I don't think anyone should buy the A1-X1000 for the XMOS chip. My understanding is that it was a cheap addition and they added it as a fun extra. No one should be motivated to buy a - what - £1,500 computer? - based on an extra gadget that was thrown in at the suggestion of the board manufacturer and got the green light partly on the grounds that it didn't cost much (apologies if I've misremembered that).
You *should* buy an A1-X1000 if you a) have the money to spare, b) want to run AmigaOS 4.1 at 2 GHz and c) yearn for the days when you could buy an Amiga-branded complete system.
I don't believe the purpose of the A1-X1000 is to make Amiga a roaring success again. I think A1-X1000 exists because TrevorDick wants a powerful AmigaOS 4-compatible machine, and would be prepared to pay a lot of cash for one if it couldn't be mass produced.
The reason this has turned from daydream into reality is because Trevor has funds, and also believes there are enough like-minded people left for him to make his money back (plus a bit extra) from bringing that product into existence.
This is about doing something for the slice of the Amiga community that wants it. I think he's also hoping that the publicity and geek interest will pique curiousity in AmigaOS 4 more generally, even from people who would never buy an expensive bit of obscure hardware made in low numbers at high costs.
To be honest, I think it's wise. A gamble, but certainly achievable and possibly sustainable as the first of multiple projects. I think he has more chance of making his money back selling modest numbers of expensive, relatively powerful machines to hardcore fans, then he would have trying to flog cheaper mass-produced hardware to lots of fence-sitters.
Essentially he's making this computer for himself, so I absolutely wish him well (and anyone who wants to go along for the ride). _________________ My new blog |