Amiga OS4 on old (PPC) Macs

[Einstein]

AmigaPapst wrote:
>Ofcourse, Amiga today is not Amiga...so what's your point?

No, think only AmigaOS 4 with PPC is amiga.  :-D

I like your avatar  :-D

[Einstein]

persia wrote:

The present is Amiga OS 4, the future is AROS!

Half correct, my "present" is XP, sad but true.

[Oliver]

Please don't take this as trolling, but...

Apart from the hobby/nostalgia factor, is there actually any real reason to use OS4? My reasons for using my last miggies, were some really good old aps, and great old games.

Are there aps for OS4 which can attract a user base? I think it can run UAE, but can it run it as well as Windows on cheap, fast hardware? I presume it would make better use of an underutilised PPC accellerator on a classic miggy, but what would it actually be used for? Can the classic version take full advantage of the old hardware for running old apps?

For my computer usage, I currently find XP to be the most capable OS. It has the apps I need to do my work, and I can buy a copy for about $20 now. I use Xubuntu for other tasks at home. Xubuntu performs pretty well on modest hardware, and can do standard jobs quite well, but there isn't the functionality of my favourite Windows apps.

So I'm left wondering: apart from being kind of cool in its own way, what does OS4 offer at this point? I loved my miggies, but I'm not a fanboy. My really good old Amiga apps have now been superceded by my Windows apps, and I'll probably buy a PS2 or PS3 pretty soon for gaming.

[persia]

It would be hard for Amiga to compete without a killer app, actually without any of the "standard" apps let alone a killer app.  It can render web pages, can't handle html mail.  It's video and audio editors are primitive.  You can't open Adobe docs or see flash on youtube.  You can't edit raw images.  You can't edit and host webpages on it.  You can't open a Word document.  Who would buy it and why?  

This is Amiga Inc's problem, they might love the idea of producing a new Amiga, but it can't compete in todays world and it would be a waste of money, so they talk and delay, then delay more and talk more.

[Fizza]

A1260 wrote:
please close this threat i dont want to hear more whining about os4.0 on mac again or else i will explode!!!  :madashell:

Please make sure you have a camcorder running when it occurs and get the next of kin to upload to youtube. thanks!  :lol:

To all those linking this to Hyperion, Amiga & Apple, and all combinations thereof, you're missing the point. As someone pointed out, if a 'third party' were to supply the code to make it boot, then it's none of anyone's business but your own. The Classic bundle is the only sticking point, but that would only require a proof of concept, and if someone were to consider making OS4 on Mac hardware a reality, that's probably the best place to start.

[adonay]

Oliver wrote:
Please don't take this as trolling, but...

Apart from the hobby/nostalgia factor, is there actually any real reason to use OS4? My reasons for using my last miggies, were some really good old aps, and great old games.

Are there aps for OS4 which can attract a user base? I think it can run UAE, but can it run it as well as Windows on cheap, fast hardware? I presume it would make better use of an underutilised PPC accellerator on a classic miggy, but what would it actually be used for? Can the classic version take full advantage of the old hardware for running old apps?

For my computer usage, I currently find XP to be the most capable OS. It has the apps I need to do my work, and I can buy a copy for about $20 now. I use Xubuntu for other tasks at home. Xubuntu performs pretty well on modest hardware, and can do standard jobs quite well, but there isn't the functionality of my favourite Windows apps.

So I'm left wondering: apart from being kind of cool in its own way, what does OS4 offer at this point? I loved my miggies, but I'm not a fanboy. My really good old Amiga apps have now been superceded by my Windows apps, and I'll probably buy a PS2 or PS3 pretty soon for gaming.

A few great points there i agree with most . I will be buying os4"for support and try" for my bppc though. But i will sell it off too someone who need\want it more after a while i think .The amiga things i do is done in os 3.1 anyways .. I don't even need os3.9. I live for games and demos and can do all the other stuff too. Used to run 3.9 see no need for it now .I don't even care much for my BPPC these days..

On the other hand i am very interested in seeing if the Os4 get any sam hardware i may buy it too try but i dont think i need it...

Aros is fun though an will be my second alternative ...

[amigadave]

persia wrote:
It would be hard for Amiga to compete without a killer app, actually without any of the "standard" apps let alone a killer app.  It can render web pages, can't handle html mail.  It's video and audio editors are primitive.  You can't open Adobe docs or see flash on youtube.  You can't edit raw images.  You can't edit and host webpages on it.  You can't open a Word document.  Who would buy it and why?  

This is Amiga Inc's problem, they might love the idea of producing a new Amiga, but it can't compete in todays world and it would be a waste of money, so they talk and delay, then delay more and talk more.

You forgot to mention the part where Amiga Inc. officers and managers (all two or three of them) keep milking their investors the whole time while they produce almost nothing of any value and then go bankrupt without really having to file bankruptcy and start another company to do the same thing to their new investors. :lol:

[persia]

That's why AROS is the ultimate answer, it will run on multiple platforms but the x86 is the most important because it provides the most "bang for the buck."  One a few people would be willing to buy an OS without real software on expensive equipment, but a whole lot more would be willing to use empty space on an existing machine or use cheap parts.

Look OS 4 which is the subject of this thread, nobody is going to see this on US$700 604e equipment, but if you can run it on a US $200 G4 iMac then a whole lot more would be interested.

[AndrewBell]

Apart from the hobby/nostalgia factor, is there actually any real reason to use OS4? My reasons for using my last miggies, were some really good old aps, and great old games.

It's a vicious circle: you need a user base to attract developers, and you need applications to attract users. A slow but steady trickle of either will start to propagate the other.

Are there aps for OS4 which can attract a user base?

You could attract a fairly large user base with a few decent internet apps and a couple of decent media players. There are plenty of people using Windows who just surf the web, email, listen to mp3s and watch the odd movie.

I think it can run UAE, but can it run it as well as Windows on cheap, fast hardware? I presume it would make better use of an underutilised PPC accellerator on a classic miggy, but what would it actually be used for? Can the classic version take full advantage of the old hardware for running old apps?

I have read that a number of scene demos work well under OS4, so hardware access doesn't seem to be a problem, but I don't think retro gaming will attract many buyers.

For my computer usage, I currently find XP to be the most capable OS. It has the apps I need to do my work, and I can buy a copy for about $20 now. I use Xubuntu for other tasks at home. Xubuntu performs pretty well on modest hardware, and can do standard jobs quite well, but there isn't the functionality of my favourite Windows apps.

Yes, AOS4 is missing some useful or vital features at the moment, but it it is also free of some of the less desirable aspects of Windows. Email viruses for example.

The Amiga doesn't need to compete with Windows in every arena. Leave spreadsheets to MSOffice, and games to the PS3. Make AOS the premium choice for internet communication, media playback and general home computing without the hassle.

Imagine an Amiga ad campaign "Because Windows is for dull people in Offices"

So I'm left wondering: apart from being kind of cool in its own way, what does OS4 offer at this point? I loved my miggies, but I'm not a fanboy. My really good old Amiga apps have now been superceded by my Windows apps, and I'll probably buy a PS2 or PS3 pretty soon for gaming.

If the hardware and software needed for AOS4 can compete on price with a Windows machine, it could offer a more enjoyable experience for the less technically inclined, in much the same way the Mac used to be promoted.
________
FORD CARGO (EUROPE) SPECIFICATIONS

[Gwion]

I have a simpler option,
They have the design for the AmigaONE!
Just re-release it!!!!
(escom did this type of thing)

[persia]

What part of Amiga One is not implimented in a PPC Mac?  

Has anyone tried OS 4 in a PPC Mac?

[persia]

We are better off with OS 4 on old Macs because you pay US$700 for an Amiga 603e card which makes a G3 look blindingly fast.  You can pick up full PPC (G4 and G5) Macs, Monitor, Keyboard, mouse, for less than that.  It's a way to run OS4 without paying serious money for serious trash.

The future of the the Amiga of course is Intel AROS, but that's a different issue.

[persia]

At this point there have been so many contracts, bankruptcies, name changes and sales I don't know who owns what.  SCOs a good example, the original SCO owned Unix, the new SCO only owned a right to produce Unix System V.  Same name, but the rights to their OS were transfered to Novel.

It'll take years to figure out who owns what.  Hyperion could just release their de-dongled OS 4.  If they lose the court case with Amiga they're toast anyway, they might as well go out in style

[issarad]

I'd love to have OS4 on the iMac I just picked up locally for $40.  BTW, it's a G3 350mhz, 512mb ram, 30gb drive, slot load cd-rom model.  I got it to familiarize myself with OS X, so the speed doesn't concern me.  But the idea of OS4 on it makes me giddy... too bad it's probably just another pipe dream.  It's a shame, you can barely pick up a stock A500 for the same price I got the mac for.

[Fizza]

issarad wrote:
I'd love to have OS4 on the iMac I just picked up locally for $40.  BTW, it's a G3 350mhz, 512mb ram, 30gb drive, slot load cd-rom model.   the idea of OS4 on it makes me giddy... It's a shame, you can barely pick up a stock A500 for the same price I got the mac for.

Forgive my creative quoting, but this is exactly it, it's entirely doable, it just needs someone who has the talent to step up and deliver. To answer the 'no apps', I'll say that you won't probably get Adobe interested any time soon but having a great OS on cheap hardware is an excellent way to kickstart (no pun intended) development as it makes the initial cost almost negligible barring the cost of the OS. Besides if you needed Dreamweaver/Photoshop etc.. you could always maybe dualboot? Or even a sandbox OS X install, it's is running on a Mac after all! The big fish (Adobe etc.) can wait, the tide needs to turn first and IMHO the best shot of this is AOS4.0 on cheap, available, and powerful PowerPC hardware.. hmm.. Q.E.D.

[patts]

Interesting thread... Got some old G3's at home..

Hmmm but i think this tread has gone out of the subject. The question in hand is, could it be done? Have anyone tried it?