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[BillE]

The good news is that the desktop planetarium "Digital Universe 1.5" for Hyperion's "Amiga OS4" is finally completed and available to order in the UK and Europe.

However, Dan Charrois of Syzygy who is organising the online ordering and distribution system is away on business for a while, so that there will be no download system until the end of November or maybe early December. This currently limits sales to physical CD copies, posted to UK and Europe.

Users in other parts of the world would be best to wait until the online ordering and download service is available. Though it would of course be possible to post CDs to other areas, the extra cost is probably not worth it and the download system would most likely be available by the time a CD arrived !

When the online system is ready people will be able to order either via the "Syzygy" website (in Canadian dollars via credit card) or the "Digital Universe" website (in UK pounds via Paypal). Either way the package will be downloaded from Syzygy's secure web server.
Two choices of file will be available, an LHA file or an ISO image for creating an install CD. Both files contain artwork to create a CD label and cover.
[img align=right]http://www.digitaluniverse.org.uk/webimages/DUlogo.jpeg[/img]
Those in the UK will also be able to order by cheque for either the CD or the downloadable version.

Those upgrading from Digital Universe 1.03 (68k) will need to include their registration details when ordering or send their keyfile to amiga at syz dot com.


See http://www.digitaluniverse.org.uk/ and follow the Ordering link for more details on pricing and ordering a CD.

The other good news is that work has already started on v1.6 which will be a free upgrade to v1.5.

It is planned to handle updates using Simon Archer's excellent AmiUpdate utility, which of course does not mean updates cannot be obtained directly by people who for some reason do not use AmiUpdate.

All 1.6+ updates will be free to registered users.

Bill Eaves,


Note: This software is for OS4 only, OS3.x versions are not an option. It is time to look forwards not backwards. Besides DU 1.03 works perfectly well on classic systems already.

[Argo]

It is time to look forwards not backwards.

So the AROS version will be out when? That will be for AROS X64, right?

[BillE]

AROS is not supported.

I doubt it ever will be, x86 is not Amiga IMHO.

If you really want to use a PC then go spend £150 on Starry Night Pro instead.


Bill.

[blobrana]

Excellent news.

[cecilia]

Congratulations, Bill!

[Einstein]

x86 is not Amiga IMHO.

That's right, it's a CPU architecture.

[bloodline]

AROS is not supported.

I doubt it ever will be, x86 is not Amiga IMHO.

What does that even mean?

[Trev]

When will the Amiga market realize that PC hardware, at least where home users are concerned, has been commoditized? Apple finally did, and lo and behold, their market share is steadily increasing. (Their overall market share is increasing. Obviously, their share of the x86 market itself is quite small.) Not surprisingly, it's not the CPU that's driving increased sales--it's the operating system.

I still believe that Apple lives primarily by the iPod, but that doesn't change the fact that they can sell commoditized hardware with higher margins simply by slapping an Apple logo on it. Amiga could have done the same. (And really, take a look at the iPhone or iPod Touch if you haven't already. They're really very, very cool.)

Apart from that, it's nice to see continued support for the platform, even though most of us will likley never own an Amiga OS 4 capable system.

Trev

[BillE]

> What does that even mean?

It means I will NEVER support x86 hardware, there are plenty of astronomy applications for that already.

I am filling in a gap that currently has little software as a hobby effort and have no intention supporting every CPU type out there.




Bill

[dammy]

It means I will NEVER support x86 hardware, there are plenty of astronomy applications for that already.

For your information, AROS PPC native is do out in the next three months, if not earlier. But that's your prerogative what you support.

Dammy

[cecilia]

AROS PPC native is do out in the next three months

so, in about three months Bill can revisit this and make a decision.


come on fellas, lets not get your panties in a bunch.

any support of an interesting program is GOOD NEWS.

[weirdami]

lets not get your panties in a bunch.

A few Amiga programmers have left in a huff because of people throwing bunched panties at them on forums. I don't think it's a fun idea to do that here. :-(

[Trev]

@BillE

I am filling in a gap that currently has little software as a hobby effort and have no intention supporting every CPU type out there.

Now that's a sentiment I understand. I think everyone is anxious for new Amiga software; however, the definition of Amiga has become quite subjective.

@weirdami

Some people quite enjoy having bunched panties tossed upon them.

EDIT:

Curious. The Amiga was once the epitome of the "better mousetrap." The attitude now appears to be, "There's already a mousetrap, so why bother?" The market for Amiga products is small, for sure. Specific to astronomy packages on x86, and Windows in particular, I'd say there's plenty of room for competition.

Trev

[BillE]

> For your information, AROS PPC native is do out
> in the next three months, if not earlier.
> But that's your prerogative what you support.

Donate a machine to me that will run AROS and developer information for AROS and I will release a version that will run on it.

Same goes for MOS. he only reason there is no MOS version is I do not have anything to run it on, you nevcer seem to come across MOS much in the UK.

I cannot afford more than one computer, the A1 cost enough. I will not try to recompile software for other platforms that I can personally test however.

This is the BIG problem with the Amiga these days, so many variants.

I long back to the days when the hardware and OS were linked.

Now we have MOS, OS4 and now AROS/PPC, AROS/x86 and goodness knows what else.

I can only afford to buy the one computer (Amiga One) so will develop for that.


Bill.

[Trev]

I couldn't afford an AmigaOne when they hit the market, so instead I bought a new PlaysStation 2 (gave my old one to my sister), a new gaming PC, and a high-definition TiVo. After all that, I still had money left over for a nice night out on the town. ;-)