Dominant future AmigaOS? MOS vs OS4 vs AROS

[tumash]

This is hard to predict. In my opinion the AmigaOS4 looks (hears? better than the MorphOS. In fact, I think that AOS4 has every chance to be much better system. In all aspects.
Yet, it still isn't freely available, therefore its lacking developers.

In my opinion, we are about to see a situation when better AmigaOS4 is being finally released but it will be a system without support from developers and companies.

Time IS the factor in this race.

[zacman]

I think you cannot compare AROS to OS4 or
MorphOS because AROS has different aims.

Comparing OS4 and MOS: the company which has
more money will win at the end.

[Madgun68]

The name Amiga doesn't mean as much outside this community as some people think. Sure, in the past it may have meant something but it doesn't now unless antiquated hardware and software means something positive to you. A lean operating system running on expensive hardware isn't going to mean much to the average computer user when the applications it runs are so far behind.

Compare browsers, cd writing software, word processors or almost anything else and that's where you'll find the Achille's heel.

And no, porting GPL'd software isn't going to change things.. It still doesn't do enough to make the system stand out.

What does it mean? It means that OS4 capable systems will outsell MOS systems inside the community. Outside of the community, however, there's one hell of an uphill climb to make.. And at this point, it's hard to tell if either can even make it half-way up the hill let alone over it.

[bloodline]

zacman wrote:
I think you cannot compare AROS to OS4 or
MorphOS because AROS has different aims.

Comparing OS4 and MOS: the company which has
more money will win at the end.

Heheheh, that's very very true!!!  :-D

[Kay]

Well, AmigaOS4 will be the only true successor (in both name and sourcecode), and my belief is that it has also has the better chances of dominance. But who knows for sure what the future will bring? Not me. I'll do my best to support the AmigaOne/OS4 effort, and see how it works out. :-)

For now, I'm happy exploring Linux and MacOS while waiting. :-D

Kay

[Kay]

@Madgun68:

Good point. I still think the Amiga name can open *some* doors though.

Kay

[bloodline]

I forgot to include the "fun factor" in my list...

Concidering all three OS's are hobby OS's it is important to remember that these OS's should be fun to use. And that I guess depends on what you want to use it for!!
Being a frustrated control freak, I prefer to be able to "hack" away at the internals of the OS and see what happens... That makes the Open source option best for me.

[KennyR]

Good point. I still think the Amiga name can open *some* doors though.

I'm not so sure of that any more, Kay. The Amiga name has been dragged into the mud. These days, the name is a laughing stock and synomymous with vapor and mad projects that just couldn't succeed. Good once, but these days just a laugh.

I think the Amiga name is more influencial with ex-Amiga users, rather than outsiders who have never used an Amiga. But then again, many of the people who are most obnoxiously contemptuous of the Amiga are ex-Amigans. "I had a 030 AGA Amiga and it was crap. My machine is much better, blah blah..."

[Damion]

Personally I don't think the 'name' or the old
3.1 sourcecode have much relevance these days
to anybody outside of the community, which has
to be the eventual target in order for any of
the commercial OS's to survive. I know hardly
anybody who 'remembers the amiga' anymore, let
alone would buy one based on "the name".

Even in its prime years, the amiga was only
popular among gamers/geeks and editors, it
was never a 'mainstream' platform. I think
a company with a fresh outlook (and "name")
probably stands a better chance in today's
market than the resurface of an antiquated
retro - brand. Recent history has shown that
most things "retro" remain passing fads (like
the 6 month return of the 'bell - bottom')...
however 'now" I think the amiga needs a modern
image in order to win the type of support
necessary to build a solid foundation 'outside'
of the community.

:edit:

As far as Aros, it's open source, has a solid
development team who seem to be kicking *ss at
the moment...it's looking pretty good.

[iamaboringperson]

Been thinking it through what will win? To become the true successor of OS3.1.

why must either of them win? i hope they are both (equally)succesfull
i want a future in which i may chose either

[seer]

@-D-

Maybe in the US the Amiga wasn't maintream, but in Europe the Amiga was mainstream for home users. People either had a console to play games only, or an Amiga to play games on, do some work on, and even kids learned on it..

As for the name, many people have fond memories of the Amiga (500 era, and early AGA period, before the PC booming and C='s demise) and also rember the ease of use and power.. If anything, the abilty to just "turn off" the power and not having to shut down is for some a real + .  

Whether or not OS4 or MOS will survive, who knows.. The targeted markets aren't just home users, more Kiosks and controller type stuff, not Office PC types... Maye Hyperion / Genesi should show their OS to Nasa, they could be intersted in a stable / fast booting OS (Note; not the current hardware).. This won't make them mainstream, but at least keeps the money comming to further develop the OSes.

As for Aros.. As long as the main developers love to code for it, it will survive... After all, they are not in it for the money, but for the love of it... :-D

[ruben]

@ KennyR:

The Amiga name has been dragged into the mud. These days, the name is a laughing stock and synomymous with vapor and mad projects that just couldn't succeed.

That's true only to a certain extent. People that stayed after Commodore's and Escom's failures will probably laugh at the name, but lots of people left when Commodore went bust and have no idea of the soap opera that was to come. To those, Amiga means Megademos and Sensible Soccer; or "the right way of doing things", not Escom's or Gateway's vapourware.

[theTAO]

DonnyEMU:
> I think the Amiga community is the real
> winner..

I agree here, mostly.  Having multiple options is a good thing, especially in this very early stage.  If one company or programming team dissolves, there's somewhere else to turn.

At the same time, though, we've also taken on a not-so-constructive aspects of the Linux community, where so many people spend their time trying to reinvent the wheel with different distributions, that the platform itself tends to tread water.  Can you imagine where we'd be if the efforts directed at just one of OS4/MOS/AROS/Amithlon was directed toward somethig everybody could enjoy?  Perhaps we'd already have a Mozilla port, an OpenOffice port, or a handful of other really good apps? :-(

> Let's face it Intel type cpu's
> dominate the home and business computer market
> and that doesn't look like it's changing.

I don't think you can say that, because nobody's really given it a proper try.  Apple was on course in the mid-90's, but then Steve Jobs returned and killed the Mac clones.  This is probably our last, best shot at establishing a competing platform to the PC, and I think it's certainly worth the effort.

Todd

[Rodney]

Theres only on OS that everyone can safely know that will never die or suffer from all the vunerabilities that commercial OSs do...

Thats right, AROS... As to whos going to win. I'd say that AmigaOS has a larger following right now. But, their following nothing really ... just a dream... and hope...

We'll i think i hate these topics who cares who wins? They're both great products, and they both may very well have a great future. Good luck too them. (of course AROS doesnt need any luck its OpenSource)

[Rodney]

BillBuck cant buy AmigaOS. Hyperion owns all the code.  Maybe, he coudl aquire Amiga Inc the company, then under the company, buy AmigaOS back from hyperion (as stated in Hyperion/Amiga incs contract).

But thats a lot of effort for a small company!!!

[N7VQM]

seer said:

 Maye Hyperion / Genesi should show their OS to Nasa, they could be intersted in a stable / fast booting OS

I doubt that NASA would be very interested.  First, neither AmigaOS4 nor MorphOS could be certified for critical tasks.  Second, they already have thier non-critical tasks covered by more mature and stable OSs.  And, unless my memory is failing, I think they were investigating Linux for many ground-based operations.