I've just come back from Webb.it (Padova - Italy), and with my new AmigaOne XE G4
Virtual Works and Soft3 (the Italian distributors) are demoing an AmigaOne (G3) with Debian Linux as usual.
They are also demoing an Amiga4000 with Powerup running some modules of OS4. The exibithors told me that they could have had more to show on the OS4 field, but in agreement with Hyperion they decided not to show it as it's still "unstable" and they know what kind of reaction could generate from the usual "detractors"...
So apparently there is nothing new on the OS4 showed at Webbit... but looking with attentions there are some really interesting advancements... just to make an example I could see that the USB support is done and working, also on the A4000: the A4000 had 2 keyboards and 2 mouse connected, the regualar Amiga keyboard and mouse, and an USB keyboard and mouse, and you could use them simultaneously, i.e. type at the same time on both keyboards and use both mouses. Other things that are shown for the first time (I guess) - the Internet connection wizard (meaning that roadshow the tcp stack is also working); - the amigaInput api configuration tool - the new font utility - the media toolbox to configurate hard disk, storage media and so on (also on this topic they told me that the Mount Rainier support for cd-rw is already working, but they could not demostrate it there as the A4000 doesn't have a cd-burner) - also interesting the AmiDock has a dockie that shows an animation running "iconified" on the dock... am not sure if it's sort of movie player that can play avi or mpg also when iconified on the dock... still interesting to see.
There were some other little thing that cannot remember now, anyway the advancement on OS4 were noticeable even if not obvious at first sight (and no big change on the graphic interface design, it still looks like OS3.9).
I took some pics with my digital cam, but cannot download them to this pc, as I don't have the cable here... will try to put them online somewhere tomorrow.
As for the AmigaOne: finally got it in my hands, but will not be able to work on it for 2-3 days as I hoped to buy all the components (hd, ram cabinet and so on) together with the main board, but unfortunately they didn't have what I needed there, and also they forgot to take to Padova the install and Debian linux cdroms... Enrico Vidale of Virtual Works will send me everything as soon as he's back to his store (Monday).
That's all for now, I'll get the pics ready for tomorrow (probably will be on the QuantumLeap site)
Bye Francesco |