Who is the "father" of workbench? (if there is one)

Raid27 · 22 April 2018, 08:54

It's a something I've never really thought about and I do not recall reading about it:

Was there a main designer/visionary behind the Workbench 1.0 in the likes of Linus Torvalds?

DrBong · 22 April 2018, 09:26

Dale Luck and RJ Mical spring to my mind as the chief architects of Workbench. RJ Mical was notably responsible for Intuition. You can find some hidden credits for WB 1.0 on Greg Donner's Workbench Nostalgia website:

http://www.gregdonner.org/workbench/wb_10.html

Raid27 · 22 April 2018, 11:36

They deserve every bit of praise. If it had all been text & dos & shell I would probably not have gotten into computers. (I was only 9 when I got my Amiga 500).

Retro1234 · 22 April 2018, 13:34

Dr Tim King
Workbench 0.0

DrBong · 22 April 2018, 14:18

@Retro1234
Not sure what you mean by Workbench 0.0 exactly, but yeh Dr Tim King was responsible for AmigaDOS and ABasiC (included with early versions of Kickstart because Microsoft's AmigaBASIC hadn't yet been completed). Carl Sassenrath was also responsible for Exec, which was integral to the Amiga's pre-emptive multitasking. They're Amiga pioneers deserving of much respect too IMHO!

Foebane · 22 April 2018, 14:35

I've heard of many names surrounding Amiga and Tim King is not one of them. A Brit? Show me his name in the WB credits, I need proof!

stainy · 22 April 2018, 14:37

Talin ( David Joiner ) was responsible for the 'installer' I believe.
Or maybe with Joe Pearce.

DrBong · 22 April 2018, 14:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foebane

I've heard of many names surrounding Amiga and Tim King is not one of them. A Brit? Show me his name in the WB credits, I need proof!

If you read the Workbench 1.0 webpage I linked to above, you'll see his name in the notes. He's also in the notes for the Workbench 1.3 page on the same website. You have to realise that these software guys weren't exactly revered by Commodore, hence the hidden credits and messages found in various releases of Workbench.

Retro1234 · 22 April 2018, 15:20

https://www.pagetable.com/?p=193

DrBong · 22 April 2018, 15:27

@Retro1234
Workbench 0.0 = Tripos - OK, now I'm with ya!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raid27

They deserve every bit of praise. If it had all been text & dos & shell I would probably not have gotten into computers. (I was only 9 when I got my Amiga 500).

Luckily, I'd come from owning a C64 and using a bunch of other 8-bit computers before that when I got an A500 in 1989/90. I was used to having to type everything, but it was definitely nice having an alternative to the CLI in Workbench!

idrougge · 22 April 2018, 16:03

Tim King was not in the slightest involved in the Workbench portion of AmigaOS, was he?

DrBong · 22 April 2018, 16:42

@idrougge
Depends on your interpretation, I guess (i.e. the info. available about WB development, whether AmigaDOS should be demarcated from Workbench or not etc. ; cf. this AmigaOS article). You might have to ask Tim King about the extent of direct contributions (if any or even if minor) to WB itself. He strikes me as the kind of guy, though, who wouldn't have been too bothered if he directly contributed and didn't figure in the hidden credits.

Retro1234 · 22 April 2018, 17:36

More info here http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=45716
but try running "Workbench" on MsDos.

NorthWay · 22 April 2018, 19:03

Wasn't the story that =RJ= locked himself into his office for seven months, coming out only once to ask Sassenrath something about Exec, and then delivered Intuition?

nogginthenog · 22 April 2018, 22:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrBong

@idrougge
Depends on your interpretation, I guess (i.e. the info. available about WB development, whether AmigaDOS should be demarcated from Workbench or not etc. ; cf. this AmigaOS article). You might have to ask Tim King directly about the extent of direct contributions (if any or even if minor) to WB itself. He strikes me as the kind of guy, though, who wouldn't have been too bothered if he directly contributed and didn't figure in the hidden credits.

I don't think Tim King was involved with WB at all. At Amiga32 he gave a great speech but it was definitely all about TripOS/AmigaDOS. It was of the highlights IMHO and I regret not finding him after and having a chat.

DrBong · 22 April 2018, 22:53

@nogginthenog
Again, you'd have to ask him!

As with most large team projects of this kind, it wouldn't surprise me if there were at least one or two people who contributed bits 'n' pieces of code or concept design that weren't credited. Pity you didn't get to chat to him, but Tim King's email details are available on his website if you want to pick his brain about any of this.

Retro1234 · 23 April 2018, 00:08

TripOS was the forerunner to AmigaOS - what is ment by workbench the GUI? Is it workbench with out all the things that came from TripOS the libs folder the devs folder the S folder etc

"Workbench is the graphical file manager of AmigaOS developed by Commodore International for their Amiga line of computers. Workbench provides the user with a graphical interface to work with file systems and launch applications."

but to me Workbench is the whole operating system not just the GUI and it's a OS based on TripOS but thats just me

idrougge · 23 April 2018, 01:56

To you, perhaps, but you can't expect the rest of the world to use your own private definition.

Locutus · 23 April 2018, 02:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro1234

TripOS was the forerunner to AmigaOS - what is ment by workbench the GUI? Is it workbench with out all the things that came from TripOS the libs folder the devs folder the S folder etc

Not to be a nitpicker but....

Original TripOS didn't have DEVS: LIBS: or the other directories in SYS.

It just had single character ones, S: C: T: G: L: (which contained all libraries).

DEVS: LIBS: (and obviously everything related to GUI applications) was added by Amiga.

Retro1234 · 23 April 2018, 07:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Locutus

Not to be a nitpicker but....

Original TripOS didn't have DEVS: LIBS: or the other directories in SYS.

It just had single character ones, S: C: T: G: L: (which contained all libraries).

DEVS: LIBS: (and obviously everything related to GUI applications) was added by Amiga.

DEVS: is there I can see it straight away in the TripOS manual

22 April 2018, 08:54	#1
Raid27 I have a joystick Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sweden Age: 45 Posts: 179	Who is the "father" of workbench? (if there is one) It's a something I've never really thought about and I do not recall reading about it: Was there a main designer/visionary behind the Workbench 1.0 in the likes of Linus Torvalds?

22 April 2018, 14:18	#5
DrBong HOL / AMR Team Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Australia Posts: 2,632	@Retro1234 Not sure what you mean by Workbench 0.0 exactly, but yeh Dr Tim King was responsible for AmigaDOS and ABasiC (included with early versions of Kickstart because Microsoft's AmigaBASIC hadn't yet been completed). Carl Sassenrath was also responsible for Exec, which was integral to the Amiga's pre-emptive multitasking. They're Amiga pioneers deserving of much respect too IMHO! Last edited by DrBong; 22 April 2018 at 14:31. Reason: Added links!

22 April 2018, 14:37	#7
stainy Zone Friend Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Concord, NC, USA Age: 52 Posts: 1,712	Talin ( David Joiner ) was responsible for the 'installer' I believe. Or maybe with Joe Pearce. Last edited by stainy; 22 April 2018 at 19:02. Reason: addition

22 April 2018, 16:42	#12
DrBong HOL / AMR Team Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Australia Posts: 2,632	@idrougge Depends on your interpretation, I guess (i.e. the info. available about WB development, whether AmigaDOS should be demarcated from Workbench or not etc. ; cf. this AmigaOS article). You might have to ask Tim King about the extent of direct contributions (if any or even if minor) to WB itself. He strikes me as the kind of guy, though, who wouldn't have been too bothered if he directly contributed and didn't figure in the hidden credits. Last edited by DrBong; 22 April 2018 at 22:45. Reason: Added link + fixed typo!

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
"Voices8" 8 Channel Soundtracker "DemoSongI" song - "This is the Amiga with 8 Voices"	DemosongIHunter	request.Music	45	23 May 2022 20:07
"Screech!! v2.41" & "Screech!! [AGA] v2.51" - "HD install" --> "ADFs"	DamienD	request.Old Rare Games	45	15 June 2020 12:42
"Reminder "Lincs Amiga User Group aka "LAG" Meet Sat 5th of January 2013"	rockape	News	4	30 January 2013 00:06
CD32 Image-Name-Bug: "...(bla)[!].zip" -> "...(bla)[" / "...[test].zip" -> "...[tes"	cfTrio	support.WinUAE	8	18 December 2012 16:31
Problems with "Thespywholovedme", "Flood", "Shinobi"	sareks	support.Games	12	03 May 2006 14:52

22 April 2018, 09:26	#2
DrBong HOL / AMR Team Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Australia Posts: 2,632	Dale Luck and RJ Mical spring to my mind as the chief architects of Workbench. RJ Mical was notably responsible for Intuition. You can find some hidden credits for WB 1.0 on Greg Donner's Workbench Nostalgia website: http://www.gregdonner.org/workbench/wb_10.html

22 April 2018, 11:36	#3
Raid27 I have a joystick Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sweden Age: 45 Posts: 179	They deserve every bit of praise. If it had all been text & dos & shell I would probably not have gotten into computers. (I was only 9 when I got my Amiga 500).

22 April 2018, 13:34	#4
Retro1234 Phone Homer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: 5150 Posts: 5,773	Dr Tim King Workbench 0.0

22 April 2018, 14:35	#6
Foebane Banned Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Cardiff, UK Age: 51 Posts: 2,871	I've heard of many names surrounding Amiga and Tim King is not one of them. A Brit? Show me his name in the WB credits, I need proof!

22 April 2018, 15:20	#9
Retro1234 Phone Homer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: 5150 Posts: 5,773	https://www.pagetable.com/?p=193

22 April 2018, 16:03	#11
idrougge Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stockholm Posts: 4,332	Tim King was not in the slightest involved in the Workbench portion of AmigaOS, was he?

22 April 2018, 17:36	#13
Retro1234 Phone Homer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: 5150 Posts: 5,773	More info here http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=45716 but try running "Workbench" on MsDos.

22 April 2018, 19:03	#14
NorthWay Registered User Join Date: May 2013 Location: Grimstad / Norway Posts: 839	Wasn't the story that =RJ= locked himself into his office for seven months, coming out only once to ask Sassenrath something about Exec, and then delivered Intuition?

22 April 2018, 22:53	#16
DrBong HOL / AMR Team Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Australia Posts: 2,632	@nogginthenog Again, you'd have to ask him! As with most large team projects of this kind, it wouldn't surprise me if there were at least one or two people who contributed bits 'n' pieces of code or concept design that weren't credited. Pity you didn't get to chat to him, but Tim King's email details are available on his website if you want to pick his brain about any of this.

23 April 2018, 00:08	#17
Retro1234 Phone Homer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: 5150 Posts: 5,773	TripOS was the forerunner to AmigaOS - what is ment by workbench the GUI? Is it workbench with out all the things that came from TripOS the libs folder the devs folder the S folder etc "Workbench is the graphical file manager of AmigaOS developed by Commodore International for their Amiga line of computers. Workbench provides the user with a graphical interface to work with file systems and launch applications." but to me Workbench is the whole operating system not just the GUI and it's a OS based on TripOS but thats just me

23 April 2018, 01:56	#18
idrougge Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stockholm Posts: 4,332	To you, perhaps, but you can't expect the rest of the world to use your own private definition.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)