amiga-news.de - Interview with Patrick Roberts

02.Feb.2001
Christoph Dietz

Interview with Patrick Roberts
Christoph Dietz has done an interview with the programmer of 'zAMilo', the HTTP server which runs on test.amigadev.net:

Amiga-News: Hello Patrick, can you describe yourself?

Patrick Roberts: Age: 32, Born: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, Profession: Digital Effects Supervisor. I'm currently freelance and start a film for Dreamworks in a few weeks.

Amiga-News: What is your background whith Amiga?

Patrick Roberts: I started in 1987 with a dorm-mate's A1000, then got my own A500 shortly after. As next came an A3000, and now the AmigaDE. Before Amiga, I had a C=64, Vic-20, and used to program on a PET at a local library.

Amiga-News: I can't find a program from you on Aminet. Don't you released programs for the "classic" Amiga?

Patrick Roberts: The only programs I released for the Classic were some Playstation utilities - but did so anonymously to avoid any problems with Sony. (wotizpsx, tmd2lwo, and psximgtls)

Amiga-News: When and why did you start development for AmigaDE?

Patrick Roberts: I think it was last August. Right after the SDK 1.0 was released for Linux.

Amiga-News: We can see one of your products running on test.amigadev.net. It's the webserver. Did you use an existing webserver to port to AmigaDE or is this a complete new httpd?

Patrick Roberts: "zAMilo" was written from scratch, but was inspired by a micro-http server released by Ericsson for their mobile phones. I wanted to create a very small HTTP server for the AmigaDE that could be used for configuring an embedded system with a web browser. I'd like to someday use a browser on my PC to serve my VCR, tell my coffee maker when to have a cup ready for me in the morning, etc...

Amiga-News: What does "zAMIlo" stand for?

Patrick Roberts: The Ericsson server is called 'zilo', so for proper respects I kept their name and added in the standard Amiga "AM".

Amiga-News: What is the roadmap for this product?

Patrick Roberts: As I get time I want to add basic CGI and SSI support. I'm not sure beyond that.

Amiga-News: Is this your only project for AmigaDE?

Patrick Roberts: No ;P And that's one of my problems... not enough time for all of them :) Here's a list of my projects that are available from the Amigadev.net FTP archive:

Artix Nettext (toollib)
Artix Systools (toollib)
Etick (Graphical Ticker app)
zAMilo (web server)
forecast (world-wide weather reports)
AmiFlag (Minesweeper type game)
cnvtools (convert image and audio formats)
Elate-Winease (GUI management C header library)
memmon (Machine-languge monitor)

Here's what's in the works:

Artix Gfxtools (toollib)
vIcons (Vector based icon toollib)
madplay (port of MP3 player)

Amiga-News: What do you miss most in the AmigaSDK?

Patrick Roberts: Hmmm...hard question to answer since I know it will eventually exist, but:
Hardware 3D graphics support
Good text editor like nedit

Amiga-News: Are you using the AmigaSDK for Linux or Windows?

Patrick Roberts: I have both versions for testing, but I mainly use the Linux SDK.

Amiga-News: Do you think that OS4.0 for the classic Amiga's is needed?

Patrick Roberts: I don't have a classic any more (I own one, but have loaned it to a friend). I'm mainly looking forward to AmigaDE commercial release, but it would be nice if Amiga would continue to support all the classic users.

Amiga-News: You know about the amiga community. How do you think about it?

Patrick Roberts: I'm always amazed with the knowledge level of the Amiga community. I really happy to be a part of a community with so many geniuses that I can learn from.

Amiga-News: Your "last words" to our readers?

Patrick Roberts: All of us can make it happen!

[News message: 02. Feb. 2001, 14:07] [Comments: 0]
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