Radioactive Workbench

[Rebel-CD32]

Here's a theme I'm working on for our upcoming Workbench distribution, which people have dubbed "Modern Workbench" but I don't know what it'll be called. Probably Modern Workbench if we can't think of anything better.
There will be a choice of glow effects for your icons. Along with the classic dull yellow glow, there's this new "radioactive" glow, complete with green themed window borders.

http://home.exetel.com.au/amiga/Radioactive1.png...http://home.exetel.com.au/amiga/Radioactive2.png

I've designed everything to be compatible with any Amiga running Kickstart 3.0/3.1, although VisualPrefs may not run on 68000 so we'll need to include a simpler window-border hack that will still work with Birdie.

[AmigaEd]

Looks quite nice to me. Look forward to seeing more.

"our upcoming Workbench distribution" - please forgive my ignorance, but who is "our" and what is the story behind the "upcoming Workbench distribution"

Regards,
AmigaEd

[gizmo350]

DANG! How can I make my A1200 screen look like that? I'm new to the A1200 and have recently installed 60GB HDD w/WB3.9, Indivision AGA, and an Accelerator + many other goodies that are still waiting to be installed... Where do I even start to get a screen and Icons like this (obviously you), but I mean "how to do it?"

The hardware is great fun but mastering the software is my ultimate goal!

giZmo....

[Rebel-CD32]

Cammy and I are working on it together, but if we ever have a forum where we can work on these kind of projects together we'd gladly accept help from anyone else.

I guess I use the term "distribution" in the same sense they do with Linux, although it won't actually include the copyrighted system files. The installer will prompt you to insert a Workbench floppy disk during installation, the same as Classic Workbench, AmigaSYS and AmiKit do.

If you haven't already checked out the existing Workbench packs/distributions, they're pretty good:

Classic Workbench - http://classicwb.abime.net/
AmigaSYS - http://amigasys.ultimateamiga.co.uk/
AmiKit - http://amikit.amiga.sk/

It's basically a pre-installed Workbench setup, packed with programs, customised and snapshotted in position, ready for anyone to jump in and use so they don't have to spend months or years doing the job from scratch.

[gizmo350]

I have read a bit about the "pre-installed Workbench" and didn't really understand everything but, am I right in thinking I would have to reinstall my entire OS? I seemed very complicated the first time I read thru it all but I probably just need more experience. Very nice WB screen though! Someone once said on this forum that "most C64 peeps went straight to the PC clone". I did for the reasons stated in his post (mostly expense). I was a master at the C64 and just got into the Amiga about 4 years ago. I understand how much time people invest in Amiga binary code... and like many other things in life, I wish I could spend boat loads of time with. OK, I'm rambling.... but I love this stuff. Thanks for the links! This is the most time consuming computer hobby I've had - and "loving it"!

[Thomas]

DANG! How can I make my A1200 screen look like that?

Patch to manipulate window borders and other GUI elements -> http://aminet.net/package/util/wb/VisualPrefs
Patch to allow colored icons -> http://aminet.net/package/util/wb/NewIcons46
Patch to allow lots of graphics without loosing too much chip-RAM -> http://aminet.net/util/boot/fblit.lha (hopefully your accelerator has some fast-RAM, otherwise this is of no use)
More icons than you ever need -> http://aminet.net/pix/nicon
Background pictures and patterns -> http://aminet.net/pix/back


am I right in thinking I would have to reinstall my entire OS?

"Installing" in terms of AmigaOS just means copying some files from one place to another, so it's not such a big deal. But yes, you'll need to replace your boot partition with a new OS. Usually one just unpacks the distribution archive of the "preinstalled" Workbench to the boot partition. When it first starts it will ask for the installation disks and copy all needed files to the right places automatically.

[platon42]

Very nice "RocketTool" icon :)

[Darrin]

Very nice.

I've been using a "Classic Workbench AGA" install on my A4000 and I've just managed to get a 1.5GB "Classic Workbench" hard file made up for my Minimig v1.1. I was loading it up with various WHDLoad games and testing them when I had to go back to work.

I look forward to checking this out because "something" in my A4000's Classic Workbench setup seems to be stopping my FastATA4000 hard drives working in anything other than PIO0 without reporting read errors and my Deneb from working in anything other than Z2 mode.

[Karlos]

http://home.exetel.com.au/amiga/Radioactive2.png

Perfect workbench backdrop (http://www.amiga.org/forums/showpost.php?p=566829&postcount=148) for this theme?

[Drummerboy]

@Rebel-CD32

Very Cool!!

Its nice was doing for use with Amiga OS 3.X..

congratulations for you and Cammy!-- Great Job!

[Darrin]

Perfect workbench backdrop (http://www.amiga.org/forums/showpost.php?p=566829&postcount=148) for this theme?

Got it in 1920 x 1050? :)

[radzik]

Very nice. Will icons be available separately? For download and install it on any system?

[kolla]

Perfect workbench backdrop (http://www.amiga.org/forums/showpost.php?p=566829&postcount=148) for this theme?

Broccoli!!! :lol:

[Clark Kent]

Respect! This is very nice, especially since you only use 16 colors as far as I can see. Works great with AGA. Call me conservative, but shouldn't you have a blue theme? Blue/gray windows always seems more Amiga to me. I never liked that green theme used in AmiKit.

Are the icons rendered to this palette?

By the way, is there any "perfect" 16-colour palette for all-round use? Guess that must include more shades of gray than other colors?

[Akiko]

Very cool icons.. :)

[Karlos]

Got it in 1920 x 1050? :)

It could probably be arranged :lol: I think I have all the original assets, one of which was an absolutely enormous resolution image of the Tsar Bomba detonation.

[Retrofan]

I'm not into the Amiga scene since a long time, but I like to have different configurations in different Hd CF. I already have 3:
32Gb Trascend Sys4Aga OS3.9,
16Gb Sandisk Amikit running on Real Amiga (my favourite), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iKiBfZt0wc
16GB Sandisk Classic WB OS3.9,
and by now I was thinking to setup another, and I'll keep the Mac installation for later, so I will be interested trying this Radioactive WB... I'm going to Ebay to buy another CF...

Ah, good to see Thomas is around here. He's a master...

BTW: Will I need to use gloves to install that radioactive thing ? I'm wearing them on since my clothes began to shine in the dark...

[TheGoose]

"I've designed everything to be compatible with any Amiga running Kickstart 3.0/3.1, although VisualPrefs may not run on 68000 so we'll need to include a simpler window-border hack that will still work with Birdie."

Badass. You crazy kids are my heroes!

[Retrofan]

Two questions:
Will it be a free distribution pack or will it be for sale?
When do you believe will be the (first) release (I understand you could make updates)?

[Darrin]

Any more progress on this?