by Akiko on 2007/11/25 3:37:20
Obviously you haven't been reading forums, Rogue has stated for years it would be quite impossible to support every classic configuration, mostly because of the crude or hacky methods implemented by some manufactures, mediator being a prime example.
It's not right saying it's my fault, that I should read posts in the forum. Hyperion ( & Amiga Inc.) are producing a major upgrade to the Amiga OS. It should be they who should clearly publicise where they are up to with their work on porting it to Classic PPC supported hardware, such as in any/all the current Amiga magazines. Not 2 weeks before release. Even if they did not put articles in Amiga magazines, there is NO excuse for them not keeping Classic Amiga users "in the loop", which of course they have not done. They could have had information on their own websites, about any problems with converting hardware or software. I feel this is mainly because they saw the Classic machine as a backward step, and really did not want the task of trying to work out how each hybrid add-on could be modified to work under OS4, and wanted to have a new machine only, capable of performing well with modern architecture, which though understandable is not what was being asked of them initially.
These problems with the on-board SCSI have not just appeared overnight. The Cyberstorm, and Blizzard boards were around, and were part of the equation when OS4 was initiated, so don't throw that one around as it just doesn't measure up.
In fact in the 4 years of development, I have seen ZIP, NALA, nothing in the Amiga press about where exactly, or more precisely, where they were not exactly up to, from either Hyperion, or Amiga Inc.
Magazines are much more widely read, and it is much easier to view or understand a written article, rather than trying to search out a thread of somekind on a forum in one or more of the many Amiga forums.
It is not possible to watch, read every thread about OS4, and if that had been said on this site then I missed it, but my point still stands. Hyperion should have been publicising these facts, about their work, and any help they had received, or lack of it, from any other Amiga associated hardware or software suppliers.
I also do not see how you can say that the Mediator is a crude/hacky piece of hardware, as that implies it being unstable. I have not seen a better produced piece of hardware/software for the Amiga that has enabled many Amiga users obtain graphics, sound, Ethernet, TV/Radio cards, etc. and there has not been any other similar piece of hardware produced that supports the Amiga as well. I am sure many Amiga users would have left the Amiga completely without such hardware, which is one of the reasons I remained keen on Amigas. With regard to it's inner workings of course I do not know, and I am fairly sure no-one does, outside of Elbox.
The fact that the Mediator does not have built-in DMA is a disappointment, but when the board was designed I am not sure that that would have been much of a concern to it's designers, but someone on another forum has said that they have spoken to someone at Elbox who gave the impression that this problem could be overcome, so that would be good news, if true. :-)
when it has been repeated many times on the "official" OS4 forums.
Where are these "official" OS4 forums, please point me to an "official" OS4 Amiga Inc. or Hyperion forum that has made this information available ?
There are none, what you are describing is "official-vapourweb".
The only article that I can find so far, that I know I read before is at,
http://www.intuitionbase.com/static.php?section=en_OS4_Classics which was contributed by Darren Glenn. I also remember reading an article at this same website
http://www.amiga.org/gallery/index.php?n=709 this article/forum was started on 16-May-2004, and a question was asked about the Mediator on 15-Aug-2005, but was not responded to, and Rogue is a member of this site, so why was this question not answered way back then?
UPDATE: 28-12-2007
Well it's now almost a month since I posted this comment, but there is still no update from Rogue, or Akiko, and no solutions to many of the questions that Amiga users have asked, who spent their money on OS4 Classic Amiga for PPC hardware.
There are many flaws with the installation procedure of OS4 for Classic Amigas, and as yet I cannot find any "hot-fixes" spoken of on other forums by Rogue and still not available on Hyperion's site, or anywhere else as far as I know, and yes I have registered my copy.
So far, as far as I am concerned, this is the worst release of Amiga OS that has ever taken place, up to this point.
My comments though some may think do little to help our situation is the truth, I am sorry to have to say, as far as I see it.
I'd like to see, or be offered a ray of hope for the OS4 Classic Amiga PPC future, so anyone with some good news, it would be great to hear from you.
