Could you introduce yourself, say a few words about yourself?

My name is Chris Hodges (my friends call me "Chrisly(bear)" though) and I'm currently 3^3 years old. I have finished my studies in computer science at the Munich University of Technology in April and am now working at a small software house called Jambit. I'm now using the Amiga more than half of my lifetime and am still happy with it. My interests include all forms of science, philosophy and psychology. I could elaborate, but I think my homepage tells more about me ;)

What Amiga do you use?

My main development machine is an original Escom A4000T tower equipped with a CyberStorm MK1/060@50MHz, 100MB, a scandoubler/flickerfixer, a CV64, an Algor USB with Norway combo, an Unity prototype board which holds a Melody Pro and a Silversurfer on two clockports. There is a second PPC equipped A1200, but I only turn it on once in a while for debugging reasons via the serial line.

What are the main things you like to do on Amiga? What tools/programs do you use very often?

The Amiga has a certain elegance in the system design. Okay, some designs turned out to be suboptimal, but in overall, the system is very lean and in some areas, still ahead of its time. Even though the hardware is now over ten years old, and only has a fraction of the possible CPU power today, the user interface is far more responsive than I have seen on any other operating system (especially Windows or X11 window managers). If something doesn't work, you normally know exactly how to fix it. You know the meaning of every single file on the harddisk. Try that on a Windows system ;)

I still use my Amiga for everything I do. I don't have an alternate computer (except for the Pegasos, but I count that as an Amiga). I'm doing all my email, webbrowsing, remote server work, my writing and programming, my artwork on my Amiga. I've stopped doing music and raytracing some time ago, but not due to lack of possibilities, but lack of time. So the main applications I use most are MiamiDx, YAM, IBrowse, AmTelnet (or openssh and XAmi X11 Server), AmIRC, GoldED, TVPaint, Amplifier, DeliTracker and of course Poseidon ;)

Speaking of music, in the past you created some music modules to your games and some of those modules and games are still available at your site. Some of the games were written in Amos. What made you to get interested in programming and Amiga music? What caused that you decided to change your interests by giving an Amos a break and starting doing some REAL programming?

It is always the same method: Once you start asking yourself "How far can I get? Let's see, if I am any good at this or that!", the next step is not far away. Unlike some other computers, the Amiga does not limit ones imagination in achieving something. As soon as you have the impression that the Amiga is not a machine that fights against you, but is a means to explore your creativity, it returns the necessary feedback to keep yourself going.

Speaking about the "real" programming: It was not a break, it never is. You gradually come to the limits and try to expand them. AMOS has lots of limitatons. Features were missing, the speed was poor. So the next thing is coming up with assembly language routines to compensate for the lacks. That's how my AMCAF extension came to life. And at one point, AMOS had become a bag with lots of patches and it was no use trying to fill it some more. So switched the programming language -- but this was not a break; you take all your experiences with you. Things evolve rather than jump sides.

How did your adventure with Amiga begin? What was you first program written for Amiga?

It started as usually -- you see the Amiga at a show or at a friends place and want to have one. Then you play games -- but this is not enough, it's too passive. After a while you start exploring the machine, making it your personal environment for working.

I cannot remember my very first programs, but I suppose one of them was called "Bobo", a painting program in AmigaBasic. And a game of Tic Tac Toe. This was so long ago... who knows. Some of these very first AmigaBasic programs are still available on my homepage.

Let us leave the past and try to concentrate on present and especially on USB stack and your other current projects. You are the author of USB stack solution for AmigaOS - Poseidon and FlashROM software - Luciferin. What made you to create them? Was it some personal need or rather some commercial offer? Or maybe it was a try to fill the gap (as far as I remember Poseidon is a pioneer in the USB market)?

Poseidon did indeed pioneer the USB market as the first "finished" product. But this was due to other USB stacks not seeing the light of day (except for Sirion, which is included with the Thylacine and OS4) -- neither Elbox, nor the UltraBus people, nor VMC released their USB stack so far. This was the main reason for me to write Poseidon -- E3B had the controller hardware ready for about a year, but the original software developer could not deliver in time. I provided Poseidon as a backup solution, also driven by the idea to propose a stack for all computers, especially MorphOS. I had long enough time to think about the design -- writing the first working version took a mere three weeks.

As for Luciferin, this was the next logical consequence -- Michael Böhmer already had made good experiences and providing a flashrom software solution was just a reasonal step. Again, E3B was the first to offer a complete and integrated solution, that after 18 months is still unmatched.

Were you offered to create USB stack for AmigaOS4 or maybe you have considered it all by yourself? Do you have any knowlege if Poseidon runs on AmigaOS4 or/and AmigaOne? What do you think about USB solution in OS4? How would you compare it with Poseidon?

Although claimed otherwise, I was never contacted about Poseidon for OS4. Ben Hermans stated in public that they would not abandon the efforts of the Sirion Stack developers in favor of my work. This is something I understand well and accept. Therefore, I did not offer Poseidon for inclusion into OS4 myself.

The 68k version of Poseidon should run without problems on the under OS4 on the AmigaOne -- but as long as there is no low level driver for PCI chipsets for the Poseidon API, it will not be functional. If I remember it correctly, Poseidon was shown to work a few years ago on classic Amigas running an OS4 alphaversion.

As of the OS4 stack, I'd rather see the complete and released product first, before giving any kind of judgement.

Poseidon is still under development. Although we haven't seen a new version for quite a long time, I suppose that you are constantly improving the USB stack. What can we expect in future version? What are your plans concerning Poseidon?

Development was going on slowly during the final stages of my computer science studies. Some months ago, I had time to resume development and yes, there are lots of things to come. It is too early to give a definite list of improvements and new features since V2.2, but I might say a few keywords: Palm PDA support, improved Trident, improved API for developers, new HID class, improved mass storage class, USB2.0 support. There are more things planned, as including USB2.0 drivers, infrared and possibly locale support. You'll see "when it's done." :)

Next to Poseidon and Luciferin, are there some other projects you are currently working on? If yes, could you say a few words about them?

There actually a few private projects (websites etc.), but as I am very busy already with Poseidon, other planned projects have been set back for some time now, like a schedule/calendar thingy and a tiny disk manager. Unfortunately, USB is a field where you could just go on and on, adding more different drivers all the time. Sure, this will not go on forever ;-)

What is your attitude towards querrels (not saying "fight") between AmigaOS4 and MorphOS fans/users? Are you trying to identify yourself with one of the sides?

Hardly any other computer has more emotionally bound users than the Amiga. Especially, after a so long time of disappointments and lies, there is a certain feeling of bitterness in everybody. This, however, should not be the base for rational arguments. Both teams have spent a considerable amount of time for their products and both sides should earn respect for the things they have achieved. If I think about the time wasted by people writing and reading those postings on the various websites, I'd rather like to see this energy spent on something productive. What really bugs me, is the ignorance of the other product (and this is not limited to MorphOS<->AmigaOS4), reinventing the wheel over and over again.

While I do favour MorphOS (especially the people and the spirit behind) and the Pegasos, others might not. There's nothing wrong about this. Everybody can and should make their own decision and will have reasons for that.

You own Pegasos. Have you considered buying also AmigaOne? What do you fancy more: AmigaOS4 or rather MorphOS?

As of my very personal (!) decision, I will not go for an A1 as the Pegasos (II) is superior -- and I don't have that much money to spend. Also, the handling of hardware flaws is not what I consider truthful. No hardware is free of bugs, the difference is how you deal with them. In my opinion, Eyetech (and to some respect also Hyperion) have not made a good impression.

It's been a while since I last watched an alpha or betaversion of AmigaOS4. I'd rather wait for the full release.

Getting to the end of this interview, I would like to ask you about your attitude to emulation of AmigaOS. What do you think about Amithlon, WinUAE, AROS (it is a bit different think)? Do you believe that they can substitute AmigaOS in full compatibility or it is rather impossible (at least now)?

Both WinUAE and Amithlon are a "dead-end" in respect to future development. They are meant for running old software at different speed and compatibility levels. In that respect, they are really great. But I see no future in remaining at OS3.1/OS3.9 level.

AROS is a different approach, it tries to rewrite AmigaOS with source level compatibility, meaning there will be not emulation involved (not binary compatible), but instead full cross platform portability. I'm not sure what their roadmap is for the future regarding a modern, next generation platform, but the efforts are quite impressive. And moreover, it clearly showed that both the MorphOS and AROS teams can work together in a symbiotic way. If AROS gets a CPU emulation at some stage, they might be able to provide backwards compatibility, although I don't believe this is desired.

Some final words from you?

If all those users out there could once forget about the bad feelings, rise about 400km above the ground, and have a look back at the earth, maybe they would set their priorities differently. Maybe they will realize that there are no camps, no sides, no black and white yin-yang thingies, but efforts to make the world a better place. And the computer industry, but even more the users really deserve it. I don't want to imagine ten more years of Microsoft reign.

Thanks for listening.

Thank you for your time answering all these questions.

Thank you very much, dude. ;)

Polish version of the interview can be found here.