MorphOS is a PPC based microkernel operating system.
On top of Quark Microkernel runs an AmigaOS-like API environment to provide an immediate ease-of-use ambience for the user, instead of building from scratch a new API of its own that could require years to develop for a small team.
MorphOS is based on sandbox environments.
Actually two boxes are active:
- QBox enviroment laying underneath supporting all modern OS features, and contains Quark Kernel running the hardware... But not all features are active (like MMU) at this very moment as they need API of their own (API that are not yet developed).
- ABox environment, that features API taken from AmigaOS 3.1 with PPC support and mimics AmigaOS with a new GUI interface called Ambient, based on MUI (Magical User Interface).
ABox has the control of the computers MorphOS has been installed to, actually, and so it is the only one accessible to users at this moment, and thus features how MorphOS appears to public.
MorphOS is commercial product.
Beta version for Amiga Classic Computers is free.
MorphOS upto 1.4.5 is free for those who purchased Pegasos I and II computer motherboards now out of production.
Actual version runs on Pegasos computers, Efika mini motherboards and a various number of Macintosh PPC computers G4 and G5 equipped with ATI graphic chips.
MorphOS can be downloaded free from its site and works with no limitations for a demo time of 30 minutes. Then you have to reboot.
http://www.morphos-team.net/downloads License key costs 49 euro for owners of Efika machines.
79 euro for Pegasos and Macintosh computers.
111 euro is the cost for Powerbook owners.
Since version 2.0 you purchase lincense key and all updates are free. This could be end with version 4.0.
Since 2005 it is an almost 10 years policy of purchase OS once, then download all updates free of any charge.
This is more than offered by any other Operating Systems marketing services.
That's all for the minimal info.
All other informations are available online.
As long as Pegasos machines and Mac PPC are out of production since years we MorphOS users are looking with interest to new PPC motherboards and suggest MorphOS Team, the developes, to support it.