ARM based Amiga?

[commodorejohn]

I'm thinking more of a sort of "two-tier" OS, a small OS instead of the PC's BIOS that's enough to boot a game straight from disk instead of having to install everything (i.e. Kickstart) and perform basic multimedia functions like playing DVDs and audio CDs.  The real OS (i.e. Workbench) would boot from HDD of course.  Or a live CD.

There is absolutely no reason to have a standard OS install boot from a live CD in the era of dirt-cheap mass storage, let me say that. It'd cost all of $10-30 to include some kind of built-in boot volume (less in quantity,) whether that be a 128MB flash device or a small hard drive. (It'd be useful to have it on a separate volume than the user's hard drive, anyway, as you could set it to write-protect by default and keep the non-technical users from screwing things up.)

However, I think a built-in control-panel applet would certainly be useful for the DVD/game side of things; perhaps there could be a setting in the configuration NVRAM to select whether it boots into dashboard mode or computer mode by default, and easy access to either from the other. Mainly I'd just want to make sure that the OS proper isn't "hidden" for fear of scaring off users with anything that looks like it belongs on a computer.

[ontzoet]

Maybe the topic should be: ARM based AMIGA-Like computer.
The way hardware has developed since 1994 it's clear that nowadays you can buy a lot of cpu/gpu power at a low price point, especially when this hardware is also used in many (embedded) systems. It's clear that ARM based processors and SOC (system on a chips) are very affordable (i don't know about MIPS for example, they might have a good offering too). Take for example the Sony VITA, you could base an AMIGA-like computer on such an architecture and have a very powerful machine.

[Iggy]

I'm glad I've gotten over this trademark issue.
Personally, I'd love to see an ARM port of MorphOS.
And yes, that would only be 'Amiga-like'.

But then, that's kind of the point.
Why would I want to lock myself into total compatibility with obsolete hardware/software?

[Thorham]

What I don't get is why people want faster hardware (read: hardware that performs worse than peecees from five years ago) and hold the systems back with obsolete operating systems (yes, AOS and derivatives are obsolete, and I don't much enjoy working with AOS3, especially not seeing how 68K can do MUCH better). It makes no sense, especially if people then call interest in 68k+chipset being stuck in the past.

It seems to me that those people don't really like Amiga, and what they should do is forget about Amigas and buy a ridiculously fast peecee and be done with it.

Why would I want to lock myself into total compatibility with obsolete hardware/software?

Amigas are computers from the 80's and 90's, so they are by definition obsolete.

[gunni]

I guess it depend what you see as "being Amiga", either you see it as being purely the m68k machine and custom chips or it is the look and feel of a machine pushing the boundaries (as it was at the time). its going to take a heck of a groundbreaking device to appear to make a mark like the amiga did... and good software to back it up.
ARM-based Amiga, fine... if it can capture the "wow" that made me buy my first Amiga 20 years ago. I love the fact that I can browse the web on my "classic" which was around before the web as we know it but I think I'd rather see hardware that will attract developers and new users than something that satisfies a vigorous checklist about what an Amiga "should be".

[Thorham]

I guess it depend what you see as "being Amiga", either you see it as being purely the m68k machine and custom chips or it is the look and feel of a machine pushing the boundaries (as it was at the time).

The look and feel of something that pushes the boundaries, but doesn't, and is years behind, is a very poor substitute for Amigas

if it can capture the "wow" that made me buy my first Amiga 20 years ago.

And everyone knows that that is not going to happen.

I love the fact that I can browse the web on my "classic" which was around before the web as we know it but I think I'd rather see hardware that will attract developers and new users than something that satisfies a vigorous checklist about what an Amiga "should be".

Amigas are what they are (whatever anyone says), and I'd rather see new Amigas (keep dreaming), then some underpowered thing that's supposed to be next gen. If I want next gen, I'll just buy a peecee.

[Iggy]

I think a http://pandaboard.org/ would make a perfectly capable desktop machine for most everyday tasks.

Posted that one months ago on MorphZone.
The successor to the TI processor on that is due out soon.

We should plan ahead.

PPCs > Freescale T5020 or T5040.
ARM > Virtually anything 2GHz and above.

BTW - Custom chips are so yesterday.
Programmable logic and well written OS/driver code is what drives modern computers.
Even the Natami is not based on custom chips (but rather on this more modern idea).

[ontzoet]

Staying with the AMIGA-like computing experience and the idea that this  could be an ARM based one I would like to make things a little more  concrete.
The Pandaboard is a step in the direction I was thinking  about ARM-wise, and so are consoles custom chip-wise. Merging these  together in a small keyboard form factor with specs like these:
CPU: 2x ARM Cortex-A15 Quad-core
GPU: Power VR SGX543MP8 / 8-core ARM Mali T658
Direct  hardware access is a must, as is hardware uniformity, so code can  always be optimized. The hardest part would be the OS, it would have to  be of BeOS quality in its ability to effectively use the hardware,  keeping it clean and simple.

[Thorham]

BTW - Custom chips are so yesterday.
Programmable logic and well written OS/driver code is what drives modern computers.

Then get a new computer and forget about Amiga (the hardware is old and the software is too).

[psxphill]

Then get a new computer and forget about Amiga (the hardware is old and the software is too).

I'd be mildly tempted by a flashable 68k/PPC/AGA emulator that can be used to boot amigaos & which also makes the usb & pci cards appear like their amiga counterparts.
 
Basically amithlon on steroids with a pinch of uae.