Since there's apparently still a small influx of newbies to Amiga fora (welcome!) who never heard of this despite my incessant nagging and whining all over the net, I just thought I'd post my usual triennial reminder.
As predicted and as most should be able to see, AmigaOS is in a world of crap today. AmigaOS4 "and all future versions" can never be sold for meaningful and competitive hardware on a functioning market, and therefore will remain dead for all practical intents and purposes. This is unless Amiga, Inc's compulsory hardware licensing and bundling scheme is cancelled.
If you agree with this, and do not wish to only be allowed to buy AmigaOS if it comes bundled with (nonexistent) "special" hardware sold through an AInc-licensed vendor, then please read and sign this petition.After this week-end, I will collate the petition data again and send it not only to AInc. like before, but also to AInc's VC investor. Those who have claimed to have been in contact with AInc management recently are encouraged to share any verified working AInc addresses; e-mail or snail-mail. Suggestions concerning additional recipients are also most welcome.
Why am I still going on about this and post this now?Well, the Petitiononline.com people FINALLY decided to acknowledge my repeated requests to get access to my "new" administrative credentials there, after one year of me being unable to see the collected raw data. Pentti Kouri's name and contact means were divulged thanks to AInc ending up in court again. More than two hundred new petition signatures have been added since I sent the last batch to AInc. New ones seem to be added every time I post here with my sig.
I haven't been able to muster much energy and enthusiasm to spend on this for quite a while now, and I doubt that this will change. It's been 5 years, things look as bleak as ever, I can't be ar$ed. I do however think I have some sort of obligation to "newly" added signatories to also let their voices be heard as requested, and while I'm doing that I might as well post this reminder in case more would like to join.
Some apparently necessary notes:The petition was written in 2002 and obviously contains some obsolete references. Yes, PPC went and died (for personal computers, at least), as did the Pegasos and POP. But please note that the petition's suggestions to drop the current licensing scheme are applicable to and essential to implement for
all hardware, regardless of CPU architecture, and that Amiga Inc's current policy applies to "AmigaOS4 and all future versions".
Real names might carry more weight than online nicknames and handles do, it's up to you if you really wish to be an anonymous voice. I will not share your e-mail address with anyone, including AInc, without your explicit permission. The recipients only get your entered names and comments.
If you have already signed this, please don't sign it again! If you're unsure, and can't be bothered to search through 28 pages of signatures, please e-mail me at E AT MAIR DOT COM and I'll search the raw data for you. Also send an e-mail if you wish to delete or change your signature or your optional comment (enter a new signature and comment, then e-mail me and I'll remove the old ones).
To the remaining AInc fans, please note that it's a petition, not a chat room or a multiple choice poll. You only sign if you agree with the petition's message. You do not sign a petition if you disagree with it. Abuse will be deleted, but please spare me the hassle.
The URL again:
http://www.petitiononline.com/amigaos/Introduction (old, but the things that matter are still true):
http://amigapop.8bit.co.uk/intro.html
