state of the kitty 2010

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The State of the Kitty 2010

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The AROS Research Operating System is a lightweight, efficient and flexible desktop operating system, designed to help you make the most of your computer. It's an independent, portable and free project, aiming at being compatible with AmigaOS 3.1 at the API level (like Wine, unlike UAE), while improving on it in many areas. The source code is available under an open source license, which allows anyone to freely improve upon it. Introduction

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AmigaOS was the first pre-emptive multi-tasking operating system for the “Personal Computer” concept. Launched in 1985 the Amiga 1000 sported the AmigaOS which unlike it’s 16-bit counterparts (IBM pc, Apple Mac and Atari st) was a true pre-emptive multi-tasking operating system taking advantage of the Custom Chip architecture. Designed by the original Amiga Team, it introduced a few novelties in the personal computer area which are now standard but were a novelty back then such as: - system resource modularity - shared library and device concept - object oriented approach Other features included: - CLI/Shell and AmigaDOS script language which was friendly and as powerful as the UNIX counterparts at the time - WIMP GUI user interface delivering true control and multitasking feeling to the user.- Dynamic screen allocation easily switchable allowing different applications to have its own desktop space.- Part of that was the Workbench which sported memory usage and availability always on the desktop.- friendly hierarchical file system and logical / comprehensive OS directory structure (fonts / libs /…)‏

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The latest AmigaOS offering during the Commodore Amiga era was the 3.1 version in 1993 and offered a more stable and flexible OS that endured for many years and got different additions. This is regarded as the main fact that kept Amiga community active even after the Commodore demise. Among other, it sported the following features: - Datatypes (file recognition, allowing to view, share...)‏ - Amigaguide (Amiga own hypertext type language)‏ - Arexx script language - Extended device and classes support - (...)‏

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After that the AmigaOS itself had a very slow evolution, and other OS started to keep from where AmigaOS 3.1 left and providing a more modern update System Software for various systems (even for Classic Amigas). These are called the AmigaOS dev family tree (which includes AROS). Other OSes exist which base themselves on parts of the AmigaOS philosophy, or have ideas borrowed from it (syllable, dragonfly bsd)‏

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Goals The goals of the AROS project is it to create an OS which: 1. Is as compatible as possible with AmigaOS 3.1. 2. Can be ported to different kinds of hardware architectures and processors, such as x86, PowerPC, Alpha, Sparc, HPPA, 68k, ARM and other. 3. Should be binary compatible on Amiga and source compatible on any other hardware. 4. Can run as a standalone version, which boots directly from hard disk and as an emulation which opens a window on an existing OS to develop software and run Amiga and native applications at the same time. 5. Improves upon the functionality of AmigaOS.

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Features While maintaining full legacy with Amiga OS GUI style AROS improve on this area providing full skinnable theme window layout as well as adding new options in navigation and handling of the GUI components (Screen, windows, menus and gadgets). For maximum customisation of the GUI AROS introduced Zune. Zune is GUI toolkit developed in replacement and on the best traditions of MUI (Magic User Interface). This means that all aspects of AROS GUI are fully customisable by the user. User Interface

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Features Graphics Board Support AROS provides support for native graphics drivers for video cards such as: The GeForce range made by NVIDIA via native and Nouveau; Radeon by ATI (2d acceleration only at this time); intel GMA945 (on external displays); A port of the Gallium 3D architecture has been recently completed; Other graphic cards are supported in VESA mode and use software rendering for 3D.

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Features Network Support AROS has TCP/IP networking support, base PPP and a few number of common Internet-related applications are available such as email, irc, instant messenger clients, FTP... Currently different network drivers are supported such as i8255x (Intel Pro/100 chipset NIC), VIA Rhine, RTL8139/8168/8169, PCNet32, 3com 3c905, nForce, SIS. Wireless is supported for prism2 chipsets (unencrpyted) but a better wireless stack and drivers support are in progress and expected to be released in September, at first for Atheron Chips only;

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Features Audio, print and Media At the moment the most supported audio cards are all those with HDAudio chipset, the SoundBlaster with EMUK101 chipset and some AC97 cards; Printing is possible in most Postscript printers via Ghostscript; a generic printer driver could come soon once the bounty is assigned; AROS uses the Poseidon USB stack that supports USB 2 memory sticks and some other devices; SCANdal is a new scanner front-end that should support most of the USB SANE Project scanner drivers, slowly being ported to AROS.

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Features International Support Locale is the AmigaOS Family name given for the international software support, such as language, currency, decimal symbols and so on. In its current form AROS supports the following Language sets: Czech, Dansk, Deutsch, English, Español, Français, Italiano, Magyar, Nederlands, Norsk, Piglatin, Português, Russian, Suomi, Svenska.

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Features AmigaOS Features Several features which made AmigaOS unique are present such as dataype support (including amigaguide, iff-standard files…), AREXX compatibility via Regina REXX, Icon format compatibility, AmigaDOS shell Script compatibility, screen scrolling (new), screen dragging (on windows hosted only for now, soon even on native)…

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Features Development Tools Numerous ports of standard graphical layers and language support is introduced in AROS, Python, Feelin, Lua, SQLite, Mesa, SDL, Cairo,Ruby... AROS can be self-compiled and has its own IDEs to build programs; one is MURKS!IDE and is open source, another is Ganymede, still on development. For rapid application development needs, a binding of Lua called Zulu is available in order to create graphical interfaces easily; now even a binding of Ruby is available... A commercial framework called Hollywood is common among all Amiga Oses and allows to create cross-appliactions even for Windows and Mac OS.

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Software AROS Software Although limited, the software base for AROS is growing with a number of ports from different platforms (amigaos/morphos/linux/…) and self written software. These range from misc utilities, productivity to entertainment.

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Software Utilities AROS has several utility software ported either from Amiga Os,MorphOs and Linux, or coded natively. as Lunapaint or ZuneArc. Dopus is the AROS port of the old Directory Opus 4,recently updated to the latest build; ZuneArc is a front-end for archivers like zip,lha/lzh, rar, tar; Frying Pan is a shareware CD/DVD burner Application; AROS-PDF is a PDF reader partially derived from x-pdf ;

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Software Graphic Programs One of main fields of Amiga has been Graphics, and AROS looks on the way to follow the tradition. Lunapaint is a native AROS paint program. Amifig is a port from the old Amiga version actually being modernised. Lodepaint is a graphical program with OperGL backend that give its better in video acceleration.

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Software Productivity Programs AROS has several utility software but honestly lacks a bit in the office applications front; MUIBase is a relational database quite powerful. Cinnamon Writer is a simple word processor available also for other Amiga Oses. Rdesktop and AROS VLC are clients for Remote Desktop usage.

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Software Internet Programs OWB is the actual webkit-based AROS web browser, ported from linux and with a Zune interface, has tabbed browsing, download manager and favorites; YAM and Simplemail are mail programs coming from the Amiga world; SabreMSN and Jabberwocky are instant messenging programs; WookieChat is the main IRC client for AROS.

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Software Audio Programs MilkyTracker,Protrekkr,Hivelytracker are music Trackers for AROS; Audio Evolution 4 is a multi-track recorder that can also be used fo editing and effects;

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Software Entertainment AROS has plenty of games ranging from puzzle games to shoot'em ups and RPG. The majority of them are ports for Linux or Amiga OS but nothing prevents to build 100% AROS games. BOH is the first commercial game for AROS; recently ports of Aquaria, Gish and Lugaru were added; A recent port of Quake III just come to AROS; it is considered a milestone for the operating system.

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Integration Janus-UAE and EmuMiga Janus-UAE is a version of E-UAE integrated in order to work with AROS windows, icons and native gadgets to giver a feeling of seamlessness; clipboard exchange text between AROS and emulated Amiga environment, launch files and programs from AROS and,in latter versions, also sound support. Emumiga is a project that provides a JIT 68k emulation in order to make native Amiga GUI applications run under AROS; it is still in progress but some applications including original Workbench's Clock already run.

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Software Emulators AROS has several other emulators ranging from VICE (c64) to UAE (Amiga), FPSE (Playstation),Atari800,DosBox (in progress), SCUMM-Vm and others...

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Distributions AROS Distributions AROS main distribution channel is through the AROS web site in the download section, where is possible download the latest nightly builds for several architectures (x86,x86 linux hosted, x86 windows hosted, x86/64, SAM-440, ppc linux hosted); However, the open source nature and modular architecture of AROS allows to make personal builds and also external distros, a bit like linux; So far two main AROS distro exists: Icaros Desktop and Broadway.

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Distributions Icaros Desktop Icaros Desktop is actually the main distro of AROS. Built and mantained by Paolo Besser, is actually available in several versions: full (on DVD), lite (on CD), VE (optimised for virtual machines), though a windows qemu software is included in the main distro as well. Icaros delivers most of the available AROS software and has several in-house tools such as automatic update, icondress, Amistart and others. Icaros Desktop is also bundled with the Imica Machines and, at choice, with ARES One machines.

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Distributions AROS Broadway AROS Broadway is a distribution of AROS handled by Pascal “Phoenixkonsole” Papara, and optimised for speed and quality software. Broadway is distributed together with the ARES One machines and as a stand-alone distro. The version bundled with ARES One include extra commercial and registered shareware software and a better integration with the machine. Broadway also includes the AMC media center, built in hollywood and using mplayer and other AROS programs to deliver a seamstress experience.

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Requirements Lightweight and Efficient The requirements depend on the type of platform used. For x86 CPU native usage the AROS requires a PC with at least 256 Mb of memory and 1 GB hd or USB stick. It can currently be installed on most IBM PC compatibles. PPC requirements are the same regarding memory and HD disk space. Currently Sam440 boards are supported with EFIKA and ARM ports in development. Boot times under 20 seconds on cold boot on a 133 mhz cpu or above. Responsive all the time with very minimal overhead response. On Hosted systems and different distributions requirements may vary.

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Imica is an Intel Atom based PC distributed from Cluster Uk Development. As machine pose itself in a low/medium range and can be equiped with Atom or with dual core SKC 775. Cluster UK Development owner, Steve Jones, contributed in funding drivers for the machine (intel GMA, RTL8139, HDAudio, Catweasel) in order to provide the best AROS native experience possible. Imica is provided with dual boot Icaros Desktop/Ubuntu. iMica Officially Supported Hardware

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Officially Supported Hardware ARES One The AresOne is a complete PC system specifically assembled to be used with AROS. Is provided by Vesalia in Germany; Can mount an Athlon 64-bit and Geforce Graphic Card; can be considered in the middle/high range area. The hardware components were selected to get the most out of the current AROS version, and to be ready for future improvements (e.g. Gallium 3D). Is provided either with AROS Broadway and A-Live package (Cinnamon Writer, license for fryingPan), or with a double boot AROS/Ubuntu.

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Contribution Contribute Yourself! AROS being a open-source Operating system advances on volunteer work. And while C/C++ knowledge is good to contribute directly, other tasks are accessible to most common users such as translating, documenting, promoting,blogging about it,etc…

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AROS being a open-source Operating system advances on volunteer work and voluntary contributions. One of the ways to fund complex projects is through the Bounty System; people donate for projects in order to incentivate coders to work on that project. The web site power2people.org is the central hub for AROS bounties. Contribution Bounty System

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Contribution Links AROS main website: http://aros.sourceforge.net/ Developers mailing list: http://aros.sourceforge.net/contact.php#mailing-lists IRC Channel: #aros on irc.freenode.net; AROS-EXEC: http://www.aros-exec.org/ AROS Wiki: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Aros Icaros Desktop (AROS main Distro): http://www.vmwaros.org/ AROS Archives (software repository): http://archives.aros-exec.org/ Power2People – Bounty System: http://www.power2people.org/projects.html the AROS show: http://arosshow.blogspot.com/ AROSWorld: http://www.arosworld.org/ Binary Doodles – my own advocate blog: http://binarydoodles.ilcannocchiale.it/ ARES One: http://www.vesalia.de/ iMica: http://www.clusteruk.com/ AROS-Broadway: http://www.aros-broadway.de/ Audio Evolution: http://www.audio-evolution.com/ AROS Aspire (AROS guide ot the ACER Netbook): http://www.arosaspire.org/ Emumiga http://emumiga.com/ Janus-UAE blog http://o1i.blogspot.com/ Aminet: http://www.aminet.net/

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Put a Kitty in Your PC! Original Powerpoint presentaion content by João Ralha Homepage: http://aros-wandering.blogspot.com/ Graphic Enhancements by Simone Bernacchia The Kitty mascot is drawn by Eric Schwarz AROS in February 2009 /August 2010