So, I started bitching about this on moo, and just thought I'd vent here too.

Seriously, it boils down to a bunch of brits who built a 35 dollar computer. 35 fucking bucks. And yet if I want freaking USB on any of my amigas, I get to spend 3-400 dollars. Why? Because of some vagina-fest involving the original designers?

Networking - Ariadne cards? Some douche on Aorg thinks they go for 100 bucks. and in amigaland thats CHEAP! A fucking network card. 100 bucks.

If they can make a whole goddamn computer for 35 dollars and not a network card (or a cheap-ass bridge card to open up those ISA slots) or a USB card or a freaking RTG card for under 100, even a build on demand one, I call shenanigans.

I want to USE my amigas, not line some d-bags pockets cos they want 400 bucks for usb connectivity.

Ok. I feel better now.

I'd noticed that on moo...

Here's how I see it...

Being a rich bastard the price of something shouldn't really matter to me...

On the other hand...

Being a miserly, total skinflint Scotsman with a wallet thetas tighter than a Badgers arse, I'm in 100% agreement with you on that...

I blame it all on the the blind followers of the "Kult Of Amiga" who think if it's got the Amiga name on it or has even had the merest mention somewhere in passing that they can tenuously tie it into the Amiga name with, that therefore it must be the only choice and they must pay whatever is asked for it because somehow, somewhere somebody said Amiga in the same sentence...

Freekin muppets...

I don't know how far these dudes have got with this but

http://usbip.sourceforge.net/

USB over tcp/ip.

If that software actually works then the issues become;
A) finding a decent network card for an amiga. (I don't know if that's an issue / how much of an issue.)
B) Getting that software ported to Amigoid OSes. ( Power2People bounties )

Then you could run Aros (Or Linux or whatever else) on some POS old PC and serve it's USB over your LAN to your actual amiga.

How's that for a sweet theory, the practice might be rather different.

On the topic of heinously expensive hardware

http://rhombus-tech.net/allwinner_a10/

I mentioned this on Aros-Exec in the hope that it would spur some ARM love, it's like the Raspberry Pi but potentially cheaper, potentially more open (see ARM Mali driver reverse engineering being done elsewhere) and much more powerful.

It's an interesting psychological exercise to read that page and keep reminding yourself of the features and price of an X1000.

B.

edit: Sorry I didn't notice that you were also bitching about the cost of network cards. I guess that USB over TCP/IP brainwave doesn't even work in theory then. Hmm.

What about something like this then?

http://www.saelig.com/product/ETH026.htm It's a network-stack-on-a-chip with RJ45 ethernet on one side and a serial port on the other.

Sod it, we (Team Crap) can buy a heap of them in, Franko can do the Youtube promo videos and box art, I'll pink lint all the amiga forums hawking these things, we can all chip in for a http://www.reprapcentral.com/vmchk.html to print little cases for them and sell them on amikit for $200 a go. Woohoo, we're quids in!

Back to reality: I assume that would work for you. (the WIZ110SR Serial to Ethernet Module, not the business plan)

B.

Edit: Wait a minute, You'd still need the usb over tcp/ip software and you'd need a new upgraded serial port eh?

What about those PCMCIA to USB adapters that you used to get for ancient laptops. Don't they work with A1200 / A600 at least? Or is there no software?

Bollocks to it, I give up, just wait for a Natami or an FPGA Arcade. Lol.

B.

Pink Lint !!! wassat all aboot...

pink lint -- just tried to write S P A M there and I got walloped with Pink Lint too

Odd, that's gonna muck up Monty Python quotes in future...

"pink lint... I don't like pink lint"...

Hmmm... not got the same ring to it has it...

PS: I aint got a Net and I don't work, so I'm it's not really a problem for me...

Oh look, just found some nice colourful marbles at the bottom of the screen... wonder who those belong too ....