Open source for amiga?

[mikeymike]

this must be the biggest non moderated thread ever on amiga.org , and seriously its about time it get moderated..

I think Christmas still has some time to wear off me yet, I'm still feeling half-asleep :-)

Guys, play nice, or I'll have to start editing your posts. I'm in far too good a mood to do this.  Don't break my good mood, because then I'll be annoyed.  And when I get annoyed, Mr Bigglesworth gets upset, and then people DIE!

(even edit your own posts if you now feel you went a bit overboard)

[lempkee]

mikeymike:thanx for the fast response

[GreggBz]

>> Linux survives because of its geek factor, not because it's open source.

That's kind of dissmisive and narrow sighted.
But regardless, Ok. At least It's surviving.

I guess the Personal Computer survived because of it's geek factor also.

[dammy]

by KennyR on 2003/12/28 10:25:25

* Open sourcing never saved anything. Linux survives because of its geek factor, not because it's open source.

Quite wrong actually.  Linux is surviving because it's open source, it would died a long time ago if it wasn't.  Corps are now seeing Linux and open source applications as their new way of cutting IT cost.  See this article on why M$ had a flat quarter.  

Dammy

[KennyR]

Dammy wrote:
Quite wrong actually. Linux is surviving because it's open source, it would died a long time ago if it wasn't.

Then how do you explain the deaths or lack of use of many other open source OS's, including many of the DOS and Unix clones?

Linux would have died if it wasn't open source. But being open source alone did not result in its success. Open-sourcing AmigaOS or even MacOS tomorrow wouldn't result in a sudden flood of users. All it would result in would be the disinterest of companies that has blighted Linux's usefulness beyond the 'geek' and server niches.

[Seehund]

iamaboringperson wrote:

voytech wrote:
Lets write a petition!
(think that there is one already, but am not sure) :-)

/hide mode ON

Look in SeeHund's sig.

Errr... That's got nothing to do with open sourcing AmigaOS. That's not about giving away stuff for free, on the contrary it's about actually trying to sell a product.

Even though I personally think open sourcing AmigaOS would be a good idea, I don't see it happening. AInc owns(?) AOS <=3.1 and Hyperion owns what's been made for 4.0. Sitting on IP seems to be AInc's entire business, and they're not giving away their business voluntarily.

Until Genesi makes a computer that beats at least the Mac in price/performance (the Peg2 is a step in that direction it seems, at least if you buy it with Euros) and AInc realises that there is no "Amiga hardware" to try to control, it looks like AROS currently has the best chances for both survival and growth among the Amiga-ish alternatives IMO.

[mikeymike]

Then how do you explain the deaths or lack of use of many other open source OS's, including many of the DOS and Unix clones?

Simple.  Linux is the flavour of the moment.  Err, last 5 years or so.  :-)

[dammy]

by KennyR on 2003/12/28 13:39:50

Then how do you explain the deaths or lack of use of many other open source OS's, including many of the DOS and Unix clones?

Just because an OS is open source does not make it an OS that *should* survive.  Open Source does enhance the survivalibility of a given OS.  But if it's a poorly thought out OS without talented coders driving it forward, it's DOA. This is the reason why I'm betting on AROS.  Developement maybe a bumpy road at times, but the product is pretty damn nice and the coders know their stuff.

Dammy

[KennyR]

Mikeymike wrote:
Simple. Linux is the flavour of the moment. Err, last 5 years or so. :-)

Not a lot for that kind of success. Star Trek has been around for more than 30. ;-)

[mikeymike]

Star Trek has been around for more than 30.

That's because it was GREAT! :-)

[GreggBz]

The whole motivation behind my argument was give it to me now!
Honestly, If I had OS4 to play with in some reasonable manifestation.. and by that I mean more then a collection of screenshots, I would buy an AmigaOne.

[mikeymike]

Honestly, If I had OS4 to play with in some reasonable manifestation.. and by that I mean more then a collection of screenshots, I would buy an AmigaOne.

Except of course you can't play with OS4 without an AmigaOne, so that means you'll never buy it.

Chicken: Egg scenario :-)