folks like myself here talk of legacy Commodores and Amigas and they are put it in the same sentence as USA, Intel and x86 port, everybody gets their feathers a little ruffled. What's the big deal? I don't understand it…

[Middleman]

Umm...are those the only relevant Amiga parties out there?

Well I only quoted a few. I know apart from Jerri, Dave (Haynie) was one of them, Hyperion I think, and I think two of the other board makers Genesi and Acube had been contacted also...can't remember the exact details but it was something like that. I believe all the relevant parties were contacted probably just before the December post about the 'Final Challenge'.

Also I'd been backtracking reading some of the ideas and comments from December. I came across this one from Dan Wood back in December which I think makes sense and gives a really compelling reason for AmigaOS now to be ported over to x86:


'Assuming this is serious, this is what I want.



Work with Hyperion to port/update OS4 to modern standards firstly. It must be x86 to be taken seriously in this day and age, run 68k apps in a sandboxed fully compatible, seamless UAE environment (like unity mode, invisible to the user), run PPC apps via a Rosetta-style virtualization. Add memory protection to the OS and run these old apps in a sandboxed environment, new x86 apps can take advantage of MP, make sure it can run AROS apps so we already have a starting point. Basically bring AROS and OS 4 together, but bring it up to date.



Put it in a nice box with the Commodore Amiga name bearing proudly down at you, give it a custom kb with the A keys....



That'll do nicely and stands a chance of being taken seriously outside of our community, of course it can also run Windows/Linux should the user wish to.'


This is his idea obviously, (and a Power7 Amiga would also be nice), but the question remains in the hands of Hyperion et al how they want to go about it and whether they're willing to port AOS over to the x86 platform or work with AROS on developing a version of AOS fit for x86 chips. This is the crux of the matter everyones faced with today (and the past two decades including Commodore). But it can be solved technically. If Hyperion doesn't want any other PC system to be an 'Amiga clone', Hyperion could develop a version of the OS that will recognise some sort of 'dongle' or code on the board. This will make the system uniquely Amiga in a similar style to how OSX recognises proper Macs.

[Middleman]

I'll grant you that there's apparently one person stupid enough to shell out gobs of cash for something worth half that (wish I knew their name, I've got a bridge I'd like to sell them,) but your "little birdy" says a lot of things. Around this time in the C64x release cycle the "little birdy" was talking about distribution contracts with Wal-Mart that guaranteed tens of thousands of sales. So, uh, I'll believe this when I see it.


They're not doing any such thing...not even in the "Barry wildly tossing out potential ideas that will never actually be followed up on" sense...


Because here's the thing, the Mac is and always has been a software system, and the hardware is unimportant aside from the most basic sense that it's what the software runs on. That's part of the original Mac Team philosophy. From the original System disk that shipped with the 128k Macintosh all the way up to the last revision of Mac OS 9, that software system was preserved, so that a dual-G4 system running at 1.25GHz is perfectly capable of running software from the 128k days, as long as it's well-behaved software (and it usually is.) Even on OSX, when they moved to BSD internals (something some Mac fans still aren't happy about,) they kept a compatibility layer for it to run classic Mac OS software transparently, in the same user environment. That's respecting a legacy.

The Amiga's design legacy is a bit different - not only the software, but also the hardware is important. Instead of the OS abstracting all of the hardware away, the two are designed to work in concert. That's part of what's so neat about it. Preserving that legacy is harder, since emulating the hardware is trickier - but the "next-gen" Amigoid OSes are trying, at least for well-behaved software (which is unfortunately less common than on the Mac.) They're actually making some effort to keep that legacy alive. CUSA? Isn't. And no, bundling an emulator with a completely unrelated system on completely unrelated hardware doesn't count for squat.

I understand what you're saying, but have you ever thought about looking at things in a new light if the old plan fails because of a number of factors? A classic example is the demise of the custom electronics industry for the Amiga. Many of the parts we once took for granted in making up the Amiga as it was are no longer there, so it is largely through software we try to recreate this (as you say, emulate the hardware) - and yes I know it's tricky. But with a powerful chipset (like the x86 or PowerPC) we can hopefully recreate this.

The problem right now is not the hardware….the hardware we already have in the form of x86. The problem we have now is the rather stubborn attitude of those who are still holding onto the past glory of CBM and dedicated hardware, and not willing to release AmigaOS to the great heights of further evolvement as it should be.

Taking the Apple analogy further from an Amiga viewpoint, if Mac OS wasn't evolved since 2000, it would still be using PowerPCs and a probably dated OS today, albeit with new softwares. Imagine iLife or iPhoto under OS9 lol. This is the state of the play at the moment in the Amiga community…for AmigaOS at least.

CUSA really wanted to use AmigaOS I'm sure, but it's all these 'potential lawsuits' that is keeping them at bay….and keeping the Amiga community at bay from moving on also...

And I do feel software compatibility is important to the survival of the platform. Being 'incompatible' and totally working against a software industry now practically built on Intel boxes (with the exception of consoles), is crazy. Why not honour the past through emulation, and develop a future for the platform via AROS/Linux and custom chips via add-in boards/dongles?

Also it isn't just the likes of myself who have said about adopting the x86 platform for the Amiga is probably the right way and right choice, there have been others. Let me give you a quote from Casey Bakker on the Natami forum on what he had to say on the matter:

Casey Bakker
Netherlands

06 Jan 2012 22:44

'As a general consensus, the Amiga was a VERY advanced computer in 1985 and was even outselling the Mac in 1986 - however while commodore stood still after the initial succes, Apple quickly regained momentum and in 1990, Amiga technology was just on par with the competetion and by 1992 it was severely lagging behind, since commodore hardly evolved the platform at all. So how did Commodore waste a 5-year lead over the competition?

Commodore had a developed a strategy to lock users into a specific hardware with the C64 and "milk" this hardware without ever evolving it. While this had worked well for the C64 during the entire 1980's this strategy was not sustainable on the Amiga. Amiga adepts (like myself) compared the Amiga to the Mac and the PC's and were expecting similar evolutionary improvements. For example Apple introduced the Mac-II 68020 based system in 1987 and put a faster system on the market every other year. I remember reading the Amiga mags each month in the hopes of finally learning that some advanced new chipset had arrived. Unfortunately it never came (not until it was too late anyway).

Commodore realised their mistake no sooner than 1992: While the C64 sold multiple millions of units ayear consistently throughout the 1980's, C64 sales had slumped after 1989 and by 1990, the Amiga finally outsold the C64 for the first time with 1 million units sold that year. From 1992 however, Amiga sales started to go down rapidly as the Amiga no longer held the price/performance-edge over VGA-based i386SX systems. At that time Commodore was producing huge piles of unsellable C64 and Amiga's and they got into financial trouble because of this. The AGA-based A1200 and CD32's cranked up the sales in the final year before bankruptcy but it simple wasn't enough and it was allready too late.

Strangely, Commodore management couldn't see the "writing on the wall" that many Amiga users could see. For example this is shown by the fact that CBM management had even postponed the new AGA-based chipset which was ready in 1991 (in the A3000+) in order to develop the low-cost A4000. At the same time, the A500+ and A600 were introduced which meant no performance upgrade over the A500 whatsoever. It just shows how detached from reality CBM-management really was..'

[Middleman]

What's really funny is my £500 PC has better sound and 3D graphics capability than their Amiga Mini :roflmao:

Exactly! And you wonder why…..because the PC clone had 'inadvertently' over the years, become what the Amiga should have been…..have fully open architecture, meaning the ability to upgrade parts on a constant basis (and now cheaply) via ISA/PCI giving the user flexibility. This is the crux that caused Commodores downfall which I was trying to allude to in my post to Commodorejohn earlier. As Bakker said (in the 2nd paragraph) compared to the Mac which was constantly being upgraded, nothing happened on the Amiga end from a chip perspective. Whereas everyone then was upgrading their systems month by month, nothing was happening with the Amiga. To the public eye, Amiga wasn't changing quickly enough as far reaching as Apples or PCs were beginning to become, so hence Commodore had this problem of lack of sales near the end.

Not that the Amiga had any lack of skills. One thing the Amiga did retain was the wide base of support from the various software companies much akin to how console software developers work today because its hardware was more or less fixed. This approach wasn't surprising because the Amiga WAS supposed to be designed as a console…

I wish all camps the best, including even cusa now.  
At least the old girl is still alive.

Steven

Me too…..and you/they have my sentiments also. I wish them all the best…

The Commodore and Amiga names are just marketing tools to move mediocre product.

It doesn't have to be…..Commodore and Amiga can still come back in a big way with your help.

If the various camps work together on a really good plan, the old girl can finally come off the table and stand on her own hind legs…for instance funding AROS/Amiga case moulds, special projects, porting AOS to x86; developing a newPaula/new boards etc. This is just the beginning of the revamp….

[Middleman]

And the award for "not reading the sentence fully and thus missing the point hilariously" goes to...Middleman!

Damn, how could I miss it?! :rofl: That Mini really is tiny :biglaugh:

...wha...? Are you even reading what you're writing? God knows I love old-ass PCs, but seriously, holding up ISA, with its jumper configurations and interrupt conflicts, as an example!? PCI is more like it, but let's take a moment and note that the Amiga had an autoconfiguring expansion bus a decade before PCI came out. And what the hell can't you upgrade in an Amiga? The one irreplacable bottleneck is the actual bus itself, and that's no less true on any PC you care to show me.

Well I put that up as an example because we didn't have PCI properly until into the mid 90s. It's for those who want to nitpick things historically. If I'd had said PCI they may have said 'No, ISA came before that! :laugh1:


Well you'd probably like to know, but I'd just been contacted by Barry with a special message for you all. He gave me permission to send you this post which may surprise you...:

From Barry:

Please post this in reply to VOX's recent post. It was actually posted a while ago, but it got lost and no one really even commented except maybe one comment. It is very important that these "opposition" camps to realize that most of what they think our intentions are, are really incorrect, I think this statement, which has been on our site from day one, needs to be posted as a very important FACT regarding our intentions, our outlook on the future, and most importantly, our desire to engage all the factions, and try to bring consolidation to a very disjointed community. Only through civil dialog can this be achieved. Yes, we did have some missteps early on. We are human..and share your passion and zeal. Lets try to focus now on what can realistically be accomplished, and finally end all this insane behavior...and move forward. I'm ready...are you?

DIRECT QUOTE FROM COMMODORE USA WEBSITE, SOFTWARE PAGE, COMMODORE OS VISION:
http://www.commodoreusa.net/CUSA_OS_Vision.aspx

Commodore OS Vision is not a derivative of the original AmigaOS developed for 68K microprocessor computers in the 1980's, but an entirely modern operating system based on GNU/Linux. If you are interested in running a derivative of the original AmigaOS you may consider the following projects: AmigaOS4 by Hyperion Entertainment B.V., which runs on PPC products such as Acube's SAM and Aeon's X1000 computer; AROS a free open source implementation by Team AROS, which runs on x86 architecture (like Commodore USA's); MorphOS, a commercial implementation by MorphOS Team, which runs on PPC architecture such as assorted PPC Apple Macintosh models. Commodore USA, LLC has no affiliation with any of these projects, companies or products.

[Middleman]

One thing for sure the new Amiga's will get, is that it won't lose out any longer to the development of computers over the last 20 years since Commodore went down. With the highest level of software compatibility, including the work done on emulation and OSes, you'll get an Amiga that can run all of the games and stuff including tech that is now available. I can't think of a more compelling reason to get Kinect say on an Amiga say for a 3D game from EA...

People keep saying an Amiga shouldn't be an x86 system, but I think otherwise. Packaged with the right software and hardware combinations including case designs, it'll be a killer I think...with a nostalgic name to boot...

[Middleman]

Even putting aside the x86 debate, that's a whole lot of talking out of your ass. There's no case design, nostalgic or otherwise, going on here - they buy an existing Mac Mini knock-off and etch a name on it. Big freaking deal. Their "hardware and software combinations" are generic i3 and i7 setups that they can't even figure out the power requirements for (and that should probably never have seen the inside of an HTPC case to begin with,) slapped with a lightly-customized Mint and a bundle of a bundle of UAE. And the only sense in which any of this is "killer" is in relation to one's wallet.

Try here... >http://www.commodore-amiga.org/en/forum/3-suggestion-box/8536-under-construction-new-cusa-website?limit=15&start=30#8782

Posted by digitex aka Barry

'Mike, Middleman, etc...
RE: AMIGA AIO keyboard computer.
1. won't be replica. No plans for any more replica cases (at least for now, and in the foreseeable future)
2. it will be forum member rgmarett's idea of a new Amiga 500 replacement, only modified to allow for the hardware height requirements.
3. it will have a full qwerty kb, with numerics
3. looking at 1st or 2nd qtr 2012 time frame.'

[Middleman]

Forgive me for intruding here, but aside from PowerPC and x86, there is one other thing...

Has anyone had a look at Amiga's archival Atari, and the Coldfire Project to revive the old ST/TT platforms? > http://acp.atari.org/

Because it seems they (ACP) got a much better 68k chipset around (using the Freescale Coldfire chip, a much faster and compatible variant of the old 68k chip. Do you think such a board/chip could be converted to run classic Amiga software? I mean the Coldfire project does have ISA and PCI connections at the back (to connect with PC parts) and with the advent of FPGAs anything could be possible. Maybe a joint Atari+Amiga legacy board project could be worked on?