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Author Topic: How much would it cost to port AmigaOS to x64?  (Read 10108 times)

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Offline NlandasTopic starter

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How much would it cost to port AmigaOS to x64?
« on: March 31, 2012, 01:50:10 AM »
So, since I'm hoping beyond hope to win the 640 Million Mega Million Jackpot tonight, does anyone out there have a good idea of what it would cost to port/recode AmigaOS 4.x to run on x64 processors? I'd really love to see my beloved AmigaOS running on completely modern hardware.

On top of that how much would it take to fund a driver initiative to keep support for modern video cards, sound chipset, network chipsets, printers, scanners, etc.

Ok Trolls, I know the first answer you'll give is more than it's worth and the second is why would I want it without the custom chips it's not a real Amiga. So why not skip it and dream a long with me. I have millions to spend and just for fun, why not dream a long with me to be able to see AmigaOS running on almost any modern box out there with custom UAE support for running old applications.
I think, Therefore - Amiga....
 

Offline persia

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Re: How much would it cost to port AmigaOS to x64?
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2012, 02:08:27 AM »
Since they wrote it from the ground up, 50p, if they knew what they were doing and did it right....
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Offline SysAdmin

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Offline NlandasTopic starter

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Re: How much would it cost to port AmigaOS to x64?
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2012, 02:35:51 AM »
Quote from: Transition;686171


LOL! Classic..... I guess I can't afford it since at most I'd win only half a billion dollars.
I think, Therefore - Amiga....
 

Offline Argo

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Re: How much would it cost to port AmigaOS to x64?
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2012, 06:35:15 AM »
If you set a reference hardware platform specification, it shouldn't cost more than a few million.
 

Offline fishy_fiz

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Re: How much would it cost to port AmigaOS to x64?
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2012, 06:55:09 AM »
Shouldnt cost more than maybe $10k, and theoretically less.
AROS was ported to x86-64 by one person in a few months for only a couple of thousand. The same person also ported it to ppc, along with drivers, again in a few months for about $4k (iirc).
People seem to vastly over estimate the cost of these things. Porting to another architecture is a different kettle of fish than developing from scratch. The majority of the work is already done.
« Last Edit: March 31, 2012, 10:48:18 AM by fishy_fiz »
Near as I can tell this is where I write something under the guise of being innocuous, but really its a pot shot at another persons/peoples choice of Amiga based systems. Unfortunately only I cant see how transparent and petty it makes me look.
 

Offline commodorejohn

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Re: How much would it cost to port AmigaOS to x64?
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2012, 07:48:28 AM »
It would cost the combined salaries of every programmer on the project for as long as it takes to complete it, plus overhead/administrative costs...
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Offline Haranguer

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Re: How much would it cost to port AmigaOS to x64?
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2012, 09:33:54 AM »
Nothing.  Just run AROS ;-)
 

Offline olsen

Re: How much would it cost to port AmigaOS to x64?
« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2012, 10:03:55 AM »
Quote from: Nlandas;686168
So, since I'm hoping beyond hope to win the 640 Million Mega Million Jackpot tonight, does anyone out there have a good idea of what it would cost to port/recode AmigaOS 4.x to run on x64 processors? I'd really love to see my beloved AmigaOS running on completely modern hardware.

On top of that how much would it take to fund a driver initiative to keep support for modern video cards, sound chipset, network chipsets, printers, scanners, etc.


Off the cuff, I'd say you would have to set a time frame (say, 1-2 years for the finished product to come out) and fund at least ten seasoned engineers to rebuild the whole operating system from the ground up, plus additional personnel for management, documentation, developer support and QA, and of course a project lead. I'm thinking that will take another 5-6 positions to fill.

Next thing, you have to figure out how much to pay everybody involved. I don't know about you, but my personal minimum hourly wage starts at 50€ (below that line I'll not be particularly happy working on whatever that pays for). If you're going to pay everybody at least that much, and that's not counting in taxes, insurance, etc. you'll have to fork out some 100,000€ per person employed per year. Note that this would be full-time employment, with 5 working days per week, at 8 hours per day.

That would make two years of work, and let's say 20 employees who all receive the same pay, which would account for 8,000,000€. This doesn't include costs for hardware, office rent, taxes, etc.

This figure is probably not too outlandish, but it's still high.

Note, too, that without nailing down the exact project requirements, which also will take its time, it's probably unwise to jot down cost limits and hire engineers.

Should you win that jackpot, give me a call. I might have one or two ideas how to relieve you of the burden of having too much money on your hands. Here's one for starters: talk to Oxfam.
 

Offline bloodline

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Re: How much would it cost to port AmigaOS to x64?
« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2012, 10:19:54 AM »
Quote from: Haranguer;686214
Nothing.  Just run AROS ;-)
+1

Anything else would be a massive waste of time and money

Offline utri007

Re: How much would it cost to port AmigaOS to x64?
« Reply #10 on: March 31, 2012, 12:16:36 PM »
BeOs didn't succeed with x86. Some developers said that those who has originally used BeOs started to use window/Linux and stopped to support original BeOs apps because everythig was easier with Windows/Linux.

Custom hardware is good choise, there woun't be any benefits to go x86/x64

Custom hardware makes Amiga special and force people who has it to use it. (Yes I know there is linux distro for ppc)
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Offline Mazze

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Re: How much would it cost to port AmigaOS to x64?
« Reply #11 on: March 31, 2012, 12:35:10 PM »
Quote from: utri007;686221
Custom hardware is good choise, there woun't be any benefits to go x86/x64

Custom hardware makes Amiga special and force people who has it to use it. (Yes I know there is linux distro for ppc)

I don't like to be forced. :juggler:

Offline itix

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Re: How much would it cost to port AmigaOS to x64?
« Reply #12 on: March 31, 2012, 01:41:14 PM »
Quote from: utri007;686221
BeOs didn't succeed with x86.


I dont think BeOS succeeded on PPC either. Their custom PPC HW was a fail.

Quote

Some developers said that those who has originally used BeOs started to use window/Linux and stopped to support original BeOs apps because everythig was easier with Windows/Linux.


Today everyone have Window laptops so this theory goes out of window. Instead of using Amiga they just use their XP laptop instead.
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Offline utri007

Re: How much would it cost to port AmigaOS to x64?
« Reply #13 on: March 31, 2012, 01:43:53 PM »
You are force to use Amiga Os with original commodore hardware? Amiga is hobby Os and custom hardware gives more "hobby value" to it.

And now is also proved that it is possible to produce PPC hardware less than 100€.
ACube Sam 440ep Flex 800mhz, 1gb ram and 240gb hd and OS4.1FE
A1200 Micronic tower, OS3.9, Apollo 060 66mhz, xPert Merlin, Delfina Lite and Micronic Scandy, 500Gb hd, 66mb ram, DVD-burner and WLAN.
A1200 desktop, OS3.9, Blizzard 060 66mhz, 66mb ram, Ide Fix Express with 160Gb HD and WLAN
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Offline Iggy

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Re: How much would it cost to port AmigaOS to x64?
« Reply #14 on: March 31, 2012, 02:37:39 PM »
Quote from: commodorejohn;686209
It would cost the combined salaries of every programmer on the project for as long as it takes to complete it, plus overhead/administrative costs...

That's the best answer so far.
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