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Author Topic: Volunteer  (Read 5595 times)

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rayon

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Volunteer
« on: December 22, 2012, 08:13:03 PM »

Quote
Stage 1:    AMOS Pro V2.0 as released and fully documented
Stage 2:    AMOS Pro V2.1 with bugs fixed and updated docs
Stage 3:    AMOS Pro V2.2 with approved1 extensions and updated docs
Stage 4:    AMOS Pro V3.0 for AGA and fully documented

This sounds like a plan!! I was using Amos Pro 2.0 today I realized that still the whole Amos development package impresses me it feels so complete with all the tools that come with it. It's great.
An AGA version would be the max, but I'm not sure if this can be done easily, and will probably cost a lot of effort for the developer.

In the old days I've been hoping an upgrade to 2.0 with AGA support, but it never came. It would be great if this update still came out.
I hope that the releases of those mentioned versions (2.1/2.2/3.0) are of the same proper quality as Europress did. I've seen too many updates of 'reborn' Amiga software that are messed up by a technical dude who doesn't have the proper knowledge of developing a 'finished' product that can be used by end-users.

I would volunteer to help on this project.
Managing products with focus on high-quality and delivery for end-users is something I do for a living.

ps. I would stick with AMOS Professional 3.0 instead of renaming it to those fancy modern names like Evolution.
« Last Edit: December 22, 2012, 08:15:37 PM by rayon »
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MadAngus

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Re: Volunteer
« Reply #1 on: December 23, 2012, 07:35:28 PM »

Quote
ps. I would stick with AMOS Professional 3.0 instead of renaming it to those fancy modern names like Evolution.
AMOS Professional 3.0 was the original naming intention and is now back to that, no fancy names, no confusion.

I've also moved Avolution (AMOS Evolution) board to the Other AMOS Related board until it becomes of some relevance, and also in the interim to avoid confusion.

Quote
I would volunteer to help on this project.
Managing products with focus on high-quality and delivery for end-users is something I do for a living.
Sounds like your the man for the job 8). If you want to you can discuss with bruceuncle the project management requirements and processes.

I'm more than happy to hand over this role to someone with more experience. I've got enough on my plate as it is, so if you were to take the reins it would lighten the load for me. :)

Just so it's clear to everyone can you accept/decline the role please.
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bruceuncle

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Re: Volunteer
« Reply #2 on: December 25, 2012, 07:03:31 AM »

Quote
I would volunteer to help on this project.
Welcome 8).  We'll need all the help we can get!

The first phase, the AMOS Pro V2.x versions, will be a little slow at first.  The initial objective being to reproduce the "as released" AMOS Pro V2.0 from the sources recently released and fully document the package.  However, the released sources are not complete.  See this thread: http://www.ultimateamiga.co.uk/index.php/topic,9604.0.html.  The main discussion and speculation is here http://www.ultimateamiga.co.uk/index.php/topic,9520.0.html.

So I'm currently reconstructing the amos.library source from the release stuff plus a Resource disassembly of the actual load file (and translating the French comments on the way).  That alone will take a while.

In tandem (and way behind schedule) I'm documenting the original instruction set.  See http://www.ultimateamiga.co.uk/index.php/topic,9418.0.html.  This was started before the sources were released.  So now I'm trying to progress both the docs and the source code exploration in tandem.  ::) Not a bad fit really as the sources make it a lot easier (but not simple!) to check out functionality and limits.

I've attached an overview of the AMOS Pro architecture that I've been updating as and when I have the time.  This is probably a naive view of the system as I started it before the source release.  But I reasoned that we have to start somewhere.  So I'm expecting to refine it as we go.

I also have a DBL editor, written in AMOS + embedded machine-code, on the go and also way behind schedule.  ::)  This has been great for weeding our the problems, workarounds and bugs in AMOS.  Should have been released for Xmas but will be another couple of weeks yet.

I suggest we re-group after the Xmas/New Year break.  December was a bad month for me, so not a lot got done.  Looking forward to a productive 2013. :)
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rayon

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Re: Volunteer
« Reply #3 on: January 04, 2013, 04:51:40 PM »

@MadAngus:
That sounds like a plan! I'll accept.
First I will start contacting the team as soon as I'm back from my holiday (last week of Jan.), then we can see how we go from there.

@bruceuncle:
I've seen your AMOS overview and it is a great document to get an understanding of the overall architecture of AMOS.
Also the quality is good, I like it, short simple but understandable!

Some questions:
- Is there a version overview of all latest libraries and parts of AMOS? Including patches or beta's?
- Just for my understanding where there any updates after the AMOS Pro 2.0 release as it comes in the box? I have that box + book actually.
- Is there a known issue / bug list?
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Hungry Horace

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Re: Volunteer
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2013, 11:20:16 AM »

- Is there a known issue / bug list?

There is a specific board for both bugs and feature requests here:

http://www.ultimateamiga.co.uk/index.php/board,314.0.html

there is also the bugs from Amiga Coding in a seperate thread:

http://www.ultimateamiga.co.uk/index.php/topic,9596.0.html


MadAngus will have to tell us why these bug-report threads are under different boards!
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bruceuncle

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Re: Volunteer
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2013, 02:29:51 PM »

Quote from: rayon
Some questions:
- Is there a version overview of all latest libraries and parts of AMOS? Including patches or beta's?
- Just for my understanding where there any updates after the AMOS Pro 2.0 release as it comes in the box? I have that box + book actually.

@rayon

I haven't found any AMOS Pro V2.x versions overview.  After the V2.0 release, there were no other official ones.  But there are definitely some patches.  And some of the patches must have been assembled using the original sources as they're not hacks.  The V2.30 of amos.library is a good example of something that was probably produced by one of the original team (or someone with access to the sources).  Other versions look like hacks.  They're byte-for-byte identical to the originals except for a handful of bytes that have been overwritten.

That's why I'm concentrating on reproducing the 'out-of-the-box' AMOS Pro V2.0 byte-for-byte initially.  That's the 'sanity' starting point.  Any 'alternative versions' of any of the AMOS Pro components can then be compared with the original and evaluated accordingly.

Tools I've found useful so far:
  • PC - MS Access 2010 & VBA - main documentation database and RTF outputter
  • PC - MS Excel 2010 & VBA - useful tool
  • PC - CodeWright (an old Starbase Co product now 'abandonware' but still copyright).  Fantastic for multiple source searches and file differencing.  Bl**dy good macro text editor too.
  • Amiga - Resource.  Hard to get to grips with initially but simply brilliant for reconstructing sources from load files and just about anywhere else.
  • Amiga - DevPac.  As used by the AMOS Team.  With this much source code to cope with, changing assemblers would be somewhat foolish!
  • Amiga - AMOS Pro V2.0!  A lot of what the AMOS system uses is created and maintained by the AMOS accessory programs and the ones in the AMOS Pro V2.0 sources release.  For example, you won't find the correct structure for a Resource Bank defined in any of the ASM source files.  It has to be reconstructed from the AMOS code in the Resource Bank Maker.
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rayon

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Re: Volunteer
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2013, 03:26:25 PM »

I think having a 100% exact binary as the 2.0 that came in the box is a good starting point.

I added you to my skype account. Can others please send me a PM containing skype name then I can plan a conference call with all of you.

Hope to speak you all soon.
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SamuraiCrow

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Re: Volunteer
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2013, 08:23:52 AM »

Hi guys, I need to update my timezone since I'll be moving from South Dakota to Colorado at the end of this month.  That means I'll be moving from CDT to MDT timezone.  The standard offset is GMT-7 and "daylight savings time" modifier of GMT-6 during the spring, summer and fall months.  (And why is winter considered standard time?  Anyway, I digress.)
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