swan

From MorphOS website.

Under the Quark kernel a PowerPC(TM) native reimplementation of the OS we know from the Commodore(TM) A1000, A500, A2000, A1200, A3000(T) and A4000(T) systems runs as a mixture of a virtual emulation and a driver. We call this OS driver from now on the A-Box.

The 68k emulation is written in C and uses gcc assembler macros where necessary to speed up certain complex instructions.

Even though the emulation is written in C, its structure is on a level where handcoded assembler isn't significantly faster.

A JIT(Just In Time) engine for MorphOS to speed up old 68k programs beyond the current state of the traditional emulation is currently tested in house.

The new native PPC Exec supports the PowerPC register model which means there's no difference for this new Exec if it runs 68k or PowerPC code. PowerPC code does not block multitasking inside the OS box like in emulations where the 68k code is just emulated in some host system's task (then every access outside this enviroment would stop the multitasking in the emulated environment).

For applications running under this new PowerPC A-Box kernel 68k code runs as subroutines inside PowerPC tasks. For 68k or PowerPC applications it's completely transparent if some library, hook, interrupt is still 68k or already using PowerPC code.

This allows transparent and easy inclusion of native PPC A-Box modules even for so called "rom" modules 3rd party developers can use replacement modules. We are very close at the moment to a complete PowerPC A-Box rom replacement with our technology and the help of the AROS team, which we want to thank for their contributions. In the near future we will also target a complete replacement of the system files.

PiNkEyE69

I still have my Amiga A500 with 2MB Ram and about 100+ games.
Ahhh....speedball 2......Xenon 2:Megablast......Shadow of the beast.....Kick off.... It's all coming back to me now.

swan

Ditto, almost makes me want to find the thing again and play a few games. Wonder if they'll still feel good after modern PC and PS games?

PiNkEyE69

Played on mine the other week (it's around my sisters at the mo), yes they do, abeit the long loading times in comparison (insert disk, put kettle on...)
That and the constant diskswapping on large games (even though I had a second drive, they ignored the use of it in the game)
Joystick feels funny after my years of console pad-controller gaming.

mannyo

I had several, a500, a500+ and a1200 . nice machine way ahead of its time. I still have a few disks lying around. I still tinker with wb3.1 sometimes using an emulator (winuae) on my pc. the emulator runs 99% of stuff at full amiga speed. it seems weird playing games like pinball dreams on an athlon xp 2600+. those 10 year old games still seem good today.

emulator from www.winuae.net , you then need a kickstart rom image and then the game images. these are easy to find using google.

GaryK

or you can buy a cd with everything on emulators and kickstart roms http://www.cloanto.com/amiga/forever/

Gary

beemerboy

2 meg??? r u all sure it wasn't 1/5meg, with a 1/2 meg trapdoor upgrade??

i still have mine, and those games are wicked long live XCOPY!!!!

BB

dnb

Still have an Amiga in the cupboard and use WinUAE It's nice when it works with the PC graphics card.

I miss playing the likes of speedball2 and supercars2

DazV

Its the lo-resolution I can't get used to. I remember being blown away by Deluxe Paint back in the days of the first Amigas in the country (A1000). Anyone remember seeing Tutankhamun for the first time in DP ? Then picking it up as a brush and waltzing around the screen with it? WoW!

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

Still got my A1200. Send me a few beer tokens and it's yours.

Supercars 2 - Loved that game! Turbo boosting onto the car in front and crushing them

bashful

My dad still publishes the parish mag on an 1200 every month in preference to his Duron 1GHz, 'cause a PC won't run PageStream.

naturbo2000

Mum was gonna chuck the A1200 the other day. wouldn't let her

Top machine, had 68030+MMU +4Mb RAM upgrade, 420Mb Hard disk and 4x CD Drive in a Tower.

Minimal specs these days

dnb

If you're going to get rid of the A1200, I'll willingly take it off you.

chiark

Yeah, I'd give someone some notes for a 1200. I have ideas.

dnb

You going to share your ideas?

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

Nick,

mate it's yours! I only ask that I'm one of the first in line for a chance to try out the box of tricks you've been working on

drop me a mail or give me a call. Next week would be best and I'll drop it in to you.

Guy

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

dnb,

sorry, I didn't mean to show favouritism but chiark has helped me out in the past with a few mods so this is one way to repay the favour

Guy

dnb

Not worried at all

I still have my A1200 in the cupboard - I just need to provide it with a modified PC power supply when I next want to use it... (It wasn't as nice as yours though, only an overclocked 68020...)

chiark

Well, the case will be useful

I'll try to get some more things together today. I've loads of ideas and concrete plans for how to do 'em now, but it's as always a question of time.
Nick.

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

I'll did the A1200 out today and give it to you next week sometime.

I'd like to hear how it's going with the "project"

Guy