Should I upgrade to AmigaOS 3.1?

It really depends on what version of Kickstart you have. If you have a version below OS3.0 (any machine that doesn't have AGA), then I would definitely advise you to buy it. At present these upgrades are around £20-30 and will make your machine run much faster. If you have OS3.0 (A1200 and A4000), it is a more difficult choice. There is very little separating the two, apart from some CD drivers and advancements in the datatypes subclasses. If you are a programmer you will find these new things of use but for everyone else it is probably better that you wait until the upgrade becomes available during 1998, confusingly titled version 3.5.

What exactly does an operating system involve?

The AmigaOS upgrade pack involves a ROM chip, known as the Kickstart and 5 or more floppy disks. To upgrade your system the ROM chip in your Amiga will have to be removed and the new one installed. If you are upgrading to OS 2.1 from 2.04/5 this will not be needed, as there simply isn't a 2.1 ROM chip. It is also possible to buy just the 3.1 upgrade disks. These can be used with 3.0 with little discernible difference. If you own an old A500, it may require soldering a wire between two of the legs on the chip. In most instances, this wire is already (revision 6) installed, meaning owners of newer A500 and A2000's will need to cut it in order for it to work.

What versions of AmigaOS will work on my machine?

You can upgrade any Amiga to run 3.1 of the operating system. I have even heard of a few A1000 users (the first Amiga) installing it. However, this would take alot of modification and isn't for the faint hearted.

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