What have you learned at the Anniversary?

Just for a note I was NOT there. I have just followed the discussions, the You Tube videos, and thanks for AmigaNG http://www.youtube.com/user/amigang
for providing me with Transcript

--------------------------------
My points of learning:

- A-EON is new partner in the game, alongside Acube and Hyperion. This is, beside community, Amiga world now. And they are very entusiastic and have what to produce, show and tell
- We will have EP460 and X1000 in the second part of 2010, some more hardware test and software development is needed
- X1000 and EP460 might be slightly more expensive (or cheaper) then expected, but relative to announced prices
- We have an AROS machine now, so there is kind of x86 Amiga also, but limited to AROS
- Too bad there wasn`t more software and public demonstration to medias, at least some web site journalists should be called

My points of "grundge" (as usual)

- No X1000 CPU announced (on public presentation and while going to be betatasted) ... even if it is the Cell (and it isn`t) or 64 bit best dual core PPC not too many reasons to do so anymore. Revealing more details might help the presale/testing not hurt it. So far, most misterious Amiga appearing.

-Everyone is silent about RadeonHD drivers to benefit of all Amiga users (incl. Peg, A1 and SAM users) not only future users of EP460 and X1000. So, X1000 is running on unknown GFX so far, as well as EP460 runs on Silicon chip, Acube previously developed driver for EyeMotion

- EyeMotion is yet not fully explained, used by OS 4.1, availiable to SAM users, priced ... How good or bad is this Silicon chip when compared to classic Radeon 9200/9250

- OpenOffice did not reach a certain level of port to be demonstrated. After Timber, this is the big tree for small axe to chop

... and that is it! Hope the bright future will explain it.

Now the transcript

--------------------------------


Anniversary speech
transcript
What Trevor said
Welcome to Hyperion Entertainment , A-eon and A-cube, the premier, the only manufacturers of Amiga Os 4.1.

Today we are hear to talk about the new AmigaOne X1000 and I know there a lot of question about it and what we got today is the hardware team from Varisys, we got Hyperion Entertainment, Ben Hermans, got two software engineering the Frieden brothers, my business partner is here somewhere but most likely at the bar, and I'm here Trevor Dickinson.

So welcome to the show, the AmigaONE X1000 was conceived about upto 2 years ago, by Ben Hermans and then approached me, "how about making a new computer for OS4?" , sound like a good idea, I collected Amiga computers, if anyone knows me I've got....pause....a lot. Probably about 150 computers in my basement and about 50 off them are Amiga of all variety. But as you can see I'm very sensible, stable, well manned person, so when he said how about a new Amiga, that would be great. I would love to have new Amiga computer so it was a lucky meeting because I was actually in Belgium with Micheal Battilana from Cloanto who I was doing business with and he had a meeting that day with Ben and how about going out for a beer, and that was the day that Amiga Inc issued the law suit on the boys and so Ben said, "oh its a great day, I got this law suit and I got to meet you too" Any way long story Ben started looking at possible Hardware partners, he actually found a cpu partner first. No more info about the CPU, its not going to be said today.
They recommended a few company and it soon became apparent that Varisys would be a better fit for us, they where successful, they had a good track record, they have been in business for a while and they also close by, they where in Europe. When we meet them we had good fit, personality, weren't just a massive company that would just override us, and become a real partner and form a real partnership, that for AmigaWorld posters by the way.

So about just over 2 years ago we started work on the project even before A-eon was formed and before we raised any money before we got anything together product wise. 2 years ago we started the work, 18 months ago we started the project and all the physical stuff started just 18 months ago, so they have been working on the hardware for 18 months we actually took that time layout the boards do all the design work, do the testing, and the testing very extensive they got a fantastic track record of supplying reliable products, and putting out quality product. So they wouldn't give it us until they were happy that it works so at the end of the last year the first boards went to the Frieden brothers, they had it in their hands since last year just as the teaser site when up, which you all loved didn't you! I thought it was fun.

Nemo motherboards have now also gone to the hardware/software developers for device drivers I like to say this system has been running for 6 months (shakes head left to right)...but it has for six months been running os4 but only in the last couple of days has it actually booted properly off the hard drive, so even this morning I wasn't sure it was going to work but the Frieden brothers turned up with the kit with the board with the hardware with a hard disk drive booted it up and thank goodness it work so it does work still running off debug software so its not as smooth as it should be but you know Hypeion they will deliver, you know they will get the software working just right, that why were running a beta testing program as well. The beta tester will make sure we dont have a amigaone xe, xcell problem, the AmigaONE X1000 they go out and the machine works high quality product and bring the Amiga back where it should be, 25 years after the original machine was launched you have a product that a last your be able to say Yes this is an Amiga, Yes its good quality, Yes it works, it may not be grand braking as the original Amiga but for us enthusiast, me in particular, its deferentially an Amiga computer.

So just like to say thank you for coming, we have Varisys here the Managing Director and the Technical Director they will help you out, the Director of Hyperion Ben Hermans, in his spare time, I was going to say lawyer but that sounds terrible, he actually properties developer, he got some properties, that's his real job my other business partner Tony Moorley is somewhere, problaly still at the bar, the Frieden brothers are hear somewhere, hiding, two Acube managing partner are here Ricko and Max, so you want to buy a X1000 today (shake head left to right) but you can always buy a Sam they make excellent products, showing off there 460 which is the new Sam 1Ghz processor so its getting up their, I would say it brings the sam with more hardware better than the Pegasos at 1Ghzs today the Pegasos is probably the better machine but the new Sam with the modern hardware is better than the Pegasos, Yes (nod from Acube) yep. So if you got any questions do ask them.

@vox I think the biggest lesson tha we learnt from the VCF 25 amiga show was to make sure that in future we attend these larger events and target the wider audience, as opposed to our closed shop annual AMiga shows which serve no purpose but to allow already diehard amigans to collect together. If we want to expand our user base, and for that matter bring in more developers, we must repeat the last weekend as often as possible.

@Swisso

Agreed 100% But where next?

@vox

Quote:

AROS looked impressive, I think OS4 could potentially have serious competition, especially given how cheap the hardware and software (which is free of course) is in comparison. Really fancy getting an iMica to have as an STB for web/email/games on UAE.

@Daniel

I have to say I wasn't previously a big Aros fan but since ClusterUK has been showcasing it with his Imica machines, it looks really really impressive.

He's put a chunk of cash into driver development for it, too, to improve it no end, and the three machines he brought with him to the show looked well cool.

Still primarily an OS4 fan, though.

@Mikey_C

In Reality: an Amigan based campaign. Primary target are ex-Amiga users, which now should be 30-40 years old in average, thus having some money to spare, maybe. At least no more begging the parents like in last decade of 20th century

1) What is the strongest community now? UK, Sweden, France, Germany? Poland seems to be big in East Europe.
Amiga became European thing, and I kinda like it for European reasons But use the LINUX force, since LINUX is kind of brethren (can be run on PPC boards - all but only X1000 was not Linux mentioned. Hope soon) - ELF format, AniCygnux, free software, good programmers ...
So we have some "outsiders"

Strongest community could most easily be the host, or maybe once a quarterly or half annually Amiga show could be host there, exchangeably, but offering direct sales of SAMs and X1000, as well as of OS and apps that can be run on PPC, even last 68k versions.

2) Integrate with bigger festivals - what was the biggest one Kraftwerk loved - an EXPO. PC world is kind of dull, just the MB, CPU and slots revisions.

3) Promote on YouTube, Facebook
Make a decent and clean sites and instructions, like the X1000 fun site (presented here) is quite informative, or Intuition Base USED to be in time of Amiga One Terron board

4) SOFTWARE: we need as much of "68k leftovers" that can work availiable free or low priced, OPEN OFFICE and something as easy as Nero to burn. With Timberwolf and AmigaAmp, that is it! Almost same experience of every platform. With some limited Java and Flash (or full) we have the modern

5) 68k users need to migrate to PPC. 68k is finally dead by all means, long live the King

Also, for their pleasure, maybe AROS could go installed on SAM/x1000 optionally, while optimized UAE should be integrated with KS 1.3,3.1. and CD32 files

6) HARDWARE> Acube and A-EON have done their job. What I personaly dislike is high price just for the board + add VAT + even add 40%+ import taxes outside EU and US (yes, yes, I live in Europe, but not in EU) + rest of the components + OS and some apps and you get close to X1000 price for any system.
And I fear even X1000 system could be without monitor and OS, which gives it 2000eur plus taste. However, I believe SAMs are more attractive to masses, make them cute again in small cases, workaround USB 2.0 and miniPC with some add on card, and lets get worky as new A1200

However, we will have to be the one to buy this hardware and this prices to make it maybe possible to reproduce next year, and maybe with increased prices that the s/w and h/w price drops.

7) To end the MOS war, I hope some MOS wrapper will be realised, even paid, since there are couple of MOS apps and games that do not exist for OS 4.x
Maybe some good MOS features could go in OS 4.2 and beyond, and exchangably, some official OS 4 emu layer would be nice. That is best solution, but even having MOS for the boards is not too bad.

Just some ideas, betta must come

About AROS:

Please explain me in brief

- It is x86 native, like Amithlon but supports modern hardware

- It has some x86 native rewritten Amiga Apps

- It can run UAE

- But the limit is no true 68k emu (like in OS 4.x) to run old sw and no PPC support

- I belive at one point Hyperion claimed MOS and AROS are kind of illegal?

- Will it be a Miniming and Natami OS in 68k versions
(if they exist?)


Sorry for bad English (typos, spelling)

@vox

I'm sorry, but there is very little point in porting OS4 to x86.

* 1: It will cost a lot of time and money to port it.
* 2: Any x86 board that it is ported over to, will be obsolete within 6 months, meaning that there would forever be a frantic rush to port AmigaOS4's drivers for a new board
* 3: It will not make it any cheaper. Apple Mac's are now Intel based, if you compare the cost of An Apple Mac x86 to an equivalent Windows/Linux x86 PC you will find that the Windows/Linux PC is cheaper for the same if not similar specs.

So, you see, wishing it to be on x86 makes no sense what so ever.

@Mikey_C

Dear Dave,

Who mentioned x86?

By Linux users I ment both x86 and Linux (old Mac users, Pegasos users, Amiga users and Playstation 3 users), yes x86 Linux users too just to add the crowd - and some similar Geek Community.

There is a lot of sense in making x86 port, since its the desktop and the server CPU dominant family now and likely in the future. But only AROS have made it. AmigaOS has taken the PPC way back in 90s and now its final.

Yes, I forgot to mention DRIVERS for scanners, printers, USB real devices like bluetooth dongles, PCI and PCI-E cards. So much hustle to get a chipset independent OS that can use PCI cards to find out no cards to be used because of no drivers (only two Radeon families and old SoundBlasters),


About Intel transition of Mac - even I dont like it, its a smart move. And they made the Rosetta stone (transparent PPC soft emu) rhat no one did. So, yes, Mac is better designed single board based expensive PC, but works, even not being a top of line PC anymore (dual Core with Intel GFX?)

It dropped Mac prices at least half

Price is important, but not most important.

What about the OS price?

AmigaOS4 costs as any other OS and lacks some functionality ....

Any Amiga board costs as whole system, with OS and monitor

So there is a space for price reductions, I just feel more people, more buyers are needed, and its hard to get with such prices .... so we are to be sacrificed a bit.

Old no hardware no software thing.

And some similar developers reduced price board scheme might as well be used by Acube when possible.

Ah, what is all to be done!

@Mikey_C

Quote:

... and pirated copies will spread at light speed.

@Elwood

Sure but they will sell a lot more copies too. Using expensive PPC hardware as a copy protection dongle isn't a good idea imo.

@Mikey_C
Hi to you!! :)

#1 I totally agree, but hyp would spend that money only one time. And believe me, if an official amiga os by hyperion would be ported to x86, i'm sure, all of us would buy it. And with us also the ex amigans who can't afford, or simply don't want pay, 600 euros for a weak ppc motheboard.

#2 "Old machine" is not a bad word if it still works. PPC Hw is overpriced, weak and old from the birth.

# 3 Apple is not a good example. If they'd sell nuts, those nuts would be inuts, and this would cost to a fanboy, at least, 10$/inut.

Another way? Let's write to sony and pray them to make a cell based machine at an affordable price...
It would sell 10,000 amigas a day...

@rebraist Quote:
"but I also disagree with everything you said" ;)

Quote:
They can't spend money they don't have. Maybe in the future...

Quote:
Without being able to run any existing PPC or 68k software? (That's the only way for Hyperion to do it cheaply.)

Quote:
I honestly don't see how you could call it weak from a user experience perspective (since OS4 runs pretty well on hardware that's less powerful than that).

Sure, more CPU speed & lower cost is always nice, but some times you have to accept "this is good enough". If you want x86 cpu speed & x86 mobo price, then I hope you also enjoy your x86 OS (bleugh).

Quote:
I think his point was that you can't BUY obsolete x86 mobos, as they get discontinued frequently. Hence the continual race to write new drivers.

@ChrisH

"Without being able to run any existing PPC or 68k software?"

Filer would be ported in an instant :O)


@All

Anyway, we all know where the x86 discussions usually end up. Some would welcome x86, others wouldn't. It's just the way it is, and things are where they are. So let's not have yet another mudslinging thread on this subject.

OK. here is what makes me think about Amiga Future...

1. First Public show for a much much awaited System in a tent ? What the hell is that for a company... you want to have as much journalists around as possible to spread the news.

2. Who did know that A1000X will have a world premier ? Did they do at least a mailing to get as much spectator to the booth as possible ?

3. No professional photograph/Camera team from A-Eon around... How weak.. Trevor has to ask us for "quality photos/videos"

4. (Business) showcases for Amiga ?

Concluding: Seen from this point of view, I would meet up during a bigger computer (related) business fair (Cebit ?), and rent an Indoor exhibition room. Something like Essen (if you donnot stick to a computer fair) or just a big show room in close by Hotel. Invite as much journalist/people as you can. Go for flyers/merchandising on the main computer fair.
Your New Year teaser attracted many people outside the community, that was the right direction.

Right... hard words/criticism here is the other side:

1. Woh... refreshing, a small homebrewed presentation, in the beloved community. (BTW quiet a few Kiwis love Homebrew, and love it rather quiet).

2. A few people outside Amigaworld noticed, thats good for a start

3. A-Eon is a startup ! Why not behave like a small small Startup with some sort of "build and presented in a garage" feeling. Amiga is different, so lets make a different presentation (compared to Apple/MS etc..) as well !

4. Rather taking little steps then promising to much like A.Inc. is a good thing.

5. On top there is not to much ready to impress people outside Amiga Community at the moment. So no point in starting up a big marketing campaign.

6. Maybe the BigBang is still ahead...

7. Seen from the Amigacommunity side, we should be happy, we get fed with bits and pieces of information over the time, to keep us exited. Nice strategy ! (Is it a PA Semi ? Did anybody find more hints ?). Keeping the processor name secret is not a bad idea for exitement. Guess they wouldn't sell more A1000X if we already knew the processor.

8. The Importance to all partners (Varisys, A-Eon, Hyperion...) was documented very well, just remember Managing Director and Technical Director of Varisys were there...

Concluding: Might be a strategy of "small steps", which is somehow "sexy" as well. Hope it works out - I want to have a bright Amiga Future.

regards gerograph

@vox

I've already posted my thoughts on the other thread about images/videos and what A-Eon should do in regard to PR.

As for the word 'Tent' it wasn't a Tent, I was a large marquee, just shitty articles being posted by so called editors who claim to have a grasp of english, but I think it was more of an intentional slur in the opening paragraph.

Lets get things into context, the VCF was always going to be attended by 'fanboys', geeks and old-farts masturbating over a Intellivision running Doom in glorious 2-colour.

I don't believe the VCF was ever intended to showcase the Amiga platform outside of the wider-community as it was a festival paying tribute to Vintage Computers. It's quite clear to me at least that A-Eon wants to start at grass-roots level and then move on from there.

Talking of which what is going on in Essen, Germany? Perhaps that is something bigger?

I do agree on point 5, A-Eon isn't ready to unleash it yet - after all its only at the beta developer stage.

Imho the best place for such topics, its amigaworld. Hope amigans will not be after some time full of topics about phylosophy about nothink, like on AW.

@kas1e

True lets not pollute this place with the drivel from AmigaWorld and Amiga.org.

*zips lips*

@kas1e
As long as the discussions are not to heated I would prefer to have them here where there are no trolls.
I don't mind discussing X86 vs PPC but some people on AW.net fail to see that there's more to it than just buy an (any!) x86 board.

On-topic.
The show looked like great fun. With both Acube, A-eon and Hyperion being there I had hoped for a little more news about the future development of OS4.

I'm sorry if i've let you misunderstand me
There's no happier guy than me if a-eon and amigaos goes well.
But we're always the same 4 guys (now with me 5).
And i'm tired to read "this is a hobby".
When i think about amiga and amiga os i do not feel an hobbyist (maybe an hobbit) at all!
I know we can't rock the world, at least not today.
But what makes me sick of it all is, it's my feeling and it could be wrong, a sort of "hoping in the future" that leads us to nowhere.
X86 proposal is far and hard i know, but at least you can imagine to be known by a teenager and by new customers.
Just to say, i read on a website that told about workbench 1.3 (!): "amiga? is it like osx?"
...
...
...
...this is sad...

@ Thread

At the people calling the Marquee a tent, consider the following.

It cost about ?150 to hire the Big Bash hall for about 10 hours.
Those Marquees cost about ?15K. Ok so that particular marquee didn't have a wooden floor but I bet it still cost a shedload.

I think Kudos are in order for the organisers.

And what event could be better for launch than the home of British computing ?