IDE Compact Flash on A4000 initial review

Ohno wrote:

You have AmigaAnywhere in mind by any chance Ohno?

Would you believe me if I told you that I honestly didn't think about that when making that statement? It _IS_ a good idea though :-P

But for now Amiga-Anywhere has no hardware-accelleration on either Windows or Linux, so it is not yet ready for full screen 3D desktop games like this (although it can be in the future). PDA's are still the main target for now. But that _might_ be one of the things Amiga Inc. will add to intent in the future  :-)

How many coders have they got working for them at the moment? Do you know?

[Atheist]

I found out xp creates a swap file that is 1 and a half times the size of your ram.

I found a place on the internet telling me how to make it smaller with some regisry settings, it didn't work.

Then I tried the, erase swap file on shut down, all I can say is, I have a RAID setup, it was unpleasant, don't believe me, give it a try! (Thought the swap file should maybe be erased before the new size kicked in.)

BTW: I have 1 Gig and was trying to find a motherboard that holds 3 (I got the ram lying around, but can't use it because it is ECC Registered, and I can't use it on the A1 because it uses PC133 and mine is DDR!!!)

AmigaOne! Even the old Amiga is STILL full of surprises!!!  :-D  :-D

[Ohno]

How many coders have they got working for them at the moment? Do you know?

I really have no idea. And I don't know how much I can tell you exactly about it (because of my NDA with Amiga).

I think I _can_ tell you the SDA list is very active. I estimate about two dozen of people are actively using the SDA-lists (with actual development-related discussions), but every now and then someone I've never seen on that list before pops up with a completed application or beta release for us to look at, meaning more people are developing then I can see on that list. Some are mostly in listening mode on that list, while working on their own applications (not just games). On top of that there are also developers who didn't sign an SDA and are therefore only on the other developer-lists, which I don't track as accurately as the SDA-list. The SDA-list is also more active than Tao's open Developers-list which I'm also subscribed to.

All in all it is very hard to say for me. If we go for just Amiga-Anywhere developers (not other intent-developers) I'd say it will most certainly not be thousands and I don't think hundreds either. Although it might very well be a bit over 100. Most of them are only part-time AA-developers though, they usually have a full-time job next to it, untill they are able to earn enough with Amiga-Anywhere to go there full-time (I would love to do so).

As I said.. hard for me to say. The only ones who actually know are the people at Amiga Inc.

Ohno wrote:

How many coders have they got working for them at the moment? Do you know?

I really have no idea. And I don't know how much I can tell you exactly about it (because of my NDA with Amiga).

I think I _can_ tell you the SDA list is very active. I estimate about two dozen of people are actively using the SDA-lists (with actual development-related discussions), but every now and then someone I've never seen on that list before pops up with a completed application or beta release for us to look at, meaning more people are developing then I can see on that list. Some are mostly in listening mode on that list, while working on their own applications (not just games). On top of that there are also developers who didn't sign an SDA and are therefore only on the other developer-lists, which I don't track as accurately as the SDA-list. The SDA-list is also more active than Tao's open Developers-list which I'm also subscribed to.

All in all it is very hard to say for me. If we go for just Amiga-Anywhere developers (not other intent-developers) I'd say it will most certainly not be thousands and I don't think hundreds either. Although it might very well be a bit over 100. Most of them are only part-time AA-developers though, they usually have a full-time job next to it, untill they are able to earn enough with Amiga-Anywhere to go there full-time (I would love to do so).

As I said.. hard for me to say. The only ones who actually know are the people at Amiga Inc.

What I meant was Amiga Inc employees that are coders?

Thanks for the info though, it's interesting.

[Atheist]

mdma wrote:

What I meant was Amiga Inc employees that are coders?

Thanks for the info though, it's interesting.

Yeah, just don't pass it on to bbrv.  ;-)

AmigaOne! So few, shaking things up BIG TIME!  :-D  :-D

[Ohno]

Trying to get a bit more on topic again:

I think it would be very cool if future Amiga-systems would have a CF-card slot from which they can boot. Especially amiga1200-like casings would lend themselves very well for a small sized, high capacity, high speed floppydisk-replacement I think. Larger games can be sold on a single CF-card then and run without having to install it, booting straight from the CF-card (those cards are getting cheaper). Wouldn't that be very Amiga-like? This could work for CD's as well. Floppy's are outdated, but CF-cards and CD/DVD's could take over the role of floppydisks in the classic Amiga. Offcourse games should still be installable for people who wish to do so, but for less computer-savvy people it would be ideal to be able to pop in a CF-card/CD/DVD, reset the computer and boot right into the game.

[Atheist]

Very Atari 2600 like!!!  :-D  :-D

They really are the audio casettes of the 21st century, as far as I'm concerned!!

And floppies, even video casettes!! They just came out with a 4 gig version, a DVD movie can JUST fit on that, well, many can.

Imagine a VCR which uses CFs instead of junky old video tape!  :-D  It could have 3 - 6 sockets. Or a car stereo, or a boom box, with 3 or 4 sockets.

Resources wise, I think the material that makes 1 CD could make 2 CFs.

I hope that in the future, they are the ubitiquous standard.

In short, I love those little thingies.

AmigaOne! Be there, do that!

[Framiga]

Quote

by Terminills on 2003/6/16 13:57:34

http://www.provantage.com/buy-22071937-addonics-ide-ultra-digidrive-shopping.htm

this one looks nice. if you want a clean look from it.

Very interesting and cheap :-)

-edit

Digidrive requires win driver . . . .no good for Amiga :-(


Ciao

[Terminills]

@Framiga

to quote from the page.


Add a device to your desktop that can handle all the different kinds of Flash media. Drive connects to standard IDE interface - system BIOS automatically detects it as an ATAPI removable drive - no driver is needed

:edit:

I might buy one, so I'll know for sure.

[Floid]

Real quick post..

Note "# BIOS supports for ATAPI ZIP100® device for boot function" - http://www.addonics.com/products/flash_memory_reader/ide_ultra_digidrive.asp

Thus, presumably Iomega has been using the same ATAPI removable standard?  Could be possible to hack it into working, or perhaps have it work but not as a boot device?

I dunno what's required by way of IDE Zip drivers, or if everyone in Amigaland just uses SCSI.  Could be a problem with hardcoded geometries if extra drivers have been needed... (Linux/BSD might have extra problems because they often choose which driver to load based on various device ID information... It's really hard to say, hence the original caveat.)

[Terminills]

http://www.addonics.com/products/flash_memory_reader/ide_ultra_digidrive.asp

has a much better description.   plus you'll notice it's also listed for dos systems, yet no dos specific drivers.

Like I said before I'll be buying one hopefully soon.   I'll let you know how it works.

:edit:

I would assume they are using the zip100 functions to allow it to hot swap.   We'll see tho  :-D

[cecilia]

keltic wrote:
I think i will order one or two of theese babies.

looks interestng!
and completely OFFtopic: where did you get the picture of the babe in your AV? :-D

[Dagon]

So you just plug the IDE2CF and sees it like an HD?
You just format it and make it bootable from the HDToolBox?

The Kickflash OS4 (from individual computers) does the same thing? what`s the difference and why should I choose one instead of the other? (Kickflash OS4 is needed to install 4.0 on my A4000?)

Can I do the same thing with an ALGOR? Boot AmigaOS 3.9 from a memory USB stick?

[Framiga]

by Terminills on 2003/6/20 16:15:27

http://www.addonics.com/products/flash_memory_reader/ide_ultra_digidrive.asp

has a much better description. plus you'll notice it's also listed for dos systems, yet no dos specific drivers.

At the bottom of the page:

System Requirements:

 IBM PC Compatible computer with IDE/ATAPI support
 
 One free 3.5" drive bay or 5.25" drive bay (require adapter bracket for 5.25" drive bay).
 BIOS supports for ATAPI ZIP100® device for boot function
 
 One of the following Operating Systems: Windows 98/SE, Me, 2000, XP, NT 4.0+SP6

Why?

Ciao

[Terminills]

@Framiga


Look at the dos version.    :-D

[Dr_Righteous]

Dagon wrote:
So you just plug the IDE2CF and sees it like an HD?
You just format it and make it bootable from the HDToolBox?

Yes... S'how I did it :-D

The Kickflash OS4 (from individual computers) does the same thing? what`s the difference and why should I choose one instead of the other? (Kickflash OS4 is needed to install 4.0 on my A4000?)

Kickflash is a ROM switcher, not a drive... That and AFAIK Jens hasn't released Kickflash to the public yet.

Can I do the same thing with an ALGOR? Boot AmigaOS 3.9 from a memory USB stick?

In order for USB devices to work, the drivers have to be loaded by the OS first, so I don't think that'll work... Unless of course someone comes out with a hacked Kickstart ROM that covers this.