Make a case for x86 Amiga OS

[Manu]

@cammy

Good post I agree with what you say.

@thread
And about the name, well you can't please everybody, but "Ubuntu" "Kubuntu" that got to be the worst name you could put on an OS ever. :-)

[BigBenAussie]

And all of this is usable from the bootable CD/DVD! You just download the FREE ISO, burn it, reboot, and your PC is now running a modern AmigaOS written from scratch for x86 architecture.

Except when it doesn't work. Which in my case is every time. I just tried it out last night.
Never mind. My machine doesn't seem to like Linux distros either, although I would have thought I have fairly standard hardware.

IF the new Commodore USA takes off, AND they are able to negotiate AROS OEM licensing, that would aid the AROS community immensely, with licensing income, increased exposure, as well as raise AROS's profile along-side a well known brand. Unfortunately it would seem that the AROS community is not prepared for OEM licensing as such, so hopefully this can get some focus.
With OEM hardware support for a stable hardware base, AROS could really shine. Add OEM licensing for classic Amiga ROMS via Amiga Forever licensing and you can run all classic Amiga software out of the box. Such a commercial distro for Commodore computers would be called "Commodore AROS". It wouldn't in any way disturb the existing AROS ecosystem, would add to the userbase, and a successful commercial entity would probably be able to contribute to bounties for functionality to aid the whole userbase regardless of what computer they are using.  
It's not the Commodore of old of course, it can never be, but at least if they pay homage to the software legacy, it can't be a bad thing. Aside from the flagship model which is the Commodore Phoenix, Commodore will release a range of small all-in-one keyboard computers (Amigo), netbooks and tablets, that would be greatly aided by an efficient operating system like AROS. I have it on good authority that the amount of pre-orders for the Phoenix alone already dwarfs the existing AROS user base. The idea for an OEM Commodore specific distro has already been floated, and there will soon be a concerted effort to get the OEM licensing and hardware support happening. All parties with a stake or interest can expect to hear from me soon. Commodore USA is now serious about AROS and determined to make it happen real soon.

Disclaimer: I am Commodore's technical adviser. My opinion is purely my own.

[bloodline]

AROS is just the base package name. The idea is that the distributions can have whatever name the maintainer wants.

If you want "AmiOS" or "workBench 7", simply build and distribute one

[Colani1200]

Downside is I could not get it to connect to the network none of the drivers on the live CD would work with my Broadcom chipset network card.

Gave up in the end so didn't even try to get sound working, will wait awhile longer I guess.

Why wait? Just pick the right hardware and you're done. You can get a compatible network and audio car for something like $ 10. The AROS HCL will help you: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Aros/Platforms/x86_support

[Colani1200]

IF the new Commodore USA takes off

I doubt they will:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/12/commodore-gaming-disavows-commodore-usa-and-its-decals

[ElPolloDiabl]

My Aros install works on my desktop, but I'm running it in Virtual PC. Try running it on MS Virtual PC and see if you have any luck.

[Amiga_Nut]

How about installing it to a USB flash card? No problem! Then you can take your x86 Amiga OS setup with you anywhere you go. Plug it into the display laptops and netbooks at the shops, boot up into Aros, unplug and go to the next shop. Leave Amiga on everything.

Guerilla tactics...I like it

All you need to do is make a youtube video of AROS doing the following...

Running MSN/Live messenger and chatting (preferably with video chat)
Loading and updating someones Facebook page on the included browser.
Playing various music file formats like MP3/FLAC
Playing AVI (XVID/DIVX codecs) output to the usual 700mb per movie/350mb per 45minute TV show.
Downloading something via a Bittorrent client for P2P stuff.
Transferring a JPEG from a digital camera to the computer and then printing it.
(editing pics would be a nice bonus also)


And you know what, the above counts for 95% of PC/Laptop users needs today. Very few people do anything more than the above. That would really wake people up as to just how irrelevant buying an OS like Win7/OS X is in this day and age. If you can hammer home an advantage about reliability/speed/efficient use of CPU then even better.

(obviously if something above there is not possible then it's probably coming soon)

To the question at hand....if you mean a port of OS4 for x86 then that would also be nice yes. I do actually like OS4 but the hardware is either scarce/no longer produced or just not very fast in CPU terms compared to costs of various Intel CPUs.

THIS is what Amiga Inc should have focussed on, at the very least as a side project, and then taking it from their to offer a branded Amiga computer experience with this bespoke OS.

It never hurt Apple going from PPC to x86 and I don't think any users left Apple userdom in disgust over having Intel hardware.....had Commodore jumped from 680x0 to x86 I think it may have worked out a lot better for them instead of floundering over PPC stuff. Some people laughed or were horrified at the mere suggestion, but x86 CPU <> Windows & DOS and x86 <> no custom chips allowed on new Amigas, People didn't realise this at the time. and few people could see past their hate for Microsoft to realise the eventual good points of the other (ie x86 was king of the price/performance ratio due to economies of scale...and Commodore would have been buying a hell of a lot more CPUs than Apple in mid 90s had they remained alive long enough to make it happen).

A CPU is just a CPU....but it's a bit late for 'Amiga' as a bespoke computer, unless someone with the level of cash of say Google wanted to do something. Chrome OS is laughable....what a waste of money and customer loyalty that will be.

[gaula92]

I spent months making my Gentoo Linux behave like AmigaOS so I can have a decent OS on X86, and all this rant about AROS is temting me so badly to try it again...
So before I hit another wall (I tried it years ago) please tell me:

-Does AROS even boot on EFI-based machines? I've two X86 Mac Minis here that would be nice AROS machines.

-Does it support Nvidia 9400 graphics? Or would I have to use VESA modes for this one?

-Does it support Intel HDA sound? I believe it does, but I'm not sure.

regards

[LoadWB]

I believe we should discuss AmigaOS x64, not x86, if we are going to discuss anything at all and seriously.  And I understand that AROS supports x64.

[dammy]

I believe we should discuss AmigaOS x64, not x86, if we are going to discuss anything at all and seriously.  And I understand that AROS supports x64.

What makes AOS so special that it should be ported?

[bloodline]

I spent months making my Gentoo Linux behave like AmigaOS so I can have a decent OS on X86, and all this rant about AROS is temting me so badly to try it again...
So before I hit another wall (I tried it years ago) please tell me:

-Does AROS even boot on EFI-based machines? I've two X86 Mac Minis here that would be nice AROS machines.

-Does it support Nvidia 9400 graphics? Or would I have to use VESA modes for this one?

-Does it support Intel HDA sound? I believe it does, but I'm not sure.

regards

Yeah, the EFI boot issue is a problem with the Grub version we use to boot AROS... I've moaned about it in the past, as I lack the knowledge to fix it myself

[LoadWB]

What makes AOS so special that it should be ported?

Ask he who started the thread.  I am just following a theme, which is porting AmigaOS to x86.  I believe that the better discussion is porting to x64.  I could advocate AmigaOS or not AmigaOS.

[ElPolloDiabl]

Ask he who started the thread.  I am just following a theme, which is porting AmigaOS to x86.  I believe that the better discussion is porting to x64.  I could advocate AmigaOS or not AmigaOS.

x86 = x86-64

If it's ported there's no reason they can't can't share drivers and tools with AROS. It would be nice having the official version on x86-64 as a stamp of approval. Also you can brag to people that "Amiga is back" on the PC.

[bloodline]

Ask he who started the thread.  I am just following a theme, which is porting AmigaOS to x86.  I believe that the better discussion is porting to x64.  I could advocate AmigaOS or not AmigaOS.

In a modern context, x86 means x64 and x86-64.

And I have to agree that this is a mute point now, AOS4 is what it is now. Those that have it, I'm sure are very happy let's leave them be. The rest of us have AROS, which already supports x86 (And yes, it has an x64/x86-64 build too) and PPC with various people looking into bringing the ARM and 68K ports up to speed...

IcAROS is a great distribution, almost anyone can use it. I thing everthing is good here

[gaula92]

Well, I should try it, where should I ask and donate to get it booting in EFI machines?

[bloodline]

Well, I should try it, where should I ask and donate to get it booting in EFI machines?

Just ask on aros-exec.org

If I wasn't so bogged down in iPhone code, I'd try and have a look myself!

Michal did say that the EFI actually provides all the services that AROS currently relies on GRUB to provide... So if might just be a case of building an AROS build that uses the EFI to load the exec.library etc...

-Edit- hmmm, did a bit if checking, and it looks like GRUB2 is in use by Ubuntu now... That might be a quicker and simpler way to go!