In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Peter Graf
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
<SNIP>
>It was in Nov./Dec. 1997, after I announced the Q40 in summer, and showed a
>prototype in fall. Looking back, it sounds amusing, but back then I was
>scared that my work had been almost useless, and considered to give up.
>Knowing that at least my graphics would be a lot better than the announced
>machine, made me decide to go on. It sounded like this:
>
>
>" U L T R A G O L D C A R D
>
>Miracle services is working with TF Services and Qbranch on a new
>accelerator card for the QL.
>...
>The processor will be the 68060 which is currently the fastest member of
>the 68000 family and should give an 8-fold speed improvement over the SUPER
>GOLD CARD. Memory expansion will be by way of a SIMM socket allowing for
>low cost RAM upgrade.
>...
>add some form of of improved audio interfacing
>...
>multiprocessing
>...
>The ULTRA GOLD CARD will have a high speed network so that many of these
>will be able to be connected together and use each others processing power.
>...
>In the not too distant future you will be able to come along to a workshop,
>plug in your ULTRA GOLD CARD to the network, and experiment with processing
>power rated in GIPS! "
This was not a competitor to the Q 40 but a direct response to
Qubbesoft's announcement of the Goldfire. It was conceived around my
kitchen table after one of the early shows when Miracle were still
active but only just. Jochen and I wanted to keep Stuart involved and he
seemed annoyed that Qubbesoft were 'poaching into his territory' by
doing an expansion card so he got fired up by the idea of the Ultra Gold
Card. Soon after he made the announcement he called to say that he was
not going to do it after all and then pulled out of QL stuff altogether.
He had looked into the available chips and come up with a list of things
that the card could do. He was also heavily into the idea of
multiprocessing.
--
Roy Wood
Q Branch
20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex BN41 2LB
Tel : +44(0)1273-386030 / Mobile : +44 (0) 7836-745501
Fax +44 (0)1273-381577
web site : http://www.qbranch.demon.co.uk/
