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Amiga As A Compatibility Tool For Linux
Milk-Boy directs your attention to this amiga.org editorial, which raises an interesting point about compatibility, and the downside to Linux's constant development. The work-around suggested to breaking programs is to use the (upcoming) Amiga OS under Linux. It reads, in part, "[W]hy should developers slave away writing one game over and over again when they can write it once, optimize it for specific platforms if desired (Amiga's operating system is real-time and thus quite fast), and release it on all major software platforms -- including Linux -- simultaneously. Suddenly Windows becomes a choice, not a given -- and the world will be well." The argument is extended by mentioning that StarOffice and Mozilla are also planned for the Amiga OS.
If the operating systems Amiga is running on top of are not real-time, how does it achieve real-time status? Or is it one of those shutdown your OS and restart with another things? Does anyone know?
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-- Slashdot sucks.
Ahh a program that can be ported to any platform almost instantaniously. It will work without flaws and bring joy to all gamers. You have reached: nerdvana.
I am !amused.
"It [Linux] is a support nightmare due to the multiple flavors of popular versions (of Linux) and the ever-changing kernel. Retailers don't want it, and the Linux Q3A sales were disappointing."
Its becomming more and more clear that linux needs a standard distro. Like it or not, this is one of the strengths of windows. People are tired of software saying thinks like --it works with linux but with debian you have to do this and with slackware you have to do something else to get it to work.
But non-free commercial software is fairly scarce on Linux, and when it does come out it tends to fail in the commercial market, as Quake III Arena has done.
A side effect to the free-software movement. I think its obvious that the FSF has been unable to adequatley make its point that free speech != free beer. Im not saying the FSF has failed, but only not made its point clear enough on this issue.
So why does Linux need Amiga? Well, believe it or not, there are Linux users that will want to use and buy Amiga software.
see above comment. This is why Amiga will fail. It has to be baught. Linux users (right or wronge) want stuff free. I think its a frustration over paying outrageous prices for windows software with all its holes and bugs. As a result, linux users would rather take development level software for free -- even if it never gets out of development level.
Of course, all of this hinges on the final Amiga DE actually being released
READ: VaporWare
when is amiga ever going to actually release something and just stop promising to?
Im sorry to be so harsh here, but it is kind of sad.
Amiga's operating system is real-time and thus quite fast
Real-time only means it meets timing guarantees. Not that it is fast. Real-time only means when I say it'll take 100 days to add two numbers, it absolutely won't take 101 days.
Sure, real time operating systems commonly are relatively quick but one does not automatically imply the other.
Armed with a legacy of being the most capable gaming platform on the market, the new Amiga DE
It is either new or it has a legacy. I don't understand how it can have both. In any case I seriously doubt this statement is anything other than marketing vapor.
For game developers, Amiga's powerful multiplatform, multimedia-centric Amiga DE is a dream come true.
Multiplatform and multimedia-centric are relatively useless buzzwords for game developers. Until Amiga's SDK becomes as powerful as DirectX (not that I'm saying DirectX is perfect, just that it's nice not to have to reinvent the wheel all the time) the Amiga will never be a dream come true for developers.
At under 5MB total, the Amiga DE can even run piggy-back on game discs for Nintendo's Game Cube
and Sony's Playstation
That's a lot. The original Playstation only has 2 MB of system memory. The N64 has 4 MB. The Dreamcast has 16 MB. I'm not sure I want the OS eating up over 1/4 of the available memory on my console. Since it doesn't sound like they're talking about consoles, what do they mean when they say "multiplatform"?
Ports of StarOffice and Mozilla (and thereby Netscape 6 and beyond) are already planned
Lots of things are planned. Some of them actually end up happening.
Bottom line: if Linux were to become an Open System by adopting open industry standards and stating compliance, rapid change would be irrelevant to developers because Linux would always be backward compatible. UNIX did this years ago.
More information on open systems is available at the SEI's Open Systems page.
Its becomming more and more clear that linux needs a standard distro. Like it or not, this is one of the strengths of windows. People are tired of software saying thinks like --it works with linux but with debian you have to do this and with slackware you have to do something else to get it to work.
I remember a quote from J. Carmack in his .plan file (which is unfortunately gone now), where he stated why the Q3Test was released for Mac OS first: because the hardware was "predictable" and there was only one OpenGL implementation n the platform, so it made for an ideal test environment.
My point being: while that doesn't always translate to shipping commercial software, I think it says something about the value of a standard platform or "reference" platform.
note: this is not Mac evangelism.
I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
I wonder how the first developers view the new Amiga direction.
I have mixed feelings. I was so anxious for the Gateway box that was supposed to come out. I loved the A1000 we had years ago (look at the games I can play... what can your AppleIIGS do?).
My first experience with a dos machine was on the Amiga emulator and the 5 1/4 drive. Also, my first experience with public domain games (Freddy Fish?) Also, programing too, some form of basic. And pascal too, I think.
Now, we have something that looks a little like Java or that web browser plugin (mentioned earlier). I have so many mixed feelings. The idea that you can still develop for something under the Amiga name is cool if only for the rich history. I guess if it delivers what it promises, it should be worth developing for, but is there a contingency for those that spend the time and it never pans out? I know that the current carrier of the Amiga name has promised not to pull a Gateway-type move on us fans, but Gateway also promised to not do it either.
Maybe I am jaded by all of the past lies and promises or maybe I just wonder what is wrong with developing for individual platforms.
Who knows... enough from a person looking at the past.
-I just work here... how am I supposed to know?
where the marketing's all true and the processor's smart,
it's magic,
when five megabytes,
can make twenty plaforms move like dancers in tights...
So, with just five megabytes in any environment, Amiga can solve every cross-platform issue known to man, and implement a real-time OS on top of non-real-time OS's? This I have got to see. Sign me up for the first game that runs on my Dreamcast, my windows computer, and my linux computer with this groovy five megabyte magic addition. I expect it to run faster then the equivalent Java game!
Only then will this little voice inside of me stop composing mocking ditties set to old sixties music.
Well I have the SDK so I think I could answer some of your questions:
.04=386, .16=PPC, .24=Pentium2, etc.
Real-time only means it meets timing guarantees. Not that it is fast. Real-time only means when I say it'll take 100 days to add two numbers, it absolutely won't take 101 days.
Yes, its true. It only means that it will meet the timing requirements. I'm sure that it doesn't meet them when it is hosted, but for a virtual processor is really fast. I always read here comparisons with Java. Java is slow, very slow. I have the Windows SDK and everything runs as fast as the host. I heard the Linux SDK is even faster. I was really surprised with the speed of the alpha blending demos that come with the SDK.
It is either new or it has a legacy. I don't understand how it can have both. In any case I seriously doubt this statement is anything other than marketing vapor.
You are right, this line is just marketing stuff.
Multiplatform and multimedia-centric are relatively useless buzzwords for game developers. Until Amiga's SDK becomes as powerful as DirectX (not that I'm saying DirectX is perfect, just that it's nice not to have to reinvent the wheel all the time) the Amiga will never be a dream come true for developers.
The Amiga DE will come with RenderWare (according to the manuals) and the framework is used in PS2, Dreamcast, PC and Mac. Don't know anything about sound or input devices but they are supposed to be working on something. We'll see.
That's a lot. The original Playstation only has 2 MB of system memory. The N64 has 4 MB. The Dreamcast has 16 MB. I'm not sure I want the OS eating up over 1/4 of the available memory on my console. Since it doesn't sound like they're talking about consoles, what do they mean when they say "multiplatform"?
The PS1 and the N64 don't count anymore. Everyone will start programming for the Dolphin, PS2, and Dreamcast only. They are talking about consoles and computers as well. The OS can run hosted in other operating systems and native in a lot of chips. Why everyone that posts here doesn't even bother to look for information before posting? Visit TAO which is the basis of the new OS.
Another thing you guys should know. Not everything is 'virtual-assembly'. When you compile a program the extension is program.00 (.00 means VP, the virtual processor instructions). You could compile to native code if you wanted but you will lose the portability. There is an extension for each native processor, for example
The only thing that I actually is a huge, but HUGE mistake is, believe it or not, that it doesn't have memory protection. It only protects the addresses from 0-128. I heard they were going to add it, and that currently it wasn't there because it was an embedded os. I hope is true.