The recent development about the video driver issue, have raised a lot of questions and concerning about the Amiga software and driver development.

Many didn't agree with this decision, while other find this solution a good option to speed up the OS key feature development.

Someone else have pointed out that there where not talk beetween the parties for an agreement and to choose the best way to operate for offering their own products (hardware or software) without penalizing certain customers.
In fact, it's seems that the two main hardware producers have chosed their own way for developing hardware and software (see the A-eon xena and the Acube FPGA).
The same can be said for the audio chip. While every company can decide it's own way of development, some basic choice, probably, can be made to speed up the Amiga development process.

Would like to propose, again, an Amiga consortium.
this is how the previous thread (http://amigaworld.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=34803&forum=2#644462) starts:

"
The recent economic crysis hit every sector, including the IT economy.
Where one can fail, maybe many can survive.

What about an Amiga consortium?

Here's some definition of the word "Consortium":

1. (n.) consortium
a combination, as of corporations, for carrying out a business venture requiring large amounts of capital.

2. consortium
association; partnership.

Etymology: (1820–30; < L: partnership)

3. (noun) consortium, pool, syndicate
an association of companies for some definite purpose

4. Sense: an association, union, especially of bankers or businessmen.

Could a consortium of: AmigaOS, MOS, AROS, Classics, Acube, A-eon, CUSA, Relec, Natami, Classic, cooperate and survive?"

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@AmigaBlitter

Quote:

Could a consortium of: AmigaOS, MOS, AROS, Classics, Acube, A-eon, CUSA, Relec, Natami, Classic, cooperate and survive?"

no. however it wouldn't be a bad idea for their to be a formal communications channel among the the NG partners (such as A-EON, amigakit, acube, hyperion, etc.) to coordinate matters that affect the entire ecosystem. assuming one doesn't already exist, of course.

as for 'cooperation' among the 'camps,' i don't think it is either feasible or useful, except on one-off projects, such as a common hardware reference platform; but since the OS4 'camp' is interested in new hardware development and the others aren't, i don't see this as being useful either.

in any case, hasn't this question been debated ad infinitum for years now? as i recall most of those involved have basically stated they 'ain't interested.'

frankly what i'd prefer is for folks to continue using and developing that which they enjoy, without trying to insult, undercut, or harass the 'other guys.'

-- eliyahu

Last edited by eliyahu on 27-Jun-2012 at 03:34 PM.

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@AmigaBlitter

Nice idea but will never become reality...

1.because of emotional reasons
2.because of technical reasons

partnership would mean sacrificing own developments for the common interest. I do not see that any party would be willing to do that. And there are deep emotional walls between the camps (put some of the OS4 and the MorphOS team in one room, close the door and wait. I think I could predict the results . No seriously I do not believe that there will be any cooperation (even if it would be better for all). I read the bashing by MorphOS developers at Aros, I read the response by the Frieden brothers some time ago. It is partly pure hate. Difficult to imagine cooperation under this circumstances.

The only thing you can do is supporting development of open standards (opensource) and force the camps to take over these standards.

@OlafS25

Quote:

Nice idea but will never become reality... 1.because of emotional reasons 2.because of technical reasons

Where's a will, there's a way?

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@AmigaBlitter

I seriously doubt the "will"

@OlafS25

Someone still have this "will"

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@AmigaBlitter

the ideas were already discussed with no sign of interest by core developers (I always talk about the two commercial closed source OSs). So I do not believe. As long as they earn enough (on a small scale of course) nothing will change. The customers (user) could push them of course but most that are left are the hardcores that would never do that.

@OlafS25

What could be a common area where the hardware developers (as example) can cooperate?

Please, tell me just one.

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@AmigaBlitter

I would remove "CUSA" from the list because they do not produce Amigas (from my view)

My idea would be (in a ideal world) that all use the same codebase (opensource) with added GUI/components similar to Linux with KDE, Gnome and the different distributions. Aros would be the perfect candidate because it supports almost every hardware. Basic infrastructure like Network, PCU, USB ... would be identical.

@OlafS25

Interesting, really.


I would keep CUSA in play for the splendid case with the checkmark.
But there are plenty of case design here and there.

Think about the audio issue. Acube have had problem releasing the audio driver. I don't know the x1000 audio status at the moment, but would be great if both, Acube and A-Eon, will use the same chip. The audio driver design would be more easy.

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@AmigaBlitter

with a common codebase all could use the same drivers (or at least easily port them). The wheels would not reinvented all the time that would save a lot of resources. A lot of advantages

@OlafS25

A number of application already exist, in fact, for all platform.

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@AmigaBlitter

yes they do. 3rd party developers (expecially when they want to earn money or reach more users) think a little different

Last edited by OlafS25 on 27-Jun-2012 at 04:21 PM.

@OlafS25

Quote:

I would remove "CUSA" from the list because they do not produce Amigas (from my view)

And here we have it, even in "we should work together" thread we have to single out someone. If CUSA would donate cash to developer would you stop using his work? I don't think CUSA will do that, but I'm just demonstrating how deep our disagreements are.

There's no will in the community and even if there is, you have no power over core developers of major projects, and I can say with utmost certainty they have no will to work together.

Except Pegasos 2, there's no common hardware, why would MorphOS guys develop X1000 drivers and Hyperion would support Powerbook if their OSes does not work on such hardware.

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@opi

to say it directly the "amiga-market" (even if it is small) is a market and at least the two PPC camps are (more or less) profit driven. And in a market customers decide who succeeds and who not so only the customers (users) can force the teams to work together. That is my view of the situation.

I do not regard CUSA as "Amiga" because they do not offer any amiga-related product (sth. that is based on the Amiga-API)

@opi

they would of course not develop the drivers when they do not need them. But if anyone develops a driver it could be used on all camps. On a low level the MorphOS team already does that with Aros drivers.

@OlafS25

Quote:

s a market and at least the two PPC camps are (more or less) profit driven

A profit-driven market? Heh, I admire your optimism, but such talented developers could (and do) earn their money outside of our community. At least MorphOS guys do. I doubt you could hire even one guy to work fulltime from all the cash that *miga related development brings.

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@opi

I agree that in the community is propably not enough will but I think they all underestimate the power they could have. Without the pressure by users MorphOS 3.0 would not be out now, the pressure forced Acube to react.

@opi

Then why do they insist on their closed-source model with the license fees?

@OlafS25

Aros would be the perfect candidate because it supports almost every hardware.

AROS driver coverage of hardware supported by MorphOS is rather poor.

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