I posted this message a few moments ago in a thread where an end-user asked if this main board they want to buy is compatible with Haiku. As normal, and no offense to the responder at all, but they were given the normal visit the Haikuware Hardware web site for compatibility site. If there were tons of users using Haiku and all of us posted our exact configs on that site, it could be useful, but in reality, the data there is limited, old, and not really helping expand Haiku into the hands of possible users. Myself included.
Here is what I posted in that thread and figured I would post it in its own thread and see what others think. I would really digg seeing Haiku expand its user base, but at this point, I don;t see that happening. It is like pulling teeth finding a system that runs Haiku 100% for the basics, sound, networking, graphics, etc...
I really really feel the team at Haiku should find a common modern PC, whether it be a Mac Mini or whatever, that has sold in the millions, and get Haiku running on it. This way you have a better chance of expanding Haiku user base and show off such a cool OS. Right now you have a few dozen handfulls of users (or whatever it is) but it could be so much more.
I wish I was technical enough to make one work 100% like a Mac Mini or whatever and then help spread the word, test it for apps to run, and all that.
Anyway, I sure miss the BeBox days. 8-(
TJ
Email I posed in other forum thread....
This is by far, IMHO, the weakest link in getting Haiku into the users hands to show off how cool of an OS Haiku is..... lack of a 100% known system one can buy off the shelf that Haiku runs on all cylinders. This is what has made me gently move away from an OS I think could be awesome.
I am a BeBox owner and really would love to use Haiku, even to a point where daily use of it would take place for some of my computing. But, finding a known system is like pulling teeth. Everyone always points to the haikuware hardware site but there is really limited information there on systems that will work. Nice idea for people to put their known systems and what works but with such a small user base, the data there is real old or limited.
Opinion.... find a system that sells in the hundreds of thousands or millions, somewhat modern, and get Haiku running on it for those of us that want to explore Haiku. Being able to make our own system one day from this and that main board is fine but the Haiku platform will remain super small if that is all it caters to.
Heck, how about a Mac Mini... fairly cheap, millions of them, Intel based, we can have one known system out of the box that works with Haiku network and sound wise, etc...
I sure miss the BeBox days when you knew BeOS would run on the system you have.
TJ
