Ars Technica’s long-running series on the history of the Amiga continues, with part 12 published today. As always – required reading.
The year 2000, which once seemed so impossibly futuristic, had finally arrived. Bill McEwen, president of the new Amiga Inc., celebrated with a press release telling the world why he had bought the subsidiary from Gateway Computers.
“Gateway purchased Amiga because of Patents; we purchased Amiga because of the People.” It was a bold statement, the first of many that would come from the fledgling company. Amiga Inc. now owned the name, trademark, logos, all existing inventory (there were still a few Escom-era A1200s and A4000s left), the Amiga OS, and a permanent license to all Amiga-related patents. They had also inherited Jim Collas’ dream of a revolutionary new Amiga device, but none of the talent and resources that Gateway had been able to bring to bear.
The Amiga world is one of the strangest subcultures in technology. I can’t believe it’s still going sort-of strong, and in various flavours even.
This article gives a clear summary of a confusing time in the Amiga history. Well worth the read.
The bonus is at the end of the read – the first comment is from the legend himself, Dave Haynie. Dave seems hopeful, which heartens me. I have felt lately like there is some hope in the Amiga scene and am looking forward to buying an Apollo Vampire V4 stand-alone or an A1222 when they are released – or maybe both. It’s encouraging that Dave shares a sense of optimism as well.
Yeah, I kind of would like an A1222. The X5/1000 is still too pricey.
Even reading it, in black & white, this particular point in the sordid history is as clear as mud. It’s like a Whodunnit except you hate all the characters and can’t skip to the last page.
And IIRC this Amiga Inc. killed Amithlon, which was perhaps the best way forward… :/
As one of the amiga hold outs until 1997 I can say.
No this is not amiga. This is zombie zombie amiga.
Anyone who laud’s this is not an amiga fan. This poor imitation isnot what amiga would be doing today.
This is just sticking with ridiculous hardware because that’s the best way top extract cash from people.
Most of the people now are on Classic 68k or FPGA or emulators, or AROS or MorphOS – what you refer to is OS4 hardware, and that is no longer the main scene !
https://youtu.be/F-egp3pWr1w
Vampire 4 presentation. Quite dry stuff for the uninitiated.