[comp.sys.amiga] V1.3 OS?

R38@PSUVM.BITNET (aka Marc Rifkin) (02/23/88)

Ok, I have heard rumors (Any pre-release info from CA comes as rumors...)
about the upcoming V1.3 Operation System.  But which ones are true?
Such as:
      -Workbench get kicked out
      -Shell-like user interface
      -Better drivers
         -Printers
         -Preferences control of
      -Better graphics
         -More support for:
            -Overscan
            -HAM
            -1/2 brite
      -Less GURUS? (PLEASE!)
      -Disk access
         -Floppy? Any better on reading filenames?
         -Fast Format - for HD's only?
      And one thing I have to suggest:
            -A *MUCH* better picture of the hand holding a disk
             that should not say WORKBENCH (it should be a generic
             looking boot disk)
Now all of those things are nice, but what I would very much like to know
is 1) When will it be released?  2) Will new Amigas (500,2000) come with
V1.3 once it is out?
Thanks for clearing the mist...
-------
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ali@polya.STANFORD.EDU (Ali Ozer) (02/23/88)

In article <34268R38@PSUVM> R38@PSUVM.BITNET (aka Marc Rifkin) writes:
>Ok, I have heard rumors (Any pre-release info from CA comes as rumors...)
>about the upcoming V1.3 Operation System.  ... one thing I have to suggest:
>            -A *MUCH* better picture of the hand holding a disk
>             that should not say WORKBENCH (it should be a generic
>             looking boot disk)

Just for the record, at the Feb BADGE meeting Bryce Nesbitt showed a
KickStart disk which (among many other custom things) put up a huge
checkmark instead of the hand/disk picture when prompting for the WB disk.
The background was black (instead of white), and (with copper hacking, I
assume) he had the checkmark colored with a whole range of colors, not
just only the 4 that you get in the hand/disk screen...

Ali Ozer, ali@polya.stanford.edu

cmcmanis%pepper@Sun.COM (Chuck McManis) (02/24/88)

I can tell, 1.3 is going to be worse than 1.2 in this regard (rumors) 
the following stuff is mostly extracted from what the C/A folks say
on BIX. Note that they are suprisingly candid in their own conference
(amiga.dev) and if your a true rumor monger you won't mind paying for
your information ... :-)

In article <34268R38@PSUVM> R38@PSUVM.BITNET (aka Marc Rifkin) writes:
>Ok, I have heard rumors (Any pre-release info from CA comes as rumors...)
>about the upcoming V1.3 Operation System.  But which ones are true?
>Such as:
>      -Workbench get kicked out

One of the things mentioned were *NO* ROM changes. That makes kicking 
workbench out a little tough, it does not preclude having a workbench.library
on the disk but I think it is not to likely.

>      -Shell-like user interface

Don't know, but does it matter? I mean with ConMan, Metacomco Shell, 
Shell 2.07, and derivatives will a different CLI make you change?

>      -Better drivers
>         -Printers

This has been confirmed a couple of places, basically a new printer.device
and some new drivers that support better/faster graphics.

>         -Preferences control of
>      -Better graphics

I assume you have to select them some how :-)

>         -More support for:
>            -Overscan

Were you at the AmiExpo get together that Jimm hosted? He had some ideas and
got some feedback but the timeframe looked to me to be a lot later than 1.3.

>            -HAM

What is more support for HAM? Calls in AmigaBASIC? It's there, it works
I don't understand the intimation.

>            -1/2 brite

Same goes here.

>      -Less GURUS? (PLEASE!)

Argh. My machine running 1.2 *never* GURUs unless I make it GURU. If all I
do is run commercial software I have no problems here. Maybe you have some
flakey hardware? What does your machine run that crashes alot? 

>      -Disk access
>         -Floppy? Any better on reading filenames?

Reading filenames? You mean like enumerating directorys? No, I don't think
there will be any improvement until you can use the Fast File system on 
floppies.

>         -Fast Format - for HD's only?

Fast File system is in, I can only guess that a fast format routine would
be useful too. I hear that the FFS breaks the 52Meg barrier (makes it a 
2G barrier) and I sure as heck don't want to sit around for a day while
that thing formats :-)

>      And one thing I have to suggest:
>            -A *MUCH* better picture of the hand holding a disk
>             that should not say WORKBENCH (it should be a generic
>             looking boot disk)

I think it is kind of tough to be really creative with just line draws and
such. Now if they really put the image in ROM that would be one thing but 
since they don't ...

>Now all of those things are nice, but what I would very much like to know
>is 1) When will it be released?  2) Will new Amigas (500,2000) come with
>V1.3 once it is out?
>Thanks for clearing the mist...

Like I said, Commodore has emphatically denied that there would be any 
ROM changes in 1.3 so I suspect that the 500s/2000s of the world will
still come with 1.2 ROMS. Maybe they just want 500/2000 owners to experience
the joy of buying an 'Enhancer Pack'. In either event I don't think it
will be free. 

--Chuck McManis
uucp: {anywhere}!sun!cmcmanis   BIX: cmcmanis  ARPAnet: cmcmanis@sun.com
These opinions are my own and no one elses, but you knew that didn't you.

page@swan.ulowell.edu (Bob Page) (02/24/88)

cmcmanis@sun.UUCP (Chuck McManis) wrote:
>One of the things mentioned were *NO* ROM changes.

I thought the point of 1.3 was to add autoboot support?  If I remember
right, I read on BIX that 1.3 was going to be 1.2 with NO bug fixes,
just autoboot support.  Doesn't that mean new ROMs?

>I can only guess that a fast format routine would be useful too.

There's a PD program to do this.

..Bob
-- 
Bob Page, U of Lowell CS Dept.  page@swan.ulowell.edu  ulowell!page
"I don't know such stuff.  I just do eyes."  -- from 'Blade Runner'

kim@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com (Kim DeVaughn) (02/25/88)

In article <5070@swan.ulowell.edu>, page@swan.ulowell.edu (Bob Page) writes:
> cmcmanis@sun.UUCP (Chuck McManis) wrote:
> >One of the things mentioned were *NO* ROM changes.
> 
> I thought the point of 1.3 was to add autoboot support?  If I remember
> right, I read on BIX that 1.3 was going to be 1.2 with NO bug fixes,
> just autoboot support.  Doesn't that mean new ROMs?

I'm not sure about the "new ROM's/KS" issue, but there does seem to be some
confusion over version numbers.  As I understand it:

What used to be called v1.21 is now called v1.3, and ONLY adds hard-disk
autoboot support, as Bob noted (though I've also heard that the '881
floating-point libs might sneek into this release).  This release is
supposed to show up (dare I say it) ... RSN.

What used to be called v1.3  is now called v1.4, and will include the
enhancements (like the FFS, etc.), and bug-fixes that we all keep wishing
and hoping for.  Availability ... 3Q88 (maybe) or 4Q88 (more likely).

So ... unless my understanding is the result of smoking some bad weed,
we can reduce some of the confusion by refering only to the new scheme of
revision numbers.

I'm sure someone will "inform me in the appropriate manner" [heavy flames]
if I'm wrong about this ...

/kim

-- 
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andy@cbmvax.UUCP (Andy Finkel) (02/27/88)

In article <23057@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com> kim@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com (Kim DeVaughn) writes:
>In article <5070@swan.ulowell.edu>, page@swan.ulowell.edu (Bob Page) writes:
>> cmcmanis@sun.UUCP (Chuck McManis) wrote:
>> >One of the things mentioned were *NO* ROM changes.
>> 
>> I thought the point of 1.3 was to add autoboot support?  If I remember
>> right, I read on BIX that 1.3 was going to be 1.2 with NO bug fixes,
>> just autoboot support.  Doesn't that mean new ROMs?
>
>I'm not sure about the "new ROM's/KS" issue, but there does seem to be some
>confusion over version numbers.  As I understand it:
>

Let's end the confusion...

There's Kickstart and there's Workbench.

What used to be called V1.2.1 Kickstart is now called V1.3 Kickstart.
	The only change from V1.2 of this Kickstart is the addition
	of boot from devices other than DF0:, if they are properly equipped.

What used to be called V1.3 Workbench is still called V1.3 Workbench.

	V1.3 Workbench does not require V1.3 Kickstart to work.
	V1.3 Kickstart does not require V1.3 Workbench to work.


This above release is the one that's about ready.

V1.4 will be the release after this one.  That one is where the
ROMs are open for changes once again.  And, of course, Workbench
disk changes will be possible.

Everyone got it ?  :-)

		andy
-- 
andy finkel		{ihnp4|seismo|allegra}!cbmvax!andy 
Commodore-Amiga, Inc.

"Never test for an error condition you don't know how to handle."
		
Any expressed opinions are mine; but feel free to share.
I disclaim all responsibilities, all shapes, all sizes, all colors.

cthulhu@athena.mit.edu (Jim Reich) (03/01/88)

In article <34268R38@PSUVM> R38@PSUVM.BITNET (aka Marc Rifkin) writes:
>Ok, I have heard rumors (Any pre-release info from CA comes as rumors...)
>about the upcoming V1.3 Operating System
>      -Workbench get kicked out
Oh come on.  There is no way at all that this could be true.  The workbench
has been an integral part of the Amigas image, if not its use, from day one.
It will be back, and probably better than ever...
>      -Shell-like user interface
Do you mean the CLI?  With the utilities currently out there in the Public 
domain there ain't so much of a difference anyway
>      -Better drivers
>         -Printers
Yes, this is confirmed.  They will be much faster and will support things such
as the 24/18 pin modes, better color, reasonable pauses between lines, etc.
From what I've heard, however, they don't have the white-lines-on-black
problem fixed yet...
>      -Better graphics
>         -More support for:
>            -1/2 brite
It's really kind of tricky to support half-brite, since many Amigas don't have
it (I don't think the 2000 or the 500 do -- verification, folks?)
>      -Disk access
Yes, the Fast File System, which should pick things up massively, particularly
on Hard drives.
>      And one thing I have to suggest:
>            -A *MUCH* better picture of the hand holding a disk
>             that should not say WORKBENCH (it should be a generic
>             looking boot disk)
You can make one yourself.  The image is stored on the Kickstart disk, and
explanations of how to replace it are on one of the recent fish disks, along
with other Kickstart patches (like getting rid of that infernal clicking from
empty disk drives!)

						-- Jim

glee@cognos.uucp (Godfrey Lee) (03/07/88)

In article <3377@cbmvax.UUCP> andy@cbmvax.UUCP (Andy Finkel) writes:
>Let's end the confusion...

>There's Kickstart and there's Workbench.

okay.

>What used to be called V1.2.1 Kickstart is now called V1.3 Kickstart.
>	The only change...

>What used to be called V1.3 Workbench is still called V1.3 Workbench.

>	V1.3 Workbench does not require V1.3 Kickstart to work.
>	V1.3 Kickstart does not require V1.3 Workbench to work.

>This above release is the one that's about ready.

>V1.4 will be the release after this one. ...

>Everyone got it ?  :-)

clear as mud.

>		andy

If C-A is ready to release the information, I for one would appreciate a detail
description of the upcoming O/S releases. It would give myself and others
something to look forward to, and would reduce the traffic on the net
speculating about what are in these releases. How about it, Andy?
-- 
Godfrey Lee                                      P.O. Box 9707
Cognos Incorporated                              3755 Riverside Dr.
VOICE:  (613) 738-1440   FAX: (613) 738-0002     Ottawa, Ontario
UUCP: decvax!utzoo!dciem!nrcaer!cognos!glee      CANADA  K1G 3Z4

prplworm@cup.portal.com (03/11/88)

>It's really kind of tricky to support half-brite, since many Amigas don't have
>it (I don't think the 2000 or the 500 do -- verification, folks?)

Yes, the A500 and A2000 have the half-bright chips. I have an A500, and half-
bright works fine. In fact, I think some of the later A1000s have it (I know
you can upgrade the A1000 for half-bright for about $60).

davidg@killer.UUCP (David Guntner) (03/14/88)

in article <2385@cognos.UUCP>, glee@cognos.uucp (Godfrey Lee) says:
> If C-A is ready to release the information, I for one would appreciate a detail
> description of the upcoming O/S releases. It would give myself and others
> something to look forward to, and would reduce the traffic on the net
> speculating about what are in these releases. How about it, Andy?

I second this motion.  I'd love to see an official release as to what is going
to be what with OS 1.3 & 1.4 from the people who truely know (I've seen so 
many different stories now, that I've lost count...).
                             --Dave


-- 
David Guntner  UUCP: {ihnp4, codas}!killer!davidg  INET: davidg@killer.UUCP

"...Different ship, but she's got a good name.  Treat   --Admiral L. McCoy
 her like a lady, and she'll always bring you home."   "Encounter at Farpoint"

richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) (03/15/88)

In article <3835@cup.portal.com> prplworm@cup.portal.com writes:
>>It's really kind of tricky to support half-brite, since many Amigas don't have
>>it (I don't think the 2000 or the 500 do -- verification, folks?)
>
>Yes, the A500 and A2000 have the half-bright chips. I have an A500, and half-
>bright works fine. In fact, I think some of the later A1000s have it (I know
>you can upgrade the A1000 for half-bright for about $60).


(Email bounced)

Thanks so mych for straightening out this wretched mess. Two and a half years 
I've been wondering about this.

I knew some techno-wizard from portal would clear this up.

Praise allah for portal.


-- 
                      "...(alright Nils, alright)..."
                          richard@gryphon.CTS.COM 
   {ihnp4!scgvaxd!cadovax, rutgers!marque, codas!ddsw1} gryphon!richard

R38@PSUVM.BITNET (aka Marc Rifkin) (03/26/88)

Even *official* SPECULATION is better than unofficial RUMORS.
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