MorphOS is an AmigaOS-like computer operating system (OS). It is a mixed proprietary and open source OS produced for the Pegasos PowerPC (PPC) processor based computer, PowerUP accelerator equipped Amiga computers, and a series of Freescale development boards that use the Genesi firmware, including the Efika and mobileGT. Since MorphOS 2.4, Apple's Mac mini G4 is supported as well, and with the release of MorphOS 2.5 and MorphOS 2.6 the eMac and Power Mac G4 models are respectively supported. The release of MorphOS 3.2 added limited support for Power Mac G5. The core, based on the Quark microkernel, is proprietary, although several libraries and other parts are open source, such as the Ambient desktop.
Characteristics and versions
Developed for PowerPC CPUs from Freescale and IBM, it also supports the original AmigaOS Motorola 68000 series (68k, MC680x0) applications via proprietary task-based emulation, and most AmigaOS PPC applications via API wrappers. It is API compatible with AmigaOS 3.1 and has a GUI based on the Magic User Interface (MUI).
Besides the Pegasos version of MorphOS, there is a version for Amiga computers equipped with PowerUP accelerator cards produced by Phase5. This version is free, as is registration. If unregistered, it slows down after each two-hour session. PowerUP MorphOS was most recently updated on 23 February 2006; however, it does not exceed the feature set or advancement of the Pegasos release.
A version of MorphOS for the Efika, a very small mainboard based on the ultra-low-power MPC5200B processor from Freescale, has been shown at exhibitions and user gatherings in Germany. Current (since 2.0) release of MorphOS supports the Efika.
Components
ABox
ABox is an emulation sandbox featuring a PPC native AmigaOS API clone that is binary compatible with both 68k Amiga applications and both PowerUP and WarpOS formats of Amiga PPC executables. ABox is based in part on AROS Research Operating System. ABox includes Trance JIT code translator for 68k native Amiga applications.
Other
AHI – audio interface: 6.7
Ambient – the default MorphOS desktop, inspired by Workbench and Directory Opus 5 CyberGraphX – graphics interface originally developed for Amiga computers: 5.1 Magic User Interface – primary graphical user interface (GUI) toolkit: 4.2 Poseidon – the Amiga USB stack developed by Chris Hodges TurboPrint – the printing system TinyGL – OpenGL implementation and Warp3D compatibility is featured via Rendering Acceleration Virtual Engine (RAVE) low-level API: V 51 Quark – manages the low level systems and hosts the A/Box currently
MorphOS software
MorphOS can run any system friendly Amiga software written for 68k processors. Also it is possible to use 68k libraries or datatypes on PPC applications and vice versa. It also provides compatibility layer for PowerUP and WarpUP software written for PowerUP accelerator cards. The largest repository is Aminet with over 75,000 packages online with packages from all Amiga flavors including music, sound, and artwork. MorphOS-only software repositories are hosted at MorphOS software, MorphOS files and MorphOS Storage.
Bundled applications
MorphOS is delivered with several desktop applications in the form of pre-installed software.
Supported hardware
Max. 1.72 GB RAM; virtual memory is not supported. Only Radeon cards have support; Nvidia cards are not supported.
Amiga
Amiga 1200 with Blizzard PPC accelerator card
Amiga 3000 with CyberStorm PPC accelerator card
Amiga 4000 with CyberStorm PPC accelerator card
Apple
Mac mini G4
eMac
Power Mac G4
PowerBook G4 (except for 12" aluminum models) iBook G4 Power Mac G5 Power Mac G4 Cube iMac G5 (only model A1145 – G5 2.1 20" (iSight))