AmigaOS 3.2 and beyond

[hammer]

Originally Posted by gulliver

Greetings fellow Amigans,

I believe we need to establish a two way communication channel between
us, AmigaOS 68k developers, and you, the user.

For us, developers, it is important to get your ideas and opinions
regarding AmigaOS right. We don't want to lose the feedback loop that
is required for the constant improvement we aim for our beloved OS.

My idea is to simply invite you to this talk, since we have a lot to
tell you, but more importantly, there is a lot we need to learn and
understand from you as a user.

We are amiga fans too, and much like you, we also had enough of these
toxic repetitive rants polluting threads about my option is better
than yours, lawsuit wars, companies and source model. We haven't got
the power to change any of the above. If you want to cover these
topics, please go somewhere else and create your own thread, do not
attempt to hijack this one.

Lets have a civil conversation on technical, and perhaps much more
mundane things about our hobby and passion.

Thanks in advance.

AmigaOS 4.1 backported to 68K e.g.
Official AmigaOS 4.x theme support for AmigaOS3.2

The attached WinUAE screenshot is from a SD card for my physical A1200 with 8MB fast ram(cheap add-on card from Amigakit). The theme was created by Davide "Turrican" Michelini which I modifed.


Besides Birdie and VisualPrefs, I'm using following 3rd party addons
CGX-AGA to further conserve chip ram.
CGX v4 for CGX-AGA.
CyberbugfixAGA
BlazeWCP
CMQ030

My AmigaOS install is based on version 3.9+BB patches with SetPatch from Workbench 3.1.4 A1200.

I paid two AmigaOS 3.1.4 packages for A500 (with Wicher 508i, A500 machine for my younger brother) and A1200. I also paid AmigaForever 8 and AmigaForver2016 with AmigaOS4.1FE combo package for Windows 10 machines. I signed up for AC68080 for A1200.

A500 has the full Workbench 3.1.4 + Glow Icons install on the CF card and chip ram conservation is not as good when compared to A1200's AOS install.

[Thomas Richter]

Originally Posted by eXeler0

"P96" surely ;-)
And is it Thomas R co-developing that one too for iComp?

No. I have no clue about Warp3D.

[gulliver]

Maybe if you Thomas, and of course, IComp are interested in accessing Warp3D in the future, I can speak with Hyperion and arrange some sort of cross-licensing agreement that benefits everyone involved.

Just an idea.

[AC/DC HACKER!]

Originally Posted by Thomas Richter

No. I have no clue about Warp3D.

You're making CVPPC function without the use of Warp3D's HWdriver in P96? Or you meant that reply differently?

[gulliver]

Warp3D is Hyperion IP and P96 is IComp IP.

Both have different owners.

Thomas works only on P96. The drivers he developed are made without any Warp3D involvement at all.

[AC/DC HACKER!]

Hmm.. Clarifying... So, for example, Wipeout 2097, Payback PPC/WOS, NightLong, and others..will function / play without the need of..Warp3D with new P96 with CVPPC?

[gulliver]

Originally Posted by AC/DC HACKER!

Hmm.. Clarifying... So, for example, Wipeout 2097, Payback PPC/WOS, NightLong, and others..will function / play without the need of..Warp3D with new P96 with CVPPC?

No. Warp3D is needed.

[Rotzloeffel]

Originally Posted by AC/DC HACKER!

Hmm.. Clarifying... So, for example, Wipeout 2097, Payback PPC/WOS, NightLong, and others..will function / play without the need of..Warp3D with new P96 with CVPPC?

You Need to install Warp3D with support for Picasso96 as you allready could for the Voodoo GFX Boards.... yes, These games you mentioned above are testet and working….

[Thomas Richter]

Originally Posted by AC/DC HACKER!

You're making CVPPC function without the use of Warp3D's HWdriver in P96?

Warp3D is just one of many programs that use the P96 API, and the P96 API goes down to the API of the corresponding chip driver. There are no new functions necessary to run Warp3D on top of P96, it just uses what is there, essentially getting the address of the chip, and allocating bitmaps.

All I am doing is maintaining the P96 API, and the chip driver underneath. I have no idea how Warp3D works exactly, nor which functions from P96 are required. Thus, no guarantee that Warp3D works. I do not have it, I do not own it, and I do not maintain it.

[AC/DC HACKER!]

Originally Posted by gulliver

No. Warp3D is needed.

Originally Posted by Rotzloeffel

You Need to install Warp3D with support for Picasso96 as you allready could for the Voodoo GFX Boards.... yes, These games you mentioned above are testet and working….

Okay, I figured so..but the wording was a little "funky"...so for fun I asked for clarity.

Originally Posted by Thomas Richter

Warp3D is just one of many programs that use the P96 API, and the P96 API goes down to the API of the corresponding chip driver. There are no new functions necessary to run Warp3D on top of P96, it just uses what is there, essentially getting the address of the chip, and allocating bitmaps.

All I am doing is maintaining the P96 API, and the chip driver underneath. I have no idea how Warp3D works exactly, nor which functions from P96 are required. Thus, no guarantee that Warp3D works. I do not have it, I do not own it, and I do not maintain it.

Yup, most of this I have understood for over 30 years but again, the reply was worded in a way I figured I'd ask for clarity. I understand P96 makes the hardware and "firmware" available for whatever 3rd party programs. I appreciate the reply, Thomas...and the rest. I didn't Think P96 would be "standing on its own now" for all 3D but I wanted to be sure. I also wasn't sure if that was alluding to new parts of WarpOS. Thanks.

[amigakit.com]

Originally Posted by gulliver

Warp3D is Hyperion IP

It is not. Warp3D and Warp3D Nova are owned by A-EON Technology Ltd for some years. It was acquired in 2014. Hyperion do not own the IP.


A-EON Technology Ltd also own the ATIRadeon.chip (P96 2D driver) and PCIgraphics.card which also have been distributed by Hyperion. These were acquired from Forefront Technologies many years ago.

[gulliver]

Originally Posted by amigakit.com

It is not. Warp3D and Warp3D Nova are owned by A-EON Technology Ltd for some years. It was acquired in 2014. Hyperion do not own the IP.

So A-EON bought it? Then I stand corrected.

[bni]

How about adding a way to create public screens in Workbench in some way?

I have been using http://aminet.net/package/util/cli/newps to create new screen, to put some programs on like, EaglePlayer that can be moved between screens.

When starting to use AmigaOS again after so many years, applications creating their own screens, sliding screens up and down, using Amiga-M to switch screen is really the signature feature of Amiga, in my opinion.

I find it strange that AmigaOS never had this capability from the Workbench GUI in some way.

[Samurai_Crow]

Originally Posted by bni

How about adding a way to create public screens in Workbench in some way?

I have been using http://aminet.net/package/util/cli/newps to create new screen, to put some programs on like, EaglePlayer that can be moved between screens.

When starting to use AmigaOS again after so many years, applications creating their own screens, sliding screens up and down, using Amiga-M to switch screen is really the signature feature of Amiga, in my opinion.

I find it strange that AmigaOS never had this capability from the Workbench GUI in some way.

MUI 3.8 comes with PSE to edit and create pubscreens but Reaction doesn't seem to have a corresponding tool.

[gulliver]

Originally Posted by bni

When starting to use AmigaOS again after so many years, applications creating their own screens, sliding screens up and down, using Amiga-M to switch screen is really the signature feature of Amiga, in my opinion.

I find it strange that AmigaOS never had this capability from the Workbench GUI in some way.

I have to agree with you that an application for handling public screens is needed.

I will take note for your request for AmigaOS 3.3.

@Samurai_Crow

ReAction had such program since more than a decade. It is called "Screens" and is installed by default on OS4.

[Samurai_Crow]

Originally Posted by gulliver

@Samurai_Crow



ReAction had such program since more than a decade. It is called "Screens" and is installed by default on OS4.

Last I checked the topic here was 3.2 not 4.x AmigaOS.
Edit: "and beyond" kind of covers it. N/M

[Thomas Richter]

Creating public screens is a matter of applications, not the operating system. This is because making a screen public means additional responsibility for the application - as in taking it down again, or rather, delaying closing the screen if there are visitors left.

Creating a tool to select a public screen does not require changes on the Os either.

[wiser3]

Originally Posted by Thomas Richter

Creating public screens is a matter of applications, not the operating system. This is because making a screen public means additional responsibility for the application - as in taking it down again, or rather, delaying closing the screen if there are visitors left.

Using this logic no computer OS should come with calculator.

[Thomas Richter]

Originally Posted by wiser3

Using this logic no computer OS should come with calculator.

First, I did not say that, I rather said that no modifications in the Os are needed for it. Second, I am personally a friend of a lean Os, and leave creations of applications to third parties, and their distribution to, well, "distributions" such as BestWB. It is not necessary to include any possible application in an Os, but only what is really necessary (i.e. preferences editors as applications). This just blows up the Os distribution. This said, I agree, a calculator is, indeed, quite unnecessary. I haven't used the one that comes with the Os once in 30 years. It is there by tradition, possibly as a demo application, but not by need.

[eXeler0]

Originally Posted by Thomas Richter

First, I did not say that, I rather said that no modifications in the Os are needed for it. Second, I am personally a friend of a lean Os, and leave creations of applications to third parties, and their distribution to, well, "distributions" such as BestWB. It is not necessary to include any possible application in an Os, but only what is really necessary (i.e. preferences editors as applications). This just blows up the Os distribution. This said, I agree, a calculator is, indeed, quite unnecessary. I haven't used the one that comes with the Os once in 30 years. It is there by tradition, possibly as a demo application, but not by need.

In Amiga world I agree, I think this was the main issue some ppl had with OS3.9.. too eager to be the out of the box ready OS with "everything" included.. served to people who really prefer tinkering themselves. That's why a lot of us wanted something that improved on the sleek 3.1..
That being said, a couple of years ago when I got an Xbox One S and popped in a BlueRay I was pretty pissed to find out I actually had to download a BlueRay player app first
Expectations vary...