Amiga browser wars, AmigaOS for One/transAM campaign, BoXeR, I tried to write an article for Suite101.com this month but couldn't figure out what to write - there was paradoxically so much to talk about, but so little to actually talk about. In the end I wrote an article on opening up the AmigaOS source code for licencing to interested parties - computer science students, curious programmers, hardware developers. It wasn't the most amazing thing I could've written, but I was quite pleased with it anyway so I uploaded it to the Suite101.com site for publication on the 1st March.
You can find my Amiga editorial for Suite101.com here: http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/amiga
While online I downloaded my mail... and found a curious message: Amiga Inc. had made an announcement! Oh, jeez... but I decided to keep what I had written for Suite101, and write up my summary of the announcement here - the announcement is good news, but nothing substantial enough to dedicate the Suite101 column to just yet. So, here it is:
If you haven't already, take a look at the announcement:
This looks like the one, folks, the sign that Amiga Inc. are about to gear up for action - and visibly, this time. Looks like the summertime is going to be packed with announcements.
Jim Collas has taken over as president of the Amiga, which suggest the recent comments about Gateway's unhappiness with Amiga Inc. were true and that they're stepping in to make sure things start powering up for the future. About time too, some might say. The fact that the press release mentions shipping of new Amigas before the end of the year is a great reassurance... okay, we've heard them before, but this time I'm inclined to believe them - these are effectively coming from Gateway, the people with the money and the determination to get something back from their investment other than a choice selection of Amiga patents. The cavalry have arrived...
Okay, so it's more of a PR thing at the moment - the tangible stuff still hasn't arrived, despite the fact that we are supposedly due for the development box (delayed from last November, if you remember). But there was something that immediately caught my eye: not only was the development box mentioned, plus the Internet box many fear will end up being the only thing remotely Amiga-like, but also "...a low cost home computer in the tradition of the Amiga A500...". In many ways, that's the most important thing noted - the first definite description of an NG Amiga available in the style we know and love. Though I'm a little puzzled that all three are set to be released simultaneously - has the November Box been delayed again for next November? Are we actually going to see these products released now? Surely, the development box was supposed to be launched before the new Amigas, to allow developers to build up NG software? In many ways it's quite comforting to know that Amiga Inc. press releases often raise more questions than they answer. The sentiment is there at least.
The question remains, can the home computer version of the NG Amiga cut it in today's climate? The iMac has taken a swathe through the PC market using a skilfully applied combination of sleek design, powerful marketing and Macintosh ease-of-use - and with it, a slice of what should've been Amiga territory. The PC is available in cheap and cheerful, high-performance boxes to suit the average user - the only bad thing is the bloated, buggy OS you are forced to buy with them. Performance and cost are just two factors any new Amiga is going to have to deal with - the next is getting people to think differently to the PC and buy them. The iMac is doing it very successfully (to the extent that iMac owners in my office outnumber the PC and Amiga owners by a long way - 1 PC, 1 Amiga, several Macs!), so perhaps the Amiga can exploit this change in view and wedge itself nicely back into the personal computer market where it can bloom once again.
Now, as many regulars will know, I'm keen to be running a PIOS/MIAG transAM PowerPC with AmigaOS, a dream with no basis in reality as yet. Note QNX runs on PowerPCs, as well as x86 and MIPS... it would seem a shame for Amiga Inc. to waste this opportunity for multiplatform Amigas, especially since the hardware will actually be manufactured by third party companies. I keep thinking of a recent comment about the transAM in relation to the Amiga: "it's more in the game than people think" I believe was the phrase used (I can't recall who quoted this, it might have been Dave Haynie but I'm not sure as I don't have a copy of the source). Could it be that Met@Box (PIOS/MIAG) is close to partnering with Amiga Inc to provide hardware? MIAG have been very quiet of late, particularly with the whole BeOS/PPC situation running around and many trying to encourage Be and Met@Box to get the One/transAM going as a supported PPC BeOS platform. Could it be that another company has slipped in to fill the gap? PIOS was formed from ex-Commodore Amiga employees dedicated to developing a CHRP Amiga after all. Just a thought...