Why was there nothing after os 3.9?

[mrmoonlight]

Simply because it wouldn't be profitable. Look, if you already compare the money I got from Os 3.9 development to what a software developer would get on the market for writing PC software, then this was really a joke. I did it for the fun of it, not for the money. Os 3.9 sold, but given the number of copies it sold it was barely worth the trouble for anyone, including the company that organized its development, namely H&P. Os 4.0 came after 3.9, and the scheme Hyperion seems to be using (as far as I can tell) is to make at least some money on the hardware to finance the software development. Funding a company from Amiga software alone wouldn't simply work anymore - the community is too small, and is not willing to spend enough money on a new release to make this viable.

The only way how this could work would be to use a different development model, probably some open source type model that would give interested parties free access to the sources, plus probably a test farm and a centralized repository, probably with some official net-based releases from time to time that have been verified and tested. It seems, however, that Hyperion (the current license owner of Amiga Os) is not interested in this model - likely because it would compete with their Os 4 development, and hence would diminish their Os 4 sales. I understand and respect this, but it also means that we're trapped with either outdated software, or private hackery based on inaccurate information on how AmigaOs is working - pretty sad, but that's reality.

 
 Hi truly thank you for your honest reply, and can I just point  out I am no way well versed in the Amiga apart from the fact that I think that they are one hell of an amazing computer and when os 3.9 came out the Amiga became a bright star in a very dark sky, so much so the children in my house hold were queuing up   to get on her and that included myself.
          surely this was the time too build on the os 3.9 and begin what would have been os 4.0 and surely the icing on the cake and then any thing really good always sells and we would have had a winner which just maybe would have paid for itself instead there was nothing but boing   bags, and don't get me wrong I appreciate all the effort  that went in to them, but history repeats itself and again we were so near and we let it all slip away, so sad   but 3.9 rolls on ,very best wishes to you, Brian.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Using 3.9 with BB1-4 on my main A2000.  There are a few additional updates, including the latest version of the Peter K icon library, plus a few tools included in 3.9 & the BB's that have been updated (tip: just type the name of every tool included in 3.9 into the Aminet search field), but overall I like it a lot.  Thanks for chiming in, Thomas, for your hard work!

[magnetic]

amigakid

YES! You can still buy os 3.9 with a variety of the remaing amiga dealers afaik

[mrmoonlight]

Is there a way to Purchase OS 3.9? I bought OS 3.5 a long while ago and never upgraded to 3.9. Can I still by a legal original copy of it?

 
 Hi (http://www.amigakit.com), or (http://www.vesalia.de) I am quite sure one of these will have one and I should try (http://www.amigakit.com), first as they don't come much better, best wishes Brian.

[mrmoonlight]

Hey Brian, this is the download location recommended by EAB.
http://lilliput.amiga-projects.net/start.htm
Hope this helps.
BTW, I used these downloads and IIRC they worked without problems.

The (very long) EAB Thread....
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=52707

 Hi gizmo350 truly grateful my friend, I will give them a go , very best wishes Brian.

[magnetic]

Mr moonlight
If your a1200 is stable id recommend NOT to install these bb3 and 4.

[mrmoonlight]

Mr moonlight
If your a1200 is stable id recommend NOT to install these bb3 and 4.

 LOL  Well I have to say my A1200 and my A600 which are both running os 3.9 are both as stable as a mountain goat and I have not installed any thing yet so I had better hold back me thinks, is there any reason why I should not install them? very best wishes Brian.

[magnetic]

Yes the reason is it could lead to instability which is something you dont need on your fun retro system. Just search EAB for problems ppl have had with these boing patch releases..its like a vintage car if its running perfect dont mess with it!

[mrmoonlight]

Yes the reason is it could lead to instability which is something you dont need on your fun retro system. Just search EAB for problems ppl have had with these boing patch releases..its like a vintage car if its running perfect dont mess with it!

Well that's that then as I cant risk my fun retro system throwing a wobbly, I sure wish some one will produce a updated os 4.0 now that will make my day, very best wishes Brian.

[magnetic]

i would add that iI personally havent run the boing bag 3 or 4 and I know a few people put a lot of effort into it. Having said that, as many amigans new when you add hacks/patches to amigaos it can break easily, and NOBODY likes guru screens!

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Bah.  Turning on your system can also lead to "instability".  So can getting up out of bed in the morning.  They install very easily, just a couple clicks, if you're that worried make a backup you can restore from, first.  Why use 3.9 in the first place, if you don't want "the latest & greatest"?  Might as well stick with 1.2.  

[magnetic]

If anything he can create another bootable partition and put the hack fest bb 3 and 4 on that and keep his stable system intact.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

The argument could also be made that anything after the last official C= release is a "hack fest", since they strap on many previously freely distributable or commercial utilities, many of which could otherwise just be downloaded from Aminet and installed on a C= era system.  

But no worries Magnetic, I'm just trying to get you riled up, lol.  Good luck with your system, OP!

[magnetic]

Mike you are right os 3.9 is actually a hack/patch fest lmao. Thats why they called them Hack and patch instead of Haage and partner.

[guest11527]

The various owners/ people who have claimed ownership have only themselves to blame for not making money on AmigaOS software.

I don't think that this is really the case. The problem is that the various owners of Amiga technology (Escom, Gateway...) all tried to "milk" the platform and squeeze money out of a system that was already dead to begin with. There wasn't any money to make on Amiga back then, except that the various investors and owners did not understand this. It would have required a massive investment to bring the technology up to date, and none of the "investors" actually had enough interest to actually invest into it, including CBM. Amiga was lacking behind already, CBM just tried to sell the old hardware without investment, and all "investors" afterwards tried the same - not realizing the death of the platform.

The death of CBM is a typical case of an industry that did not learn that its time has come, and that it has to move on or die. CBMs business model did not work anymore - selling custom hardware - because they failed to invest into the only selling point the Amiga had initially, namely suppreme media capabilities. They also failed to sell Amiga as a serious business machine because there was no serious software basis for it.

[guest11527]

Mike you are right os 3.9 is actually a hack/patch fest lmao. Thats why they called them Hack and patch instead of Haage and partner.

No, not really. While it is certainly true that 3.9 included many utlities that came from Aminet, it is also true that 3.9 did not contain patches. The typical Aminet patch has been developed by ignoring system specs or without enough knowledge of the insides of AOS, and is hacked into the system, 3.9 improvements were made from the 3.1 and 3.5 Os sources. Nothing had to be patched - the software was reviewed, improved and corrected. 3.9 math libraries is such a case, the workbench was created this way, so did the FFS.

It is not a new model to buy third party software and include it in the Os. AREXX was such a case (except that CBM never paid for it, shame on them!), AmigaBasic is such a case, the NanoEmacs is, BRU is... So, don't look down on 3.9 because the added software did not come from CBM. It could not. CBM was dead - for the better.