Questions about OS4

[Prmetime]

Does anyone know if there are hardware restrictions to Amiga OS4?  I know you will need a PPC processor but is there any hardware required to run the OS (like needing the ROMs and certain chips to run the Classic OS)?

I'm just curious since I'm wondering if any PPC based computer could run the coming OS.

[Marco]

It's not coming for a long while and IMO probably never will, Amiga Inc tried to make a quick buck by insisting that only 'licensed' boards can run OS4, this basically amounts to slapping an extra chip on a completely ordinary PPC board that the OS checks for, the chip contains no information other than this 'license' so it's not like the ROMs for the old AOS.

None of this licensed hardware is being produced because AInc got into a squabble with the hardware supplier (Eyetech who sourced their boards from Mai) and threw their toy out of the pram, i.e. no new A1 boards are being made.

Other companies have come up with hardware (ACK's Powervixxen and Elbox's Shark spring to mind) but they wont release until OS4 is finished. Hyperion (the guys developing the OS) wont release until hardware is available.

So we're stuck with a chicken-and-egg situation and all AInc do is threaten people on ebay for legally selling old Amiga merchandise.

[bloodline]

Marco wrote:
It's not coming for a long while and IMO probably never will, Amiga Inc tried to make a quick buck by insisting that only 'licensed' boards can run OS4, this basically amounts to slapping an extra chip on a completely ordinary PPC board that the OS checks for, the chip contains no information other than this 'license' so it's not like the ROMs for the old AOS.

Not really an extra chip... more of a custom bootstrap code in the BIOS... The OS can only be loaded by this custom code.

[Tigger]

Prmetime wrote:
Does anyone know if there are hardware restrictions to Amiga OS4?  I know you will need a PPC processor but is there any hardware required to run the OS (like needing the ROMs and certain chips to run the Classic OS)?

I'm just curious since I'm wondering if any PPC based computer could run the coming OS.

AmigaOS at this time only runs on the Teron boards modified by Eyetech.   Some betatesters have it working on classic systems with PPC, members of the Hyperion staff have said they have no plans to distribute that version.  Currently there are about 1000 AmigaOnes, with no ability for more to be made and boards dropping due to fairly high infant mortality rate.   The two best options for new hardware for Eyetech are the PPCs macs which Apple is about to stop manufacturing, but with literally millions available on the secondary market, and the PPC efforts from Genesi with Peg2's currently available and Peg 3s and Efika both available very soon.   Neither of the options (Apple or Genesi) seems to be interesting to Hyperion, and instead they seem to be interested in supporting board(s) that have yet to show a PWB 15 months after they were supposed to be shipping, and which are slower then AmigaOnes and all of the current options available from Apple and Genesi.
    -Tig

[redfox]

@Prmetime

Since some others have already replied, I'll keep this brief.

As I understand it, Amiga OS4 is meant to be a commercial product bundled with licensed hardware.

IMHO, AmigaOS4 is a fine product.  I hope that the hardware situation is resolved soon.

---
redfox
MicroA1-C + AmigaOS4 pre-release update #4

[Prmetime]

Thanks everyone for the info.  I was particulalry interested in getting an older Mac Mini to run OS4 on but it doesn't sound very promising.  Ah well.

[AmigaMance]

It's not coming for a long while and IMO probably never will

 I refuse to believe this! I'm sure it will come one day. If they are not planning to release it in the near future, then i think that one of the classic beta-testers should le...  Oh wait... I was about to break the posting guidelines... never mind :roll: