>Peter Graf and I do not exactly see eye to eye. We have agreed to disagree >when it comes to developing hardware for the Qx0. However, I must stand up >100% in support for him. The resellers do not wish to sell a Qx0 version >of SMSQ. The only way for them to supply Qx0 in this situation is to >become resellers themselves. This is a distraction from what they're >trying to do. Also, they may not be qualified, or may consider other >development tasks more pressing, than supporting SMSQ users. They cannot sell a SMSQ/E driven version of the Q40/Q60 without a copy of SMSQ/E or it would not work. Therefore they have to become resellers by default. If their product had a BIOS as PCs do then they could opt out. I have opted out of selling Q40/Q60 SMSQ/E not because I want to but because it is un-necessary. The O/S is on the chip when the user buys it and everything else is an upgrade and therefore freely distributable as far as I can see. The only obligation is that the upgrades are official versions. It costs nothing to the supplier except the cost of distribution and it is up to him how much he charges. > >If I end up handling hardware sales, would I have to become an SMSQ >reseller? I'm not qualified. But if the resellers declined to offer the >ZYXABC version of SMSQ (as they have done with the Qx0) I would have no >choice but to find someone who can do it, and add those support costs to >the cost of the product. Notwithstanding that I would have to keep >requesting and paying for current sources just to stay in tune. > If you want to put SMSQ/E on the GoldFire Chip then fine. Pay the fee, be a reseller and the same applies to you as the above. I did not say I would not support users of the Q40 SMSQ/E if they come to me for help and I would be happy to do the same for the GoldFire because I would buy one and even offer to sell them for you. >I think any reseller should be required to provide all versions of SMSQ or >none at all. As I said above I sell all of the software versions but the Q40/Q60 version is a hardware one so I cannot sell it as such. If you have a Q 40 I can offer to get a ROM blow for you and software updates are free apart from postage. I already supplied most of the people who bought a Q40 from me with several free updates by post and the Internet. > >Anyway, the situation is not a happy one. There are two main hardware >developers who would need to include SMSQ with a new product. D&D, and the >Goldfire outfit. D&D appears to be sidelined out of SMSQ, and if I were >selling Goldfires I would be sidelined too, just because of the >development hurdles being thrown down before me. No not true. We have sidelined no one.
-- Roy Wood Q Branch, 20 Locks Hill Portslade. Sussex. BN41 2LB. UK Tel : +44 (0)1273 386030 Fax : +44 (0)1273 430501 (New number!) Mobile +44(0)7836 745501 Web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk
