BetterWB - release 1.0

[gulliver]

BetterWB release 1.0 - 08.02.2011

BetterWB is a new workbench pack, much like AIAB, Amikit, AmigaSYS, ClassicWB, etc. but applying a totally different aproach.

It aims to be much like an enhancement, an updated extension to AmigaOS 3.1, without all those hardware requirement penalties tipically associated with these kind of packs. It is indeed a better 3.1 than 3.1 itself!

http://lilliput.amiga-projects.net/BetterWB.htm

This is my pet project, it took me just 2 days to assemble. Just voice your opinion if you think it is useless or whatever.
I will be glad to hear your comments, either good or bad.

Thanks

[Arnie]

I'll give it a go and let you know.

[mfilos]

Nice specs for the target group you mention my friend.
Will give it a try and report back.
Thanks a lot

[Zetr0]

@Gulliver

I like this, this is my default OS3.1 now =)

[fitzsteve]

Link seems to be dead

[TCD]

Works fine here

[fitzsteve]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

Works fine here

Back up now Was getting 404 earlier

[gulliver]

@All

Thank you for your comments.

I expect you to have no excuse now to undust your old and trusty Amiga and tinker with it just a bit more than you did before

[Bloodwych]

Great idea!!! An extra few disks for a default 3.1 install - brilliant!!!!

I think this is fantastic. A lot of people don't want, need or like packs that have too much installed in them as they want to take things in their own direction. Plus some just don't have the machine to spare any resources, but also don't want to start from scratch.

This a great way to supply a beefed up Workbench - one that feels just like the original but throws in some essential extras to bring it up to scratch. OS39 has those user made Boing Balls to add useful stuff to a default install - this is like the 3.1 equivalent. The fact it comes on supplemental disks is even better. I'm sure you'll think of even more stuff to add. Nice addition!

[prowler]

^ Exactly what Bloodwych said! ^

[sleggan]

Great idea, and it's now my default Amiga OS 3.1 installation...

[DonAmiga]

IF you have AmigaKit CF card Hard Drive. It overrides their set-up, in the start up process, (Dam ) Which I liked as you could easily call up and go through their reinstall process, set-up for any OS.. So can you go back without formatting HD ? No big deal I do Like the extra features. Thanks

[AmigaFriend]

What Zetro, Bloodwych and sleegan said.

Excelente work gulliver!

[Bamiga2002]

Thanx Gulliver.

[Arnie]

Originally Posted by DonAmiga

IF you have AmigaKit CF card Hard Drive. It overrides their set-up, in the start up process, (Dam ) Which I liked as you could easily call up and go through their reinstall process, set-up for any OS.. So can you go back without formatting HD ? No big deal I do Like the extra features. Thanks

If you have an installer disk from AmigaKit for the CF card then you would have to copy the startup-sequence from that.

[gulliver]

I am happy you find BetterWB usefull.

@DonAmiga
Use the Amigakit startup-sequence and modify it yourself to take advantage of BetterWB features. This is all I modified in the startup-sequence:

;Just after SetPatch there is a line that says "Failat" 21 add the following lines
C:PatchRAM
C:MinStack

;Then replace all these following lines
IF EXISTS DEVS:Monitors
IF EXISTS DEVS:Monitors/VGAOnly
DEVS:Monitors/VGAOnly
EndIF

C:List >NIL: DEVS:Monitors/~(#?.info|VGAOnly) TO T:M LFORMAT "DEVS:Monitors/%s"
Execute T:M
C:Delete >NIL: T:M
EndIF

; with just the following one
C:LoadMonDrvs


That is all I modified in the startup-sequence. It is very easy, you can do it yourself.

It should work pretty well now

[daxb]

I just read the features but I`m not sure if it will support large HD`s? Updated FFS is ok but without patched/new scsi.device it will not work (I think so). Maybe a possible enhancement?

Suggestions but it would require more space:
XOpa
XFD and/or XAD
A small file-manager (just because I couldn`t live without)
Check4GB
amberram.handler (v1.9)
fat95
KingCON
envhandler
lha
mirrorcopy or backup as backup alternative

However, you did a really great work.

[gulliver]

@daxb
Thank you for your suggestions.

Space on a harddrive is not such a big issue, but processor and memory requirements are. Remember I am targetting very low end systems.
If it runs on an Amiga with a 68000 cpu, 512KB of chipmem with a harddrive, then it is a candidate for inclusion, if not then it wont be. Let me just voice my view on what you suggested:


XOpa - It wont work from workbench on a 512kb system, it will require extra ram for that, so it is a no goer.

XFD and/or XAD - There is no program actually using it in this pack, then why should I add it? I dont want it to be bloated for no purpose: I mean if you need those libraries for some program you will install later, then go ahead and install them in that instance. But I dont think it is worth adding them for a "just in case" situation.

A small file-manager (just because I couldn`t live without) - I agree totally with you, the problem is that for example Dopus 4.12, doesnt even load in a workbench on a 512KB Chipmem only Amiga. I tried other filemanagers and I dont see a viable alternative. If you find one for the intended target system, please tell me

Check4GB - This program is meant to find out what is your harddrive limit, and it is very good at it. But I dont think it will be of use, as we know which limit is the one we have (2GB per partitition and upto 8GB of drive size) and it is clearly mentioned in the docs that come with this pack.

amberram.handler (v1.9) - The biggest problem it has is that directories can't be created from Workbench under AmigaOS 3.1. So you see it is not really usefull.

fat95 - it seems to fail to even install on low end systems, so it is a no goer for this package

KingCON - surely will try version 1.3, and see if it fits on the memory left on a 512KB Amiga.

envhandler - Requires a 68020, so it is a no goer for this package

lha - What is the point of lha, when you can already compress & decompress files with ABackup? I fail to see it. Furthermore, the last version of lha (the one that fixes the year 2011 bug), failed on me on a low resource Amiga due to lack of memory (That is one of the reasons I had to use .zip format for the installation of BetterWB).

mirrorcopy or backup as backup alternative - There is ABackup already available, which even supports compression & decompression thru XPKMaster library, and can even backup non Amiga partitions, has a GUI and a preferences program. So why another one?

[daxb]

I thought minimum is 2MB chip ram because of OS3.1 (I don`t know the requirements of OS3.1) what came with A1200. So my suggestions are wrong. Do you belive someone really use (as a working system) a A500 512kb Kick/OS3.1 + HD/CF or similar? I can`t. You added a lot of datatypes but with 512kb ram you won`t have fun. Same with monitor driver. I don`t get your goal.

Ok, for starting you don`t need xad/xfd. Sometimes you can read that someone has problems because of a not >4GB vailed system. With Check4GB you can check that just after installation. That you can`t create directories on WB with amberram I never noticed because I use DOpus as WB-replacement (i.e. I never use(d) WB).

I don`t know ABackup and I never used a so called backup programm what I guess means that it compress the data and/or does lowlevel access? Mirrorcopy and BackUp "just" copy data (something like an advanced copy command). So I might be completely wrong.

[gulliver]

@daxb
No, it is not geared towards 2MB Amigas, it is targeted at all Amigas.

Your suggestions are not wrong, they are just suggestions. Some of the seem to make more sense than others to me, but that doesnt make them bad, it is just my personal view on the goals that I have set myself for this project. I really do apreciate your suggestions wether they are as "good" or "bad" as you label them.

I partially understand that with 512KB and with datatypes you wont have a lot of fun, but then, it will certainly be much better than not to have them at all. I mean at least for example, an old A500 that has harddrive, and it is stored in a closet can get some improved workbench experience from this package than what it had before. A more expanded system will get even better performance, but then, if you want a faster system, no one is telling you not to spend some bucks to buy/upgrade it or to even choose another workbench pack. It is all about needs and tastes in the end.

With this pack I am taking care of the lowest end segment of Amiga computers (which was neglected), and that was the idea from the begining.

About drivers: They are just that, drivers to have access to certain specific hardware features that may come handy if available. I dont see the problem to include them, if you have the hardware that they support, you can use them, if not there is no harm in them being inactive.

If you have an A1200, use Dopus Magellan, and want more software stuff, I strongly suggest you to choose the ClassicWB pack, available from here:
http://classicwb.abime.net/classicweb/

If you even have that A1200 expanded even further, maybe you can find other pack variants that suit you better like AmigaSYS or even a modified Amikit, that even supports Magellan as default