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- {subhead} Amiga/Linux View{def}{p}
- Article by Don Benson
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- Lately it seems that the solution the computer industry has put to
- problems with both hardware and software problems is get faster hardware,
- buy more hardware or memory, or claim the problem does not exist. I,
- for one, am relieved that Amiga has not taken that route with upgrading
- the Amiga or with the AmigaNG system. Instead, Jim C and company have
- opted for a combination of new technology and an existing operating
- system.
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- Sadly, many people in the Amiga community have made their decisions
- about what Amiga should do. Most of the time, those decisions are short
- sighted or maintenance of status-quo. But that type of decision is not
- a type that will bring Amiga to the forefront of the computer industry.
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- When the Amiga first came out, there were very few people who had any
- use for it. Even Bill Gates claimed no one would want to work with a
- system using a GUI. Ironic as it is, even Bill Gates came to understand
- that the real advantage of a GUI was not evident at that time. I believe
- we are in the same type of situation with AmigaNG and Linux.
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- True, Linux is an existing system that has been unable to take over
- Windows userbase. Linux has, on the other hand, made many inroads
- without falling on its face. It is in operation, though, in very
- significant numbers with many recommendations. Major software creators
- are looking at Linux with increasing approval. Numbers of users are
- growing steadily.
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- It is unfortunate that in the past Amiga did not make very clear that
- QNX was only one of many OSs under consideration. But, many of us
- interpreted the information that QNX was selected to be THE system. From
- the sounds of things, the QNX people must have felt that they had the
- inside track, also. I think it was a little short-sighted of them to
- feel that they were in the driver's seat, so to speak.
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- I can understand that the QNX people are upset about the appearant change
- of direction. Anyone in their shoes would be. And I am sorry for that.
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- Amiga has one problem that QNX cannot solve. Lack of time. Amiga needs
- to get going. Not with just a new operating system, but also with
- viable software. After all, very few people will buy a computer system
- nowadays without software to run on it. The software has to be something
- they can use. At this point in time Linux is one of a few choices that
- have at least a minimum of software. Linux also has companies willing to
- invest in development for it.
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- This brings up an interesting situation. If Amiga is willing to spend
- a great deal of money on developing a GUI-operated Linux and include
- in the development the new generation of main processors, are the
- companies looking at Linux ready to join forces with Amiga and really
- create the NEXT generation of computer systems. It appears Jim Collas
- is attempting to find those developers who are ready to invest and to
- persuade othere who are `on the fence.'
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- There is also nothing to stop QNX from going on a developing their
- operating system. They will certainly find users if they create a really
- great system.
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- Only time will tell us if Amiga has made the right decision. The way
- things progress in the computer world I do not believe we will have to
- wait very long to find out if the decision will truly bring the Amiga,
- as a system, to the lips of people in the computer world. It will take
- longer to find out if Amiga will find inroads into the world of business
- computing. At the rate new announcements and interviews are flying in
- the news media, I believe that it will become quite evident that Amiga
- is on a solid course with solid management.