Amiga Forever
Developer(s)Cloanto IT srl
Initial releaseNovember 14, 1997 (1997-11-14)
Stable release
December 12, 2022 (2022-12-12) - Version 10
Operating systemWindows, macOS, Linux
LicenseProprietary
Websitewww.amigaforever.com

Amiga Forever is an Amiga preservation, emulation and support package published by Cloanto,[1][2] which allows Amiga software to run on non-Amiga hardware legally and without complex configuration.

The Windows[3] version of Amiga Forever includes a "player" software developed by Cloanto which makes use of "plugins" such as WinUAE as emulation engines, while relying on its own user interface for configuration and authoring. In addition to supporting common disk image formats, Amiga Forever can play back and author files in Cloanto's proprietary RP9 format. RP9 packages are compressed files that embed all media images, plus XML-based configuration and description data, and ancillary content like documentation, screenshots, audio tracks, etc.

Beginning from the 2012 version, Amiga Forever includes Cloanto's RP9 Editor for content authoring. Besides its own authoring and playback environment, and Cloanto's floppy disk conversion service, Amiga Forever includes WinUAE and WinFellow, and different versions of UAE and E-UAE for other platforms. All versions of Amiga Forever include different AmigaOS (m68k) environments and support to run a large range of Amiga games and demoscene productions which are available for free download from different software publishers and Amiga history sites. The Windows version also includes Cloanto's Amiga Explorer networking software, which allows access to Amiga resources (including virtual floppy, hard disk and ROM image files) from the Windows Desktop.

History

Amiga International, the owner of the intellectual property rights to the AmigaOS, sought to protect its property from people distributing unauthorized copies of the ROM files required for emulating Amiga software over the Internet.[4] On October 7, 1997, it announced on its website that it had granted Cloanto, publisher of Amiga productivity applications, the rights to publish an Amiga emulator containing the AmigaOS software. The first version of Amiga Forever was released on November 14, 1997, after its debut at the Computer '97 show in Cologne, Germany.[5] It was contained on a CD-ROM which contained a front-end for Windows and different versions of UAE for Windows, DOS, macOS and Linux, plus Fellow for DOS and a selection of Amiga Kickstart ROM images and Workbench disks.[6] The new plugin-based player software was introduced in 2007.

Amiga Forever was ported to Android (operating system) and appeared as a Google Chrome extension, both in 2013 as Amiga Forever essentials. In both cases, the application provides the necessary ROM files for emulators designed for Android and Google Chrome, respectively.[7][8]

Features

The Player in Amiga Forever 2008

Amiga Forever comes bundled with all versions of the official Amiga ROM and OS files, from versions 0.7 to 3.1.[9] It is also bundled with two preconfigured free and open source emulators UAE and Fellow.[10]

The Amiga Explorer is a networking framework that facilitates data sharing between a PC and an actual Amiga computer. It readily converts files stored on Amiga disk files into the Amiga Disk File format, and also allows PC users to mount drives on an Amiga machine, both for PC use.[11]

Other features include:

  • Emulation of Amiga hardware (allows Amiga software to run on a PC or mobile device)
  • Additional emulation and drivers (RTG graphics, SCSI, TCP/IP, AHI, CDTV, CD³², etc.)
  • Amiga Forever player software for Windows to access and launch content
  • Preinstalled games, demos and applications (web browser, paint, etc.)
  • Support for a large amount of downloadable Amiga games, demos and applications
  • Optional Live CD, based on Knoppix Light (boots a PC or Intel Mac directly into Workbench)
  • More than five hours of Amiga videos (two DVDs)
  • Gallery of items of historical interest

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Cloanto IT srl". Cloanto IT srl. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  2. ↑ Barton, Matt (2019). Vintage Games 2.0: An Insider Look at the Most Influential Games of All Time. United Kingdom. CRC Press.
  3. ↑ Lambert, Kole (1990). Computer Applications to Library. United Kingdom. EDTECH. p. 113.
  4. ↑ Sheriff, Alan (March 1998). "Q&A". CU Amiga. No. 97. p. 99. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  5. ↑ Webb, Brad (December 1997 – January 1998). ""Amiga Forever" ... Licensed Amiga Emulation From Cloanto". Amiga Informer. No. 11. Eldritch Enterprises. p. 10. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Amiga Forever". Amiga History Guide. August 9, 2006. Archived from the original on March 8, 2009. Retrieved March 6, 2009.
  7. ↑ Melanson, Donald (April 23, 2013). "Amiga Forever Essentials for Android promises to expand your emulation options". Engadget. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  8. ↑ Zota, Volker (December 12, 2013). "Amiga-Emulator im Chrome-Browser" [Amiga emulator for Chrome browser]. Heise Online (in German). Archived from the original on December 20, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  9. ↑ van Klaveren, Bart (July 9, 2009). "Software-update: Amiga Forever 2009". Tweakers.net (in Dutch). Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  10. ↑ Speed, Richard (January 3, 2019). "Found yet another plastic nostalgia knock-off under the tree? You, sir, need an emulator". The Register. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  11. ↑ Korn, Andrew (July 1998). "Product Test: Amiga Forever". CU Amiga. No. 101. p. 61. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
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