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WhatIFF? Issue 5.19
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WhatIFF? For The Creative Amiga User
CONTENTS


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                                               >> ENTER MAGAZINE <<   


Top
Welcome to WhatIFF?
CONTENTS
                            
============================================================================
    -=# WhatIFF? - Issue 5.19 - April 2026 #=- Music:   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

      ?A few words from the editor and meet the writers of WhatIFF?
      --EDITORS DESK--   -MEET THE WRITERS--   
      ? Where Amigans Speak Freely and Reader Letters!
      ---SHELL TALK---   -----TALK BACK-----
      ? Reviews of hardware and software, old and new.
      -----REVIEWS----   ---GAME REVIEWS----
      ? Guides and support for all things Amiga.
      -----GUIDES-----   -----ARTICLES------
      ? Interviews and the latest of Aminet over 4 months.
      -TALKING AMIGA--   ---AMINET PULSE----
      ? Amiga related links and Amiga vendor websites.
      -----LINKS------   ---AMIGA VENDORS---   ---AMIGA GROUPS----
      ? Cover disk contents and contributors.
      ---COVER DISK---

-==========================================================================-
           *All content copyright of the respective authors 2026*
-==========================================================================-


Top
From The Editor's Desk
CONTENTS
============================================================================
From The Editor's Desk - by: Timo Paul
============================================================================

Spring is finally here and with it comes our April issue! It has been a
hectic four months with much happening in the Amiga scene, TheA1200 release
is getting ever closer with more and more YouTube videos cropping up 
guessing about its specs and will there be enough for everyone. The Apollo
A6000 keeps selling out (There must be a lot more rich Amiga users than I
had expected) and more games have come out such as RogueCraft DX, and Cake
Rush, two of my favourite games at the moment. And that is not to mention
deluge of updates to the revolutionary Aquabyss. We just happen to have an
quick interview with Piotr regarding the lastest updates. Hardware wise the
Framethrower is out in the wild and getting rave reviews, please check out
the review in AmigaFuture. Aside from that we are getting more FPGA Amigas
coming out and everyone is holding their breath to see what will happen with
the newly formed Commodore and if they will bring out a new Amiga. Dave 
Haynie has been teasing us with the possibility he is working on a new 
Amiga. Will we finally get the AAA Amiga we all dreamed and yearned for in
the mid 90s?

If you are not worn out by what has been happening in the Amiga scene then
please dive into the April issue of WhatIFF?, we have reviews of the LED HDD
adapter, a surprisingly simple but useful board. 8BIT Memoirs by our own
Roald Strauss and more. The usual guides and tutorials are back and we say
hello to old contributor Kristian who writes about his journery of getting
his 2.0 A600 connected to the internet.

Finally we have four interviews with P-Vision developer Oliver Achten, 
DPaint.js developer Steffest, Alain Fontain of Amiga Source Editor (review
coming next issue), and Steen Jessen author of Bootblock Rebels.

On a side note there will be two versions of WhatIFF? going onto Aminet
from now on. I noticed some comments about the size of the magazine and I
must admit it has grown with the all the images, music and extra files. So
I will aim to reduce to the size of the standard issue but there will also
be a 'lite' version that will have all the images and music removed for a
more classic way of reading the magazine.

Also, since the last issue I have been taking over the background music
duties. Since I am not musically talented I apologise for the decrease in
auditory quality. However, if there are any readers who would like to 
contribute music to the magazine you can send them into the usual address
at: submissions@whatiff.info or directly to me at: timopaul@whatiff.info

Well, with that out of the way I hope you will enjoy this issue, thank you
to everyone who contributed to this issue and those who agreed to do
interviews.  



Top
Letters From WhatIFF? Readers
CONTENTS
============================================================================
Talk Back: Reader Letters
============================================================================
Welcome to Talk Back, the section of the magazine where we publish a select
few of the letters that we receive. Thank you to everyone who has written in
and those who have gone on to write articles for the magazine. We always
welcome any written contributions to the magazine. Everyone has a unique
perspective and Amiga story to tell. If you wish to write to the magazine
or contribute then please contact us at: submissions@whatiff.info
----------------------------------------------------------------------------




Top
Where Amigans Speak Freely!
CONTENTS
============================================================================
Shell Talk - by: ByteBandit
============================================================================

Alright you lot, ByteBandit here again - reporting from the dim glow of a 
monitor that has definitely seen more boot screens than a modern PC has 
seen updates.

Something has been rattling around my brain lately, and if Shell Talk is 
the place to say what's on your mind, well, here we go.

In 2026 the Amiga scene seems to be having the **same argument again**.

You know the one.

"What counts as a *real* Amiga?"

I swear this debate has more lives than a Lemmings level.

These days the battlefield looks something like this:

On one side, the **original hardware purists**.
A500, A1200, maybe a tower conversion if you're feeling adventurous. Real 
chips. Real floppy drives. The occasional whack on the side when something 
doesn't boot.

Then there are the **FPGA wizards** running machines built around things 
like the Vampire or other modern recreations of the 68k world. Blazing fast, 
silent, and capable of things the engineers in the early 90s probably would 
have dropped their jaws in envy.

Across the street you've got the **emulation crowd**, happily running 
everything inside software while arguing that accuracy matters more than the 
box it runs in.

And somewhere in the corner there's always someone shouting:

"None of that counts! Only the original chipset!"

At this point ByteBandit just sits back with popcorn.

Because here's the truth nobody likes to admit: 

**everyone is enjoying the Amiga their own way**.

Some people want the smell of warm hardware and the click of a real floppy 
drive.

Some want speed.

Some want convenience.

Some just want to play a game of *Sensible Soccer* without hunting for 
cables older than their children.

And honestly? That's fine.

What makes me chuckle is how passionate people get about the definition. As 
if somewhere in a secret vault there's an **Official Amiga Council** ready 
to stamp machines with a rubber seal of approval.

"Sorry mate, that's only 72% Amiga."

The reality is much messier, and much more interesting.

The Amiga scene has always been full of people tinkering, modifying, 
upgrading, and occasionally building things that Commodore never imagined. 
If you look around today you'll find everything from untouched stock 
machines to heavily modified setups that look like they escaped from a mad 
scientist's workbench.

And somehow all of them end up running the same demos, the same games, the 
same bits of software that keep circulating through the community.

So maybe the better question isn't **What counts as a real Amiga?**

Maybe the better question is:

"Are you having fun with it?"

Because at the end of the day, nobody in this scene ever got into it for 
strict definitions.

We got into it because computers were exciting, creative, and just a little 
bit rebellious.

And if people are still arguing about machines, chips, and setups in 2026: 
well, at least it means they care enough to argue.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a suspicious floppy disk labelled 
*Definitely Not A Virus* that I'm about to test.

What could possibly go wrong?

Until next time,
**ByteBandit**



Top
Welcome to the reviews section!
CONTENTS
============================================================================
-= R E V I E W S =----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

   -= Hardware Review: HDD LED Adapter for A1200                         
   Great things come in small packages, find out if this is true for the
   HDD LED adapter from Archi-Tech.
   -= Software Review: Old Blue Workbench                                
   OldBlue Workbench a free program that breathes new life into the classic
   Workbench we all know and love.
   -= Software Review: 8-BIT Memoirs =-                                  
   Nostalgia in bluray form? 8-BIT Memoirs is a trip down memory lane of
   the heady days of 8 bit computing in an intriguing bluray format.
   -= Software Review: CFD133 Driver =-                                  
   Perhaps not the most exciting of topics for a review however the latest 
   update deserves a deeper look.
   -= Software Review: Blanker Mojo  =-                                  
   A new screen blanker in 2026 for the Amiga? Find out why this little 
   utility deserves a review and your attention.
   -= Software Review: Avalanche =-                                      
   If you are on Workbench 3.2 and need an unarchiver then this could be
   just what you have been looking for.
   -= Software Review: Disk Magazine - Adventure in Retro  =-            
   A new disk mag was recently released on Aminet, if you still in need of
   more Amiga reading material then find out more inside.
   -= Software Preview: FinalWriter 7.3  =-                              
   A quick preview of the new release candidate release of FinalWriter 7.3.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
            #Reviews - WhatIFF? Issue 5.19 - April 2026#


Top
Hardware review: HDD LED Adapter for A1200
Reviews
============================================================================
Hardware review: HDD LED Adapter for A1200 - by Timo Paul
============================================================================

Product Name
HDD LED Adapter for A1200
Developed By
Archi-TECH
Available From
http://programatory.archi-tech.com.pl/en_US/p/HDD-LED-module-for-Amiga-1200/333
Price
12.11 USD
Hardware/Software Requirements
A1200
Test Machine
A1200/OS3.2.3/TF1260/PicoWyfy

                HDD LED Adapter
                
Review

With modern computers there is something undeniably satisfying about seeing 
the activity on an Amiga.
 
So it can be a bit frustrating after upgrading your A1200 with a PiStorm, 
Vampire or TerribleFire card and wish to the use the faster hard disk 
connector. It is possible to fashion a simple solution by soldering a wire
from the accelerator card to the LED board. But for those who are not 
confident with soldering or want a more elegant solution, there is the LED
Adapter for A1200 by Archi-TECH.

The HDD LED adapter board sits on the floppy disk power and LED connector
raising them up making for easier access. It provides connections for two
separate inputs, one for the hard disk and the other for the floppy disk.

A = HDD input - (output via HDD LED)
B = HDD input - (output via DISK LED)

If you wanted to see the PCMCIA access this could be attached to input B
for example which would light up the foppy disk light.

In addition the board should also address the continuous LED illumination 
that can occur with some SD or CompactFlash cards.

There are also LEDs on the board that indicate floppy and hard disk 
activity which is particularly useful when the Amiga 1200 is operated with
the case off or if your LED board is not working.

Conclusion

Any veteran Amiga user can attest to the woes turning off their Amiga
before hard disk access has finished. This little board adds a bit more
safety to your Amiga computing, especially if you work with the case off.

Aside from just plugging in that is all there is, no need to install 
software or change configurations - no configuration software, no drivers, 
no fuss.

The module feels solid and well made. The PCB is cleanly laid out,
and the components appear to be of good quality.

Given its simple function, there is little to go wrong, and that simplicity 
is part of its charm. A simple and helpful idea, that has been well 
executed.



Top
Software review: OBWorkbench
Reviews
============================================================================
Software review:OBWorkbench - by Timo Paul
============================================================================

Product Name
OBWorkbench
Developed By
Mats Erik Hanson
Available From
http://www.aminet.net/package/util/wb/OBWorkbench
Price
Free
Hardware/Software Requirements
Minimum 1MB of memory.
reqtools.library (version 38.390 for Kickstart 1.3 included).
iffparse.library (version 37.1 for Kickstart 1.3 included).
Default icons in ENVARC:Sys (included)
Test Machine
FS-UAE A500 1.3

Workbench 1.3 has not gotten a lot of love and attention over the last few
years. With the release of AmigaOS3.2 a lot of the attention has swung from
3.1 to 3.2 and the soon coming 3.3 release. Which has left the old blue and
white Workbench lacking in some TLC. Mats Erik Hanson it seems has felt the
same and had released a package to power up your Workbench 1.3 set up 
bringing features never seen in 1.3 before.

The upgrades you can expect with 1.3 are the following:

Features

- Enhanced menus similar to Workbench 2.0.
- Enhanced Workbench window and drawer windows with support for:
  - Window menu and Icon menu as context menus.
  - Lasso for selecting multiple icons.
  - Default icons for showing all files and drawers.
  - Arranging icons by name or type.
  - Configurable backgrounds and fonts.
- Browser windows for browsing the file system.
- Enhanced Info windows with support for changing icons and swapping their 
  colors.
- User defined menus.
- Docks with support for drag and drop of icons.
- Support for launching tools at startup.
- User defined global hot keys for window management and more.

Requirements:

- Minimum 1MB of memory.
- reqtools.library (version 38.390 for Kickstart 1.3 included).
- iffparse.library (version 37.1 for Kickstart 1.3 included).
- Default icons in ENVARC:Sys (included).

As you can see it is quite an extensive list and becomes very helpful if
you are coming from Workbench 3.1+ and expect 1.3 to operate the same way.
Even creating a bootable hardisk of 1.3 is a different experience. By the
way if you are interested in installed OBWorkbench and are new to 1.3 you
might find this issue?s guide on setting up a Bootable Workbench 1.3 HDF.

Setup is relatively simple, just uppack the archive and use the included
installer. However, while everything will be installed afterwards 
OBWorkbench will not automatically launch, you need to change several things
first for that to happen. Below is a checklist of things to do after you
have finished installing, which I copied from the Readme file. 

Setup

Old Blue Workbench requires the ENVARC: assign for locating the default 
icons so add the following to S:Startup-Sequence if it doesn't already 
exist.

    C:Assign ENVARC: SYS:Prefs/Env-Archive

To launch Old Blue Workbench instead of the original Workbench when Old
Blue Workbench has been installed in SYS:Tools/OldBlue replace the LoadWB 
command in S:Startup-Sequence with:

    C:Assign OldBlue: SYS:Tools/OldBlue
    C:Run NIL: OldBlue:LaunchDaemon
    C:Stack 8192
    C:Run NIL: OldBlue:Workbench STARTUPDRAWER SYS:WBStartup SHOWSTARTUP

Once you have done these changes OBWorkbench will start automatically each
time and you will have a newer and better Workbench 1.3 experience. Just 
simple things such as copying icons, cleaning up or saving icon placement
become a much simpler process. A lot of what we take for granted such as 
showing hidden icons is not easily done in the vanilla Workbench 1.3 but
with OBWorkbench many of the simple tasks that took extra effort are as easy
as going to the menu bar. The addition of the dock is also very helpful
and fleshes out 1.3 into a more complete system but still retains the 
classic look.

Final Thoughts

I love the classic Workbench 1.3, it came with my first Amiga 500 back in 
1988 but I do appreciate the convenience that OldBlue Workbench brings. In
the past individuals have tried to make Workbench 3.1 look like 1.3 but
it always felt a bit weird to me. But OldBlue Workbench has taken the best
approach I feel by adding a little more capability and ease of use to the
classic Workbench. And for those who might be a little hesitant due to not
having experience with 1.3 it is easy enough to create a HDF file in an
emulator and play around with that.

Overall a great piece of software that gives the old blue and white 
Workbench a well deserved boost.



Top
Software review: 8-BIT Memoirs
Reviews
============================================================================
Software review:8-BIT Memoirs - by Timo Paul
============================================================================

Product Name
8-BIT Memoirs
Developed By
Roald Strauss
Available From
https://www.8bitmemoirs.com
Price
30 EUR (Includes shipping)
Hardware Requirements
Bluray player/equipped computer/console
Test Machine
Bluray Player

                Front Cover
                
Review
8-BIT Memoirs is an eBook by our regular contributor Roald Strauss. It 
covers the early to mid computing heyday, from the Philips VideoPac to the 
Amstrad CPC, the C64 to the Amiga, and even the good old LCD games - all 
with Roald guiding you through his memories.

To experience it, you need a Blu-ray player, a computer capable of playing 
Blu-ray discs, or a PlayStation 3/4. It comes in three versions: a nicely 
presented Blu-ray case for 30 EUR, a plain Blu-ray without label or case 
for the same price, and a free downloadable ISO weighing in at around 23GB.
                Back Cover
                
While I do not have a Blu-ray-compatible computer (thank you, Apple!), I do 
have a Blu-ray player, much to the surprise of my wife, who thought we had 
gone completely digital.

I can confirm that the disc works perfectly on Japanese Blu-ray players 
without issue.
                Inside
                
The disc boots quickly and presents a clean menu accompanied by fantastic 
background music. You are first introduced to the navigation system. It took 
me a little time to adjust using a remote, but Roald provides clear 
instructions for Blu-ray players, PlayStation, Xbox, and computers. Without 
these, I would likely have been going in circles.

There is a good level of customisation available. You can change the theme 
to Brown, Purple, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, or Paperbook. The default is 
Purple, but I found the Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC themes to be my 
favourites. Font size can also be adjusted from 6 to 12 pixels, which is
particularly useful on smaller screens.

Once configured, you can dive into the main content, which is split into 
the following sections:

 * Introduction
 * Philips VideoPac
 * Amstrad CPC Stories
 * Single C64 Story
 * Amiga Stories
 * Closing Chapter
 * Advertising
 * Music Playlist Section

Selecting a computer section brings up a collection of stories and 
reflections on that platform, along with images and video clips of the games 
discussed. The Amstrad CPC receives the most attention, clearly showing the 
influence it had on Roald.

Particularly interesting are the games he created himself. This offers a 
fascinating glimpse into the development process of 8-bit titles. Standout 
examples include 'The Caves of Doom' and 'Don't Panic'.

Roald?s passion and deep knowledge shine through in his engaging writing 
style. The content is detailed and informative, providing plenty of 
interesting insights into each machine and its games.

The inclusion of video clips adds an extra layer of engagement, bringing 
the memories to life.

I have already mentioned the music, but it deserves special attention. Long
-time readers will know Roald as our audio guru, and here he delivers a 
superb soundtrack featuring both his own work and contributions from others.

The music ranges from classic Amiga MOD-style tracks to modern 16-bit 
compositions. Much of it is soothing electronic music, perfect for relaxing 
or reading, an ideal companion to the experience.

I will not go into further detail about the content, as it is best 
discovered for yourself. If you have any interest in 8-bit computing or the 
Amiga, and if you are reading WhatIFF?, you likely will find this unique 
eBook is well worth your time.

Reading on a TV felt a little unusual at first, but it quickly becomes 
natural, and you soon find yourself immersed in Roald?s journey through 
computing history.

Before closing, I should mention that this review is written in thanks for a 
physical copy provided by Roald. He had no input into this review, and all 
opinions expressed are entirely my own.

With that said, be sure to check out the website and see if it is something 
that appeals to you.



Top
Software review: CFD133 Driver
Reviews
============================================================================
Software review:CFD133 - by ByteBandit
============================================================================

Product Name
CFD133
Developed By
Torsten Jager
Available From
http://www.aminet.net/package/driver/media/CFD133
Price
Free
Hardware Requirements
A600/A1200
Test Machine
A1200/OS3.2/PiStorm

CompactFlash storage through the PCMCIA slot has long been a practical way 
to expand the Amiga A600 and A1200. The new compactflash.device v1.39, 
released on Aminet as cfd139.lha, continues the evolution of the well-known 
CFD133 driver line.

This release focuses on reliability, compatibility and improved transfer 
handling, making it highly relevant for users still running classic hardware 
with solid-state media.

@{B}Package Contents@{UB}
The archive includes:
- compactflash.device (standard build)
- compactflash.device.debug (serial debug version)
- CFInfo utility
- Speed test tools
- Full AmigaGuide documentation

The layout is clean and installation is straightforward. Simply
copy the desired device to DEVS: and configure your mountlist
or system accordingly.

@{B}Key Improvements in v1.39@{UB}
This version introduces several meaningful refinements:

- Improved I/O stability checks to prevent corruption
- Detection and rejection of unstable cards
- Multi-sector transfer support for better throughput
- TD64 and SCSI command emulation compatibility
- Support for CompactFlash and MicroDrive media
- Works with CF-to-SD and other common adapters

The added stability safeguards are particularly welcome when using older or
mixed-quality CF cards.

@{B}Performance@{UB}
On suitable hardware and media, multi-sector transfers can deliver read 
speeds of approximately 2.2 MB/s and write speeds around 1.9 MB/s. For a 
PCMCIA-based solution on classic hardware, this keeps file operations 
pleasantly responsive.

Performance will naturally depend on card quality and adapter type, but 
results are consistent and stable in testing.

@{B}Compatibility@{UB}
The driver requires AmigaOS 2.0 or higher. It works well on AmigaOS 3.x 
systems, including modern updates such as 3.2.x. For FAT partitions, 
pairing the driver with fat95 provides convenient cross-platform file 
exchange. Native Amiga file systems are also fully supported.

@{B}Debugging Support@{UB}
A separate debug build allows serial output during device initialisation and 
operation. This is especially useful when diagnosing problematic adapters or 
marginal cards.

@{B}Real-World Use@{UB}
In day-to-day use on both A600 and A1200 systems, the driver mounts cards 
reliably and handles large SD cards behind CF adapters without issue. The 
improved safety checks help avoid mysterious crashes and data corruption 
vthat can occur with unreliable media.

@{B}Verdict@{UB}
compactflash.device v1.39 is a solid and carefully maintained update to a 
vital piece of Amiga infrastructure. For anyone still using PCMCIA-based 
CompactFlash storage, this release is strongly recommended. It improves 
reliability without sacrificing compatibility or speed.

A small but important upgrade that deserves a permanent place in DEVS: on 
any classic A600 or A1200 system.



Top
Software review: Blanker Mojo
Reviews
============================================================================
Software review:Blanker Mojo - by Timo Paul
============================================================================

Product Name
Blanker Mojo
Developed By
Quantum Code Monkey
Available From
http://www.aminet.net/package/util/cdity/blankermojo
Price
Free
Hardware/Software Requirements
Amiga OS2.04+
Test Machine
A1200/OS3.2.3/TF1260

It has been a while since I have seen a new screensaver for the Amiga, which
is understandable since LCD screens are more commonly and used the risk of 
screen burn in has lessened. However, I find the good old screensaver a nice
commodity to have. While writing this article I did a quick search and the
last screensaver commodity had been released in 2016 ... 10 years ago! 

So, it was a pleasant surprise to see Blanker Mojo pop up on Aminet in 
April of this year.

Being there a 10 year gap I thought it might merit a quick review and what 
follows what you can expect from this little commodity. The file size is 
very small coming in at 11kB, there is a readme file and the program itself 
that has standard tool icon. Installation is simple like other screen
bankers, copy it to WBStartup.

There are several types of screensavers built-in:

	* MATRIX - Falling digital rain code
	* STARFIELD - Flying through space at warp speed
	* LINES - Animated geometric line patterns
	* SINUS - Hypnotic sine wave animations
	* BOUNCE - Bouncing graphical elements
	* SNOW - Digital snowfall effect
	* CLOCK - Minimalist clock display
	* BLANK - Traditional black screen

Further configuration can be done via the icon tooltypes:

	* TIMEOUT: Seconds before blanker activates, default=300
	* HOTKEY: Hotkey for instant activation, default=rawkey F10
	* MODE: BLANK, MATRIX, LINES, STARFIELD, BOUNCE, SNOW, SINUS, CLOCK,
	The default mode is MATRIX.
	* SPEED: Animation speed, default=5
	* MOUSETHRESHOLD: Mouse movement needed to wake, default=3
	* COLOUR: GREEN, CYAN, RED, WHITE, YELL  

Of all the modes Matrix is my favourite, the other screensavers are very 
simple in comparison due simplicity and the limited limited palette. However
I find this little screensaver having a new home in my WBStartup directory.

Final Thoughts

It has been 10 years since the last new screensaver for the Amiga and it is
great to see new commodities like this coming out again. It always brings a
smile when I see the familiar Martrix rain appearing on my Amiga. If you 
miss the good old days of screensavers and want to see something modern then
download this little guy and press F10.



Top
Software review: Avalanche
Reviews
============================================================================
Software review:Avalanche - by Timo Paul
============================================================================

Product Name
Avalanche
Developed By
Chris Young
Available From
http://www.aminet.net/package/util/arc/avalanche
Price
Free
Hardware/Software Requirements
xadmaster.library
Test Machine
A1200/OS3.2.3/PiStorm

If you regularly download software from Aminet, you probably already know 
that a file unarchiver is an essential tool to have on hand.

Avalanche is a modern GUI unarchiver for classic Amiga systems, recently 
updated, and designed to make archive handling far more comfortable than 
relying purely on CLI tools.

What It Is

Avalanche is a ReAction-based GUI front-end for archive handling on AmigaOS.

It uses xadmaster.library (and related plug-ins) to provide support for 
many common archive formats including LHA and ZIP.

Designed primarily for AmigaOS 3.2.1 and newer.

What It Does

- Browse archive contents in a clean list view.
- Selectively extract files and directories.
- Drag-and-drop support for easier file handling.
- Uses xadmaster for wide format compatibility.
- Can integrate with xfdmaster for additional decrunching.

It turns archive management into a simple point-and-click experience.

What Works Well

- Clean and responsive ReAction interface.
- Feels native within Workbench.
- Makes archive handling accessible to non-CLI users.
- Works well with modern AmigaOS setups.
- Lightweight and focused.

For everyday LHA and ZIP extraction, it does the job efficiently and without 
fuss.

What Doesn't

- Not a full archive editor.
- Requires xadmaster.library and related components installed.
- May not run properly on systems older than AmigaOS 3.2.1.
- Power users may still prefer CLI tools for batch operations.

It focuses on extraction and browsing rather than advanced archive 
manipulation.

Where to Get It

Avalanche is available on Aminet:

https://aminet.net/package/util/arc/avalanche

Be sure you have xadmaster.library installed for full functionality.

Also be sure to reinstall the correct version for you CPU, if you
for example change from an 060 to a PiStorm, you will have installed
the 060 version. This will then cause it to crash on a PiStorm. In
this instance reinstall xadmaster.library and choose the 040 version.

Real-World Use

Perfect for Amiga users who download from Aminet regularly and want a 
comfortable GUI solution for unpacking archives.

Ideal for Workbench users who prefer mouse-driven workflows over command-
line tools.

If you deal with LHA files weekly, Avalanche earns its place.

Verdict

Avalanche is a polished, practical archive utility that modernizes the 
unarchiving experience on classic Amiga systems.

It doesn't try to be everything - but what it does, it does well.



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Software review: Disk Magazine - Adventure in Retro
Reviews
============================================================================
Software review:Disk Magazine - Adventure in Retro - by Timo Paul
============================================================================

Product Name
Adventure in Retro
Developed By
Duncan Wood
Available From
http://www.aminet.net/package/mags/misc/adv-in-retro-01
Price
Free
Hardware/Software Requirements
Amiga with Kickstart 1.2+
Test Machine
A1200/OS3.2.3/TF1260

Disk mags are the heart of the Amiga scene, while they often come and go, 
they provide an unfiltered look at the Amiga scene that you don't get with 
the more traditional print magazines. Adventure in Retro is one such new 
disk magazine written by Duncan Woodward with contributions by Bapstarcade 
(music), MsMadLemon, CiH, and Felice. The magazine is distributed in ADF 
via Aminet, and is a ram packed first issue. It has been tested to work on 
the lowliest A1000 spec and upwards ... something which I sadly cannot say 
about WhatIFF?

Adventure in Retro is in the truest sense a disk mag with the familiar 
navigation at the bottom, background music, graphics, reviews, articles and 
opinion pieces (Something I think our resident writer Roald would love!). It 
has that cozy Amiga scene feel, with the black background and white text. 
The articles are very interesting and varied. In fact, there is an 
incredible amount of content so it will take you time to read through the 
entire magazine. Each article is well written and entertaining, if obvious 
Duncan has put a lot of work into the magazine. As well as the content from 
Duncan the other contributors don't disappoint with some great starter 
articles. I particulary enjoyed MsMadLemon's article about OctaMED v4. The 
piece on MicroMart was a fascinating drive into a magazine that could not 
survive today but was essential back in the day. It brough back some great 
memories during the read.

Duncan has put together a great magazine and team and I am looking forward 
to the next issue. While we have printed magazines and lots of online 
information there is still a place for magazines like Adventure in Retro. I 
am eagerly anticipating the next issue and will keeping my eye on Aminet for 
the next release. Duncan is also looking for contributors for the next issue 
so if you feel like contributing, please contact him from the details in the
Readme file. I am sure it will to become a very popular disk mag if the 
quality of writing from the first issue is anything to go by.



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Software Preview: "FinalWriter 7.3
Reviews
============================================================================
Software Preview:FinalWriter 7.3 - by Timo Paul
============================================================================

I was recently sent a preview copy of the latest release candidate of Final
Writer for classic 68K Amigas. The version that I will be previewing is not 
publicly available yet but will be hopefully around August this year.

A few issues back we interviewed Timothy about his planned updates to Final
Writer and I have been looking forward to trying the latest version. The 
file comes as an .lha and comes in at around 57Mb uncompressed. There is 
no installer, just copy the drawer to your desired location. This already is 
a welcome improvement over previous FinalWriter releases. Not having to go
though a mountain of disks or ADFs is a godsend. So, what sort of changes 
can you expect from the new FinalWriter?

The improvements so far are the following:

Highlights

   - Runs on AROS and AmigaOS 3.x
   - Modern font engine: switched to FreeType with faster and higher-quality 
     rendering.
   - Spell checking while typing: asynchronous background spell checking 
     with on-screen underlining and suggestion UI.
   - Hyphenation overhaul: new algorithm with many language patterns
   - Printing modernization: large rework of printing UI and backend, 
     including IPP network printer support.
   - Export features: new and native PDF output.

Text rendering & Fonts

   - Anti-aliased fonts (grayscale) supported on RTG/P96 displays, with a 
     separate mono/aliased path as needed.
   - Improved kerning, caching, and performance.

Spelling

   - Spell checking while typing. 
   - Visual feedback via underlining; context actions (e.g. suggestions) 
     integrated into the UI.
   - Multi-language infrastructure.

Hyphenation

   - Hyphenation with a full Liang hyphenation engine.
   - Better document consistency: paragraphs with hyphenation enabled are 
     reflowed when hyphenation settings change.

Printing & PDF

   - Printing UI modernized with better progress reporting.
   - PDF generation as a basis for all printing tasks.

Network printing / IPP (Internet Printing Protocol)

   - Added a network-printing stack with IPP support.
   - Printer management: add / remove / edit printers, query properties, and 
     persist settings in prefs.
   - Capability querying and negotiation: fetch supported formats, 
     resolution/DPI, and other printer attributes.
   - Job parameters: support for copies and optional login/user for IPP 
     endpoints.
   - Error handling: progress + failure reporting.

Localization & Text Encoding

   - Added/expanded catalog-based localization (e.g. de/fr/no/sv).

You need to have some extra libraries installed before being able to use the
new version of FinalWriter, and they are:

  - popupmenu.library
    Required for popup menu support in the FinalWriter user interface.

  - codesets.library
    Provides character encoding and Unicode support required by the speller.

  - freetype2.library
    Required for TrueType and OpenType font loading.

  - Vera Sans Truetype Font from the freetype2.library package.
    Installing all fonts from that package is recommended.

  - MUI (3.8)
    Not all of the user interface is using MUI, but the newer parts require 
    MUI.

For full print support you will need:

  - Ghostscript
    Required for all printing formats but PDF.

  - Network Stack
    Required for network printing and modern printer access.

It is strongly recommended that you run the program with a graphics card
with Picasso96 or CyberGraphX. This will help with faster screen rendering
,higher screen resolutions, improved font rendering, better user interface 
responsiveness

The minimum system requirement is an 68020+

For my testing purposes I tried FinalWriter on an A1200 with a TF1260 at 50
Mhz with no graphics card and ran in PAL HighRes Laced in 16 colours for
speed. Overall, FW ran very quickly with no issues, the advanced spelling
checker is a welcome addition along with the drop menu to select the correct
word. Since everything is already installed it is possible to change to your
desired language dictionary. However, when I changed it to UK English it 
became difficult to highlight text with only some blocks being selected. But
since this is still not a final release I imagine this will be ironed out
before the proper release.

In addition to the improved spell checker you also have PDF output and 
network printing. I was unable to check network printer due to my printer
not being compatible with the Amiga at the moment (This is a work in 
progress situation) but I was able to output a PDF document with ease.

If you remember FinalWriter then not much will seem different except for
the new spell checker and newer printing features. If you are running with a
graphics card then you can enjoy aliased fonts which look very nice. I had 
tried an earlier version on my V4+ Standalone and I appreciated seeing a
modern looking wordprocessor on the Amiga. However, it runs perfectly fine
on a classic Amiga and still looks great in the standard Amiga screen modes.

FinalWriter 7.3 Release Candidate is looking to be a promising upgrade to
the classic FinalWriter. It is so heartening to see productivity software
still be developed for the Amiga in 2026. I can't wait to tell my clients
their lesson plans were done and printed on an Amiga!



Top
Game Reviews
CONTENTS
============================================================================
-= G A M E  R E V I E W S =-------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

   -= Game Interview: Aquabyss-Update =-                                  
   With Aquabyss gettig ever closer to version 1.0 we talk with Piotr Kuchno
   about the latest developments in Aquabyss and what to expect in the 
   future.
   -= Game Review: Captain Cloudberry =-                                  
   Take to the skies to save the villagers of Dougal City but there is one
   caveat that you need to overcome first.
   -= Game Review: Gulliver =-                                            
   We look at another game that involves flying, this time instead of a plane
   you are bird on a mission, a mission to kill that is.
   -= Game Review: AmiGoonies =-                                          
   The classic MSX game comes to the Amiga with a one level demo, we take a
   a look at how it is shaping up.
   -= Game Review: Cake Rush =-                                           
   Cakes, an Amiga, and a party game, find out what this little game entails
   and if you might be enticed by a slice of the action.
   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------


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Aquabyss Update
Gamereviews
============================================================================
Game Update: Aquabyss - by Timo Paul
============================================================================

With Aquabyss edging ever closer to its long-awaited 1.0 release,
we felt it was the perfect time to catch up with its creator and
take stock of the journey so far.

What started as an ambitious project on ageing Amiga hardware has
grown into something truly unique: a living, persistent world that
pushes both the platform and its community in equal measure. With
the recent jump to version 0.99.xx, the finish line is now firmly
in sight, but as always with projects of this scale, there?s still
more beneath the surface.

In this interview, we talk about what remains before the game
reaches version 1.0, the technical challenges of maintaining such
a complex system on classic hardware, and how community feedback
continues to shape its development. Along the way, there are a few
hints about what might come next, although not everything is revealed
just yet.

WhatIFF??: With the jump to version 0.99.xx this month, the game is
technically in its 'final' stretch. What are the specific criteria or
features that remain on your checklist before you feel comfortable
removing the '0.9x' prefix and declaring the game v1.0?

AC: Well, if you ask about the checklist, the answer would fill an
entire magazine - ha, ha, ha. I?m dead serious. There are so many
ideas I wanted to implement, but all those years of development have
taught me that even the highest passion can?t win out over time. That
forced me to limit the features to the ones announced publicly
krakens and wrapping up the story mode. Once those two elements are
done, the game hits 1.0 and is officially finished. It will get fixes,
but no new features will be added. There is one ... but, though. Let me
be mysterious about it for now. ;-)

WhatIFF?: This update coincided with some site maintenance on March 12th.
Have there been any under-the-hood improvements to the Remote Save or
Global High Score servers to handle the growing player base as we
head into the mid-2020s?

AC: I hate to admit it, but the so-called maintenance was simply my
internet provider constantly failing while telling me everything was
fine on their end. I was so frustrated. Only when I threatened them
with legal action did they finally send a technician and ... surprise,
surprise, they admitted it was indeed their fault!

As for the server: yes, there was an update on the server side, too.
The client-server communication has been significantly improved,
allowing the game client to use the maximum available connection
speed during updates on our lovely but rather ageing Amigas.

WhatIFF?: Aquabyss is famous for its non-faked, persistent economy. Did
the March update introduce any new commodities or trade routes, or
perhaps adjustments to how 'verns' (the currency) are balanced for
players who are just starting out in 2026?

AC: Only two small but very helpful changes were introduced for new
players - contracts and the city of Hamburg (apart from Paris, where
the player begins) are unlocked from the start in Sandbox mode; in
Story mode, the player is guided there by the script. It boosts
players? economies and helps them advance more quickly than before.

As you have correctly pointed out, the game has a persistent economy.
That?s one of the game?s strongest elements - and players love it.
Introducing a new commodity to the existing 22 commodities wouldn?t
change much. It took a tremendous amount of time to create and
balance the game economy, so adding just one commodity would require
thorough analysis and extensive testing. This probably won?t change.
As they say, don?t touch it if it works correctly. But there is a
fantastic idea that will, if implemented, unlock a completely new
level of economic gameplay. Once again, let me remain mysterious
about it for the time being. ;-)

WhatIFF?: The latest version continues to flesh out the 300+ NPCs. Are
there any new story 'threads' or side quests introduced this month
that specifically delve into the deeper lore of the 1821 steampunk
setting?

AC: Despite the sheer number of NPCs and tasks, I still feel
unsatisfied. This element was meant to be much richer. When I was
working on it, I quickly realised that I would get lost in it
forever. I genuinely love this part. I love storytelling, and I?d
love to give players more interactions with NPCs. But as always,
time is the limiting factor. Nevertheless, rest assured, this part
will be revisited at some point.

WhatIFF?: As the game grows in complexity with every monthly patch, how
difficult is it becoming to maintain the 'minimum' requirement of a
68000 CPU with 2MB Chip RAM? Have you had to implement any new
memory management tricks in this month's build?

AC: A very good and valid question. Such a vast game running on our
precious 30+ year-old hardware is a real challenge. It isn?t just
about displaying a user interface and handling simple mouse events.
Even if the player does not interact, a lot is happening under the
hood.

That was the case when the game was released in 2022, and it has
grown steadily ever since. Cities consume and produce goods, NPCs go
to and finish their shifts at work, which impacts certain locations
and their accessibility, traders operate and travel around the world
using the same mechanics as the player, police patrols occasionally
inspect the player, contracts are adjusted according to the local
city and other cities it relies on, and so on.

It runs on 7 MHz - but just hearing all this, you already know it?s
not enough. Even if the game were written in assembler, it still
wouldn?t be enough. It would help, of course, but even that has its
limits. For that reason, a CPU clocked at 28 MHz is recommended as a
minimum. The game used to ?-require- 50 MHz or more, but many
optimisations lowered that recommendation by half.

In a real-time economy system (among other things), there is almost
no room for tricks. Because I want it to be genuine, most of it has
to be done the hard way. It?s a constant fight against a very old
and slow machine and AMOS, the language that somehow still holds it
all together.

WhatIFF?: Recent community discussions (like those from Epsilon?s World)
mention new sound hardware like the AmiGUS card. Does the latest
update to Aquabyss take advantage of any modern Amiga audio
expansions or MHI drivers for its atmospheric soundtrack?

AC: To be honest, I?m surprised by this question, but I do have an
answer. I?ve already talked with the AmiGUS creator, who?s also an
avid Aquabyss player, and we have a plan. Stay tuned! :-)

WhatIFF?: You?ve always said the future of the game depends on the fans.
Is there a specific feature in the March 2026 update that was
directly 'crowdsourced' from the player forums or the Discord
community?

AC: All entries in the changelog with the prefix Vox Populi reflect
what the community asked for. Sometimes it?s even a single player?s
request. In the recent big update, two things were changed based on
player feedback: the repair costs after pirate encounters and the
penalty system. For more, I encourage our readers to visit our forum
and check the changelog - it?s very easy to spot the blue Vox Populi
entry and see what players have been asking for.

WhatIFF?: With the Steam version still on the horizon, how much of the
work being done on the Amiga v0.99.xx build this month is being
simultaneously ported or adapted for the PC version?

AC: A very difficult question. I?m working with another studio that
has already released a successful title. The porting was going very
well, but we decided to put it on pause and focus on our mutually
shared project aimed at the mainstream. We both need a title with
broader player appeal. Aquabyss, although a great game in its genre,
isn?t a mainstream title.

Before we return our full focus to this game, we want to secure our
future first by releasing something different -  something that could
eventually give us the freedom to return to Aquabyss without limits.

WhatIFF?:
Thank you very much for your time Piotr and for all the work you have
done on such an amazing game. All the best for the future!
 


Top
Captain Cloudberry Review
Gamereviews
============================================================================
Game Review: Captain Cloudberry - by Timo Paul
============================================================================
Product Name
Captain Cloudberry
Developed By
Docster
Available From
https://docster.itch.io/captain-cloudberry-amiga-edition
Price
Name your own price
Hardware/Software Requirements
Recommended A1200 but will run albeit slower on an Amiga 500
Test Machine
Amiga 1200/PiStorm/PicoWyfy/OS3.2.3

Review

The transition from Commodore 64 to Amiga can be a tricky flight path, but 
Captain Cloudberry makes the jump with style. Released in early 2026, this 
Amiga port retains all the charm of the original while benefiting from the 
polished presentation we expect from the 16-bit era.

The story is classic arcade fare. The citizens of Dougal City are trapped 
under a canopy of radioactive weather balloons deployed by the witch Saba 
Monthbleed. To make matters worse, she's frozen the clouds into lethal 
obstacles. You are their only hope, but there's a hilarious caveat: your 
plane is damaged and can only bank in one direction.

While many Amiga games focus on complex joystick maneuvers, Captain 
Cloudberry strips everything back to the fire button. Holding it down 
initiates your one-way turn; releasing it lets you fly straight. This single 
limitation completely changes how you approach the screen.

It isn't just about avoiding clouds, though. You are tasked with popping 
balloons in a specific flashing sequence, all while your fuel meter ticks 
down toward empty. It's a brilliant balancing act, you have to plan your 
loops and dives several seconds in advance. Once the controls "click," the 
game becomes an incredibly satisfying dance through the sky.


The game greets you with a nostalgic, upbeat rendition of "I'm Flying in the 
Air," setting a lighthearted tone that persists throughout. The graphics are 
clean and effective, utilizing a vibrant palette that makes the hazards easy 
to spot. The in-game music by Rotterboy is a particular highlight, providing 
a rhythmic backdrop that fits the frantic "one-more-try" nature of the 
gameplay.

Final Thoughts

Captain Cloudberry is proof that you don't need complex controls to create a 
deep gaming experience. By forcing the player to work around a mechanical 
"flaw," Doctser and his team have created a game that rewards forward-
thinking and precision over mindless tapping. It's a unique, humorous, and 
highly polished addition to the 2026 Amiga library. If you're looking for a 
game that challenges your brain as much as your timing, this is a flight 
worth taking.



Top
Gulliver Review
Gamereviews
============================================================================
Game Review: Gulliver - by Timo Paul
============================================================================
Product Name
Gulliver
Developed By
Captain TS
Available From
https://captain-ts.itch.io/gulliver
Price
3.95 USD 
Hardware/Software Requirements
All Amigas with 1MB chip + 512KB other ram
Test Machine
Amiga 1200/PiStorm/PicoWyfy/OS3.2.3

Review

If you want to show someone what the classic Amiga is still capable of in 
2026, look no further than Gulliver by Captain-TS. This isn't just a 
"homebrew" project; it's a "Triple-A" experience that feels like a long-lost 
commercial hit from the early 90s.

Right from the get-go, Gulliver hits you with stunning pixel art and 
incredibly smooth animation. The character designs feel alive, echoing the 
fluid, hand-drawn style of Don Bluth classics like Dragon's Lair. Every 
sprite, from our protagonist seagull to the enemies, is full of personality, 
and the backgrounds are layered with a level of refinement that "oozes" 
quality.

The core loop is simple but addictive: shoot down enemy birds, scavenge the 
food they drop, and reach the 10-item quota to progress. However, there is 
a strategic layer that keeps you on your toes. You aren't an invincible 
fighter jet; you are a bird in "less than perfect shape." Managing your 
stamina is vital. If you fly too aggressively, your energy depletes, forcing 
you to find a safe spot on the ground to rest. This creates a wonderful 
"risk vs. reward" dynamic, do you stay in the air to grab that last piece of 
food, or do you land and risk being snapped up by a giant frog?

The game offers nine levels of increasing challenge, each set in a unique 
environment. You'll travel from serene forests to urban apartment blocks, 
eventually reaching the high-stakes final stages set against a churning, 
atmospheric ocean.

Accompanying the visuals is a stellar auditory experience. The four original 
soundtracks are a highlight, they are relaxing and melodic, providing a 
perfect contrast to the frantic action. The sound effects are equally sharp, 
giving every "squawk" and "shot" a satisfying weight.

Developed using the Scorpion Engine, Gulliver is a testament to what can be 
achieved with modern tools on vintage hardware. It runs beautifully on a 
standard OCS Amiga with 1MB of Chip RAM, but it feels like a game that 
should have required an expensive accelerator back in the day.

Final Thoughts

While the developer states in the readme that this is meant to be a "quick 
little action game," it feels far more substantial because of its sheer 
artistry. It is a visual and auditory tour de force that every Amiga owner 
should have in their library. Whether you're playing for five minutes or 
an hour, Gulliver is a joy to experience, and you'll find yourself 
revisiting its beautiful worlds time and time again just to see those 
animations in motion once more.



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Amigoonies Review
Gamereviews
============================================================================
Game Review: The Amigoonies - by Timo Paul
============================================================================
Product Name
The Amigoonies
Developed By
Marlox
Available From
https://marlox.itch.io/the-amigoonies
Price
Free
Hardware/Software Requirements
A1200/A4000 with Fast RAM
Test Machine
Amiga 1200/PiStorm/PicoWyfy/OS3.2.3

Review

Sometimes the best Amiga homebrew games come from nostalgia. The AmiGoonies 
is a tribute to the classic Goonies platform game originally seen on systems 
like the MSX, recreated for the Amiga using the powerful Scorpion Engine.

The result feels like a lost Amiga game from the late 80s: 

simple, colourful, and immediately fun.

The core gameplay will feel familiar to fans of the original Goonies game.

You explore maze-like levels searching for captured kids locked inside 
cages. Rescue enough prisoners and the exit portal will unlock, allowing 
you to progress.

Along the way you must avoid enemies, traps and hazards while collecting 
coins and useful items.

Movement is classic arcade platforming:

 - Run and jump across platforms
 - Climb ladders
 - Avoid roaming enemies
 - Search the level for hidden cages

Later updates add extra mechanics such as experience systems and temporary 
power-ups, giving the gameplay slightly more depth while keeping the classic 
formula.

It is easy to pick up but becomes increasingly challenging as you try to 
clear the level efficiently.

Early versions of The AmiGoonies used scaled graphics from the original 
MSX game while the gameplay systems were being developed.

More recent builds are moving toward a proper Amiga visual style with 
improved sprites, richer colours and better animation.

Thanks to the Scorpion Engine the game features smooth scrolling and larger 
characters than its 8-bit inspiration.

Although still evolving, the direction is promising and the game already 
has the feeling of a colourful Amiga platform title that could easily have 
appeared during the machine's commercial era.

The soundtrack captures the energetic tone of classic arcade platform games. 
In fact it sounds very much like the original soundtrack the MSX, something
that my wife, a big MSX gamer noticed when she heard me playing the game.

While still being refined in the alpha versions, the music supports the 
gameplay well and helps reinforce the retro atmosphere.

Sound effects are functional and clear, giving feedback for actions such 
as collecting items or avoiding hazards.

With further polish the audio side could become another strong element of 
the game.

It is important to remember that The AmiGoonies is still in development. 
Current demo versions feature only a small portion of the first stage while 
the game continues to evolve.

Even so, the foundations are strong.

The AmiGoonies successfully captures the spirit of classic Amiga 
platformers: straightforward gameplay, colourful presentation and quick 
pick-up-and-play fun.

With additional levels and continued polish it could become a standout 
modern homebrew title. This feels like a nostalgic platform adventure that 
has been lost and is waiting to be rediscovered.



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Cake Rush Review
Gamereviews
============================================================================
Game Review: Cake Rush - by Timo Paul
============================================================================
Product Name
The Cake Rush
Developed By
Hambo
Available From
https://hambo3.itch.io/cake-rush
Price
Free
Hardware/Software Requirements
A1200/A4000
Test Machine
Amiga 1200/TF1260/PicoWyfy/OS3.2.3

Review

Cake. I love cake. I love baking it, eating it, and even watching others 
bake it on TV. Have you ever seen Is It Cake?? If not, step away from your 
Amiga for a moment and go fix that. What I never expected, however, was a 
cake-themed game for the Amiga, but thanks to Hambo, that previously unknown 
dream has now been realised, and what a game it is.

The Amiga is no stranger to party games, but Cake Rush has come out of 
nowhere to claim the crown as, in my humble opinion, one of the best party 
games on the platform. It supports up to four players, either human or 
CPU-controlled, making it perfect for both solo sessions and chaotic 
multiplayer fun.

The goal is simple: collect as many cakes as possible and deliver them to 
waiting customers at the top of the screen. Stack cakes for higher scores, 
grab cupcakes to use as projectiles, and sabotage your fellow bakers along 
the way. Matches play out over four rounds (or days), with the lowest-
scoring player eliminated each time, building tension as the competition 
heats up.

What really makes Cake Rush shine is just how immediate and accessible it 
is. While classics like Worms, Space Taxi, and Lemmings are fantastic in 
their own right, they come with a bit of a learning curve. Cake Rush, on 
the other hand, can be picked up in seconds, no explanation needed. That 
accessibility really stood out when I played with my nephews, who don?t 
speak English. Within moments they were fully engaged, shouting, laughing, 
and hurling cupcakes at each other in chaotic delight.

It?s also a genuinely frantic and entertaining experience. My wife, who 
rarely enjoys games, couldn?t get enough of it, and when we brought in more 
family members, it quickly turned into a proper party highlight. Few games 
manage to bridge that gap between seasoned players and complete newcomers 
so effortlessly.

Visually, the game is a treat. The colourful, chunky graphics feel like 
they?ve been lifted straight from a late-80s arcade machine, and the sound 
design matches that quality with catchy tunes and crisp effects. Everything 
comes together to create a polished and highly addictive experience.

If there?s one thing I?d love to see improved, it?s control options. 
Specifically, keyboard support would make a big difference. Games like Space 
Taxi allow multiple players to share the keyboard, and combined with the 
Amiga?s mouse and joystick ports, that makes local multiplayer incredibly 
accessible. At present, Cake Rush requires additional hardware (such as an
adapter) to get four players involved, which feels like a missed 
opportunity.

That small gripe aside, Cake Rush is an absolute joy. Even if you?re not a 
fan of cake, this is a game well worth your time. With its perfect blend of 
simple mechanics, chaotic multiplayer, and charming presentation, it stands 
out as one of the Amiga?s finest modern party games. Hambo has other titles 
available too, and after this, I?ll definitely be checking them out, expect 
a report in a future issue.

Until then ... keep those cupcakes flying!



Top
Welcome to the guides section!
CONTENTS
============================================================================
-= T U T O R I A L S / G U I D E S =----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

   -= Buying a 68882 FPU =-                                              
   With more fake computer parts for sale, Martyn gives you the tools to  
   help find a real Motorola 68882 FPU.
   -= DigiPaint Basics: Part 4 =-                                        
   For this issue we dive into the powerful text features of DigiPaint and
   how to incorporate them into your projects.
   -= VistaPro 101: Your First Project =-                                
   Kids today have MineCraft to build words, for us Amiga users we had Vista
   Pro. We take a look at the basics of creating your first landscape.
   -= WHDLoad 101: Understanding WHDLoad Properly =-                     
   If you ever wanted to know more about WHDLoad and why it is important
   then this short guide is just what you are looking for.
   -= Hardware Hack: Rebuilding A1200.net brass screw boss =-            
   Even the new a1200.net cases are susceptible to screw damage, find an
   easy fix to the dreaded screw boss/mount break.
   -= Amiga 101: Creating a bootable Workbench 1.3 HDF =-                
   If you are coming back to the Amiga you might have realised that making
   a bootable 1.3 hard disk is a bit different. Find out how inside.
   -= Amiga 101: Brilliance Cheatsheet =-                                
   Do wish you could streamline your Brilliance processes? Then have a look
   at our cheatsheet and the power of keyboard shortcuts in Brilliance.
   -= Backing Up CF Card On Mac - Correction =-                          
   Last issue we ran a guide on backing up your CF card on a Mac, it was 
   found that the command used might not work on all versions of MacOS, so
   we are providing an updated command here.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
          #Tutorials/Guides - WhatIFF? Issue 5.19 - April 2026#


Top
Buying a 68882 FPU
Guides
=============================================================================
Buying a 68882 FPU - by: Martyn Bampton
=============================================================================

Introduction

If you've repaired old electronics then you're probably aware that finding 
"real" discontinued components can be challenging. Sometimes if you're lucky 
you'll come across new old stock but for the most part we have to scour the 
used market. While there are good, honest sellers, it is not unusual for 
less reputable sellers to "refurbish" components by removing old markings 
and replacing them with inaccurate or outright false markings. They do this 
to either fake or inflate component specifications. Sadly the Motorola 68882 
FPU has become a popular target for this practice but there are ways to 
determine if a chip has been remasked and perhaps negotiate a lower price.


Identifying a 68882

The 68KMLA forum has a very useful thread named Sourcing Legit MC68882 FPUs 
in which the author zigzagjoe details how to identify a properly masked 
68882. Please do read the thread if you can, it has a lot of example data 
and images, however it comes down to examining the markings and checking for 
signs of tampering such as:

* Well defined markings including logos.
* Motorola logo before 2005, Freescale after.
* If it's missing a logo it's almost certainly a fake.
* Closely spaced fine fonts.
* Markings will not be removed by cleaning with acetone.

When looking at the top of a 68882 FPU there should be three lines under the 
logo:

* The product code and rated speed - such as XC68882RC50A. The number at the 
  end indicates the speed, here it would be 50 MHz.
* A mask code - like 1C12R.
* Date code - for example DESU9011. The date is the last four digits written 
  as YYWW, so 1990 week 11

Once you have the mask code and date check them against this table zigzagjoe 
compiled from legitimate 68882 data:

+--------+----------+----------+----------------+
| Mask   | Min Year | Max Year | 50 MHz Capable |
+--------+----------+----------+----------------+
| 1J23S  | 1999.9   | 2005.9   | Yes            |
+--------+----------+----------+----------------+
| 2C12R  | 1994.4   | 1999.5   | Yes            |
+--------+----------+----------+----------------+
| 1C12R  | 1990.1   | 1993.7   | Yes            |
+--------+----------+----------+----------------+
| OC35H  | 1990.0   | 1991.3   | Probably       |
+--------+----------+----------+----------------+
| 5896M  | 1990.3   | 1990.3   | No             |
+--------+----------+----------+----------------+
| 4B96M  | 1989.2   | 1990.1   | No             |
+--------+----------+----------+----------------+

For the example 68882 above we have 1C12R and November 1990 which would fit 
between the date range given for 1C12R of around week 5 of 1990 to around 
week 36 of 1993. So that would most likely be a legitimate 68882. If the 
date doesn't fit the range for the mask then  it might be suspect, 
especially if it's nowhere near.


Conclusion

While it seems like it's very difficult to find a real 68882 it may not be 
essential as not all remasked chips are outright fakes or even incorrect. 
It's quite possible a real 50 MHz 68882 was subject to the same remasking 
since they're likely batched together. A slower 68882 may be happy running 
at 50 MHz even if it wasn't rated for 50 MHz since newer masks are more 
tolerant of higher speeds. If you want a 68882 for completeness on a 68030 
system and can't choose the clock speed then you may be able to use a 
remasked chip without issues. You could even get a legitimate 33 MHz or 40 
MHz 68882 of a later mask and try it. In all cases try adding a heatsink if 
it gets hot or seems unstable. One last point, 68K CPUs are also remasked or 
faked. Often online retailers acknowledge this and state that they test and 
qualify their stock to run at 50 MHz in case it's a remask. There's a great 
document by eharmon detailing 68K processor masks which can be used in the 
same way as zigzagjoe's thread, my thanks go to both of them for compiling
this data and freely sharing it.

Sources

Sourcing Legit MC68882 FPUs:
https://68kmla.org/bb/threads/sourcing-legit-mc68882-fpus-data.46717 
(zigzagjoe)

Motorola 68k Processors:
https://eharmon.net/retro/macintosh/motorola-processors
(eharmon)



Top
DigiPaint Basics: Part 3
Guides
=============================================================================
DigiPaint Basics: Text - by: Timo Paul
=============================================================================

We are nearing the end of the DigiPaint tutorial series, so to finish off we
will look at the Text tool and how you can create textured text effects with
ease.

Since we have covered all the basics of image manipulation and texturing in
DigiPaint this final tutorial will short as you will now already know much
of what you need to do.

Creating Your Texture

To begin with, create a texture of image that you would like to be mapped
onto your future text. Once you have the texture/image ready we need to put
it into the buffer. So, just as last time we need to first do the following:

	1. Click the right mouse button to bring up the menu, go to:
	Brush -> No Background

	2. From here you can select the Scissors tool and select the part of
	your texture/image you wish to use for the text.

	3. Now you should have a copy of your texture/image as a brush, we
	need to put into the buffer and this is done by clicking the right
	mouse button again to bring up the menu bar and go to:
	Brush -> Swap -> Copy this brush

	4. Staying on the menu bar, locate Mode, and select TxMap.

	5. Your texture/image will now be in the buffer and texture mapping
	will be active. Locate the 'TEXT' button and click on it. In the
	black rectangle near the paint brush enter your text and press the
	Return key to activate it. Clicking on FONTS will bring up the
	fonts requestor, you might have to try several fonts as DigiPaint is
	not as compatible with fonts such as DPaint or Brilliance.

	6. Now you will have your text as a brush, when you stamp it down
	it will appear with the texture mapped image on top. You can control
	the appearance from the 'CONTROLS' panel.

And that is how you can texture map text from DigiPaint, in fact the TxMap
mode is applied across all drawing tools. So, if you select the line drawing
tool, it will also apply the texture map until to you desect TxMap mode from
the menu bar.

I hope you have enjoyed this short DigiPaint tutorial series, it has been a
pleasure diving back into such a revolutionary art package.
 


Top
VistaPro 101: Your First Landscape
Guides
=============================================================================
VistaPro 101: Essentials - by: Timo Paul
=============================================================================

If you have kids or work with them you will most likely have heard them talk 
about building houses or landscapes in Minecraft. But for us Amiga users we
had VistaPro.
 
Originally developed by Virtual Realities, VistaPro 3.0 remains the high-
water mark for landscape synthesis on the Amiga. Even in 2026 you can create
stunning vistas/landscapes. Whether you are creating a 2D backdrop for a 
Deluxe Paint animation or a 3D environment for LightWave, VistaPro is your 
retro gateway to infinite worlds.

VistaPro though can be a be difficult to get going with but is very 
rewarding and with the ever more powerful Amiga setups falling in price (I?m
looking at you PiStorm!) there has never been a better time to delve into 
VistaPro on a real or emulated Amiga. To begin this series we will look at
creating the best setup, a simple landscape and how to tweak some of the
settings.

Optimised Setup
VistaPro is "math-heavy." To avoid the dreaded "Calculating..." bar 
moving at a snail's pace, follow these modern configuration tips:

WinUAE Setup:
- CPU/FPU: Select 68040 or 68060 with JIT enabled. Remember to enable FPU.

PiStorm (Emu68) Setup:
- Memory: Ensure 128MB+ Z3 Fast RAM is allocated in your config.txt.
- FPU: Emu68 provides massive FPU speed; ensure you use the FPU-specific 
  VistaPro executable to take advantage of the Pi's horsepower.


TROUBLESHOOTING MODERN ISSUES
- The RTG Crash: VistaPro looks for a "Workbench" screen. On modern 
  RTG systems, use a tool like "ModePro" to force VistaPro onto a 
  Picasso96/P96 screen mode to prevent a Guru Meditation.
- Emu68 Instability: If the program crashes during render on a PiStorm, 
  try disabling "Tree Rendering." Some versions struggle with the 
  sheer speed of Emu68's instruction cycle.
- Out of Memory: Even with 128MB of RAM, Chip RAM can bottleneck. Use 
  a tool to free up Chip RAM before launching.

Now you have everything set up, it is time to get into understanding the
basics of VistaPro, the manual is quite technical and can be overwhelming
so I have tried to condense it down into something easier to follow.

 ***************************************************************************

                        The Essentials: Getting Started   

                          The Essentials: Middle Panel

 ***************************************************************************



Top
Vista Pro 2.0 - Essentials
Vistapro101
=============================================================================
VistaPro 101: Essentials (Getting Started) - by: Timo Paul
=============================================================================
VISTA PRO 2.0 - THE ESSENTIALS (GETTING STARTED)

Before rendering epic landscapes or fly-throughs, you need to
understand how Vista Pro "sees" the world. Once this makes sense,
everything else becomes much easier.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BIG IDEA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vista Pro is built around three simple elements:

  * The Camera   - where you are
  * The Target   - what you are looking at
  * The Topo Map - the landscape itself

Move the camera, move the target, adjust how the camera points, and you 
control the shot.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTROL PANELS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vista Pro is divided into several control panels:

  Upper Control Panel   - Camera and Target positioning
  Middle Control Panel  - Scene and rendering options
  Lower Control Panel   - Additional controls
  Bottom Control Panel  - Output and animation controls

There is also a Color Map panel, accessed using the "CMap" button.

For now, we focus on the Upper Control Panel, because every scene starts 
there.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE TOPOGRAPHIC MAP
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The large map window shows the loaded landscape.

  "+"  = Target
  "o"  = Camera

Think of it as placing a real camera on a map and deciding what landmark it 
is pointing at.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE TARGET (WHAT YOU LOOK AT)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Target defines the exact point the camera aims toward.

To set it quickly:

  1. Click the Target button
  2. Click anywhere on the topo map

Vista Pro automatically sets:

  X and Y to the clicked position
  Z to the terrain height at that point

This keeps the target on the landscape surface.

You can also enter values manually:

  * Click inside an X, Y, or Z field
  * Edit the value
  * Press RETURN to confirm

IMPORTANT:
If you do not press RETURN, the change is ignored.

TIP:
Press Right-Amiga + X to clear a value field instantly.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE CAMERA (WHERE YOU ARE)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Camera defines your viewpoint.

To place it quickly:

  1. Click the Camera button
  2. Click anywhere on the topo map

Vista Pro sets:

  X and Y to the clicked position
  Z to about 30 meters above the terrain

This prevents the camera from starting underground.

You can also manually edit the Camera X, Y, and Z values using the same 
method as the Target.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOCKING X, Y, AND Z
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The X, Y, and Z locks restrict movement along specific axes.

Examples:

  Lock Z - move the camera without changing altitude
  Lock X - slide north/south only
  Lock Y - slide east/west only

Locks work for both the Camera and the Target and are essential for precise 
positioning and animation work.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PERSPECTIVE VIEW (WIREFRAME PREVIEW)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click the "P" button to enter Perspective View.

This shows a fast wireframe preview of what the camera sees and is ideal for 
framing your shot.

While in Perspective View:

  * Click to rotate the camera toward that point
  * Up Arrow    - zoom in
  * Down Arrow  - zoom out

To exit, click outside the preview window.

NOTE:
Menus and control panels are unavailable in this mode.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
DISTANCE AND OFFSET CONTROLS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
These values describe the relationship between the Camera and the Target.

DR (Distance Radius)
  Shows the distance in meters between Camera and Target.
  Changing it moves the camera closer or farther away without changing its 
  orientation.

DX, DY, DZ
  Show the difference between Camera and Target positions on each axis.

Changing these values moves the camera relative to the
target and may adjust Heading and Pitch automatically.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CAMERA ORIENTATION (AIRPLANE MODEL)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vista Pro uses an airplane model to describe camera rotation.

Bank
  Tilts the camera left or right, like rolling a plane.

Heading
  Turns the camera left or right, like steering.

Pitch
  Tilts the camera up or down, like raising or lowering the nose of an 
  airplane.

If a render looks tilted or oddly framed, these values are usually the 
reason.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
RANGE (SPEED VS DETAIL)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Range limits how much of the landscape is rendered.

  Positive value  - do not render anything farther away
  Negative value  - do not render anything closer
  Zero            - render everything (default)

Examples:

  1000   - ignore landscape beyond 1000 meters
  -1000  - ignore landscape closer than 1000 meters
  0      - render all visible terrain

WHY USE RANGE?

Smaller ranges render much faster and are ideal when testing camera scripts 
or animations.

TIP:
Try a Range value around 500 meters when previewing animations to save time.

Negative values exist, but are rarely useful.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
REMEMBER THIS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you remember nothing else:

  Camera = where you are
  Target = what you look at
  Map clicks = fast placement
  Perspective View = framing
  Locks = precision

Once these basics feel natural, Vista Pro becomes much easier - and much 
more fun.



Top
vistapromiddle
Vistapro101
=============================================================================
VistaPro 101: Middle Control Panel - by: Timo Paul
=============================================================================
MIDDLE CONTROL PANEL - SHAPING THE WORLD

The Middle Control Panel is where you turn a raw landscape
into a believable world. This is where you add water, trees,
snow, atmosphere, and perform terrain adjustments.

You do not need to use everything here for every scene.
Most options are optional and artistic.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEA LEVEL
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sea Level lets you sink the landscape into the ocean.

All terrain below the chosen level becomes sea (0 meters).
All terrain above it has that value subtracted.

Example:
If Sea Level is set to 1000 meters:

  Terrain at 500m  becomes 0m (sea)
  Terrain at 2000m becomes 1000m
  Terrain at 3000m becomes 2000m

To set Sea Level:

  * Click the Sea button
  * Click on the topo map at the desired height

You can also type the value directly below the Sea button.

Vista Pro may ask:
  * Erase existing rivers and lakes?
  * Add waves to the ocean?

After changing sea level, the landscape is recolored.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TREE LINE AND VEGETATION
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TreeLn sets the timber line - the height above which trees generally stop 
growing.

The tree line is not exact. Vista Pro uses AI rules so that:

  * Trees avoid steep cliffs
  * Valleys may have trees above the tree line
  * Ridges may have fewer trees

To set the tree line:

  * Click TreeLn
  * Click on the topo map at the desired height
  * Or type a value below the button

If no tree type is selected, Vista Pro does NOT draw trees. Instead, it 
only colors the ground using tree colors.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TREE TYPES
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vista Pro supports four vegetation types:

  Pine    - Tall, triangular trees (high elevations)
  Cactus  - Desert plants and sagebrush
  Oak     - Rounded, leafy trees
  Palm    - Tall trunk with leaves at the top

Multiple tree types may be selected at once.

They are rendered by elevation, roughly in this order:
  Pine -> Cactus -> Oak -> Palm

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TREE SIZE AND DENSITY
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TreSiz (Tree Size)
  Controls how large trees appear.
  Good values range from 20 to 50 meters.

NOTE:
You must choose the size BEFORE selecting a tree type.

TreDns (Tree Density)
  Controls how many tree-colored polygons get trees.
  Range: 0 to 256

  0     = no trees
  128   = about half the areas have trees
  256   = very dense forest

Higher density = much longer render times.

IMPORTANT:
Scenes with trees can take 2 to 20 times longer to render.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SNOW LINE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SnowLn sets the lowest altitude where snow appears.

Vista Pro uses AI rules to place snow naturally, taking
cliffs, ridges, valleys, rivers, and lakes into account.

Snow colors do not have to be white.
You can use greys to create bare rock mountain tops.

To set the snow line:

  * Click Snow
  * Click on the topo map at the desired height
  * Or type a value below the button

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HAZE (ATMOSPHERE)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Haze simulates atmospheric distance.

Far objects fade into the haze, adding depth.

Haze values:
  0        = no haze
  <100     = very light haze
  100-1000 = moderate haze
  >1000    = heavy fog

You can type a value below the Haze button.

Pressing the Haze button automatically calculates a reasonable haze value 
based on the Camera-Target distance.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
LAKES
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Lake function fills valleys with water.

To create a lake:

  * Click Lake
  * Click a point on the topo map

Water fills the area up to that height. If water can escape, it will flood 
other areas.

A requestor appears showing the fill height. You may raise this value if 
needed.

Lakes are drawn in black during creation and turn blue when complete.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
RIVERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The River function creates rivers flowing downhill.

To create a river:

  * Click River
  * Click a starting point on the topo map

Rivers:
  * Flow downhill
  * Fill depressions
  * Continue to sea level or map edge

Starting a river on an existing river or lake makes it wider. This allows 
easy creation of tributaries.

Use Abort to stop river generation.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
SMOOTH
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Smooth erodes and softens the terrain.

This removes sharp edges and improves the look of fractal landscapes.

Smooth is repeatable:
Each pass increases erosion.

TIP:
Smoothing helps create fully snow-covered peaks,
which otherwise are often too steep for snow.

Use sparingly with DEM data if accuracy matters.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
COLOR MAP (CMAP)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMap opens the Color Control Panel.

This controls terrain, water, tree, snow, and haze colors.
See the Color Control Panel section for details.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
STARS AND SKY
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stars adds a night sky with randomly generated stars.

When enabled:
  * Sky turns black
  * Haze colors darken automatically

Double-width and double-height stars help visibility in low-resolution 
modes.

The Sky button turns sky rendering on or off. Turn it off when using a 
background image.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
HORIZON
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Horiz controls the horizon disk where sky meets land.

Turn this off when using background images to avoid visible horizon lines 
at the edge of the landscape.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PALETTE LOCK
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
LockP locks the current color palette.

This prevents color flickering in animations caused by palette changes 
between frames.

Always render a typical frame before locking the palette.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ENLARGE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enlarge zooms into part of the landscape and fills the entire topo map with 
it.

To use:

  * Click Enlarg
  * Drag the box over an area
  * Choose Interpolate or Duplicate

Interpolate = smooth scaling
Duplicate   = stepped scaling

NOTE:
All rivers, lakes, and oceans are lost.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
VERTICAL SCALE (VSCALE)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
VScale changes terrain height exaggeration.

Examples:
  2.0  = mountains twice as tall
  0.5  = flatter terrain
  <0   = flipped terrain

Scaling can be used creatively to create:
  * Calderas
  * Stepped mountains
  * Surreal landscapes

Scaled landscapes can be saved.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINAL TIP
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Use these tools gently.

Small changes often look more natural than extreme ones.
Experiment, preview often, and render only when happy.



Top
WHDLoad 101
Guides
=============================================================================
WHDLoad 101: Understanding WHDLoad Properly - by: Bytebandit
=============================================================================

WHDLoad is one of the most important utilities in the modern Amiga world. It 
allows floppy-based software to run reliably from hard disk systems.

It is powerful. It is sometimes misunderstood.

This guide explains what WHDLoad is, how it works, and how to diagnose 
problems properly.

    * What WHDLoad Is
    * Why Games Need It
    * Slave Files Explained
    * How WHDLoad Works
    * Installing WHDLoad
    * Error Types Explained
    * Troubleshooting Guide
    * Common Tooltypes
    * When Not To Use It

What WHDLoad Is

WHDLoad is a loader framework.

It is not:

 - An emulator
 - A game archive
 - A crack collection
 - A ROM replacement

Many classic Amiga games bypass AmigaOS completely and access hardware 
directly. They assume specific memory, CPU timing, and Kickstart versions.

WHDLoad temporarily creates a controlled environment so those programs can 
run safely on newer systems.

When the program exits, WHDLoad restores the system.

Why Games Need It

Original target systems:

 - Amiga 500
 - 512K or 1MB RAM
 - Kickstart 1.2 / 1.3
 - No hard drive

Modern systems may include:

 - A1200 or higher
 - 68020+ CPU
 - Fast RAM
 - Accelerators
 - Workbench 3.x+

Differences in memory layout, CPU caches and interrupt handling can cause 
crashes or instability.

WHDLoad manages:

 - CPU cache control
 - Interrupt vectors
 - Memory mapping
 - Clean return to Workbench

Without WHDLoad, many games would not behave correctly on accelerated or 
expanded systems.

Slave Files Explained

Every WHDLoad installation includes a file called a "Slave".

WHDLoad is the engine.
The Slave is the game-specific patch layer.

The Slave:

 - Redirects disk access
 - Applies code patches
 - Defines required memory
 - Sets quit key support
 - Fixes known bugs

Each Slave is written for one specific program.

No Slave file means no WHDLoad support.

How WHDLoad Works

When you start a WHDLoad program:

 1. WHDLoad loads the Slave file.
 2. The Slave checks system requirements.
 3. Required Kickstart image may be loaded.
 4. CPU caches may be disabled.
 5. Hardware vectors are redirected.
 6. Program runs.
 7. Quit key restores system state.

Old games assume full control of the machine.

WHDLoad safely contains that behaviour and restores
Workbench afterwards.

Installing WHDLoad

Basic steps:

 1. Copy WHDLoad to C:
 2. Install Kickstart images in DEVS:Kickstarts
 3. Install a supported game package
 4. Read the included documentation

Memory recommendations (2026 baseline):

 - 2MB Chip RAM minimum
 - 8MB Fast RAM recommended
 - 68020+ CPU preferred

On emulation, ensure enough Fast RAM is configured.

Error Types Explained

WHDLoad produces two distinct types of error messages.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Standard Requester (Configuration Error)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

This appears as a normal Intuition window.

It is shown when:

 - Not enough Chip RAM
 - Not enough Fast RAM
 - Kickstart image missing
 - Decryption key missing
 - Assign not found
 - Incorrect configuration

This is not a crash.

WHDLoad is performing a pre-run system check and refuses
to start if requirements are not met.

These errors are usually easy to fix.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Exception Requester (Runtime Error)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

This appears as a Guru-style requester.

It typically has:

 - Black background
 - Red bordered box
 - Diagnostic text
 - CPU register dump

It is triggered when:

 - Illegal instruction
 - Memory access violation
 - CPU exception
 - Severe incompatibility

This means the program crashed during execution.

The requester protects your system by stopping execution before memory 
corruption can occur.

Troubleshooting

If you see a standard requester:

 - Check available Chip RAM
 - Check available Fast RAM
 - Verify Kickstart files in DEVS:Kickstarts
 - Confirm correct file names
 - Read the Slave documentation

If you see an exception requester:

 - Try NOCACHE tooltype
 - Disable CPU caches manually
 - Remove overclocking
 - Check for updated Slave version
 - Test with more Fast RAM
 - Test under a simpler configuration

Always read the full error message carefully.

WHDLoad error reporting is detailed and diagnostic.

Common Tooltypes

Tooltypes are options stored in the icon.

Common examples:

 PRELOAD
   Loads program fully into RAM before execution.
   Improves speed but requires more memory.

 NOCACHE
   Disables CPU caches for compatibility.

 NOVBRMOVE
   Prevents Vector Base Register relocation.

 BUTTONWAIT
   Waits for mouse button before starting.

 NOTRAP
   Disables certain exception handling behaviour.

NOMMU
   Disables use of the CPU Memory Management Unit.

   Only relevant on CPUs with an MMU (68030+).

   May reduce protection but can improve compatibility
   on certain accelerator configurations.

Always consult the specific Slave documentation for
supported options.

When Not To Use WHDLoad

Situations where floppy disks may be preferable:

 - Preservation research
 - Copy protection analysis
 - Demo scene productions
 - Cycle-accurate hardware testing

WHDLoad improves usability and compatibility, but it is
not a cycle-exact preservation tool.

For everyday use in 2026, it remains the preferred way
to run classic Amiga software.



Top
Hardware Hack: Rebuilding A1200.net brass screw boss
Guides
=============================================================================
Hardware Hack: Rebuilding A1200.net brass screw boss - by: Timo Paul
=============================================================================

The A1200.net replacement cases are high-quality and are advertised as safe
for opening and closing many times with the new metal brass inserts. This
helps you avoid the deaded case dimples from over tightening a screw.

I have owned two a1200.net cases and in both instances I have experienced
the screw boss that holds the metal brass insert breaking off at the base.
This is really unfornate as I was hoping with the new case design it would
not be an issue but after owning two cases this issue is still prelevant.
                    Image 1
                    
So, now with my second case having had the same damage and it appearing that
there are no new translucent A1200 cases on the horizon I will need to fix
it myself. What follows is a short guide on how to fix your screw boss 
mounts, if the same thing has happened to you.

Required Materials
                    Image 2
                     

? Brass Insert M3 x 4mm or M3 x 5mm Brass Heat-Set Inserts (Knurled).

? Structural Filler: Two-part epoxy putty (e.g., Milliput) or heavy-bodied 
  epoxy paste (e.g., J-B Weld PlasticBonder or PC-7).

The Reconstruction Process

Step A: Surface Preparation
Lightly sand or scracth the area where the old mount sat. This will create 
micro-scratches for the epoxy to grab onto, ensuring the new pillar doesn't 
just pop off the smooth floor of the case.

Step B: The "Pillar" Build

Mix your two-part epoxy, make sure you do this for at least 60 seconds. If
you still have some streaks, continue until it is one colour.

Form a small "volcano" or cylinder shape at the site of the break.

To ensure the brass insert will be perfectly centered, find the screw hole 
where the broken mount was and put a thin screwdriver into the brass insert
so it does not move out of place when you add the extra putty. It will look
a bit messy at first but once it has hardended a bit you can start to trim
it with a cutter knife. 

Step C: Setting the Insert

If using Epoxy Putty: You can press the brass insert into the putty while it 
is soft. Build up around it, it will look like a volcano, try not to get any
putty in the brass insert. Make sure to keep the screw driver in the brass
insert so you know it is aligned properly, once the putty has started to 
harden you can remove the screwdriver and get ready for trimming.
 
Step D: Trimming

Once the pillar is almost rock hard and the insert is set, test the height.
I initially used two inserts stacked but found that just one was fine. When
you are happy with the height, now it is time to trim from the top to make
a clean cut and trim around the edges.
                    Image 3
                    
                    Image 4
                    

Wait twelve hours or more and you can finally close your case.
                    Image 5
                    
                    Image 6
                    
It may not be a particulary clean or beautiful fix but it does the job and
I have since been able to reduce the surrounding poxy to make for a smaller
mount than the in photos. For now at least my case closes properly.



Top
Creating a Bootable Workbench 1.3 HDF
Guides
=============================================================================
Creating a Bootable Workbench 1.3 HDF - by: Timo Paul
=============================================================================

If you have been away from the Amiga or have gotten use to Workbench 3.0+
it can be jarring experience if you want to relive having a 1.3 Amiga
again. More so if you want to boot from Workbench 1.3, for example within
an emulator. This is little guide of getting you setup with a bootable
1.3 enviroment and goes over a few of the common tasks that differ from
the newer Amiga OSs.

To begin with you need to have the Workbench 1.3 ADFs and kickstart rom. I
will not go over where you can find the kickstart roms as a simple internet
search will get you results. Regarding the disks, www.retro32.com has a
great selection of all the Workbench disks from 1.0 to 3.1. I feel happy
showing the link here as it is not possible to buy 3.1 or the earlier disks
brand new anymore, so here is the full link but reduced with LinkBreakers
due to the ridiculously long url: https://p.linkbreak.ing/iQiYtL

When you have downloaded the Workbench disks, make sure you select the
version for your keyboard, i.e. select GB for UK layout, De for German
layout otherwise you will encounter problems when using the Shell later on.

I will presume that you have some knowledge of WinUAE/FS-UAE and are able
able to create a new Amiga 500 profile and add the kickstart and ADFs.

We need to create an HDF (Hard Disk File) which is a raw disk image used by 
Amiga emulators. It behaves like a real hard drive.

The process flow will go as the following:

* Create an empty HDF in WinUAE/FS-UAE
* Boot Workbench from floppy (ADF)
* Format the HDF
* Copy system files
* Boot directly from HDF

Once complete, the HDF will act as a standalone boot disk.

So, to begin with you should now have WinUAE/FS-UAE up and running, the 
Workbench ADFs and 1.3 kickstart on hand ready to use. We need to create a
'profile' for your Amiga, for 1.3 I use the A500 default settings that come
with WinUAE/FS-UAE. 

First off let's create the HDF, since I do not own a PC and use a Mac in 
FS-UAE you can find the 'HDF Creator' option when clicking on the FS-UAE 
icon in the top left of the program window. To begin with I suggest creating
a small size such as 75MB otherwise you will be waiting for a long time when 
it comes to formatting the disk. Create a single partition and make note of 
the location of the new HDF and name it accordingly such as 'System1.3.hdf'.

This creates an unformatted virtual hard disk, remeber to keep a backup of 
this file before continuing.

Setting Up Emulation

* Mount System1.3.hdf as DH0:
* Load Kickstart 1.3 ROM
* Insert Workbench ADF into DF0:
* Keep default compatibility settings

Start the emulator to boot Workbench.

Installing Workbench"
Once Workbench boots:

1. Select the empty drive icon
2. Choose:
   Disk -> Initialize
3. Confirm formatting

Open Shell and type:

copy df0: dh0: all

This copies all Workbench files to the HDF.

Rename the disk to "System".

Booting from HDF

Next steps:

* Remove the Workbench floppy (ADF)
* Reset the emulator

If successful, the system boots directly from the HDF.

Now that you have a bootable Workbench 1.3 system you might want to add
programs and need to find a place to put them. The first thing you need
to do is add a new director/drawer. Clicking on the menu bar will not bring
you any luck. It is a bit different in 1.3 but there are several ways it
can be done.

Method 1 - GUI (Easiest)

Open System/DH0: and locate an existing drawer such as Empty, select it
and then from the menu bar holding down the right mouse button look for 
'Workbench -> Duplicate' a new drawer called "Copy_of_Empty" will appear.
Select the new drawer and go back to the Workbench menu bar and locate
'Workbench -> Rename', type in the new name and press Enter.

Method 2 - Shell/CLI (Fastest)

Open the Shell found in the System drawer and type the following:
'Makedir System:Programs' be aware you will not be able to see the new
directory yet as no .info icon has been made. To make it visible you need
to copy the .info of another drawer, for example the Empty drawer that we
talked about earlier. So, back in the Shell type the following:

'Copy System:Empty.info to System:Programs.info'

In this guide I named my drive System, but you can name it anything you 
like, so if you have named it Workbench, remember to change the directory
name to Workbench i.e. 'Makedir Workbench:Programs' and 
'Copy Workbench:Empty.info to Workbench:Programs.info'.

Now you can load Workbench 1.3, create directories and build up your 
selection of programs made for 1.3.



Top
Brilliance Cheatsheet
Guides
=============================================================================
Amiga 101: Brilliance Cheatsheet - by: Timo Paul
=============================================================================

I. Navigation & Interface
These commands help you manage your workspace and view.
	Space Bar: Toggle Menus on/off (Hide UI to see the full canvas).
	Tab: Toggle Colour Cycling on/off.
	ESC: Abort current operation or close requester.
	n: Centre screen on mouse cursor.
	Shift + n: Pan around the page.
	Shift + s: Show the full page.
	Del: Toggle the mouse cursor visibility.
	Arrow Keys: Move the screen in small steps.

II. Tool Shortcuts
Quickly switch between drawing tools without clicking the sidebar.
	a: Select Airbrush.
	Shift + a: Resize Airbrush.
	b: Brush tool.
	d: Dot/Pixel tool.
	f: Filled shape (toggles between outline and filled).
	k: Clear current page (Shift + k).
	l: Line tool.
	o: Outline shape.
	t: Text tool.
	v: Magnify (Zoom) mode.

III. Draw Modes (The Function Keys)
Brilliance uses "Draw Modes" to change how your "ink" interacts with the 
canvas.
	F1: Brush Mode (Standard drawing).
	F2: Colour Mode (Changes colour but preserves brightness).
	F3: Replace Mode (Standard pixel replacement).
	F4: Smear Mode (Smudges pixels like wet paint).
	F5: Range Mode (Uses a range of colours for gradients).
	F6: Average Smear (Smoother smudge).
	F8: Smooth Mode (Anti-aliasing / Blur).

IV. File & Buffer Management
Brilliance allows you to work with multiple "Buffers" (similar to layers or 
pages).
	Right-Amiga + O: Open/Load Image.
	Right-Amiga + S: Save Image.
	Right-Amiga + Q: Quit Brilliance.
	j: Toggle between the current buffer and the "spare" buffer.
	Shift + j: Copy current buffer into the spare buffer.
	( / ): Navigate to Previous or Next buffer.
 
Pro Tip for Amiga Users: Most tools in Brilliance have a hidden menu. 
If you Right-Click on a tool icon in the sidebar (like the Gradient or Shape 
tool), it will open a settings requester for that specific tool!



Top
CF Card Backup Correction
Guides
=============================================================================
CF Card Backup on MacOS Correction - by: Timo Paul
=============================================================================

Last issue we had a guide on backing up your Amiga's CF card via a Mac but
it was noticed afterwards that there might be an error cropping up depending
on your MacOS version. The error will occur at step 3 of the tutorial.

When using the command:

sudo dd if=/dev/rdisk2 of=~/Desktop/amiga_backup.img bs=1m

An error might crop up:


~/Desktop/amiga_backup.img No such file or directory

In this case you need to use an abosute path as the ~ usually points the
Home directory. So, if you get the above error you need to use this 
command:

sudo dd if=/dev/rdisk2 of=/Users/amifan/Desktop/amiga_backup.img bs=1m

Where 'amifan' should be replaced with your user name directory.

This should address the issue of no such file or directory.



Top
Articles
CONTENTS
============================================================================
-=  A R T I C L E S =-------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

   -= Operation Onyx - Online with a Kickstart 2.04 Amiga 600 =-          
   Join Kristian GK on his A600 journey and getting it online and the 
   trials and tribulations that follow.
   -= The making of 8BIT-Memoirs =-                                       
   To coincide with the review of 8-BIT Memoirs in this issue, Roald has
   kindly written an indepth making of. Find out more inside! 
   -= Beyond Nostalgia: The Case of an Esoteric Game Engine =-            
   The first in a new series from CRT Retro examining old games with an eye
   for detail. This issue: The GDS Engine
   -= Is It Time For Change? =-                                           
   We take a look the current Amiga hardware scene and question if it is 
   time for a change in how we view the Amiga.
   -= Vegan, Amigan - What's the Difference? =-                           
   What similitaries could there possibly be between being an Amigan and a
   Vegan? Will you decide to rid yourself of all animal products after 
   reading this or will you become a Windoze devote?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Articles - WhatIFF? Issue 5.19 - April 2026#


Top
Operation Onyx - Online with a Kickstart 2.04 Amiga 600
Guides
=============================================================================
Operation Onyx - Online with a Kickstart 2.04 Amiga 600 - by: Kristian GK
=============================================================================

I purchased an Amiga 600 from ebay last year to complete my wedge case
collection (A500, A600, A1200) with a plan to get a Null Modem cable gaming
set-up going amongst other things. My plan was to keep the original
kickstart ROM and expand a little only, just to make the machine more
usable.

My new machine arrived complete with a Power Supply and a dodgy copy of
Championship Manager 93/94, which I inserted straight away. The machine
appeared to boot just fine, and although Champ Man bombed out with a
checksum error before the main menu, I could still test the keyboard while
the AmigaDOS shell window was open. All good so far.

The Kickstart ROM installed was v2.05 (37.300), which I noted with
interest, as revision 37.299 is known to have an issue with PCMCIA and IDE
slots. The recommended revision is 37.350 with rumours of HD capacity
limitations on earlier firmware.

First stop, get the unit recapped. Amiga 600s and 1200s are the most
susceptible to leaking capacitors, so I decided to take no risks. I shipped
mine off to Retropassion.co.uk and received it back in just over a month,
which I was pleased with. 

I chose to keep the original floppy disk drive intact in this Amiga, and
use an external Gotek drive to allow for data transfer with other machines
via ADF images. It is completely essential to have a method of getting
files transferred between the A600 and other devices to get started. I have
found using only the external drive quite a pleasant experience, and most
bootable floppies will quite happily use DF1 in place of DF0. There will be
exceptions though, of course, where DF0 is insisted on by picky software. 

Next on the list - upgrades!
I purchased a 1Mb Chip Ram expansion card with RTC module from Amigakit,
taking the total memory up to 2Mb of Chip. I was considering a Fast Ram
expansion which clips over the CPU, but decided against this due to
stability concerns, especially if transporting the computer. Instead I
found a 2Mb Mitsubishi PCMCIA SRAM card on Ebay for ?60. This worked first
time and tops up the memory to a total of 4 Mb. It does stick out a bit
though, so I will need to be careful with it. 

One of the nice things about the A600 compared to the A500 is the inbuilt
IDE interface that can take a CF card as a HD using an adapter. I ordered a
CF card with Workbench 2.1 pre-installed on a 4GB CF Card from Amigakit and
installed it using a CF adapter I had lying around.  

When I booted the machine up I noticed that Workbench did not recognise the
partitions as being AmigaDOS formatted. I have no idea why this was. No
matter, I decided, installing Workbench v2.05 would be part of the fun. My
main concern was procuring a CF Card that would be accepted by the internal
IDE interface. I set about formatting one of the 1.6Gb partitions and
waited. And waited. I realised the process would take around 6 hours to
complete at the rate it was going! I recalled that the Amiga 600 was
originally sold in bundles including 20Mb and 40Mb sized hard disks when it
was released in 1992. Once complete I set one of the other 1.6Gb partitions
going ? and went to bed!

Once all done I renamed the smallest 500Mb partition 'System2.0' following
the guide I found by Paul the Green Amiga Alien (RIP)
(https://guide.abime.net/wb2.x/chap2.htm) which was very helpful. I am not
very familiar with Workbench 2, so it has been interesting to get to grips
with it. It is largely similar to Workbench 3, so no major challenges so
far. 

I decided to use a 4-colour screen depth to maximise performance and
minimise RAM usage and set about bringing some software over using the
external gotek. I installed LHA and a filemanager, DiskMaster2 from an old
Amiga Format coverdisk, which has a low memory footprint ? ideal for my 4
meg machine. I quickly got KingCON installed as lack of shell autocomplete
was already becoming a desperate situation.

After I had installed a few games using the External drive, shuttling a USB
stick between my PC and Amiga I determined an internet connection would be
an ideal upgrade for the machine. As the PCMCIA slot was already in use due
to the RAM upgrade, I looked at other options. I was aware of the PlipBox
using the parallel port which seemed to offer reasonable speeds (faster
than an old 56k modem) which seemed to suit my needs. 

I ordered a Plipbox from Sordan.ie with the ethernet port facing back and
not sideways, as I was concerned that a sideways facing unit would block
other ports at the back of the Amiga. Once arrived the box seems sturdy and
well made so I set about connecting it to the parallel port and downloading
the files necessary to get online. I downloaded the latest version of the
driver (0.6) and used WinUAE to copy it to an ADF image. 

The Plipbox needs a TCP/IP stack installed on the Amiga to function and I
selected RoadShow to use on the A600. The latest version (1.15) of the
RoadShow archive weighs in 2.32Mb, too big for a standard Amiga floppy so
I knew I would need to split it and join back later. I downloaded
block205.lha from Aminet which is a simple join/split program with 68k,
MorphOS and Windows versions included. 

I found the Roadshow package actually includes set-up files for the
Plipbox, so I used the default configuration, connected the ethernet cable,
executed the network startup scriupt and sent a ping to google.com.
Amazingly, everything worked first time - I was now online!

                
                  
Anyone expecting to be able to browse the internet would be disappointed
with a KS2.04 equipped Amiga, but the main benefit from my perspective is
the ability to transfer files without using the external gotek and
shuttling a USB stick between machines. Initially, I installed Directory
Opus 5.5, as I was aware of the FTP module which I have found very useful
on my Amiga 1200. However, this takes up over 1 Meg of RAM and I found the
transfer speed was significantly slower than using the FTP Get command
bundled with Roadshow (approx half speed). So I have adjusted to using FTP
command line for the A600 and to be honest it is not so bad. KingCON allows
me to review the shell history and I have come to appreciate the Aminet
directory structure and naming convention through this approach.

Another great internet enabled tool is IMP3 which is fully KS2.04
compatible, and allows downloading of all sorts of games and demos, along
with the standard randomised MOD playing. I am also using the Stash feature
of IMP3 which allows use of a personal FTP space to ferry files between my
machines (send a donation to juen for your own space).  

Currently I am slowly tweaking the software I have to try and get the best,
most suitable examples for KS2.04. I was recently looking for a featured
text editor, but one which will load into memory ver y quickly, as I found
many text editors are quite slow for this machine. The standard Ed tool is
quick, but not always suitable. Through searching old posts on Amiga forums
I found a program 'AZ', which seems great. Less than 60k and loads in a
blaze.

Magic Menu was another program which I like to use on my Amiga 1200, but
the most recent version on Aminet was incredibly sluggish on the 600. An
older version 1.27 can be found on an old Fish disk which is nice and
snappy. It is great in combination with the old classic Tools Daemon to get
a minimal program launcher straight from boot.

I am planning to bring the machine to the summer 2026 Kickstart show in
Surrey, along with my A500, to see if I can get the two machines to play
nicely with a null-modem cable. Should be fun!

Software mentioned
Roadshow 1.15       http://roadshow.apc-tcp.de/index-en.php
PlipBOX 0.6         https://lallafa.de/blog/amiga-projects/plipbox/
KingCON             https://aminet.net/package/util/shell/KingCON_1.3
Block205            https://aminet.net/package/util/cli/block205
IMP3                https://aminet.net/package/mus/play/imp3
Diskmaster 2        Amiga Format Issue 55 Coverdisk
AZ                  https://aminet.net/package/misc/fish/fish-0228
Magic Menu 1.27     https://aminet.net/package/misc/fish/fish-0906
ToolsDaemon 2.1a    https://aminet.net/package/util/boot/ToolsDaemon21a
                


Top
The making of 8-bit Memoirs
Articles
============================================================================
The making of 8-bit Memoirs - by: Roald Strauss
============================================================================

"8-bit Memoirs" is an eBook I've written about my childhood memories of how
I experienced the computers and consoles back in the 80s and 90s. I have
already mentioned this project in previous issues of WhatIFF? Magazine, and
now that Timo has written a review of 8-bit Memoirs for this issue of
WhatIFF? Magazine, we both thought it would be fitting to include this
"Making of 8-bit Memoirs" piece as well. So here goes.

The 8-bit Memoirs project officially began all the way back in 2012. But my
yearning to see (someone else create) a diskmag'ish project began even
longer back.

I would mention diskmags on various forums a lot, in an attempt to make
someone else interested in creating one. I didn't have much luck with that
though. Although there were a few people who agreed it would be awesome to
have a new diskmag, the majority didn't really seem that interested. So my
attempts to lure someone else into creating such a diskmag failed. (That was
fail number one. See if you can count the number of fails from here - good
luck!)

My desire to see such a diskmag come to life was too big for me to let it
go, so in 2010 I finally began creating a diskmag engine of my own - for
JavaME enabled cellphones. I posted photos of different phone models
running the engine, and I also created a download for everyone to check
out. The PC version (emulator) even came with magnify options to increase
readability. But still there just wasn't a whole lot of interest, despite
the fact that it ran on both phones and Windows / Linux / Mac (via
emulation).

The biggest counter-argument was the same old "we have websites now so we
don't need diskmags!", which to me is kinda like saying "We have movies
now so we don't need books!"

A diskmag is something entirely different from a website in my opinion.
It's a creation that contains lots of cosy articles and/or stories that you
take your time to read while you listen to atmospheric relaxing music. It's
never ever black text on a white background that you rush through in a
hurry. It's always a bright text on a darker background (although it
could offer a "black on white" theme as an option in an attempt to please
more people). Navigating between pages is usually done with a single click
or single key press, and everything must (be able to) run offline, to
enhance the feeling of disconnecting for a while. And while all of this is
technically possible to do with HTML5, it's just not what developers do.
(Prove me wrong). I think most of us can agree that diskmags and websites
are two very different things.

Doing it myself
Two years later I still had the urge to see a new diskmag come to life, so I
began again creating a whole new engine from scratch, thinking that the
complexity of the previous engine was probably the biggest reason people
hadn't been interested. Partly because of the navigation system, and partly
because you had to download a specific version depending on the screen
resolution of your phone, and partly because the author of the emulator
(whom I of course contacted about the project) informed me that I wasn't
actually allowed to embed his emulator like I had done, which forced me to
try to instead instruct everyone on how to download the emulator
manually... a bunch of complications. It made perfect sense that no one
found that approach particular attractive.

So this new engine, while still targeting cellphones, had to have better
navigation, and also be able to automatically adapt to any screen size. So
there had to be options available to select different font sizes. At this
point I'd also given up waiting for someone else to create the content, so
I decided I would create some content myself. And this content was going to
be a small collection of stories about my own memories of my childhood
computers; the Philips Videopac G7000, the Amstrad CPC464, and the Amiga
600 and 1200. Memories that I'd felt for a long time deserved to be
preserved somehow.

I gave this project the working title "8-bit Stories", and then I began
writing my stories.

It always gets bigger
As the project progressed, it kept growing in size. New ideas meant more
content (and more work). Some stories reminded me of other stories. And
other stories ended up being so big that they needed to be split into two
stories. So the whole thing ended up containing a lot more stories than I
initially thought it would. I'm not even going to try to explain how much
time I spent reading the stories, over and over and over again, to rephrase
and correct spelling errors.

How about adding videos?
That's an awesome idea! I could ask some of the guys on the forums who does
YouTube videos if I could use some of their videos. That way they'd get
advertisement for their YouTube channel, and the project would become a
real community project. No doubt they'd be interested in that. It was going
to be awesome! So I wrote a post on a forum where I tagged a lot of the
YouTubers I knew about. But I never heard back from anyone... Not a single
person replied...

Oh well, I suppose they were all busy, and I guess it probably was a bit
much to ask... despite most of the videos already existing on their YouTube
channels.

I later found out that the nick tagging system on that forum was buggy at
the time. So apparently no one ever got a notification when I tagged
them... Notice the timing for these bad luck scenarios all throughout the
whole project - there are lots of them!

So instead I ended up
- buying some rather expensive equipment to record the videos myself
- getting my G7000 modded to output an RGB signal
- spending a ton of time creating all the videos myself (9 hours of
  video content)

I absolutely insisted that this project was going to become a reality -
even if I had to do everything myself, and no matter how much money it
would cost me. We were going to have this diskmag-like eBook creation with
my 8-bit memoirs no matter what.

Platform change
Adding videos to the project meant that cellphones weren't the optimal
target platform anymore, so I had to find another platform that was more
suitable for lots of video and music. I listed my demands for the platform:

- It should be possible to read the eBook while being offline, to enhance
  the feeling of disconnecting. All content should be available and
  accessible while being offline.
- It shouldn't require maintenance of any kind. Once released it should
  be as stable and long lasting as a paper book.
- It shouldn't cost me a monthly or yearly hosting fee.
- It should (of course) be able to run on as many different devices and
  platforms as possible.
- It should be easy for people to make copies.
- Obviously, it should have capacity for all the supplemental video and
  audio I was planning on including.

Looking at that list of requirements, I could only see one possible option
for a platform: Blu-ray. Blu-ray was literally made for content like this.
Doesn't require hosting. Easy to copy. 25 GB of space on a single-layer
disc. Stable. And it can be viewed almost everywhere: On blu-ray players
(of course) from disc, including gaming consoles like PlayStation and
X-box. And on media boxes and software players from harddisk or USB stick,
playing the ISO file or folder. This is exactly like any retro computer
game can run on the real machine from a physical floppy disk, and on
emulators from harddisk or USB, playing the ADF, D64 or DSK file. And then
we have newer hardware like the mini models too. So there was no need for
me to code different versions for different platforms now. Blu-ray runs
everywhere! Awesome!

Most people would probably have chosen a web solution without pondering
much about it. I've worked with web for 25 years, and have grown fairly
tired of things that just suddenly stop working, forcing you to drop
whatever you're doing and go try to fix these problems. Everytime that
happens (with other projects I've done), I thank myself for going with
Blu-ray for 8-bit Memoirs.

How about making the videos look like it looked on a real CRT monitor?
Fantastic idea! Then followed a lot of experiments creating CRT filter
effects.

I can't say that everything was going according to plan, because there
really was no plan. I didn't need a plan, because there was no deadline.
The content for this project could never get too old, so I was in no rush
at all. And that's why it was no problem at all just letting the ideas pop
up as I went along. Just like any cosy relaxing sparetime project is
supposed to be.

How about adding different themes?
Of course! There should definitely be an Amstrad CPC theme, since that was
my childhood computer! Possibly also a C64 theme and Amiga theme! Great
idea!

So once again I reached out to a few graphics artists, having no doubt at
all that at least a few of them would be interested in contributing with
a theme. Maybe even be proud to contribute with something, considering how
amazing this project was going to be. And it wasn't that much work either.
It was basically just two pieces of graphics. But yet again I never heard
back from anyone, except one guy who said he sadly didn't have the time.

Ok then....

It never goes as you expect
Meanwhile, I discovered that someone had now bought the domain
8bitstories.com, and used it to post "stories" about.... well I never
really got that part. It looked suspiciously like sabotage.

But whoever was behind it actually did me a favour, because it made me
realise that the title "8-bit Stories" was in fact wrong for the project.
The word "stories" doesn't indicate that we're talking about true stories.
In fact, it gives more of an impression that we're talking about fiction.
So I realised that I needed a better word to describe my content as it was:
True stories from my life. And that word was of course going to be
"memoirs".

So the new title became "8-bit Memoirs", which also sounds a lot better I
think. And to (try to) prevent further sabotage I of course bought the
domain right away.

(That other 8bitstories.com site suspiciously closed shortly after).

How about adding illustrations?
Yet another nice idea there!

Requirements? Well I need to find an illustrator of course. And then I
suppose I need to get my hands on a lot of photos that I can give to this
illustrator for references. So my aunt supplied me with thousands of old
negatives of which I scanned probably about one thousand, looking for
photos I could use for references. I had to buy a negative scanner for
this. But unfortunately there were hardly any of the photos I could use.
Apparently no one in the family had ever taken photos of the rooms or items
that I needed. Only one single picture was ever taken with me sitting in
front of my Amstrad CPC...

Over the next year and a half I talked with 6 different illustrators who
all expressed interest in creating the illustrations. Some wanted payment,
others offered for free. But none of them ever delivered anything. Most of
those 18 months was literally spent just waiting to hear from these
illustrators, one by one.

My girlfriend finally took pity on me, and decided to help me out with the
illustrations. She's a very talented graphics artist in my opinion, but she
was working on many projects of her own, so she didn't really have time to
help me out. She sacrificed/postponed her own projects to help me out.
So I had to reduce the number of illustrations a bit. But at least the
project had illustrations now.

Each illustration took between 10 and 20 hours to create, which means each
illustration took several weeks to create. This was partly because there
was very little sparetime available between job and family, and partly
because we spent a great deal of time and effort making each illustration
as faithful as possible to the actual moment in time they represent.

Since I never heard back from any graphics artists either, it was also my
better half who ended up creating most of the themes. So I also had to
reduce the amount of themes I would have liked to include.

Ok fine, so apparently this project was not going to become the community
project I'd thought it would be. Not even a little. And I have to admit,
that was rather disappointing. Not that it was impossible to understand. I
know most people have very little time, and I can't brag about lining up
myself to help anyone else with their projects. So I understood perfectly
fine that we all have to prioritise. But it was still somewhat
discouraging indirectly being told that no one else had any interest in
this project.

But I still kept the hope, that maybe future issues of 8-bit Memoirs
(written by other people) would see more collaboration between community
members. It would be nice if issue #1 at least had that effect on future
issues. Because that was one of the many goals with the project: Encourage
other people to write their own memoirs.

Despite all the obstacles
I still felt pretty good about the project. It was progressing slowly but
nicely. And I had found a suitable platform that people could view on both
their Windows or Mac or Linux PC. And/or their PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4,
PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X. And on a long list of hardware
media players. And of course let's not forget all the standard Blu-ray
players, including the new Ultra HD ones. Blu-ray is literally the ultimate
cross platform solution that no one thinks about. I thus believed I had
solved the problem that people complained about when I posted about my
first engine: Different people had rather different preferences regarding
the platform they preferred viewing such a project on. With Blu-ray
everyone should logically be happy.

Another much smaller Blu-ray project I had previously made; 
https://www.ukkosjourney.com as a proof-of-concept project, had
given me feedback like "I'm not wasting a disc burning only 83 mb". So I 
was glad that the 9 hours of video content plus 5 hours of music I had 
included in 8-bit Memoirs filled out most of the 25 GB available on the 
disc. Then I definitely wouldn't hear any such complaints here. (Nothing 
was added just to fill out all of the space. It was all planned content, 
and all relevant to the stories. In fact, I actually had to cut down a 
few videos to make it all fit on a single disc).

(As you can see I was on the classic (impossible) mission to try to please
everyone).

More obstacles!
I'd bought a bunch of (older) blu-ray players to test the project on many
different players. So now I discovered a bug on certain hardware players
that resulted in a short black screen between tracks in the background
music playlist. I was surprised by this discovery, because I had naively
thought all blu-ray players behaved the same. They don't. A blu-ray player
is just like a computer. Different models have different bugs and
different speeds. In order to fix this I had to change the way the
background music playlist was put together - so I did. That was a lot of
unexpected extra work. Unfortunately this fix then in turn seemed to create
a new problem for VLC users, due to a different bug in libbluray.

Even though both VLC and Kodi officially supported Blu-ray Disc playback
with BD-J menus already back then, they were both very buggy at the time
around the release date of 8-bit Memoirs. I tried many times offering my
assistance to the developers with BD-J implementation, in different ways,
in an attempt to have bugfree versions of these software players ready in
time for the release. But the developers always seemed rather indifferent
to my input. So in the end I realised there was nothing I could do. I had
to just release the project before these software players were ready, and
then hopefully they would get fixed later.

The bugs in libbluray were fixed in later versions, but by then a lot of
people had sadly already had the bad experience, which of course sadly
damaged the reputation of the project a bit.

Burning the discs!
Alright! I'd announced the release date to be December 2017, and it was
getting close. One week before release, I was ready to start creating disc
copies. Which of course was silly of me. It's always silly to assume any
part of the project to just go smoothly. You should always expect problems.
And the problem now? All of the sudden my Blu-ray burner just didn't work
anymore! What?!? I spent several days figuring out the reason for this,
and at this point I was finally beginning to go crazy. I was stressing out
because I had to create a decent amount of copies before the release date,
and I couldn't believe how new obstacles could keep on popping up like
this, seemingly for every single little step I tried to take. The problem
in this case: A buggy new Linux kernel! Solution: Boot on older kernel.

I had been planning on printing the case covers at work, because we had a
good laser printer there - except of course that management had decided to
replace it the day before. (The timing was always "perfect" in regards of
screwing things up). This new printer was supposedly "far superior" than
the old one - but of course it wasn't. All prints looked absolutely
terrible. But knowing my luck, and having the experience with "weird
obstacles that keep showing up with perfect timing" that I had at this
point, I'd already prepared a solution: I simply drove to the workplace
during the weekend, hooked up the old printer that still hadn't been picked
up, and printed all the case covers on the old good printer. Ha!

The disc-prints was done at home on our own printer, which of course
couldn't produce the right colours to match the case cover prints. A lot of
tweaking was necessary to get the colours right, and it used up a lot of
discs.

Meanwhile the ISO file was sent to SceneSat a few days before release.
They'd promised to create and host a torrent for me that I could add on
8bitMemoirs.com. But just as they were about to start doing that, they had
a major crash. (Can you believe it?) As a result, it took about 3 weeks
after release before the torrent file was up! This could easily have been a
complete disaster! But luckily, the HTTP download seemed to work fine for
most people. I had thought it would time out for most people (because
that's what most people had told me it did), but no. It luckily seemed to
work surprisingly well, giving a download time of only 3-4 hours on the
average connection speed at that time. Phew...

Alright. I then prepared a text for the release announcement, and uploaded
a preview video to YouTube. But shortly after posting the video, someone
reported it as being in violation with the YouTube community guidelines,
which meant YouTube blocked it. Again smelling suspiciously like sabotage.
Of course it wasn't in violation with anything, and I had no doubt YouTube
will lift the block once they had time to look at the video, but I of
course couldn't wait for that now that the release had just been announced.
So I had to upload the video to Vimeo too, to be able to have something to
show, and then go back to all the forums I had posted on to provide a new
link.

But finally the project was released, December 1st 2017.

After 5 long years, it was done. I had initially thought it would take
about 2 years, but the constant flow of obstacles combined with the
constant flow of additional ideas, meant it ended up taking 2,5 times
longer.

Version 1.1
During the next 3 months, I received various suggestions for improvements
and extra functionality from many people. Things like adding a progress bar
when watching a video. Being able to jump back to the previous text. Using
the d-pad for video navigation. Adding fast forward option. And
underlining menu-items. Although those were indeed great ideas, I wasn't
planning on including any of them. To me, the project had been completed
now. If these ideas should have been included, they should have been
presented during the betatest phase.

But then I stumbled across a bug myself that was overlooked by all the
betatesters: The GUI froze after watching a video under certain conditions.
And because I couldn't accept such a bug existing in the project, I began
looking into a version 1.1 anyway. And since there was going to be a
version 1.1 anyway, I might as well include all of the suggestions too.
I then sent out a replacement disc to everyone who had bought the
Collectors Edition of version 1.0.

Observations
Despite finding it necessary to create a version 1.1 several months after
the official release, I still consider the project a success, just for
having managed to complete it and release it despite the constant flow of
obstacles that kept being thrown in my face. The amount of interest in the
physical version matched what I expected. But the number of downloads far
exceeded my expectations. For a while I was worried that I might get an
extra bill from my webhotel provider due to the high amount of traffic, but
they were luckily rather friendly about it.

Did you lose count of the number of problems as fast as I did? Hardly
anything in the project went as smoothly as I'd imagined it would. And
many many parts of the project was originally intended to be different in
some way. And that is something worth thinking about. I know this is
something that bothers most people working on big projects like this; when
things don't go according to plan or expectations.

So what I've learned here is this: The plan is not important. The project
doesn't have to be 100% like you planned it. As long as you manage to
complete it eventually - then it's a success. In fact: Try not to have a
plan. There's only one way forward: Keep going. And lower your
expectations. Frustration only arises when your expectations aren't met -
so avoiding frustration is actually easy: Don't have any expectations.
(If you figure out how to do this, tell me how).

Pleasing everyone!
After releasing v1.0 of 8-bit Memoirs, I received some very positive
feedback. You can't get much better comments than "This is something
seriously awesome!", and "Equal to any commercial product I have bought!".
Such awesome feedback is of course extremely nice to receive.

But as lots of people have experienced long before me; making everyone
happy is simply impossible. No matter how hard you try to please everyone,
there will always be someone who complains.

There were primarily two complaints:
1) The size of the download was too big: 23 gb
2) The project couldn't be viewed on cellphones and tablets.

A few readers reported back to me that the ISO file took about 3-4 hours to
download. So apparently that's too long to wait for some people in order to
get my 5 years of work for free... We really can't please everyone.

Regarding the cellphone and tablet exclusion: That was kind of an
intentional choice when I picked Blu-ray as the platform, after adding
video content to the project. I wanted 8-bit Memoirs to receive the same
kind of attention that you give a movie. It's something you should set
aside time for, and get comfortable before starting. As opposed to a
YouTube clip or website that you just catch a part of on the go, while
rushing through the stressful day.

Not that I would mind if 8-bit Memoirs could be viewed on a cellphone or a
tablet. After all, the first two engines were in fact intended to run on
cellphones. And for a while after switching to Blu-ray, I actually tried to
develop the phone engine simultaneously, thinking I could release both the
Blu-ray version and the phone version (with different music and without
video content). But as time went by this became increasingly tedious work,
so I dropped the phone version.

In later times though, I ended up creating a light-weight PDF and ePub3
version of the project, excluding all the background music and videos of
course. In other words, there's a phone-friendly version available now.

At the time of writing this (March 2026), the whole project is still
available for download in different versions at https://www.8bitmemoirs.com
If you decide to check out the Blu-ray ISO version, it may be a good idea
to use a download manager to be able to resume if the download halts.
The website obviously won't live forever though, which is one of the main
reasons for choosing blu-ray as the platform. It should still be easy to
make copies long after the website is gone.

And if anyone out there feels like compiling a collection of his/her own
memoirs, I would love to read 8-bit Memoirs Issue #2! :-)
More guidelines about creating your own issue of 8-bit Memoirs can be
found in issue #1.


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Beyond Nostalgia: The Case of an Esoteric Game Engin
Articles
=============================================================================
Beyond Nostalgia:The Case of an Esoteric Game Engine - by: CRT Retro
=============================================================================

The Case of an Esoteric Game Engine...and some missing Aztec Gold...

A forum comment led me to this fascinating
interview with David Lawson (in French), of Imagine and Psygnosis fame. He 
was the designer and programmer on Imagine's Arcadia, one of the first AAA 
shoot-em ups I've ever played, and Ah Diddums, an innovative / divisive 
collec-em up, among other titles. After The Fall of Imagine (a gripping 
tale, featured in my upcoming Amiga book) he co-founded Psygnosis and 
created some of their early 16-bit games too.

It seems David has moved on from Psygnosis in the late Eighties and joined, 
or perhaps founded, a studio named Kinetica. They released only one game: 
The Gold of the Aztecs, and the interview relates mostly to its creation, as
well as a mysterious "GDS" engine or design tool used in this process.

This is where things get rather interesting. Consider these quotes 
(translated from French):

I: How long did it take you to develop this GDS and what does it offer that 
other game generators don't?

DL: It took me over four years, because it's a highly sought-after module. 
With it, the whole development phase becomes almost a formality! In fact, 
the complexity of developing a game is taken care of by the GDS. It manages 
everything except the sound.

I: Is the GDS also involved at this stage?

DL: The GDS comes into play at virtually every level. It was created to 
remedy the thorniest problem facing games publishers: the cumbersome nature 
of programming.

At Kinetica, we don't have programmers. Thanks to the GDS, we only have 
artists who invent games.

He later on also says how GDS can be used for "virtually any genre", which 
overall makes this tool sound like magic - or what some people envision AI 
to be in the (near) future.

Of course, if all this sounds too good to be true, that's because it was - 
otherwise, Kinetica (and David) wouldn't disappear from the industry after 
just that one game. Still, it certainly was an intriguing tool, allowing 
for some degree of easing the development process in certain genres - most
likely the action-adventures like Barbarian, Obliterator or The Gold ... 
itself. If you know anything more about it, I'd love to hear it!

After reading this interview, I simply had to revisit The Gold of the 
Aztecs, even though it'd be the first time since I played it on Amiga over 3 
decades ago, and so the nostalgia barrier could be hard to breach. It was 
one of my first games on a 16-bit machine, and so I was quite awed by it - 
the production values, reminiscent of Psygnosis titles, were very high. 
However, so was the nigh-on impossible difficulty curve. And it's just as 
ker-razy now as I remember it from back in the day when, despite being 
starved for new games, I just couldn't make any progress in this one.

The game is a flip-screen action adventure, in which you control an Indy 
Jones-type marine-cum-explorer on his trip to a South American jungle. Or 
should we say "attempt to control" because the game certainly bears some 
similarities to Barbarian and Obliterator. Even though there are no menus, 
like in these games, controlling your character in The Gold of the Aztecs 
is still far from straightforward, and has defeated me again - I only made 
it to the 3rd screen.

In fact, perhaps a more fitting comparison would be the infamous control 
scheme from Brataccas, another title Lawson worked on. In this game it is 
not as bad, but still ... the character moves in strides, not steps, and 
makes wild leaps and somersaults, which are hard to gauge. Shooting requires
stopping and pulling your gun, and if you want to resume moving, you have to 
holster it first. All this while combating respawning natives, and dealing 
with jungle wildlife hell- bent on killing you. And here's the icing on the 
cake: if you die, you go back to the first screen. Arrrgh!

It's a pity, because The Gold of the Aztecs is very impressive visually and 
has some neat gameplay design ideas (it also reminds me of Aztec, an 
innovative title from the 8-bit era).

There's a short intro and on the title screen you can watch an impressive 
animation of some scary deity being worshipped by the Aztecs (I presume). On 
the first screen in game, after freeing yourself from the parachute, you'll 
have to shoot some natives to survive. But there's also an elephant on the
edge of the screen, and if you hit him too, he'll rush in and stomp you to 
death.

Such details make this game stand out from the rather busy crowd, and so, 
perhaps it's worth persevering and mastering the control scheme after all 
(again, a deja vu sentence I recall writing about Brataccas). Try it 
yourself, perhaps you'll do better than me. And spare a thought for Mr. 
Lawson, who has passed in August 2022. He was certainly one of the early 
gaming pioneers, and perhaps his vision for the GDS bears some resemblance 
to multipurpose modern-retro game engines such as Scorpion.



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Is It Time For Change?
Articles
=============================================================================
Is It Time For Change? - by: Timo Paul
=============================================================================

The Amiga has long had the base configuration as being the dominant setup
of the majority of users. Many have upgraded with more memory and or an
030 setup. With the average Amiga user now middle aged and having more
disposable income it is more common than not to see an upgraded Amiga, and
more so one with a much desired 060, that was not affordable for many back
in the day. This has pushed the average base configuration beyond the basic
512Kb/2MB Chip ram and 68000/680020 spec, with an 030 and 060 being the more
common Amiga. However, there another disruptor that has changed everything
and that is the PiStorm. Compared to an 030 or 060 card the PiStorm is at
times almost half the price with 100x the power of the fatest 060. And it
has become THE Amiga upgrade to go for. In only the few years that it has
been out, it is more common to see a PiStorm powered Amiga than not. And
this begs the question, is it time to change what we consider a base Amiga
or a "target" Amiga system?

Let?s look at why this could be the case?

First of lets break it down, the PiStorm offers 1. unrivaled speed, 2. best
cost to performance ratio of any other existing hardware, 3. still being
developed improving compatibility 4. easy to obtain through major Amiga
retailers and 5. moving to becoming the basic "upgraded" configuration.
                                                                
*Unrivalled Speed and Power*

There have been many discussions over what the PiStorm is, is it emulation
hardware, hybrid, FPGA or something else entirely? Many times over the years
I have written about it and I believe the card causes so much discussion due
to it being both. It is hardware via the FPGA and Pi and it is software from 
the Emu68 and Pi ... it gets confusing right? We can argue about what it 
really is until the cows come home but one thing everyone can agree on is it 
offers speeds never seen before on a real Amiga.

Software that was out of reach to the average user is now available for only
the fraction of a cost on a real Amiga. That is of course if you do not 
factor in the price of buying an A1200 at the current prices. It is something
that I rather not delve on otherwise I will being packing up my A1200 in 
several feet of bubble wrap and sealed in an air tight bag to stave off the
ravages of time at this very moment.

Your Amiga feels like a new machine after installation, and more so if you
use the onboard SD card as your main drive. I can imagine for many people
once they are used to the PiStorm it will be a painful experience going back
to a basic Amiga setup and relive the slowness. It is one reason that I had
stayed away from the PiStorm, I liked to be reminded of what computing was
like back in the day but then again we seem to have less time for things 
than before, and lack the patience we used to have for a drawer to display 
its contents. 

But all of the above has only looked at the CPU boost, you also now have 
wifi access thanks to the Wifipi driver and scandoubler/video pass through 
on the non-AGA machines via FrameThrower. It is becoming the swiss army
knife of Amiga computing. And this does not even take into consideration the 
PPC support is also now being worked on by Claude.

This will bring another part of the Amiga scene that has been out of reach 
for many users, AmigaOS 4.1. The PiStorm is the card that just keeps giving 
and there seems end is sight to as what it cannot do.

Be it Doom, Quake, AlienBreed 3D, Lightwave, Imagine, ImageFX, DPaint,
Brilliance or even good old AmiMiner the PiStorm has you covered for
your power needs and future needs like no other card out there, full stop. 

*Cost Performance Ratio*

We touched a bit on price compared to other hardware but I want have a 
deeper look at what you can truly save on price. To start with lets take
the average prices for an 030, 060, PPC, and FPGA (Apollo Computing).

// 680030 Card //

Taking an average of prices across several Amiga online retailers you will
be looking at a price between USD 235-335. This is calculated with the
exchange rate of EURO to USD on the 1st of February 2026.

// 68060 Card //

The 060 cards get a bit more interesting due to the various revisions of
the 060 available, rev 1, 4LC, 5 and 6, with the LC version containing no
FPU. Due to the PiStorm containing an FPU we will concentrate on the prices
for an 060 card with a FULL 060. If we take into consideration the price
differences between the rev. 1, 5 and 6 you will be looking at prices 
between USD 500-1,100. Some cards more recently have also offered features
such as 16 bit audio, the Trinity 060 and the hopefully coming Warp 1260
spring to mind. But in general the average 060 card offers a speedier CPU
only, the Trinity and Warp cards are outliers. 

// FPGA //

At the moment there are only the Vampire 1200 V2 and Vampire 4 Icedrake
cards available. These cards a bit different from the PiStorm and 
traditional 060 cards such as the TF1260 since they also offer 16 Bit
audio and RTG (Which the PiStorm does!). There are some other cards
as mentioned above which also offer more features but the Vampire 
series offer the broadest range of features in an accelerator card.
And 

*Ongoing Updates*

Of all the cards mentioned the Vampire and PiStorm cards get the most 
updates, however the PiStorm seems to be most stable. Often there have
been issues with a new core update on the Vampire which suddenly causes
other problems, requiring a flash back. The TF1260 has not had an update
in a while and probably there will not be another. The PiStorm however
is still being tweaked and improving, with new features being added
such as the Wifipi and the recently released FrameThrower. Once it is
available for the PiStorm32 lite it will become a contender for the best
all in one upgrade, replacing the need for a separate CPU card, wifi card
, graphics card and scan doubler! 

*Availability*

The PiStorm out of all the cards is the easiest one to buy, it is available
from pretty much any Amiga retailer. Where as the Vampire cards are usually
only available from the Apollo Computer website, the TF1260 cards again are
limited in availability compared to the PiStorm.

Conclusion

With all the points above, it is easy to see why the PiStorm is becoming 
the standard for powering up your Amiga. And with this in mind perhaps it
is time to start pusing the default standards for software. Already we are
seeing new games such as Axion which require at least an 040 but plays best
with an 060 100Mhz! That CPU configuration is not cheap but with a PiStorm 
you can have that power and beyond for a fraction of the cost of a 100Mhz 
060.

So, the future is bright, the future is PiStorm and while I still have my
reservations on owning a PiStorm, I cannot deny that it is still the best 
thing to have  happened to the Amiga in a long time. In fact, I finally 
sold off my TF1260 after realising I did not need to the bragging rights to 
having a "real" 060 in my A1200. Now I have a PiStorm and while I still feel 
a bit guilty it runs beautifully and has higher compatibility than my 060 
did, plus it is much more stable. Right, now time to do some more Lightwave 
test renders and see how much I can get done in ImageFX 4 with the PiStorm!



Top
The Vegan/Amigan Link
Articles
=============================================================================
Vegan, Amigan - What's the Difference? - by: Timo Paul
=============================================================================

I have rewritten this article several times, as I wasn?t sure whether it
would be of interest to the readers of *WhatIFF?* Aside from "Amigan" and
"vegan" rhyming, there?s no obvious crossover that comes to mind.
However, I have been an Amigan longer than I have been vegan, and even
after many years, this still feels like something that sticks with me.
But that?s neither here nor there, what I really wanted to write about is
my experience as both an Amigan and a vegan, and how they surprisingly
overlap in some areas.

Going Against the Grain

First of all, and please correct me if you feel this is wrong, I believe
that being an Amiga user, both back in the day and even now, makes you
something of a rebel. While everyone else is using Windows, Macs, or
even Linux systems, we Amigans are still holding onto 30-year-old
computers and pushing them to interact with the modern world. You only
need to look at the various upgrades available; modern Wi-Fi adapters,
accelerators, graphics cards, and software such as AmiSSL, to see how
the humble Amiga can still surf the modern web, albeit in a limited way.

This idea of going against the norm is also very much part of being
vegan, though perhaps more controversial. The passion of Amiga users can
turn a simple discussion into a pie-throwing contest fairly quickly, but
veganism can spark even stronger reactions.

Eating animals is considered normal. Meat is everywhere, readily
available in shops, and we are told that to grow big and strong, you
need to eat it. Otherwise, we?re warned, we won?t meet our protein
requirements and will somehow become weak or unhealthy.

While I won?t go into detail about how to eat healthily as a vegan, I do
want to talk about the shared sense of conviction and passion. Vegans
choose this lifestyle because they want to avoid contributing to the
exploitation and suffering of non-human animals. It?s not a diet for
weight loss, that?s not what veganism is about.

For me, the turning point came when I read *Animal Liberation Now* and
*Eating Animals*. I?m not ashamed to say that the latter brought me to
tears. Reading about the conditions animals are kept in made me feel
angry, sad, and ashamed that I had been part of a system that causes so
much suffering for such fleeting pleasure.

A lifetime of pain, for a few minutes of enjoyment. That is the reality
of modern animal farming.

So yes, I have a deep passion for animal rights and veganism. I also
have a deep passion for the Amiga. Every day, I look forward to booting
up my machine and working on the magazine, making music, or creating
artwork. It feels far more visceral than doing the same on a modern
computer.

And Workbench is still the best operating system out there, yes, it?s
old, but it still works better for me than modern equivalents.

I?m not ashamed to say I?m an Amiga user, just as I?m not ashamed to 
say I?m vegan. The Amiga is a system that deserved so much more but had a
sadly short life, much like the animals we consume.

I hope you can begin to see some of the parallels here.

Compatibility and Ingredients

This brings me to another point: compatibility and ingredients.

It?s often said that it?s difficult to find modern software for the
Amiga, but in my experience, hardware compatibility is the bigger
challenge. Finding components that work reliably with aging systems can
be frustrating.

CompactFlash cards are a good exampl, depending on your accelerator, you
might go through several before finding one that works properly.

Shopping as a vegan is surprisingly similar. You constantly need to
check whether products contain animal-derived ingredients and in Japan,
this can be particularly challenging.

Did you know that "salted" crisps often contain chicken or pork powder?
Why?!

Many foods contain hidden ingredients derived from fish, cows, pigs, or
chickens. Every shopping trip requires vigilance, and I?m always
grateful to my wife, who is vegetarian, for her understanding and
support.

Eating out in Japan can be even more difficult. If you want a fully
plant-based meal, you?re often met with confusion. Some assume that 
"a little meat" is acceptable, while others may simply turn you away.

Vegan restaurants do exist, but they are often expensive and aimed at a
more affluent clientele. Sometimes, I just want a simple, home-style
meal with no animal products.

Similarly, finding shops in Japan with Amiga knowledge is incredibly
difficult. The landscape is almost barren. The Amiga community both
within Japan and abroad is your only real lifeline.

@DIY

Being an Amiga user means learning how to maintain and repair aging
hardware. When something goes wrong, you often find yourself editing the
startup-sequence or opening the case.

It?s the opposite of modern computing, where systems are closed off and
increasingly opaque.

Being vegan has a similar DIY aspect. You learn to cook quickly and
creatively. Adapting recipes becomes second nature.

I?ve learned how to make my own butter for baking, as well as hummus,
falafel, and even substitutes for dashi.

At first, it can feel intimidating just like opening the
startup-sequence for the first time, but you adapt. Before long, it
becomes part of the enjoyment.

@Aversion Factor

Another similarity is what I?d call the "aversion factor", how people
react when you tell them you?re an Amigan or a vegan.

There can be an assumption that you?ll be difficult or opinionated.
Amiga users don?t always have the best reputation we can be passionate,
argumentative, and very vocal about what we believe in.

The same is true for vegans. For many, it?s a deeply held moral and
philosophical stance, a desire to create a kinder world where animals
are not harmed for food.

While I know this vision may not be realised in my lifetime, I still
believe it?s worth striving for.

Final Thoughts

I was hesitant to write this article. Being an Amigan isn?t particularly
controversial, but being vegan often is. Simply saying "I?m vegan" can
provoke surprisingly strong reactions.

Yet here I am, writing this on my Amiga 1200 while a tofu steak heats on
the grill, reflecting on how interesting this journey has been.

When I first considered this topic, I didn?t expect much overlap, but
there is more than I initially thought.

I hope I haven?t offended anyone. While I won?t apologise for being
vegan or for advocating a kinder world, I do recognise that it can be a
more sensitive topic than retro computing.

So, if you ever see someone wearing a *WhatIFF?* T-shirt, quietly
avoiding the food table, come over and say hello. Don?t worry, I won?t
try to convert you. But I might offer you some vegan snacks and
challenge you to a game of Space Taxi.

In the end, being an Amigan has taught me far more about how computers
work than I ever would have learned using only modern systems. In much
the same way, becoming vegan has changed how I see the world and taught
me how to live differently.



Top
Welcome to voices of the people behind Amiga hardware and software.
CONTENTS
============================================================================
-= T A L K I N G * A M I G A  =---------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

  -= Oliver Achten: P-Vision =-                                          
  We sit down for a chat with Oliver, the developer of the AmiGUS and talk
  about his new project the P-Vision.
  -= Steffest: DPaint.js =-                                              
  DPaint.js is a new implementation of DPaint for the modern age, to get to
  know the programme more we talk to the developer Steffest.
  -= Alain Fontanin: Amiga Source Editor =-                              
  Amiga Source Editor has been recently updated on Aminet and we thought it
  would be the perfect time to talk to the developer about it.
  -= Steen Jessen: Bootblock Rebels =-                                   
  With the Demoscene being designated UNESCO, we talk to the author of the 
  timely new book Bootblock Rebels: The Hidden Stars of the Underground.
                                                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
          #Talking Amiga - WhatIFF? Issue 5.19 - April 2026#



Top
AminetPulse
CONTENTS
============================================================================
AminetPulse
============================================================================

This issue we take our usual four-month view of Aminet, looking back at the 
most notable uploads from roughly December through to March. While Aminet 
may no longer move at breakneck speed, what it does offer is consistency, 
and occasionally, something that genuinely surprises.

Below is a curated Top 10 from the past quarter.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Top 10 Aminet Uploads (Last 4 Months)

1. ScummVM AGA / RTG (060 builds)
http://aminet.net/package/game/misc/ScummVM_AGA_060

A huge release. Bringing a vast library of classic point-and-click 
adventures to real Amiga hardware is no small feat.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. NetHack 3.6.7 (m68k)
http://aminet.net/package/game/role/nethack-367r2-m68k

Still going strong. A reminder that depth of gameplay never goes out of 
style.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. MicroPython for Amiga
http://aminet.net/package/dev/lang/micropython

A modern scripting language on classic hardware. This opens up interesting 
possibilities for experimentation and education.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. NodeAmiga (JavaScript runtime)
http://aminet.net/package/dev/lang/NodeAmiga

A Node.js-like environment on Amiga. Not something many would have expected, 
but a fascinating addition to the dev toolbox.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. G-WARS (Geometry Wars-style shooter)
http://aminet.net/package/game/shoot/G-WARS

A flashy, modern-style arcade shooter that shows what RTG systems can really 
do when pushed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. OpenDUNE RTG
http://aminet.net/package/game/strat/OpenDUNE_RTG

A faithful recreation of Dune II brought to Amiga systems. Classic gameplay 
meets modern compatibility.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. REDPILL Game Creator
http://aminet.net/package/dev/misc/REDPILLGameCreator

Still evolving and still one of the easiest ways to create games on classic 
Amiga hardware.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. ANAIIS USB Stack (updates)
http://aminet.net/package/driver/other/anaiis

Ongoing work here continues to improve USB support across a wide range of 
configurations. Essential, if not glamorous.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. DCTelnet
http://aminet.net/package/comm/tcp/DCTelnet

Still one of the best ways to connect to BBS systems. Quietly updated, 
quietly essential.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

10. Ace Basic (compiler updates)
http://aminet.net/package/dev/basic/ace-basic

A modernised take on BASIC development for Amiga. A reminder that 
development tools continue to evolve.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Honourable Mentions

A few more worth a look this quarter:
Frotz
http://aminet.net/package/game/role/Frotz-2.55-m68k-amiga
SAGA Drivers
http://aminet.net/package/driver/other/SAGADriver
FAT95 File System
http://aminet.net/package/disk/misc/fat95.v3.20
Vi Improved Text Editor
http://aminet.net/package/text/edit/vim-9.1

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Final Thoughts

Looking back over the last four months, what stands out most is the balance 
between modernisation and preservation. On one hand, we have MicroPython 
and Node-style environments pushing things forward. On the other, ScummVM 
and NetHack ensure that the past remains playable.

Aminet continues to be exactly what it has always been: a living archive 
shaped by its users. And as long as people keep uploading, experimenting, 
and refining, it will remain one of the most important pillars of the Amiga 
community.

Until next time...

ByteBandit



Top
Oliver Achten: P-Vision Interview
Talkingamiga
============================================================================
Interview: Oliver Achten - P-Vision
============================================================================

1. Hello Oliver, thank you for taking the time to speak with us.
To begin, could you tell our readers a little about yourself?

Sure, no problem - thanks for reaching out to me and hello to all your 
readers! Well, how to start ...

Firstly, I am (obviously) an Amiga and retro computing nut, working in the 
automotive semiconductor industry since 13 years now on chip architectures 
for the central communication backbones and autonomous driving systems.

I am a father of 2 children, being together with my wife since 26 years (!) 
now, and besides doing funny projects for Amigas or other computers, I love 
to paint, watching cinem?s greatest classics and going out for jogging, at 
least 15km once per week.

One could say that I am an engineer by my profession, but I like to see 
myself as a creative person with a wide range of different interests.

2. How were you first introduced to the Amiga, and were you always 
interested in hardware development, or did that come later?

My journey with the Amiga, and probably my whole career in general, started 
at the age of 10 in 1991 when I got my first Amiga 500 for Christmas.

This machine, which I still have, is very special to me, not only because it 
introduced my young brain to many different, then new, concepts you can do 
with a computer, but because it was also the last present I received from my 
grandfather, who died one month later.

Working with the Amiga had a substantial creative impact on me, being 
inspired by games, graphics, the demo scene and the elegant architecture of 
the chipset. As with many, of course I had to start writing my own small 
games, basically doing everything by myself from graphics and sound.

The hardware aspect of my career was, funnily, actually rooted in an Amiga 
application - the Frodo C64 emulator by Christian Bauer, and his VIC 
article, which was a fascinating read for me, and got me interested in how 
custom chips are actually working on a very deep level.

By starting to wire-wrap my own small TTL-based computers during high 
school, and then switching to FPGAs in the early 2000?s when I started 
university, one could say that I have always retained a hardware/software 
codesign mindset.

3. You have worked on several Amiga hardware projects, including AmiGUS, 
P-Vision, a 68060 Turbo card with onboard Wi-Fi and SSD, and you were also 
part of the Clone-A project.

Many of these designs are FPGA-based, can you explain why FPGAs play 
such a central role in your work?

Sure, FPGAs are an integral part of real silicon development, which has 
always been my career goal, and the reason why I started using them. A big 
inspiration at that time for me was the C-One computer, which was created by 
Jeri Ellsworth and Jens Sch?nfeld.

FPGAs are very special, because they gives you full control over your own 
chip architecture, and you can, from an very early stage, define the 
interfaces for the software which is running on your design, blending the 
traditional fields of hardware and software development.

It prepared me to think as a general architect with a product focused 
mindset.

4. Before starting P-Vision, you developed the AmiGUS sound card. Did the 
experience gained from AmiGUS influence the design or development approach 
of P-Vision?

Both AmiGUS and P-Vision are projects which were floating in my mind since 
around 2018. The motivation behind the AmiGUS was born out the realization 
that there never was a true wavetable sound card for the Amiga like the 
Gravis Ultrasound or the SB AWE32, which were a key ingredient in starting-
off the PC demoscene in 1993/94 on the basis of all what has been 
established on the Amiga 7 years earlier.

The P-Vision idea came in my mind when I realized that the PCMCIA port of 
the Amiga is not slow at all, but actually really fast, especially on the 
A1200. So I challenged myself with the premise to develope a full featured 
graphics card inhibiting a small, confined space, using available components,
and which can be built by everyone with very little effort.

There are already FPGA based graphics solutions on the Amiga, but they are 
using very expensive components, so my challenge was to provide the same 
functions and performance with a highly optimised design.

5. For readers who may not yet be familiar with it, what is P-Vision, and 
what problem does it aim to solve for classic Amiga systems?

The P-Vision is a full featured graphics card for the Amiga 600 and 1200, 
which plugs into the PCMCIA port, and provides full RTG graphics for anyone 
which has at least an 68020 CPU. This works with any accelerator 
configuration, or, in the case of an Amiga 1200, even on a stock machine 
with fast ram. The FPGA and memory I am using are pushed to its limits, 
meaning that you can have Full HD
resolution, and thanks to the excellent collaboration with Thomas Richter, 
you can use the full 32MB framebuffer on 68030/40/60 CPUs with an MMU.

The P-Vision is small, but the design is quite complex, and it also has a 
full featured 64-bit Blitter which can easily push around up to 320 million 
pixels per second.

6. P-Vision is quite unique in that it uses the PCMCIA slot.

Why did you choose this interface, and how did you work around its bandwidth 
limitations?

As I previously said, it started as a proof of concept, but if you think 
about it, it is probably the best way of introducing RTG to the Amiga if 
you want to retain the modular aspect of upgrading your Amiga 600/1200 while 
retaining its original case form. Exhibiting this for the first time on the 
Amiga 40 fair to a large audience, the overwhelming reactions I got are a 
clear proof of how this way of thinking about the Amiga, and perhaps the 
retro market, resonates with people on a deeper level.

Actually, I never had to workaround any bandwith limitations, because you 
have to remember that the PCMCIA port was introduced by Commodore as an 
"inexpensive"? way to have FAST RAM in your Amiga. This means for the Amiga 
600, you can easily reach Zorro II bus speed, but on the Amiga 1200,
Commodore introduced a special mode for very fast PCMCIA SRAM, which exceeds 
in some cases even Zorro III speed, depending on the accelerator you are 
using. This has never been a secret, and is even supported by the operating 
system?s card.resource.

People are in for a big surprise once the P-Vision hits the market soon!

7. The graphics core itself is implemented in an FPGA rather than using 
an off-the-shelf graphics chip. What advantages did this approach give you?

Well, as a chip designer, obviously the question of "advantages"? is easily 
answered, because FPGAs are the closest thing to having actual real custom 
silicon, and they adopt very beautifully to different use-cases, especially 
in terms of I/O interfacing, precise deterministic timing, and the special 
needs of interfacing with vintage bus systems. And you can debug the whole 
system very efficiently.

For example, I discovered that the notorious "Gayle hardware reset bug" is 
actually no hardware bug at all! It is a software bug in the AmigaOS, 
because the developers accidently used the wrong method to do a software 
reset in Gayle, which works on Amiga 600, but not Amiga 1200. By probing and
testing it while running the signal analyzer on the FPGA, I found the 
correct way to reset Gayle which works on both machines. CardReset.lha on 
Aminet does it also wrong, btw.

Only by using FPGAs, you have the power to discover such things and deeply 
engage with old designs.

8. Do you see any potential for 3D graphics or acceleration, or would that 
push the card beyond its intended limits?

I specifically chose a large FPGA for the P-Vision for exactly such 
purposes. I won?t announce such things, because the P-Vision is first and 
foremost an RTG card. There are lots of interesting use-cases you can 
additionally cover with the P-Vision and a typical 68030-based set-up, which 
is my main target audience.

9. What has been the most challenging part of the P-Vision design to 
implement or get working reliably?

The blitter was really challenging. Not because designing a good and 
powerful blitter is challenging, but designing a blitter which mimicks a 
typical PC-based graphics card blitter in the 90?s, which is unfortunately 
required to efficiently support the specific needs of the P96 API. 
(sorry Thomas!)

10. Were there any features or ideas you wanted to include but had to leave 
out for now?

No, actually the product turned out to be exactly as I wanted it to be right 
from the start. I like products which focus on its core functionality and 
provide the best possible implementation of it.

11. P-Vision uses Picasso96 for RTG support. Was this the plan from the 
start, or did you ever consider writing a custom driver?

P96 support was already planned, but I can consider myself very lucky, 
because Thomas Richter himself is wring the driver for the P-Vision, and 
his feedback accelerated the design of the P-Vision a lot, especially the 
Blitter. It took him only 3 days from receiving the first prototype to get a 
first usable alpha driver running, which has been a very rewarding 
experience for me as well.

The core itself can actually do more what P96 currently supports. For 
example, the P-Vision has a display processor, similar to the Copper, and I 
demonstrated on the Amiga 40 that you can have as many screens as you want, 
supporting smooth, buttery screen dragging, providing the special "Amiga" 
feel, but now using 32-bit FullHD graphics.

In fact, the most attractive prospect for me of distributing as many 
P-Visions as possible is to convince Thomas to add these capabilities back 
into P96.

To be fair, you have to give Thomas a lot of credit for introducing screen 
dragging support for 2 screens to P96 by utilising a quirky feature of VGA 
chips, which have been used by the early Amiga RTG cards like the Picasso?s 
and Cybervision?s.

12. Once the card is released, do you plan to sell it through multiple 
retailers, or will it be available from a single source?

The card will commercially available from Alinea computer, who are great 
guys, and have supported me a lot. In fact, the official case for the 
P-Vision will only be available from them. After a period of 6 months, I 
was thinking about releasing all of the manufacturing data to the public,
same as the AmiGUS.

We are still discussing ways on how to support, on the one hand, the hobby 
maker aspect of retro computing while, at the same time, protecting the 
distribution chain from individuals, who sell the product at a slightly 
lower rate than Alinea in higher volumes, but without any kind of official
warranty and support.

13. While the card is still in development, do you have a rough timeframe 
for when users might be able to purchase P-Vision?

We are all doing this in our free time besides family and hobby. I think it 
would not be unrealistic to estimate a full release in May timeframe this 
year.

14. After P-Vision is finished and in the hands of users, do you already 
have ideas for future Amiga hardware projects?

Not only ideas, there are actually now more projects in various stages of 
development right now!

The next Amiga products after the P-Vision are the AmiGUS mini, which is 
the PCMCIA version of the AmiGUS, but retains all of its core functionality, 
features and software compatibility, and the Demon D1260, which is my take 
on providing the ultimate 68060 accelerator card for the Amiga 1200. And I 
also have 2 projects for the classic Macintosh in development. project for 
both Macintosh and Amiga. One of them is even a hybrid.

15. Finally, thank you for your time, Oliver, it has been a pleasure 
speaking with you. Do you have any final words for the Amiga community 
before we finish?

You?re welcome! Again, it?s all the positive feedback and resonance which 
has brought me back, after being absent from the scene for almost 2 decades.

Sharing ideas, connecting with people and draw inspiration from each other 
is what this community should be about.

Being at Amiga 40 as an exhibitor was a great experience, not only for 
receiving overwhelming feedback from people I personally admire, but 
witnessing a large group of individuals, creating such a diverse ecosystem 
of brilliant solutions for a market which, by any logical definition, should 
not exist at all. Creation, after all, is a sheer power of will.

Once you realize and fully embrace this fact, the sky is the limit. 

Only Amiga makes it possible!



Top
Steffest: DPaint.js Interview
Talkingamiga
============================================================================
Interview: Steffest -  DPaint.js
============================================================================

1. Hello Steffest, thank you very much for agreeing to this interview. To 
begin, could you tell us a little about yourself and your background in 
programming or digital creativity?

Hey!

I?m Steffest (which is the superlative of my real name: Stef -> Steffer -> 
Steffest)vI have a background education in traditional art, but when I 
started out a job as -webmaster- back in the day when the web was still 
young, I quickly found out I had a knack for the technical side things, 
and that for creating "digital experiences" it was quite useful to know a 
bit of programming too. During the years, my interest for the technical got 
the upper side. Still, I usually find myself mostly in that intersection 
between "designers"?and "developers".?


2. How did you first get started with the Amiga, and what was it about the 
platform that captured your interest?

In my early teens, after LOTS of vacation jobs to raise enough money, I 
bought my first Amiga in 1987 and was instantly hooked. While all my friends 
were mostly playing games, for me the Amiga was all about unlocking 
creativity: creating drawings, music, small programs.

It really was an explosive revelation and I instantly knew: yep, this is 
what I want to do the rest of my life.

I still have that machine, an A500, and despite its battered looks, it still 
works. Indestructible.

3. Did you create music or artwork on the Amiga back in the day, and do you 
still use Amiga tools or workflows today?

I sure did! Deluxe Paint was my home. I still have all my old disks 
(transferred to ADF as well, of course) As a young healthy boy, my drawings 
mostly revolved around female nudes. Later it was mostly PageStream for DTP.

And of course noisetracker/startracker/protracker: The Belgian New Beat 
scene was taking the world by storm and proved to be a great source for 
sampling and remixing. Sadly, all those world-hits we made never left our 
bedroom.

4. You?re best known for BassoonTracker and DPaint.js. For readers 
unfamiliar with them, could you explain what these projects are and what 
originally motivated you to create them?

BassoonTracker and DPaint.js are modern re-imaginations of the classic music 
trackers and paint programs as found on Amiga. They run in your web-browser.
They were born out of a personal need to open and play those ancient files 
with long-gone file formats on modern platforms, and step by step, they 
morphed into full blown editors. Their main purpose is still to open and 
create files that can be used on Amiga in the original software: modern 
software, compatible with old platforms.

5. BassoonTracker appears to have come first. What made you decide to 
recreate an Amiga-style tracker in JavaScript rather than on native Amiga 
or modern desktop platforms?

I simply love the web, because it?s open and free. Anybody can create 
software for it and you can run it on any modern device. Of course I realize 
there are severe drawbacks to browser-based applications, but that single 
fact of "freedom" to develop and use everywhere surpasses them all.

For example: I love using my iPad, but as a developer, the fact that you 
have to pay Apple for the privilege of developing native IOS apps, and have 
to ask their permission to publish them, that?s a firm?"No thank you", from 
my side.

So I develop my tools as web-app, and use them on my iPad too without anyone 
interfering.

6. From a technical standpoint, what were the most challenging aspects of 
implementing a tracker like BassoonTracker in JavaScript, particularly when 
aiming for authentic Amiga behaviour?

I had this naive idea of creating the audio engine from scratch directly in 
web technology, so it?s not a port of an existing playback engine.

This meant re-creating all effects by ear.

I do realize that the "sound" of BassoonTracker is very different from an 
actual Amiga and often die-hard Amiga users want to burn me on the spot 
because the samples sound interpolated etc. (For the record, I don?t 
interpolate, it?s your browser that tries to smooth things to "improve" the 
audio) 

And I also quickly realized that true authentic Amiga behavior is impossible 
to reach, simply because it?s impossible to replicate all those little 
quirks/bugs/side-effects of original trackers. So the biggest challenge was 
- getting as close as possible.

It?s close, but no cigar.

I tend to look at .MOD and .XM files as "sheet music".
Just like for live music, when you give any sheet music to any orchestra or 
band, they can play it without faults, but it still will sound different 
than any other orchestra/band.

7. BassoonTracker currently supports ProTracker and FastTracker formats. How 
difficult was it to support multiple module formats, and is OctaMED support 
something you?ve considered?

The ProTracker and FastTracker file formats are pretty straightforward and 
also very similar, so that was not overly complex. I quite often get the 
question "Can you support format X, Y or Z ?"

But the devil is in the details, and I lack the knowledge of the intrinsic 
details of those applications, simply because I never used them. In the end, 
BassoonTracker is a passion-project. I?m sure OctaMED is a lovely and 
capable music app, but as it is not part of my history, I?m not that 
passionate about it.

8. For users with limited JavaScript knowledge: can BassoonTracker and 
DPaint.js be run offline, or are there browser-related limitations that make 
this difficult?

For the same reason I love webapps (freedom!) I also find it very important 
to avoid any dependencies in the code on other systems. (Because how can you 
be free it that freedom depends on other people ?)

So yes: both BassoonTracker and DPaint.js run fine offline as there are no 
dependencies. There are a few limitations when running offline (obvious 
ones: if you?re offline, you can?t open mods directly from the online 
library modarchive.org etc.) but nothing important.

That being said: it IS the question I get asked by far the most ?

It would be technically easy to wrap the application in something like 
electron/tauri/neutralino to get a native executable that you can use just 
like a normal native app, but for me, that would defeat its purpose and 
would open up a maintenance nightmare, so let?s not go there.

9. Turning to DPaint.js, what inspired you to bring Deluxe Paint into the 
browser, and why do you think it still matters today?

Dpaint.js was initially born as Icon Editor for creating Amiga icons.
While I was working on the icons for some Amiga distros, CoffinOS, AmiBench, 
the upcoming OS 3.3? - I was lacking a smooth workflow and some proper 
tools. Modern image editors are awful at working with low color counts and 
can?t write Amiga files. Old image editors are lacking many useful features 
that we are spoiled with in modern times.

As any developer will recognize: the natural response is: build your own!

Later I got (very much) sucked into the Amiga demoscene and re-discovered 
how fun it is to explore what you can do with a technically limited platform 
as the Amiga 500. DPaint.js became a tool to assist in creating graphical 
assets for demos, adding new features to try and push the boundaries.

10. How did you approach recreating the feel of Deluxe Paint - things like 
responsiveness, palette handling, and pixel-perfect interaction, rather than 
just its feature set?

Indeed: it was not the feature-set of Deluxe Paint that I was aiming for, 
nor the user interface. I often get the (sometimes aggressive) criticism 
that DPaint.js is nothing like Deluxe Paint and that I?m abusing the DPaint 
name.

My approach was, "What if Deluxe Paint was made today, how would it look, 
how would it behave?",?because from day 1, Deluxe Paint did some things 
right that modern software gets wrong. Simple things, like easy split-screen 
zooming, or previewing the pixel in all views when hovering your mouse 
before you actually place it, or quickly grabbing a brush and use that to 
paint, or both left/right click drawing with 2 colors, or ? the list goes 
on.

And of course, the goal is to read and write all Deluxe Paint file formats. 
Not only plain IFF files, but also HAM, Color-Cycling and animations.

11. Are there any technical improvements or modern enhancements in DPaint.js 
that go beyond what was possible on the original Amiga hardware?

Oh yes, there are many.

In fact: I added so much modern enhancements that I often thinks it?s a bit 
"cheating" to create old school pixel art with it, because it makes it so 
easy.

The obvious one is something that I call the "palette lock". When you 
activate that, dpaint.js automatically maps all colors to the current 
palette, so you can use "dirty" tools like blur, smear, smudge, 
transparency, color filters, blending, that are normally not possible in 
fixed-palette images.

That and automatic color-reductions with a range of dither options, infinite 
layers, blend modes, alpha masks, all things that the Amiga did not have the 
processing power or memory for to do that in real time.

It automates much of what makes creating an image for Amiga OCS challenging. 
(And I must say: it also sucks a bit of the fun out of doing pixel images 
because it has become "too easy")

12. How do you envision DPaint.js being used today: as a faithful 
preservation tool, a modern pixel art editor, or a bridge between old and 
new creative workflows?

I assume it?s mostly a bridge between the old and the new. I often get nice 
feedback that people were able to rediscover some old images, simply because 
they could open their IFF files again. (of course there is other software 
that can do that, but I like to think a simple web app is an easy entry)
And the other way around: I use it to create new work for those old 
platforms.

In the end, it?s that: a tool to facilitate.

I made it to facilitate my own creative process, but if other people find it 
useful as well: even more awesome.

13. From a developer?s perspective, what specific feature, subsystem, or 
technical solution in BassoonTracker or DPaint.js are you most proud of?

It might sound weird and it?s very nerdy, but I?m insanely proud of the 
rendering engine of the UI in BassoonTracker, haha!

It is a VERY weird setup of rendering directly to canvas (so it has no DOM) 
and there?s this abstract layer of UI components that mimic things like 
buttons, listboxes, panels that cache their own full UI state in a bitmap 
until something changes.

It's completely custom made and bat-shit-crazy but it allows for pixel 
perfect control of everything and it?s insanely performant (e.g. a listbox 
can hold millions of items without performance loss, because the rendering 
engine only renders what is visible and/or what is changed)

Anyway, I won?t bore you with details as I can go on for HOURS. Let?s just 
say it?s a one-of-a-kind.

14. Finally, do you have plans to create JavaScript versions of other 
classic Amiga software, or to further expand these projects?

There are always more plans than time to realize them.

One of them, the OS? Haha!

And that?s not even a complete lie :)

One day, when I grow up, I plan to build a web app that you can just visit 
and can throw any file on it to directly open/edit/run it, including Amiga 
executables. It detects file types and automatically opens the right editor 
or runtime.

I already ported the Amiga filesystem to javascript and have a webpage that 
can read/write ADF and HDF disks etc. Add an 68k emulator in the mix to run 
Amiga exes, and you have something that comes very close to being an actual 
Amiga compatible OS.

Future plans.

Before that, I think I will do a browser based "animation editor"?that can 
handle both vector graphics and bitmap graphics. A bit like FantaVision on 
the Amiga. That program really was ahead of its time.

I think it will be separate from Dpaint.js because I don?t want to bloat 
the pixel-focused app with vector tools. And demoscene related, the browser
-based tools and prototypes that we create for our Amiga demos 
(DESIRE RULEZZZ) are getting more and more advanced and start to mimic more 
and more real Amiga code, so at some point we probably will have a web-based 
editor that compiles to Amiga executables for quick demo-prototyping.

15. Thank you again for your time. Is there anything else you?d like to 
share with our readers before we finish?

As it is clearly written in the law, the final words should be: 

AMIGAAAAAAAAH!



Top
Alain Fontanin Interview
Talkingamiga
============================================================================
Interview: Alain Fontanin: Amiga Source Editor
============================================================================

1. How did you get started with the Amiga, and what do you enjoy about
it the most?

I discovered the Amiga in 1988. At the time, I was a student looking for a
job to finance my studies. A computer company was looking for a part-time
salesperson for its showroom. I got the job. The showroom was full of IBM
PCs and laser printers, but two very special machines caught my eye: the
Amiga 500 and the Amiga 2000. The Amiga 500, connected to an audio
amplifier and a Sony Black Trinitron TV, was playing BS1's Scroll Surprise
demo with its iconic Pump Up the Volume sample by MARRS. It was a real
shock to me, coming from the 8-bit world. As for the Amiga 2000, it was
presented in a post-production context, equipped with a genlock and
connected to a camera. The "Amiga" corner of the showroom quickly became my
territory. I bought myself my own Amiga 500, along with a 512 KB memory
expansion, an external floppy disk drive, and the A1084S monitor. Then I
also fell for a Sony Black Trinitron TV. What I like most about this
computer (coming from the 8-bit world) is its ability to do everything:
office work, development, graphics, sound, ray tracing, and high-quality
gaming. And watching demos, I spent hours and hours watching them: the
YouTube or TikTok of the era!

2. Your readme mentions that you "recreated" this editor 30 years later.
What was the original version like back in the 90s, and what inspired
you to bring it back to life in 2019?

Amiga Source Editor (ASE) v1.0 (1990) was developed for AmigaOS 1.3. It was
single-document and was not optimized for Workbench 1.3 or even 2.0.
Version 1.2 (1991) corrected the problem with Workbench and AmigaOS 2.0,
but remained single-document. I quickly abandoned the development of ASE
to immerse myself in that of eXeD (Express Editor), which was much more
powerful but never released because I put the Amiga aside at the end of
1993. I started again from the eXed linked list manager for ASE2019. In
2018, I turned 50, took stock of my half-century on Earth, and thought
back to the Amiga. I downloaded an emulator and a few demo disks, watched
the movie Viva Amiga, and off I went again. In 2019, I abandoned the
development of a tool on Mac (MacInfos), so I had time for a new project:
redeveloping ASE with the same tools as 30 years ago.

3. Have you been developing the latest version directly on the Amiga or
in an emulated environment? Why did you choose this way to do
development?

Since I no longer have an Amiga, I developed ASE2019 in an emulated
environment (FS-UAE on an MBP M1 Pro). Initially, I used a development
machine running AmigaOS 3.1 and Lattice C 5.10, then switched to AmigaOS
3.9 and SAS/C 6.58, along with test machines: A600 AmigaOS 2.1, A1200
AmigaOS 3.1, A3000 AmigaOS 2.1, A4000 AmigaOS 3.1. I also have an
A4000-PPC running AmigaOS 4.1 (AmigaForever 10 Windows 11 PC).

4. Version 2.2 introduces a Terminal mode for ARexx commands and
several new scripts. How do you envision a "creative user" using
ARexx to extend ASE2019?

Terminal mode allows you to quickly execute actions using ARexx commands,
e.g., "DL 100 200" to delete lines between 100 and 200. With ARexx and a
little creativity, you can extend the functionality of ASE2019 infinitely.
I provide examples that allow you to insert a banner at the beginning of
the document, comment on code, calculate the result of an arithmetic
operation, delete all blank lines, convert text to "Leet speak" insert
AmigaGuide tags, and more. As a preview, I am working on version 2.3, which
will further improve the integration of ARexx into ASE2019.

5. You recently moved away from a specific ASE2019 clipboard to better
integrate with the standard Amiga clipboard. What were the challenges
in making ASE play nicely with the rest of the Amiga ecosystem?

Yes, I abandoned the ASE2019-specific clipboard that allowed for
confidentiality: what happens in ASE2019 stays in ASE2019! It introduced
too many specificities into the code and facilitated regressions. In fact,
there are few challenges to integrating ASE2019 into the Amiga ecosystem.
Nowadays, everything is documented, and it's fairly easy to access
technical documentation and code examples. It was much more complicated in
the good old days.

6. The archive includes "MemoData" for AmigaDOS and Standard C. Can you
explain how this feature helps programmers and writers stay productive?

MemoData comes from ASE 1.0. It is the mechanism that enables auto-
completion: you type the first few letters of a function, and MemoData is
called to display the matches. By default, I provide the AmigaDOS
functions (ASK, COPY, DIR, etc.) and the standard C library (printf(),
scanf(), etc.). Users can create their own MemoData database, and I even
provide a sample script for populating the database with the functions
described in a C language include file (.H). This is a feature I use all
the time. There are also snippets: I type an identifier and that
identifier is transformed into text, e.g., mymail ->
webmalf@protonmail.com or bold -> .

7. You mentioned that text folding and automatic line wrapping were
abandoned because they were "too complicated" for the current engine.
What makes these seemingly simple modern features so difficult to
implement on the Amiga's architecture?

Yes, unfortunately, these two features were in the roadmap, but were not
given sufficient consideration during the development of the ASE2019
engine. That's why I'm streamlining the engine code before attempting to
reintegrate them: I'm close!

8. You've started a new linked list manager called GLCex. How will
this change the "under the hood" feel of the editor in future
versions?

This new linked list manager can be used with any type of data, whereas
the old manager had to be adapted in the ASE2019 code for document
management, document line management, clipboard management, and undo/redo
management. Basically, four times the GLC code in ASE2019. At the time of
writing, version 2.2 includes GLCex for document management, ASE2019
clipboard management, and undo/redo management. GLC remains for document
line management. The migration is going well.

9. ASE2019 runs on everything from 68k AmigaOS 2.0.4 to AmigaOS 4.1.
How difficult is it to maintain a single codebase that remains stable
across 30 years of OS evolution?

The ASE2019 project was originally developed for AmigaOS 2.0 to 3.1. There
are a few differences, but they are fairly easy to deal with. Please note
that you must remain compatible with Amiga Classic and use the correct
Amiga features (e.g., BOOPSI for everything related to Intuition).
Developing natively on AmigaOS 4.1 would be much more complex and would
require a separate version. I would say that the most complex thing to
take into account is the difference in power between a basic Amiga 600
with 2 MB of RAM and 640x256 display and a high-powered Amiga 4000 with
128 MB of RAM and an RTG graphics card.

10. You've included files for translation (using SimpleCat). How
important is the international Amiga community to the development of
ASE2019?

The international community plays an enormous role; without it,
localization would not be possible. I would like to express my sincere
gratitude to those who provided the German and Italian localizations. If
others would like to join the adventure, it would be greatly appreciated.
The community also reports bugs and suggests improvements to me. I deal
with bugs as soon as possible and engage in extensive discussions to
refine improvement requests, which, if approved, are added to the roadmap.

11. WhatIFF? readers often use their Amigas for creative projects
rather than just gaming. Where do you think ASE2019 fits in a modern
Amiga user's daily toolkit compared to classic editors like CygnusEd or 
GoldEd?

I'm putting on my sales hat. I know people involved in retro-computing who
use ASE2019 because it meets their needs. They can ask me to fix bugs and
suggest improvements. It's new and it's free. It can edit very large
documents: ASE2019 correctly edited a file containing 23 million
characters spread over more than 550,000 lines, one of which contained
more than 135,000 characters. But of course, this tool is not the best; it
can be improved and cannot be compared to CygnusEd or GoldEd.
Furthermore, I do not claim to develop magical tools like those
mentioned. I take off my salesman's hat.

12. You mentioned that reviewing the data management for ASE2019 is
going to be a tough task ("ouch"). What is the "dream feature" you
hope to implement once that hurdle is cleared?

Text wrapping and automatic line breaks. I think after that, my editor
will be perfectly functional, and I will be very proud of it.

13. If you could have the WhatIFF? readers try just one specific
feature or ARexx script in this new 2.2 version, which one would it
be?

Groups associated with Undo/Redo, allowing you to undo or redo all actions
associated with an operation (e.g., running an ARexx script) at once.

14. Do you have any plans beyond ASE2019 for developing other Amiga
software?

On Amiga, I would like to develop a tool to help conjugate French verbs
(it's difficult). It would be a resident application, called up using a
key sequence and based on an SQLite database (I saw that SQLite had been
ported to Amiga) to help users conjugate verbs. I use SQLite a lot when
developing on Mac or Windows. Otherwise, I would like to be able to port
Amiga Source Editeur to AmigaOS 4.1: a large-scale project.

15. Thank you for your time and fantastic work on ASE2019, before we
finish up, do you have any final comments and what are you looking
forward to the most in 2026 regarding Amiga developments?

Thank you, Timo. I'm delighted to have discovered your work and the
community you represent, yet another fine example of the good health of
our Amiga in 2026. I'd like to finish by promoting a French film project
on the Amiga/Atari ST demoscene called DEMO. The guys are currently
developing the Amiga and ST software that will be featured in the film.
I've been involved in the project since 2025 (ulule). I started learning
Rust last summer. I would like a robust RUST environment on AmigaOS 4.1 to
develop, why not, Amiga Source Editeur.

Written with ASE2019 2.2, March 10, 2026.



Top
Steen Jessen Interview
Talkingamiga
============================================================================
Interview: Steen Jessen: Bootblock Rebels
============================================================================

1. Hi Steen, thank you for agreeing to this interview. To start, could you 
tell us a bit about yourself?

Age 54, living in Denmark working in IT (CTO) working as full-stack 
developer and Cloud administrator at a mid size company. Developing mobile 
solutions for 150 fields consultants. Started in IT in 1995 at LEGO - was 
involved in developing the first LEGO.com website in 1996 - have been 
working with e-commerce for multiple large Danish companies and Dot.com 
companies until I ended as CTO where I am today.

2. How did you first get introduced to the Amiga?

Started out in early when my dad (HAM radio entusiast and electronics 
hobbyist) bought a ZX80 - I played with it and the ZX81 and ZX Spectrum. 
Around 1986 I took a short break from home computing until I around 1988 
discovered the Amiga and was pretty active on the Amiga until 1994. At the 
same time I went to Upper Secondary School of Commerce and two of my class 
mates was really good ASM programmers on C64 and Amiga. Was heavily involved 
in the local Danish scene - we had many talented Amiga programmers in my 
Area. 

Attended most of The Party (91,92,93, 96) Decion XMAS conf. LowLife/Static 
Bytes party - most Danish parties. Were active in a few groups as spreader 
but eventually spent most time running the VHS division of Amaze (I then 
worked at a Company where i "had" free access to stamps ;-)

3. You?re the maintainer of BigBookAmigaHardware.com. Was this your first 
major Amiga-related project, and what motivated you to take over BBAH?

It was my first Amiga project as adult. Earlier I did a lot of graphics for 
demo's and Intros. BBoAH was created by Ian Chapmann, but he closed the site 
in 2006 (I think) - around 2013 I contacted him, as I thought it was a shame 
if all the info got lost - and since I've been working with website 
developments since 1996 I converted the site to a new plaftform and have 
been maintaining it since.

4. You?re launching a new book, Bootblock Rebels. What inspired you to 
document the Amiga cracking scene in a full-length book rather than a 
shorter article or blog post?

As mentioned in question 3 and lot of information disappears from the web 
when a website closes down. Around 12 years ago (after I took over BBoAH) I 
started gathering all cracking related content and interviewing sceners 
(when they still remember) in order to preserve if from disappearing. All 
this information (text and images) was unstructured - so I started 
structuring the content - but realized it was a huge task - to put all 
there bits and pieces together with photos etc. is a task in the area of 
1000+ hours - to spend this much time on the project I wanted to know if 
there is an audience for that kind of content and that's how the book came 
to life - and this book would also survive (forever) which a blogpost or a 
website wouldn't. So documenting our cracking scene for later generations 
to know about ;-)

5. For readers unfamiliar with the Amiga scene, how would you describe the 
core story or mission of Bootblock Rebels?

The core story is to tell the story of the Amiga cracking scene both the 
known facts but also all the uknown (to most Amiga users) on how the scene 
evolved and how ther big group worked internally.

6. The book spans the early days (1985), the peak years (1990-1993), and 
the scene?s decline around 1996. Was there a particular era you were most 
drawn to or wanted to focus on?

The Peak years definately. Early years was more "amateurish" but founded 
the scene. The peak years was wild, with BBS' starting to pop up, Calling 
cards and zero-days releases and crackingg group organized as companies - 
those days were wild and fantastic and shaped a lot of future cracking 
scene.

7. What kind of firsthand materials did you include in the book? Is there 
an example that genuinely surprised you?

There's a story on how Bamiga Sector One (I'm talking to BS1 founder 
Ermida age 78 - who I found 1/2 a year ago - he disappeared in 1992 and is 
not on social media, but I managed to find him ) managed to get original - 
that's pretty interesting story also how other groups managed to get 
originals. Also it has supprised me how much the rest of the "legit/
established" Amiga scene somehow also was involved (developers etc.)

8. What was the most unexpected or fascinating story you came across during 
your research?

Can't reveal now - but there's many ;-)

9. The cracking scene was known for aliases, rivalries, and friendships. 
How did you go about tracking down the real people behind the pseudonyms?

That's a good question. But I spend many hours looking through old diskmags 
- writing down minor details from interviews (names, schools, cities etc.), 
party reports and forum posts talking about old day gave me enough 
information to narrow down who the persons could be. I cant tell the exact 
process here - but with the help of Internet and a few details and a lot of 
time helps a lot. When you first have found 1 or 2 - they give you names of 
those they worked with and then you go on from there.

10. Were there any contributors or interviewees whose stories significantly 
reshaped your understanding of the scene?

I only did very little BBS back then - so yes I'm supprised of how vital 
the BBS's was for groups in the entire cracking supply chain.

11. Which part of the book was the most challenging to research or write, 
and why?

All of it - I need to verify all information - install a lot of old games 
and cractkro's to verify and document messages and hidden features. I've 
also been trying to track a high-profile cracker for 12 years - not found 
him yet, but I'm narrowing in on him.

12. How did you balance technical detail, tools, methods, and distribution 
chains with storytelling that?s engaging for readers who aren?t as 
technically savvy as the coders themselves?

The techinal chapter is still open - but I have a very capable resource (did 
100+ cracks) whos is very good at presenting techincal stuff.

13. Last year, Sweden recognised the demoscene as UNESCO cultural heritage. 
Did that recognition influence your work on the book in any way?

No, not at all. Book project was started 12 years ago.

14. In your view, how did Amiga cracking culture influence modern digital 
culture or today?s hacker ethos?

Amiga cracking culture shaped a lot of todays hacker ethos by turning 
technical skill into social status, your handle and your work were your 
reputation it also helps shape reverse engineering, tool-building which was 
later used in cracking PS and XBXO protection etc.

15. Why did you choose Kickstarter to launch Bootblock Rebels, and have you 
been surprised by the response so far?

I chose Kickstart to check if audience for such a niche-book exists.

16. Once the Kickstarter wraps up and the book is out in the world, what?s 
next for you as an author and historian of the scene?

If the book is a success I might have another book related to the scene or 
Amiga Hardware, but let's see it's a lot of work.


"Thank you for your time and answers, the book sounds very exciting and I 
wish you the best of luck with its launch. Hopefully we can get a feature
about it in a future issue." -  WhatIFF?



CONTENTS
Top
advertisements
CONTENTS
============================================================================
-= A D V E R T I S E M E N T S =--------------------------------------------
============================================================================


           ******************************************************
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Top
Welcome to the links section!
CONTENTS
============================================================================
-= L I N K S =--------------------------------------------------------------
============================================================================

        https://www.amiganews.net/en/

        One of the most up to date and comprehensive sources for
        Amiga news from around the globe.

        

        English Amiga Board, the majority of the users are from
        Europe, a very friendly and helpful Amiga forum.

        https://www.exxoshost.co.uk

        The resource if you need help or information about the
        new Terrible Fire cards.

        https://www.amibay.com

        A great place for buying and selling Amiga hardware,
        they also have some very nice people to give advice about.
        Of recent it has become very hard to register on the
        website since their server migration.

        https://www.amiga.org

        Probably the longest running Amiga forum on the world
        wide web, most American Amiga users are on this board.

        https://www.amigaworld.net

        Another large Amiga website covering all Amigas, includes
        news, discussions and classifieds.

        https://www.amigans.net

        English Amiga website covering next generation, emulation
        and classic Amigas.

        https://www.amigafuture.de

        The longest running Amiga print magazine, issues are
        available in English and German.

        https://www.amiga-addict.com

        Newest English Amiga print magazine, if you are missing
        the likes of Amiga Power and Amiga Format, then this is
        the magazine for you.

        

        Commodore and Amiga print magazine avilable in English
        and Polish. Lots of games content.

        https://mancave-ramblings.blogspot.com

        Our own John Scolieri's personal website.
   ==================================================================
        If you have a link that you would like added to list
        contact: submissions@whatiff.info

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
       #Links - WhatIFF? Issue 5.19 - April 2026#



Top
Welcome to the Amiga vendors section!
CONTENTS
============================================================================
-= A M I G A * V E N D O R * L I N K S =------------------------------------
============================================================================

                        ?Alinea
                        https://www.amiga-shop.net
                        
                        ? Amedia Computers
                        openurl
                        
                        ? Amiga 68k
                        http://amiga68k.com
                        
                        ? Amigakit
                        https://amigakit.amiga.store
                        
                        ? Amiga MC1
                        http://amiga1.com
                        
                        ? Amiga Shop
                        https://www.amigashop.org
                        
                        ? AmigastoreEU
                        https://amigastore.eu
                        
                        ? Amiga on the Lake
                        http://amigaonthelake.com
                        
                        ? Arananet Retro Products
                        https://www.arananet.net/pedidos
                        
                        ? Arcade Shopper
                        https://www.arcadeshopper.com
                        
                        ? BuyElbox
                        http://buy.elbox.com
                        
                        ? Electronics Is Fun
                        https://electronicsisfun.com
                        
                        ? GGS Data
                        http://www.ggsdata.se
                        
                        ? My Amiga Shop
                        https://shop.myamigashop.com
                        
                        ? Relec
                        http://www.relec.ch/fr
                        
                        ? RetroAMI
                        https://retroami.com.pl
                        
                        ? Retro Passion
                        https://www.retropassion.co.uk
                        
                        ? Retro Ready
                        https://retroready.one
                        
                        ? Sell My Retro
                        https://www.sellmyretro.com
                        
                        ? Retro Rewind
                        https://retrorewind.ca
                        
                        ? Sordan
                        https://sordan.ie
                        
                        ? Tindie
                        https://www.tindie.com
                        
                        ? Vesalia
                        https://www.vesalia.de

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    #Amiga Vendor Links - WhatIFF? Issue 5.19 - April 2026#


Top
Welcome to the Amiga Groups section!
CONTENTS
============================================================================
-= A M I G A * G R O U P * L I N K S =--------------------------------------
============================================================================

   *******************************************************************
   *                                                                 *
          United Kingdom United States Canada Germany Sweden
   *                                                                 *
          France Belgium Czech Republic Denmark Finland
   *                                                                 *
          Australia Russia Ireland Scotland Malta Japan
   *                                                                 *
   *******************************************************************

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#

Top
uk
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        United Kingdom

        Amiga North Thame
        http://www.amiganorththames.co.uk/

        Birmingham Amiga Group
        https://www.facebook.com/groups/BhamAmigaGroup/

        LINCS Amiga Group (LAG)
        http://lincsamiga.org.uk/

        Norwich Amiga Group
        https://norwichamigagroup.co.uk/

        North West Amiga User Group
        http://www.bambi-amiga.co.uk/spudmiga/nwag/index.html

        Kickstart Amiga User Group
        https://www.kickstartamigagroup.org.uk/

        South West Amiga Group
        http://www.southwestamiga.org.uk/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


Top
usa
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        USA

        Sacramento Amiga Computer Club
        http://www.sacc.org/

        Central Texas Amiga Computer Society
        http://main.org/ctacs

        Central New York Amiga Computing Enthusiasts
        https://www.meetup.com/CNY-Amiga-Computing-Enthusiasts

        Central Texas Commodore Users Group
        https://www.meetup.com/Central-Texas-Commodore-Users-Group/

        Metroplex Commodore Computer Club
        http://www.amigamccc.org/

        Southern California Commodore and Amiga Network
        http://www.portcommodore.com/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=sccan:start

        Fresno Commodore User Group
        http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

        Westchester Amiga User Group
        http://www.westchesteramigausergroup.org/

        Amiga Computer Users Long Island
        https://www.facebook.com/groups/202303702519

        Southeast Amiga User Group
        https://www.facebook.com/groups/SoutheastAmigaUserGroup/

        Stamford Peterborough Amiga Group
        https://www.facebook.com/groups/spaguk

        The Other Group of Amigoids
        http://togausergroup.org/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


Top
canada
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        Canada

        Amiga Computer Users of Edmonton
        http://www.amicue.org

        Amiga Users of Calgary
        http://www.amuc.ab.ca

        Toronto PET Users Group (TPUG)
        http://www.tpug.ca
        * Started in 1979, TPUG is also the operator of the annual World
          of Commodore computer show.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


Top
germany

Usergroups
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        Germany

        AUCB Treffen
        http://www.amigaclub-bautzen.de/

        Amiga Club Munster
        http://acmuenster.de/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


Top
sweden
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        Sweden

        Swedish User Group of Amiga
        http://suga.se/

        Amiga Computer Group
        http://www.amiga-cg.se/

        Syntax Society
        http://www.syntaxsociety.se/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


Top
france
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        France
        Triple
        http://www.triplea.fr/

        AFLE
        http://afle.free.fr/

        AmigaPower
        http://www.amigapower.net/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


Top
belgium
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        Belgium

        Belgian Amiga Club http://www.amigaclub.be/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


Top
czech
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        Czech Republic

        Luky & Amiga Klub Forever + Czech PowerPC User Group
        http://powerpc.lukysoft.cz

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


Top
denmark
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        Denmark

        Amiga Club Denmark
        http://www.amigaclubdanmark.dk/

        Danish Amiga User Group
        https://www.facebook.com/groups/101927439851660
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


Top
finland
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        Finland

        Finnish Amiga Users Group
        http://saku.amigafin.org/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


Top
australia
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        Australia

        Sydney Amiga Users Group
        http://www.saug.org.au

        Amiga Users Group
        https://www.amiga.net.au/

        MAUG
        https://www.facebook.com/groups/MAUGr/

        Perth Amiga User Group (PAUG)
        https://www.facebook.com/groups/perthamigausergroup/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


Top
russia
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        Russia

        Amiga Information Center (AIC)
        http://amiga.org.ru

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


Top
ireland
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        Ireland

        Amiga Ireland Meetup
        https://www.facebook.com/groups/amigaireland

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


Top
scotland
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        Scotland

        Scottish Amiga User Group
        https://www.facebook.com/groups/626138110921245

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


Top
malta
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        Malta

        Amiga Malta
        https://www.facebook.com/groups/amigamalta

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


Top
japan
Amigagroups
============================================================================
Amiga Group Links
============================================================================

        Japan

        Commodore / Amiga Fan Club Japan
        http://cfc.amiga.co.jp/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF?#


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    #Amiga Group Links - WhatIFF? Issue 5.19 - April 2026#


Top
Cover Disk Contents
CONTENTS
============================================================================
-= April 2026 Cover Disk Contents =-----------------------------------------
============================================================================

           		* PDF Disk Label
			* Updated Music Playlist MODs



Top
Meet the writing staff of WhatIFF?
CONTENTS
=============================================================================
-= W R I T I N G * S T A F F =-----------------------------------------------
=============================================================================
  WhatIFF? is an independent magazine created by Amiga enthusiasts from
  around the world looking for a more serious magazine. The main writers
  at the moment are a small group but hope to grow in coming issues.

                            * Main Writing Staff *

                               Andy Vaisey  

                               ByteBandit   

                              Ivan Sorensen 

                             John Scolieri  

                             Kevin Saunders 

                             Kristian GK    

                             Martyn Bampton 

                             Roald Strauss  

                              Rob O'Malley  

                               Steve Lord   

                                Timo Paul   

                            Tristan Shiflett


  We are always interested in new articles, guides or stories, if you
  have something you wish to submit please send it to:
               submissions@whatiff.info
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
      #Writing Staff - WhatIFF? Issue 5.19 - April 2026#


Top
andyvaisey
Writers
============================================================================
  Name:                Andy Vaisey
============================================================================

  Aliases:
  aNdy/AL/COS (EAB)

  Contact info:
  andyvaisey@whatiff.info

  Websites:
  www.cosine.org.uk
  www.arkanixlabs.com

=============================================================================

  Bio:



Top
timopaul
Writers
============================================================================
  Name:                Timo Paul
============================================================================

  Aliases:
  amifan (EAB)

  Contact info:
  timopaul@whatiff.info

  Websites:
  www.whatiff.info
  www.binarybeats.xyz

=============================================================================

  Bio:

  My journey with the Amiga started in either '87/'88 when the family got an
  A500 (Back then it was a computer for the whole family), I remember the
  monitor and A500 boxes almost being as high as myself. Before this time I
  had only been exposed to the ZX Spectrum and C64, using the blue Workbench
  for the first time was an amazing experience. When I saw DigiPaint in
  action I could not believe my eyes. From that moment I was a devoted Amiga
  user going through various Amigas, A500+A570, A600, A3000 and A1200. Over
  the years my Amiga has been used to creating digital artwork and for
  making or shall I say trying to make music. Then in the year 2021 I decided
  for some crazy reason that the Amiga scene needed a digital magazine
  similar to Amiga Report. It was my intention to have something that picked
  up where the great Amiga magazines such as Amiga World and Amazing
  Computing left off, providing a more serious look at Amiga usage through
  tutorials and reviews.



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stevelord
Writers
============================================================================
  Name:                        Steve Lord
============================================================================

  Aliases:
  stevelord (EAB)

  Contact info:
  stevelord@whatiff.info

  Websites:
  www.thedorkweb.substack.com

============================================================================

  Bio:

  Steve enjoys doing impossible things on his Amiga 4000 and CDTV. Whether
  it's using his CDTV for email, playing Internet radio through his
  bluetooth speakers from his Amiga 4000, or talking to the world via the
  ISS from either. If people say the Amiga couldn't do it, he's probably
  looking for a way to do it. Steve writes his WhatIFF articles mostly
  using Arnor ProText.



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johnscolieri
Writers
  ==========================================================================
  Name:                John Scolieri
  ==========================================================================

  Aliases:

  klx300r (EAB)
  328gts (amigans.net)
  aGS@C64_AMIGA (Twitter)

  Contact info:
  johnscolieri@whatiff.info


  Websites:
  mancave-ramblings.blogspot.com

  ==========================================================================

  Bio:

  Like many Amiga users my first computer addiction was the mighty
  Commodore 64! One day close to Christmas of 1986 I drove to my local
  Commodore store called Comspec...I was in high school and played rep
  hockey at the time and didn't have the time I used to when I was in grade
  school to visit Comspec each weekend to check out the latest magazine and
  games. Imagine my surprise when I stepped into the store and immediately in
  front of me was THE AMIGA! It was looping the Defender of The Crown intro
  and I fell in love instantly! From that day on it was my mission to buy
  that Amiga but I had just worked a few part time jobs to help pay for my
  first ever used car and didn't have a hundred bucks to my name lol. The
  Amiga was close to $2,000 Canadian dollars (after taxes) and unlike my
  C64 my parents didn't fall for the 'I need it for school' rant again.

  To (try) to make a very long story short I didn't save up to buy my Amiga
  until I started University in 1989. In the mean time I saw another Amiga
  called the Amiga 500 at Comspec and it was a lot cheaper than THE AMIGA
  but my eyes and heart and soul were only set on THE AMIGA! When I finally
  bought it that was the proudest/happiest moment I've ever felt and I
  jumped straight into University with Excellence! word processor and
  Logistix spreadsheet/ database. In my 2nd year I bought my first ever
  hard drive, a whopping 33MB which had its own case which sat atop my
  Amiga 1000 case. Later fast ram side cars showed up and I mingled with
  Manx Aztec C compiler in computer science class. Of course all the great
  games with awesome music/sound effects made my Apple/PC friends envious!

  By my 3rd year we had a small Amiga computer club and a few of us got our
  first accelerator boards for our Amiga which was called LUCAS and was
  based on a design in a Transactor magazine. It had a 68020 at 16 MHz with
  FPU on it and it really helped out with the more complicated spreadsheets
  and compiling programs. Life was good, the internet was just starting up,
  I graduated University and got my first full time job and then the bad
  news of Commodore going bankrupt hit the newspapers, magazines, and BBS
  boards! There was so much activity going on still in user groups and
  computer stores so us Amiga users just figured that it would sort itself
  out. At work  there were only PC's running AutoCAD and I despised using
  the early Windows systems and couldn't wait to get back home to my Amiga.
  Over the years busy with work and 'adult life' many of my Amiga friends
  moved on to PCs and I ended up getting my first Amiga 1200 and later
  Amiga 4000 for great prices. I was still amazed how the Amiga community
  was still active and so helpful up to the early 2000's. By then I was
  married and working harder than ever to save up to buy a home instead of
  renting an apartment and my Amiga's were left at my parents house until
  around 2010 or so I read about a brand new Amiga which was coming out
  based on PPC CPU called the AmigaONE X1000 running a new AmigaOS4. I was
  skeptical at first after hearing about the technical issues with the
  earlier SE, XE boards with the initisal AmigaOS4 release but after
  consulting with some friends I joined the beta test team to get one of
  the first X1000 boards and I immediately felt at home with AmigaOS4.1
  and have used it as my home Amiga ever since. Once I got some space set
  up in my house I got my Amiga's out of my parents house finally and
  eventually my original Amiga 1000 sits next to my AmigaONE X1000 and
  original C64 and of course my Amiga 1200 and 4000 came along too and with
  new accelerator cards and ram boards and spare motherboards and parts
  etc etc etc. Here I am today grateful to the Amiga computer and
  especially to the amazing Amiga community who back then and today has
  always been resilient, creative and helpful !



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kevinsaunders
Writers
============================================================================
  Name:                Kevin Saunders
============================================================================

  Aliases:
  Invent (EAB)

  Contact info:
  kevinsaunders@whatiff.info

  Websites:
  www.patreon.com/KevinSaunders
  www.youtube.com/KevinSaunders
  www.twitter.com/invent71
  www.instagram.com/invent71/
  www.ko-fi.com/kevinsaunders

============================================================================

  Bio:

  My journey with the Amiga started around 1988, The first time seeing the
  Amiga 1000 in the shop window playing animations such as the Amiga Juggler
  I fondly remember. My Brother and I saved up for an A500, and eventually
  bought an A4000 (cybervision 64 card) and then an A1200 with an 030
  accelerator. I loved collecting every Amiga Magazine with demo disks. My
  interest in game designing for the Amiga started with deluxe paint and
  I did dabble with The Miracle Keyboard but that skill in music
  didn't last. It is because of the Amiga that I now work in video
  animation and game design.



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ivansorensen
Writers
============================================================================
  Name:                Ivan Sorensen
============================================================================

  Aliases:
  Weasel Fierce

  Contact info:
  ivansorensen@whatiff.info

  Websites:
  everydayamiga.posthaven.com

============================================================================

  Bio:

  Danish Amiga fan since the 90s. Started with a 1200 and a 1200 is my
  machine today. I am interested in the casual and the philosophical
  aspects of the Amiga computer.

  My cats enjoy Turrican.



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robomalley
Writers
============================================================================
  Name:                Rob O'Malley
============================================================================

  Aliases:
  anaki rob
  Mr.Roboto

  Contact info:
  anakirob@whatiff.info

  Websites:
  systemofsound.org

============================================================================

  Bio:

  Rob has been making music on Amiga ever since in the mid to late 90's
  his guitar teacher suggested that he get a drum machine to practice along
  to, and he instead opted to use OctaMED on his Amiga 500+ with A590 to
  craft beats and basslines

  Favourite quote:

  '...all she wanted to do was play with my ears all night' :P



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roaldstrauss
Writers
============================================================================
Name:        Roald Strauss
============================================================================

   Aliases:
   MisthaLu, Mr.Lou

   Contact info:
   E-mail: mr_lou@dewfall.dk
   Discord: MisthaLu
   IRC: MisthaLu or mr_lou

   Websites:
   www.8bitMemoirs.com
   www.IndieGameMusic.com

============================================================================

   Bio:

   I was introduced to the Amstrad CPC464 at age 10, and had a great
   childhood because of all the BASIC coding I could do. I am also a
   musician. And when I discovered I could program my Amstrad to play music,
   by inputting tons and tons of DATA lines, things became even more
   interesting.

   When everyone left the Amstrad CPC in favour of either the PC or Amiga,
   I stayed with my trusty CPC464 - until a couple of mates lured me over
   to the Amiga many years later. Since no one ever introduced me to options
   like AMOS or Blitz Basic, it sadly meant that my coding days were over -
   for a period of time anyway. Instead, I used my Amiga 600 for lots and
   lots of Protracker MOD creations.

   From 2012 to 2017 I wrote "8-bit Memoirs", which is a semi biography
   about those good old days. Download from www.8bitMemoirs.com
   (Use a download tool so you can resume).



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jman
Writers
============================================================================
  Name:                Contributing writer Jman
============================================================================

  Aliases:
  Jman

  Contact info:


  Websites:


============================================================================

  Bio:

  Article submission metadata:
  Date: 20260309
  Author: Jman
  License: CC BY-SA 4.0



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Tristanshiflett
Writers
============================================================================
  Name:                Tristan Shiflett
============================================================================

  Aliases:
  Manical

  Contact info:
  Discord: Manical#1992 / manical90

  Websites:
  manical.neocities.org

============================================================================

  Bio:
  Manical started making music for the Amiga in early 2021 (December) and has
  released at some demoparties, and is planning to go to more along the
  way. He's in the demogroups MoonShine and Hokuto Force as a musician, and
  soon to be a coder or graphician. He started out with Protracker for his
  first 3 mods, then moved to FastTracker primarily, and then he started
  exploring Impulse Tracker and started making tracks with Furnace. His
  songs have gotten good reviews by many famous people in the demoscene,
  such as Jammer, Purple Motion, Skaven, and cTrix (Most known for his
  gAtari). Since his music journey, he's entered Syntax 2021, Mysdata 2022,
  Boozedrome VI (Which his track that he entered ended up on the official
  Boozedrome tape which was limited to 50 copies).

  Favorite quote: 'You see, we are here, as far as I can tell, to help each
  other; our brothers, our sisters, our friends, our enemies. That is to
  help each other and not hurt each other.'



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martynbampton
Writers
============================================================================
  Name:                Martyn Bampton
============================================================================

  Aliases:

  Contact info: mbampton@whatiff.info

  Websites:

============================================================================

  Bio:

  Like a lot of us I got my first computers during the late 80s and 90s,
  an exciting time for home computer owners. It seemed like every week
  brought something new and there were loads of computers and accessories
  to choose from. If you had the budget ;) My family had a Spectrum and
  then a BBC Micro but *my* first computer was an Amiga 500, all generous
  hand-me-downs from my uncle. I did play games of course - Lemmings,
  Pinball Dreams and Stunt Car Racer spring to mind but I also loved
  messing about in Deluxe Paint, eventually becoming half decently
  productive. I never had a console and I was never interested in truth,
  actually I don't think I really played on a console until my friend got
  a Playstation. An A500 Plus came next and then in March 93 I upgraded
  to an A1200 with a "huge" 80 MB harddisk!

  It was with the A1200 and its harddisk that I was really able to get
  into productive computing as well as enjoying the new AGA specific
  games.  I loved Animating with Deluxe Paint 4, I knew Wordworth inside
  and out got into generating fractal landscapes with VistaPro and 3D
  rendering with Real 3D. I would spend countless hours in Workbench,
  setting it up just the way I liked, I made my own icons very much
  inspired by MagicWB. Soon enough I need more performance and added a
  Blizzard IV, Squirrel SCSI and CDROM and I figured out how to make an
  RGB cable for my specific telly. Still... After Commodore went
  bankrupt and the chances of a successor to the A1200 evaporated I saved
  up and was able to buy a secondhand A4000 complete with 1942 monitor.

  The A4000 was amazing, even more so when I loaded it with a Cyberstorm
  Mk-III and a Cybervision 64/3D (with scandoubler) and maxed out the
  RAM. I had a eventually got a 17" monitor and ran Workbench in an
  unimaginably spacious resolution - compared to 640 x 512 anyway. By
  this time I was a long time loyal Amiga fan and enjoyed simply upgrading
  and pushing the limits, way beyond anything my younger self could have
  imagined. My A1200 was rehoused in an Infinitiv tower case and even ran
  Linux, launched from within Workbench. My A4000 spent some time as a
  Mac thanks to ShapeShifter and was my first computer to go online with a
  56K modem! I knew I was fortunate to have these computers and upgrades
  and it was hard to leave them behind when I left the country.

  It's funny. Years pass, you forget things - you don't even realise you
  miss things and then someone releases a Mini A500 thingum and you start
  watching retro channels. Soon you end up on eBay and a week or two
  later you boot up an A500 for the first time in... Let's say a while. I
  kept nearly all of my Amiga gear, all apart from the very first A500 and
  A500 Plus. I was able to collect everything from my childhood home
  where it had been mostly stored safely all this time and bring it back
  with me. Now I have them again I hope to share my experiences with
  repairing, restoring and upgrading them with modern stuff over the
  coming months and years, maybe my trusty A4000 will boot once more!

  It was an amazing time to experience and I'm glad I can do so again with
  a fresh perspective.



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kristiangk
Writers
============================================================================
  Name:                Kristian GK
============================================================================

  Aliases:

  Contact info: kristian@whatiff.info

  Websites:

============================================================================

  Bio:




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danielreimann
Writers
============================================================================
  Name:                Daniel Reimann
============================================================================
  Aliases:

  Contact info: daniel_reimann@freenet.net

  Websites:    Translator for www.amiga-news.de



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crtretro
Writers
============================================================================
  Name:                CRT Retro
============================================================================
  Aliases:

  Contact info: undisclosed

  Websites:https://www.beyondnostalgia.substack.com
	   https://www.crtartbooks.com


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bytebandit
Writers
============================================================================
  Name:                ByteBandit
============================================================================
  Aliases:

  Contact info: undisclosed

  Websites: