AMIGA
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AMIGA
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Nach und nach kommen weitere Details zum geplanten AMIGA OS 3.5 ans Licht: Die neue Zeitschrift amigaOS meldet in ihrer Erstausgabe, die auf der Computer '98 erhältlich war, dass der im AMIGA OS 3.5 integrierte neue Grafikkartenstandard in enger Zusammenarbeit mit dem Picasso96-Team entwickelt wird. Dies könnte mittelfristig das Aus fuer den nun kommerziell vertriebenen Konkurrenten CyberGraphX bedeuten, zumal man laut dem Distributor, der Schatztruhe GmbH, in Zukunft nur noch von der Version 4, nicht jedoch von früheren Versionen, updaten kann.
Weiter heißt es in der amigaOS, dass die Skriptsprache ARexx durch StormRexx von Haage&Partner ersetzt wird.
Die Piktogramme der Workbench 3.5 sollten ursprünglich von Matt Chaput, dem Erfinder der GlowIcons, gestaltet werden. Aus Verärgerung über die Ereignisse der letzten Wochen hat er jedoch beschlossen, nicht mehr am AMIGA OS 3.5 mitzuwirken und seine Arbeit kostenlos über das Aminet zur Verfügung zu stellen. Das folgende Statement findet sich auf seiner Homepage (http://reality.sgi.com/mchaput_aw/glowicons.html). Dort lässt sich auch ein nicht unbeeindruckendes Preview seiner Arbeit abrufen.
»What's the deal with the OS 3.5 icons?
For several months I have been working on a set of icons, backgrounds, fonts, and other graphics for use in AmigaOS 3.5. I was doing this work based on a request from Fleecy. Due to changes in the direction of the AmigaOS 3.5 project, I have decided to release my work as free software instead. I am no longer involved in the AmigaOS 3.5 project.
Why did you drop out of the 3.5 project?
Well, it's complicated. As I said in the rant, I had pretty much lost The Faith when Fleecy contacted me about working on 3.5. I started to believe that the company was serious about actually getting the Amiga back on its feet.
After the show in Germany, it became clear through the unexplained firing of Fleecy and an apparent sea-change in the direction of the 3.5 project that the company wasn't serious about the Classic Amiga, which in turn made me wonder about the new platform.
I decided, since this was basically a labour of love anyway, and I had definitely fallen out of love with how AI was handling the whole thing, I would do better by the Amiga community more service to simply release the icons myself as free software.
By the way, the Amiga OS 3.5 project may eventually turn out to be worthwhile, for all I know. And if it is released, you will be able to convert the new icon set to whatever icon format it uses. If they wanted, I would still let Amiga Inc. or anyone else use the icons in OS 3.5, but they would also be available free on Aminet.«
(Quelle: Matt Chaput)
Leider scheint es so, als werde, entgegen früheren Ankündigungen, auch die RTA-Software ARTAS von A.C.T. kein Bestandteil des AMIGA OS 3.5 sein. Als Grund für diesen Schritt wird auf der ARTAS-Homepage (http://artas.amiga- software.com) mangelnde Professionalität von AMIGA, Inc. im Umgang mit den Entwicklern genannt. Innerhalb eines Statements von A.C.T. zur Computer '98 wird konkreter darauf eingegangen:
»Albrecht Computer Technik
Seth 2 -- 21769 Lamstedt -- 21769 Lamstedt
Tel +49-4773-8910-73 -- Fax +49-4773-8910-72
A.C.T. Thoughts after End of Computer98
Finally things seem to clear up. After having discussed further Amiga development and commercial oportunities on the Amiga platform with a number of hard- and software people A.C.T. draws this conclusion:
Amiga Inc does not seem to be interested in supporting the Real Amiga. Their continued back-and-for and the announcements show a complete ignorance of the remaining market and an incredible insensibility for the needs of developers, retailers, press people. It is not likely that anyone will be able to make a fortune out of Real Amiga development or sales now. It is not true that Amiga Inc is in close discussion with developers - not a single developer known to the partners of A.C.T. has been seriously contacted. Pretending that such cooperation takes place is a slap in the Amiga community's face.
Just like others A.C.T. will continue to produce, enhance and support their current product range. It is not possible to invest in future projects though, so four software products have been cancelled right after the fair and two major hardware projects will not be carried out (Festiva, the High End Soundcard at a price BELOW that of a comparable PC soundcard, is among them). Prelude additions, software etc. will be continously developed and supported though - we will not let our customers down, but we will not be able to grant the wide service and support we have given to users all over the world in the future to the same extend.
The disapointment about Amiga Inc being unable to show any real products (QNX is NOT an Amiga Inc product) convinced us that they do not have anything to offer right now.
A.C.T. is interested in cooperating with companies having products in development or actually on the market. We have a position to keep and extend, we have a reputation to defend and we have families to feed. We would also be interested in helping a company that does not have anything to offer at the moment getting started, but that company has to ask us - not vice versa. Our knowledge in Digital Audio as well as driver programming, hardware expertise and customer relation could be helpful - if this help would be accepted. We do not beg for open ears.
Computer98 set an end point to an area of home computers. The Amiga market can not be revived and developers still active on this market will try their best to support the users that haven't migrated - but it should be clear and kept in mind that most of this support, even new products that pop up from time to time, base on enthusiasm, not on market power.
What about the future? QNX offers a powerful kernel and interesting features, yet it is a system among others and will have to prove that it can penetrate the home computer market the same it does with the embedded system market.
Amiga Inc's future plans seem to target to SetTop boxes, Dishwashers with intelligence, TVs that cook your coffee and take your children to bed. Although this may be a market in the future it is not a market at the moment or within the next two years. We do not have the financial means to develop applications for two years without selling in the same time, so we cannot and will not develop for the "new" Amiga OS at the moment. We would have needed detailed, usable information and developer support NOW - we did not get it, so this unknown, indifferent system is no choice. The way the owner company presents itself in public is not destined to raise trust in their ability of support in the future.
Amiga OS 3.5 seems to be dead. There is no information available about it, no contract has been sent out, no discussion took place. We are not interested in an OS that does not even support the feature nearly every modern Amiga has (through Shareware) nowadays. A Plus-Pack is of no interest to us. We have withdrawn our offer to implement ARTAS - at least based on the financial agreement so far. ARTAS will be made publically available but NOT a component of an Amiga Inc OS3.5. This issue is subject to change depending on professional offers from Amiga Inc (which we do not expect any more).
A last few words: any developer needing help is highly welcome to contact us. We will try our best to share our know how in software design and we will continue to support and sponsor developers wherever possible. We are very interested in participating in serious, professionally guided projects that might regain a bit of market space.
Contact information: Marc Albrecht, Seth 2, 21769 Lamstedt EMail: albrecht@act-net.com http://www.act-net.com
This statement may be released to web sites, news groups or FIDO echos but only in its complete, uncut and unedited version.
Marc Albrecht, 20.11.1998«
(Quelle: A.C.T.)
Glaubhaften Quellen - u.a. dem User Group Network (UGN) unter Berufung auf AMIGA International - zufolge, hat mittlerweile Haage & Partner die Koordination der Entwicklung des AMIGA OS 3.5 übernommen. Eine offizielle Bestätigung dafür gibt es jedoch noch nicht.
Fazit:Der Abgang von Fleecy Moss könnte die Entwicklung des AMIGA OS 3.5 wie ein Kartenhaus zusammenfallen lassen. Wenn das Projekt, von dem ich persönlich vor wenigen Wochen noch fest überzeugt war, dass es nicht mehr zu verhindern sei, doch noch gerettet werden soll, muss die Führung von AMIGA, Inc. jetzt handeln und klar sagen, ob sie das AMIGA OS 3.5 überhaupt will. Denn besteht dort überhaupt Interesse an dem Projekt? Jetzt, nachdem die AMIGA-Entwicklungsabteilung ihrer Meinung nach mit QNX etwas viel Besseres hat, und zudem der einzige Mitarbeiter weg ist, der sich wirklich für das AMIGA OS 3.5 eingesetzt hat, muss dies - trotz einer gegenteiligen Äußerung von Dr. Havemose - angezweifelt werden.
Um so wichtiger wäre es in der jetzigen Situation, dass diejenigen, die ihre Beteiligung an der Entwicklung des AMIGA OS 3.5 zugesagt hatten, nun nicht aus Verärgerung über die Ereignisse der letzten Wochen von dem Projekt Abschied nehmen, wie das Matt Chaput und der ARTAS-Hersteller A.C.T. getan haben.
JETZT ERST RECHT! - muss die Devise lauten. Denn sonst hat AMIGA, Inc. wirklich einen Grund, das AMIGA OS 3.5 sterben zu lassen.
