Custom Kickstart ROMs

[danbeaver]

Thomas, following what you stated (which corrects the "Industrial" perceived notion that Amiga users are thieves trading in the illegal use of intellectual property), just sell a copy of the Cloanto CD with each EMPTY Rom-able device.

May the Lord bless those who believe we are all gonnif dreck.

[kolla]

I could not care less about original ROMs, I would flash all systems with my own custom kickstarts anyhow. I honestly do not understand this need to point out that selling kickstarts without licensing is illegal on a thread that is neither about selling kickstarts nor about selling EEPROMs with kickstarts. Follet's comment about dealers having issues with flashable kickstart replacements, because it potencially could be used to load unlicensed kickstarts, is just ridiculous- by same argument they should stop selling computer gear alltogether.

[guest11527]

Thomas, following what you stated (which corrects the "Industrial" perceived notion that Amiga users are thieves trading in the illegal use of intellectual property), just sell a copy of the Cloanto CD with each EMPTY Rom-able device.

That's pretty much what I was saying above. This, or get in touch with Cloanto in first place to get the licence on the ROM image, and put that into the ROM right away. One way or another, somebody with the rights to sell the ROM image should be included.

[kolla]

No, why would I pay extra for a kickstart image that I have zero use for to be preloaded? If anything is to be preloaded, let it be AROS/68k kickstart already.

[psxphill]

It makes installation a bit nasty because the users have a bootstrap problem.

They don't. A bootstrap problem would be:

1. To flash it you need a bootable system
2. To boot the system you first need to flash it.

Point 1 doesn't apply because you can flash it in an eprom programmer.
Point 2 doesn't apply because you can only flash it in an eprom programmer.

If an in place flashing solution was developed then you could still say it needed to be bootstrapped using an eprom programmer, you could make the flashing programmer compatible with a kickstart switcher & boot the computer off the real rom or you could ship it with aros 68k (or even go for a combination of all three).

If the flash becomes corrupt then you'll need to be able to bootstrap it again, shipping copyright roms doesn't gain anything.
 
 There is obviously more of a market for a chip that supports in place flashing compared to one that doesn't. I'm hoping that once people get their hands on it then a modification will be done that allows it, which will then raise the issue. But right now it's a product aimed purely at people who want to be able to burn their own roms, but don't want to wait for an eprom eraser. It's a start.

[guest11527]

They don't. A bootstrap problem would be:

1. To flash it you need a bootable system
2. To boot the system you first need to flash it.

Point 1 doesn't apply because you can flash it in an eprom programmer.
Point 2 doesn't apply because you can only flash it in an eprom programmer.

[LoadWB]

Follet's comment about dealers having issues with flashable kickstart replacements, because it potencially could be used to load unlicensed kickstarts, is just ridiculous- by same argument they should stop selling computer gear alltogether.

Like hard drives, floppies, USB sticks, CD-RWs, DVD-RWs.... or maybe our countries should just levy a tax on all blank media.  (:sealed: before someone hears me.)

[psxphill]

Like hard drives, floppies, USB sticks, CD-RWs, DVD-RWs.... or maybe our countries should just levy a tax on all blank media. (:sealed: before someone hears me.)

You mean like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_copying_levy?

[danbeaver]

Screw it, maybe Kipper can also use Anthony's design and bypass those people whose trees obscure the forrest.