Talk:AtheOS

From this page: AtheOS is a free Unix-like operating system for x86-based computers.

From the AtheOS website: AtheOS is not meant to be a new Unix clone (like Linux and *BSD) but a new clean desktop OS.

Ok, not that I know anything about AtheOS, but I'm confused to say the least.


 * I can see why :) I think what he meant is that he didn't specifically intend to create a typical command-line-system-with-lots-of-confuddling-directories-and-scripts Unix clone (or AmigaOS & BeOS clone for that matter), but a graphical desktop OS with an integrated gui & its own wiget set, which happened to end up being Unix-like and partially Posix(sp?)-compliant. An AtheOS system doesn't make use of X-Windows, GTK & QT, but does make use of GCC & BaSH, and can run Posix(sp?)-compliant programs with a minimal of porting work. I'm not a kernel-hacker, so I'm no expert on the subject, but to the best of my knowledge it is a Unix-like OS, and is considered as such by others too. If I'm wrong, don't be afraid to say why. Kurt Sk. seems to have halted all work on AtheOS about a year ago, and is now interested in aircraft. Why he would want to dump a huge hobby he had invested 6 years of work into and had almost completed nearly single-handedly remains unknown.


 * Actually AtheOS was originally started in 1994 as an AmigaOS clone, but that objective was abandoned. It was called "AltOS" before being renamed to AtheOS too. There're a couple of old screenshots floating around from before the name-change. Crusadeonilliteracy
 * Windows NT is fully POSIX-compliant (unlike AtheOS and even Linux) and we do not call it Unix-like.--Dojarca 15:33, 7 October 2007 (UTC)


 * Please could someone verify that AtheOS was originally started as an Amiga clone. None of sources confirm this. I also dont see why AtheOS should be classified as AmigaOS-like since it is not an Amiga clone. What defines AmigaOS-like? Xorxos (talk) 22:31, 23 November 2008 (UTC)

Is AtheOS Amiga clone?
I tried to find references where AtheOS is claimed to be initially an Amiga (OS) clone. I could not find any reference and links in the article did not help. Therefore I added "citation needed" (fact) tag there. Now there is reference but it is still only saying that "Its UI looks like the Amiga one, but underneath you will most probably see a lot of similarities to BeOS, while it has very good POSIX support, making the Unix application porting, easier.". I checked some AtheOS screenshots and in my opinion it does not even remotely look like the Amiga one. Definitely it is not a proof for AmigaOS clone intentions. I do remember hearing about AmigaOS clone intentions but it is odd that I can not find such claims from the AtheOS website or author's interviews.

I also suggest that this article is removed from AmigaOS category: it does not run AmigaOS software, it is not AmigaOS API compatible and it does not claim usage of Amiga related technology (AmigaGuide, IFF, not even datatypes). Even if it was initially intended as AmigaOS clone it is not one. Xorxos (talk) 20:27, 25 November 2008 (UTC)