amiga

Amiga refers to a family of personal computers developed in the 1980s by Amiga Corporation and later produced by Commodore International. First released in 1985 with the Amiga 1000, the line was notable for its multimedia capabilities, including advanced graphics, rich color handling, and sound hardware, which supported a range of real-time applications and games.

Hardware and architecture: Core components included a Motorola 680x0 CPU and a custom chipset originally called the Original Chip Set (OCS), later revised as Enhanced Chip Set (ECS) and Advanced Graphics Architecture (AGA). The chipset—consisting of Agnus, Denise, and Paula—provided hardware sprites, blitter operations, copper lists, and four-channel audio, enabling sophisticated visuals and audio for its era.

Models and market presence: The Amiga line encompassed home models such as the Amiga 500 and the more expandable Amiga 2000, as well as higher-end workstations like the Amiga 3000 and Amiga 4000. The platform also included the compact Amiga 600 and the Amiga 1200. Amiga systems found use in gaming, education, and especially video production and graphics work.

Software and operating system: AmigaOS, originally shipped as Workbench, featured a graphical user interface and multitasking capabilities. Over time, versions 2.x, 3.x, and later 4.x were released by various groups, with Hyperion Entertainment and other contributors delivering ongoing updates and new features on different hardware revisions.

Legacy: Commodore's bankruptcy in 1994 ended official production, but the Amiga platform persisted through licensing and community development. Its innovations in multimedia hardware and real-time graphics influenced later systems and digital video workflows, contributing to a lasting niche in retrocomputing, emulation, and preservation communities.