I was wondering, if AROS is going to start gaining interest from people who aren't familiar with how Amigaoid systems work (e.g. from the RPi community), would it be an idea to have a FAQ of maybe a sticky thread where those new to the system can get help or access a knowledge base on the fundamentals?

Cheers,
Nigel.

That's a good idea.

Maybe AROS also would benefit from an introductory PDF Manual. Something like a simplified version of the Icaros Desktop Manual.

[quote name=ntromans post=13750]@ntromans - I was wondering, if AROS is going to start gaining interest from people who aren't familiar with how Amigaoid systems work (e.g. from the RPi community), would it be an idea to have a FAQ of maybe a sticky thread where those new to the system can get help or access a knowledge base on the fundamentals?

Cheers,
Nigel.[/quote]

that is a good idea. The most people there propably only know RiscOS and Linux and in many cases never owned a amiga.

FAQs Infusion is available on this site and judging from the latest developmens, the time seems to be optimal to re-enable them back.

Additionally, there is also Blogs if anyone wants to start using them. Let me look at the categories to see what needs to be removed and what needs to be added.

Also, I am looking for some volunteer to help with the content and/or managing the different options/content on this site. PM me if you are interested.

thank you for your work.
but i think aros distribution and aros is not well organized and user friendly and need some polish before publicize.
For examble i have an a600gs and amibench is far better

Desktop clean
[img]https://amigang.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/a600gsos-1024x576.jpg[/img]

Application well organized
[img]https://amigang.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/A1200ng_amibench_unarchiver-1024x576.png[/img]

In standard aros no browser, no basic app.
In aros one browser is on "extra"
dock boingdock is ugly
standard theme is confusing user

Can aros be better?

For me it's an emotional thing, I've been using Aros for a long time, what I have is enough!

[quote name=matteo post=13762]@matteo - thank you for your work.
but i think aros distribution and aros is not well organized and user friendly and need some polish before publicize.
For examble i have an a600gs and amibench is far better

Desktop clean
[img]https://amigang.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/a600gsos-1024x576.jpg[/img]

Application well organized
[img]https://amigang.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/A1200ng_amibench_unarchiver-1024x576.png[/img]

In standard aros no browser, no basic app.
In aros one browser is on "extra"
dock boingdock is ugly
standard theme is confusing user

Can aros be better?[/quote]

Sad to admint but I have to agree with you Matteo. No offense to the distro developers but I think AROS does need a bit of a face lift to make it more appealing to the eyes of users who are first discovering AROS.

@amigamia I think it might definitely be worth looking into a FAQ page. I did have a poke around in the blogs page but couldn't see a way to actually start one; I was probably missing something really obvious.

@miker1264 I have been thinking of an introductory guide, anyone remember 'The very first' disk back on the A500? If no-one else desperately want to do this I'll be happy to work something up.

@matteo I think you've been working with the 64 bit release candidates? These are stripped down contain just the essential parts required to test the system, but this makes them very quick to download, install and test. For a far more complete package (including web-browser) and a polished interface have a look at AROSOne or TinyAROS, for example in AROSOne AmigaSystem has produced consistent custom icons. Definitely For new users starting off with a distro would be far more comfortable than a nightly or development release, but of course as you become familiar with the system you realise how customisable it is, far more so than Windows. But coming back to my original point, AROS (and Amigaoid in general) do things in a particular was which is very logical once you've unlearned how other systems work (don't get me started on the mess that is Windows 11 settings...) so a first time user guide could be useful.

Cheers,
Nigel.

in a constructive way.

I propose to open a project for the graphic arrangement of aros with tools made available by the system

Amiwell79, i'm happy you are ok but you agree that amibench is better and clean?
Is not possibile create something similiar to amibench?

GENERAL
- too much "about" in wanderer right clic menu
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/8PH2KGcX/aros1.png[/img]

- quit, shutdown, restart, restart aros?? too much
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/bJrrJgMG/aros2.png[/img]

- theme arosdefault is not default
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/G3ktp4gq/aros3.png[/img]

- theme arosdefault very heavy with window background
- theme arosdefault window menu: add close with X on the right window
- theme xstreams and aros default must be 1. X red to close window on the right
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/HLyHPNqG/aros4.png[/img]

PREFS
- Appearance, Wanderer, Zune -> same area. Maybe 1 pref?
- some prefs name are incomprehensible, is possibile rename? ahi-> audio, trident-> usb, icontrol??, PSI??

TOOLS
- Quickpart and hdtoolbox same thing? maybe 1 app?
- Boingiconbar not starting -> very sad. Maybe autostart add boot?
- wimp??

USABILITY
- owb or another browser not present
- app store to find, download and install app not present

Darker theme, It's hard to read. Dark gray writing on dark gray.

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/MGN0zn3z/aros5.png[/img]

@matteo
Are you sure that a600gs is better organized than AROS 68k? Have you ever tried AROS One 68k?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI2WS4qum2k&t=46s

Aros look and feel project with help of developers contributing to aros

@ntromans

I mentioned the PDF Guide from Icaros Desktop because although I don't maintain a distro like other well known and talented maintainers the one that I setup as my test system environment I call "Aeros Desktop".

It has the look of Icaros Desktop with Ken's v4 icons which I have permission to use, but it's a very lightweight version of AROS that uses Magellan not Wanderer.

I chose the name Aeros because of the way European users pronounce the word as "ae-ros" & desktop because it's similar to the old Icaros.

With that in mind I wanted to put together a User Guide. I'm also making some new PNG Glow Icons. I especially don't like Gorilla Icons!

[quote name=matteo post=13770]@matteo - Aros look and feel project with help of developers contributing to aros[/quote]
I don't understand what you mean!

I owned an A600GS, I used it for a while, I didn't dislike AmiBench, but I've been used to AROS for too long. I don't care about the theme, there are some interesting applications, but this isn't mainstream and you have to adapt. I only use Odyssey Web for sites that talk about Amiga. Anyway, Deadwood will update it, it's at the top of the to-do list.

i propose to open a "project", maybe in github, where is possibile discuss the design of aros default.
Perhaps the results of these discussions could be followed by contributors, if they'd like, to provide direction. Or, if there are tools for modifying aros, use them to adjust the default look and feel.

I propose to create a base Look And Feel for new users more polished, clean.

If a developer ask to test a build, you need to have something usable and not waste hours and hours trying to get something manageable going.

My experience:
- aros test build of deadwood in vmware workstation
- no browser, no internet connection
- how copy contrib? tested wget in shell... no. i created a iso with zip, then create a dvd and copy files... error

It's difficult

[quote name=matteo post=13762]@matteo - thank you for your work.
but i think aros distribution and aros is not well organized and user friendly and need some polish before publicize.
For examble i have an a600gs and amibench is far better

Desktop clean
[img]https://amigang.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/a600gsos-1024x576.jpg[/img]

Application well organized
[img]https://amigang.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/A1200ng_amibench_unarchiver-1024x576.png[/img]

In standard aros no browser, no basic app.
In aros one browser is on "extra"
dock boingdock is ugly
standard theme is confusing user

Can aros be better?[/quote]

Right, however you need to consider that A600GS is a commercial product by AmigaKit (and behind it there is A-EON...) and they have the financial and human resources to make it "user friendly", obviously there are (not few) people who are working on it and get paid. Completely different situation on AROS, you know, it's free and thus just (few) volunteers work on it, only when they have spare time, of course.

there are many resources like https://www.amiga-look.org
And maybe are little things to do that can have big impact

Like
- add a browser in development version
- add a "programs" folder with a list of selected programs ordered
- only amigoid themes... delete darkender, ice, mason
- add a "home" with download, music, videos, documents...
- change icon set
- add a dock in wbstartup with essentials programs..
- rename prefs like "ahi" in "audio preferences"
- add 2 games for testing

@matteo
Build are not distributions; they are the core reference base, and that’s how it should be because it makes it easier to test any software.

Users should download distributions that include browsers and a wide variety of software.

Currently, there are two native distributions: TinyAROS and my own AROS One, which is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions (link in my signature); the 68k version is still under development.

Then there are Linux-based distributions such as AROS Portable and AROS Portable Games.

I agree that the default look and feel of AROS compared to other modern operating systems is sorely lacking!

Coming from for example Linux Mint to AROS, see the default setup of the Nightly Build fresh install it looks like a toddler made it drawing in crayon!

Seriously, it looks really bad.

Now that I have ABIv11 setup on my cross compiler PC I can now setup ABIv0 if for no other reason to mess with the default icons & theme parts of the AROS Vanilla Build. I think I can put together a nice default icon set similar to Faenzaros style square icons, something old, something new. I will also make an app similar to ilbmtoicon that uses Neuquant.