Quote:

2) buy an X1000 board

Buy a board you don't even know the processor it runs...

@Leo

You might get to know the processor, if you're selected to be a beta-tester. But if you're a serious beta-tester I don't think you would mind the specific processor-model as long as it lives up to the few details we already got.

@Bitman

what r u sayng? if you pay/buy something you must know everything...

anyway there is the "Right to withdraw":
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/protection_of_consumers/l32035_en.htm

Last edited by ppc_addon on 29-May-2010 at 01:14 PM.
Last edited by ppc_addon on 29-May-2010 at 01:13 PM.

@all

The beta program is intended for dedicated people with the following skillset:

- ability to assemble a full system with just a bare motherboard and memory provided to you

- ability to file accurate and detailed bugreports in a dedicated bugtracker (Bugzilla) in order to help AmigaOS 4 developers track down any remaining issues

- sufficient dedication and time to test newly developed components which are released on a daily basis (as is the case now for AmigaOS development and AmigaOS betatesters)

- adherence to the terms of a NDA as part of a larger contract which allows everyone to pull out with a full refund prior to actual shipping of the hardware

- a 750 euro deposit to attract the most dedicated people.

Note that you will NOT be considered an end-user if you are allowed into the betatest program.


The beta program is quite explicitly NOT intended for:

- people with limited knowledge of AmigaOS

- people with insufficient skills to assemble a system with a bare motherboard as a starting point

- people with insufficient time and dedication to carry out the required testing of software components and file bugreports against the appropriate AmigaOS components

- people who beieve that by signing up, they will learn the identity of the CPU or other undisclosed information which most likely will only be disclosed prior to shipping at which time they can bail out with a full refund if they don't like the specs

- people who do not intend to abide by the terms of the contract including the NDA provisions (which they can evaluate prior to signing or not signing) as this will not be taken lightly at all

This is a limited, closed betaprogram intended to ensure the best end-user experience possible.

Existing AmigaOS 4 betatesters have precedence over "newbies" and people with a development trackrecord will have precedence over people without such trackrecord. Other than that, it will be "first come, first served".

My current and foreseeable employment situation affords me the time to dedicate to such an endeavour but alas does not afford me the finances required, such is the irony of life

I'm trying to sell my car at the minute, maybe i should invest the money i get in this

I'm not sure that would be very clever though

I would really like to be on the team but im afraid i would break NDA in some way.

Quote:

Note that you will NOT be considered an end-user if you are allowed into the betatest program.

What are the implications of not being considered an end user?

@ppc_addon

I'm not talking about consumer-laws. I'm talking about dedicated people who dosn't care if the processor is made by company 1 or 2. Or if it's a 1ghz or 1.2 ghz....

@Hyperionmp

Thanks for the post - that clearly states what kind of people you're looking for.

@Petrol
Quote:

Can we know what's wrong with the first rev. of the board?.

Since no one else seems to have answered this...

My guess is not so much 'wrong' but 'different'. Remember the X1000 was first announced using the 400MHz XMOS chip, and later news announced that the latest, 500MHz variant would be used. This is likely to be the cause of the difference, at least partly.

tiffers

@bitman

They're looking for the money-paying kind.

In all seriousness, it sounds like a nice program for anyone interested in more directly financing OS4 hardware and software development. As with all contracts, talk to an attorney before signing. A-eon and Hyperion are for-profit businesses, and they do not have your best interests in mind. A little distrust (look up the definition before responding) is not a bad thing; it's just the way things are done.

@tiffers

There was a little bit more about it in the AF magazine.
Rev2 was because of some HW issue, not the update of xena.
To my understanding, it delayed the AOS4 porting process a little.

Quote:

What are the implications of not being considered an end user?

Just a guess... similar to the A1 earlybird offer, it probably means you will have to buy the "final" OS when available instead of getting it with the initial purchase price.

Scott Woodall

This is very good news, it like they really want the AmigaONE X1000 to be the system for the end users, like me, I been a bit put off getting a OS4 system mainly due to the facts of hearing about crashs and the amount of work, settings and sometimes coding you need to do to just get things running smoothly.

so I do hope they go to some really good developers homes, not forgetting to not only test the Os and hardware but start making some new apps for us users

tthis is very very interesting:

Note that you will NOT be considered an end-user if you are allowed into the betatest program.

So.. what means this sentence?

@hyperionmp

nevermind

Last edited by AmigaBlitter on 31-May-2010 at 07:47 AM.
Last edited by AmigaBlitter on 30-May-2010 at 12:00 PM.
Last edited by AmigaBlitter on 29-May-2010 at 10:44 PM.
Last edited by AmigaBlitter on 29-May-2010 at 08:58 PM.

Quote:

Note that you will NOT be considered an end-user if you are allowed into the betatest program. So.. what means this sentence?

Maybe warranty issues?

So you get to PAY to be part of a QA team? And you aren't considered an end user? How is this fair or equitable?

Beta testers EXPECTED to perform to a certain level, as outlined in the Hyperionmp post, should be PAID, not have to PAY.

This is dirty, plain an simple. Pay QA testers. Don't try to leech money from an already burdened community.


These are the offending points in question:
- ability to file accurate and detailed bugreports in a dedicated bugtracker (Bugzilla) in order to help AmigaOS 4 developers track down any remaining issues

- sufficient dedication and time to test newly developed components which are released on a daily basis (as is the case now for AmigaOS development and AmigaOS betatesters)

Last edited by Jason on 30-May-2010 at 12:57 AM.

I guess that is why you get a discount. To me that kind of equals being paid.

They're probably selling the boards at or near cost, but don't be naive. It's a commercial project masquerading as a community project. I have no doubt that Trevor, Thomas, Rogue, et al enjoy Amiga related projects and enjoy being part of a community, but the reality is they have to make money at what they're doing, and the Amiga community likes to feel "special." I wouldn't be the first one to say that Amiga users share a codependent relationship with Amiga vendors.