You'll need an emulator called UAE (http://www.amigaemulator.org/) or a port like WinUAE (which comes with a frontend and is much easier), a Kickstart file for the right system (Kickstart is the name for the Rom and varied from Amiga to Amiga) and some floppy disk images for the games themselves. There's a WinUAE guide here: http://www.tweakguides.com/Amiga_1.html and a more general beginner's guide here: http://cpc464.back2roots.org/menu.htm

It's very different to modern OSes if you don't tweak around but as a modern alternative the Icarus AROS distribution (http://www.icarosdesktop.org/) provides a modern continuation of the Workbench experience.

Outstanding. I will give this a go ASAP.

PS: I'm the author of this article. Had a great time thinking about all the fun systems I've played with over the years and researching their history.

Don't get me wrong, it's a good article and I enjoyed it. Props for mentioning BeOS, $deity bless her and all who sail in her ;)

No worries. I love the feedback. Fodder for a second installment? Keep the ideas coming.

Ok, in no particular order:

* Built in BASIC on the Commodore PET

* Folders in MS DOS (CP/M didn't have them)

* The trashcan in Macintosh System 6

* The start bar in OS/2

* I can't think of a single unique thing about Atari TOS

* The stability of Windows 2000 (compared to 9x and NT)