In message <4c17fed1.9080...@qbranch.demon.co.uk>, Roy Wood
<qbra...@qbranch.demon.co.uk> writes
On 15/06/2010 21:58, Malcolm Cadman wrote:
<SNIP>
There is an audience for retro computers - of which the QL is one.
A software package, or easy access to free or low cost software,
would be essential to tempt users in. As they need to see something
to be done with the system - and will not be interested in finding it
all out for themselves.
Once interest is kindled, then users will get interested in acquiring
original hardware and original add-ons, as well as using the
emulator(s) on PC hardware ( or others ).
Most users, on this list, are not a part of this target market - as
most already have several QL hardware items, and a lot of software;
plus long experience.
The latter need tempting in a different way, by some new hardware or
software, for the 21st Century - as the QL was a 20th Century invention.
I have QDT, which I use all of the time as the main "desktop" for a
QL system. Yet it is not finished - the file manager side is not
complete; and it lacks a lot of other "functionality".
I also use Launchpad to compensate for QDT's deficiencies in the file
management area.
Both Quanta and QL Today could be involved in this type of promotion
of the QL.
OK - head above the parapet again and , to quote Sir Henry, 'first
chink of reality and youre dead'
I spent a lot of time, enthusiasm and energy on the QL (not as much as
Tony, Dilwyn and Jochen, but enough). The approach of saying 'here is a
free emulator, now look at what we have' is fine except.......what do
we have?
The QL was a business computer in concept. Very few games of any note.
Right now, as was pointed out earlier, there is no decent word
processor and no other, modern, usable, software. QPC2 runs just fine
on my W7 machine, but why would I use it? If I was a new user what
would make me want to buy it and run it?
On my W7 and XP machines I run music software, word processing and
spreadsheets, email, photo manipulation and website creation software.
What is there on the QL side of things that matches this? The QL was
fun to program in SuperBASIC ( I never got any further) and, back 18
years ago, would multitask when most PCs could not (nor can the iPAD),
but it was rapidly overtaken by modern hardware and software.
What I was saying before still applies. If you want to keep it alive
you need to keep the scene alive. You need innovation and you need some
sort of commercial operation. I know that there are a whole bumch of
'free software' guerillas out there but no free software has ever
matched the commercial stuff - sad as that may be.
I will never abandon it completely because it taught me a lot of the
fundamental principles of computing. I have a lot of affection for it
and for many of the people in the QL community because we did all those
shows and we went through all that but you have to take off the rose
tinted goggles and take a hard look at what you are promoting - and
then decide what you do from here.
Hi Roy,
I am glad that you are back on the QL scene - we need some good debate
... :-)
Rich Mellor has pointed out, several times, how successful other retro
computers are now being ( a new life ).
The QL can be the same - although to a smaller segment - and again Rich
has shown the way with his creation of the QL Wiki. Which has also
included bringing out the games that are available for the QL.
--
Malcolm Cadman
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