@Madgun68
Wow. I thought before that seeing AmigaOS 4 on the Pegasos 2 might be a possibility but after this thread appeared, I consider it highly unlikely.
I think you're right. It would go against Amiga Inc's wishes and against Eyetech's interests.
Not that I ever thought it was seriously on the cards anyway. Too many huge egos would have to back down for it to happen.
I doubt at this point Eyetech have sold any boards not slated to run AmigaOS 4. This guarantees that every one that has sold will be running a legit copy of AOS 4.
True. It doesn't guarantee a big number of sales though, nor is there good reason to assume that the majority of Eyetech's industrial customers will be using OS4, even if they're entitled to it.
The moment any Pegasos machine is sold with AOS 4, the piracy door is wide open.
The piracy door is already wide open. The dongle, external or in ROM, is just a paper shield.
In fact, the parties are creating their own problem rather than combating it. There must be plenty of people out there who would like to have access to OS4 and MOS on the same system, for a variety of reasons. However, there are no realistic prospects of this being possible legally in the foreseaable future, so a fertile ground for piracy of either or both products is being created right there.
Hardware dongles don't work. They didn't work 20 years ago and they don't work now. It's amazing at times what lengths pirates will go to so they don't have to pay for something. You might not like hearing this, but it's a fact.
It's not so much avoiding to pay for something as it is the culture of cracking and releasing. It's the same culture that was there when the Amiga was in the big time, and which is mostly concentrated on Windows these days. The faces may change, but the culture won't, because those trying to fight it don't understand their enemy.
I doubt any reseller is going to pay for a license for a machine they sell but don't make. They'd have to pay for the license and for the development of whatever dongle would be used. Honestly, what Amiga reseller has money to burn for stuff like this these days?
Don't forget they'd have to provide first-line problem diagnosis too, which involves considerable expense and training in someone else's product.
It ain't gonna happen.
And if Amiga Inc have any say in who does and does not get a license, forget Genesi ever attaining one.
True, but then I consider Amiga Inc an irrelevance now (and I'm being kind).