Q: Why did you select QNX Software Systems Ltd as your operating system partner?
A: Let's review Amiga Inc's objectives before I answer in detail. Amiga Inc has set out to develop a new standard architecture for Amiga digital convergence computers. By that we mean a platform and corresponding architecture that fully supports real-time multimedia, high performance 3D graphics, DVD playback, connectivity to the internet, state of the art gaming and productivity applications. If you think about it, we are in essence creating an Amiga for the next millennium.

Q: What types of new Amiga's should I expect?
A: Contrary to the current Amiga, which we now call the Amiga classic, we want the architecture to scale over a wide range of performance points. For instance, we envision Amiga products as small as hand-held devices with LCD panels, no disks and IR connectivity to a desk-top Amiga. There will likely be "A1200" class home-computer Amigas which come fully equipped with internet access, high performance graphics, video and audio and is able to run browsers, games and productivity applications. Our technology is also well suited for the next generation of game machines and set-top boxes, due to the scalability of the architecture. Finally, we also expect to see products like the "A4000", i.e. a video-workstation. As you can see, the architecture does not impose any restrictions on the size or complexity of the types of Amigas we can design.

Q: How about some technical details?
A: In order to support our vision of a highly scalable architecture, I reviewed virtually every commercial OS on the market (well, maybe there was one I didn't look at ). This process took a bit longer than anticipated, but after thorough review of Linux, BeOS, Java, QNX, VxWorks and several others, it was clear to me that QNX was the only commercially proven operating system that met the majority of our requirements. A brief summary of the key elements in the QNX "foundation OS" are:

1. Micro kernel architecture
2. Scalable and very modular design
3. Fully protected with processes and threads. This is important, since we need a protected process and thread model for the markets we're addressing. Virtual memory is also provided. The process/thread programming model is the natural extension to the Task model provided in the Amiga Classic.
4. Scales from disk-less system with little RAM to hundreds of transparently networked computers.
5. Multi processor support.
6. Transparent networking. As an example, QNX allows transparent sharing of resources over the network. At the press announcement we showed a demonstration where we move a "live running" application from one computer to another over the network. We also showed a QNX version of Doom running with half of the game on one computer and the other half on another computer. The displays were next to each other so that you could see Doom work on the two systems simultaneously.
7. Hard real-time. This is key, since it enables significantly better multimedia applications, where synchronised audio, video and computer generated graphics are critical. QNX is furthermore POSIX compliant.
8. Full networking support with TCP/IP, browser and Java.

Q: What do you mean by "Foundation OS"
A: Good question. The alliance with QNX is virtually a perfect fit. QNX will provide the lower levels of the operating system. Examples include kernel, device drivers, virtual memory, TCP/IP stack, etc. We call those modules the "foundation OS".
Amiga Inc will concentrate on multimedia, 3D graphics, MPEG, gaming interfaces, digital convergence APIs, preferences and user interface. In other words, Amiga Inc will develop everything that a typical user will come in contact with while QNX is providing much of the underlying operating system technology. It is a very clean division of responsibility, and let's each party contribute the components where they have their expertise.

Let me make another point. The announcement at Computer98 in Cologne/Germany was regarding the alliance. We still have the vast majority of work ahead of us, so it is going to take a while before you will see "real" systems.

Q: What will the new Amigas look like?
A: Our initial focus is to create a development system. We plan to use the development system for in-house development and later make it available to developers. The development system is pretty much a standard PC but with high-end graphics, audio and video cards. We chose the PC platform based on cost and availability of technology. It does not mean that the Amiga is becoming just "another PC". It is actually very much like the early days where the original Amiga was developed on Sun and Apollo workstations. Those who've been around as long as I have will remember that we initially developed Amiga applications
on PC's using a Lattice cross compiler. Anyway, we will be self-hosted, which means that you will be able to develop Amiga software on an Amiga. No Windows, Unix, or anything else is needed, only a PC running the new Amiga OS. We call that AmigaOS 5 in case you're wondering.

Q: Will this be an Amiga?
A: Yes, I truly believe it will. Here are my thoughts. I want to design and develop a new Amiga that is as revolutionary as the original Amiga was in 1985. Both software and silicon technology have been innovating at incredible rates over the last ten years, so I personally think that a new Amiga will have to be different in a number of ways. Specifically, I went back and revisited every design decision, constraint in the architecture, limitation in the OS etc. and tried to distill down what the essence of an Amiga is. I believe that it is "power, elegance and simplicity". Those have been my guiding mantras when writing the requirements for the new Amiga and the basis on which I made the decision to team up with QNX.

Q: It sounds like you've been in the Amiga business for a while?
A: Oh yes. I got my first Amiga in 1985. It was the second Amiga 1000 in Denmark. Commodore kept the first one. I remember receiving my workbench 1.2 upgrade kit. I founded a software company developing CAD systems on the Amiga, later joined Commodore Europe, and eventually ended up running the Amiga software development group. I was responsible for AmigaOS 2.1, OS 3.0 and the OS we have today 3.1, including A1200, A4000, CD32, etc.

Q: Should Amiga developers start programming for QNX now?
A: No. Remember that QNX is providing only the foundation, Amiga Inc is providing all gaming, graphics, multimedia, audio, and user-interface programming interfaces. If a developer wants to understand the underlying QNX process model, they can do some reading now, but I would encourage developers to spend their resources planning new applications, and hold off on development until we have released the development system.

Q: Will a developer have to re-write their application to run on Next Generation Amiga's?
A: Yes. The new OS has a programming model that is similar to the Classic Amiga's, but also significantly different. In particular, the new OS features processes and threads (a "thread" is like an Amiga Process/Task), virtual memory and a very clean micro kernel architecture.
All access to hardware is through drivers, so if an application "hits the hardware" it will not work. Most well written applications should port easily, but to get all the benefits of the new architecture you will want to take advantage of the new APIs. We also intend to offer significantly better development tools than are currently available for the Amiga Classic, which should ease the transition.

Q: How about my Classic applications? Will they run?
A: For the Development System, we are investigating either an "Amiga Classic PCI card" or an "Amiga Classic Emulator". Therefore well behaved 3.1/3.5 Amiga Classic applications should work. More details later.

Q: What about the "Mystery Chip" you talked about at World of Amiga in London?
A: The chip is doing fine, thank you. More to the point. Our open architecture will over time support a wide range of multimedia chips. The mystery chip was discussed merely to put forth what I see as the minimum system requirements for the new Amiga. So use the performance numbers discussed as a baseline if you want to get an idea of the types of applications we can host.

Q: You didn't talk much about OS 3.5. What is the story?
A: We didn't really discuss OS 3.5 in detail at our announcement, because we were announcing the alliance with QNX and wanted to stay focused on the next generation. The Amiga OS upgrade information is available on our web site www.amiga.com/3.5. I personally have spent little time on the OS upgrade, so I would rather refer your readers to our web site.

One important note. Unfortunately, a former contractor for Amiga Inc, has been widely quoted in the Amiga press on OS 3.5, it's features and future. While correct on some of the details, the opinions he expressed are his own and not those of Amiga Inc.
We are still working with a small group of Amiga software developers to finalize the content of 3.5. I can only urge your readers to visit our web site frequently. We will be giving the press more information as we make final decisions on the Amiga Classic line.

Finally, everyone should recognize that compatibility testing will take quite a while. One of the reasons that the Amiga still is doing so well is the quality and stability of the operating system. I am insisting on a high degree of testing before we release.

Q: Anything else you would like to add?
A: Only that "it's happening". Amiga Inc is working very hard to create a new Amiga. This will take time. Everyone should try to understand that. I don't want to release a half-baked new Amiga and have it fall flat on it's face. I want to do this right; Amiga Inc wants to do this right. So if you don't hear a whole lot from Amiga Inc on the new Amiga's it's because we're working and not spending our time talking. I would encourage everyone to follow the Amiga press and visit Amiga Inc at our website www.amiga.com

Dr. Allan Havemose
Vice President of Engineering at Amiga Inc.

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