Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi the £20 PC

2011-08-04 Thread Norman Dunbar

Morning Jiri,


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKc_XGuvNIk


I watched it last night. Interesting. I did notice a couple of things 
that may or may not be relevant.


The ARM demo was described as something we are working on so I presume 
it's not finished, which is probably why there isn't a version of 
Windows for ARM. (Yet?)


But, having said that, I'm sure a lot of those netbooks have ARM 
processors in them and XP supposedly runs on them, so maybe I'm wrong.



When demonstrating the ARM system, he kept saying Windows Client. Now 
I've never heard anyone refer to Windows as Windows Client before, so 
I'm wondering if the ARM stuff is just a thin client package running 
Windows from soemthing like a Citrix server [or server farm - Citrix is 
extremely resource hungry].


Just a couple of observations.


Cheers,
Norm.

PS. I posted this last night from my tablet but it doesn't appear to 
have appeared - I wonder why.


--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
Thorpe House
61 Richardshaw Lane
Pudsey
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
LS28 7EL

Company Number: 05132767
___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm


Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi the £20 PC

2011-08-04 Thread Norman Dunbar

On 04/08/11 01:18, Marcel Kilgus wrote:

No, it's a proper, native port. Notice how he says that they've
re-compiled office for the ARM architecture. Windows NT used to be
available for several platforms (x86, MIPS, PPC, IA64), then it was
x86 only, now they again did a real ARM port to try to get their share
of the netbook/tablet market.
Ok, thanks. I was wondering about his choice of words. I have to admit, 
I never heard him say that they had recompiled Office.


Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
Thorpe House
61 Richardshaw Lane
Pudsey
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
LS28 7EL

Company Number: 05132767
___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm


Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi the £20 PC

2011-08-04 Thread Norman Dunbar

On 04/08/11 08:38, Norman Dunbar wrote:


PS. I posted this last night from my tablet but it doesn't appear to
have appeared - I wonder why.
I've noticed that although I replied, it has come up as a separate 
thread. Interesting.



Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
Thorpe House
61 Richardshaw Lane
Pudsey
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
LS28 7EL

Company Number: 05132767
___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm


Re: [Ql-Users] Bluetooth over serial

2011-08-04 Thread Memory Lane Computing Ltd

 -Original Message-
 Dilwyn Jones

 At just under £50 it seems interesting. Connects straight to a 9-pin D so
 should only need a simple QL to 9-pin D adaptor. Works at pretty well any
 baud rate from 1200 up, so good possibilities there especially with a
 superhermes serial port. Pairing can be achieved with a switch on the unit
 rather than software. Memory Lane Computing's next project perhaps?
 
 (I don't say that lightly, I know what you went through with the SerUsb,
 Adrian)

I'm afraid it's not in my business plan to tackle any further projects using
the QL breakfast cereal ports ;)


Adrian
www.memorylanecomputing.com



___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm


Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi the £15 PC

2011-08-04 Thread Dilwyn Jones
We're all taxing our grey matter to work out what the Raspberrypi 
won't do, or stretching it to the limit, but we shouldn't forget 
that the developers are firmly on track to provide a cheap means of 
enabling the new generation to develop programming skills from the 
fundamentals.  However they do express an interest in what folk 
envisage trying to do with it.  But we should avoid implied 
criticism of the facilities unless it directly relates to the 
objectives.  Let us concentrate on getting a QL+ built round it and 
forget hungry Windows.   My QL with XCHANGE from romdisq is 
brilliant and that is what I would like in more compact up to date 
form.


Bryan H
Whilst I agree with most of what you say, Bryan, the likeliest 
scenario for using it as a QL is that it will have some form of 
native OS with which a QL emulator would have to be run. Knowing what 
it can and can't do will most likely influence what sort of QL 
system we can make of it and plan ahead for, to some degree. If, as 
seems likely, it only comes with Linux (Ubuntu) then the likeliest 
scenario is that either an existing or modified uQLx would be the QL 
initially at least. I didn't mean to criticise it, in fact I'd hoped I 
was being enthusiastic (apart from the comment about clutter of 
cables).


The only reason I mentioned Windoze was that IF it was found to be 
capable of running any version of Windows, it opened up even more 
possibilities as regards using it is a QL emulator etc.


The developers have expressed an interest in getting some form of 
programming language on board and BBC BASIC and QL SuperBASIC have 
been mooted as possibilities, but also as one of the developers said: 
We'll be supporting at least C, Perl and Python. Programming's not 
for everyone though; the device makes a pretty good general-purpose 
computer too.


They've made it clear they want to find a way to implement BBC BASIC 
if they can - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_BASIC - it says 
there's even a version of that for the Spectrum, not to mention just 
about every platform except QL, although Wikipedia says a GPL clone 
of BBC BASIC named Brandy written in portable C is also available - 
now it would be nice to have BBC BASIC for the QL if a C programmer 
fancies the task.


What I'm getting at is there's little chance of Raspberry Pi running 
natively as a QL unless it's powerful enough to run a 68000 
emulation. Would be happy to be proved wrong of course!


Now what did Marcel once say about being unable to resist a 
challenge...   :-)


Dilwyn Jones 




___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm


Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi the £15 PC

2011-08-04 Thread Norman Dunbar

On 04/08/11 12:43, Dilwyn Jones wrote:

Whilst I agree with most of what you say, Bryan, the likeliest scenario
for using it as a QL is that it will have some form of native OS with
which a QL emulator would have to be run..


Based on the actual price of the device, around $25, then I am having 
extreme difficulty seeing how they can even begin to think about putting 
a commercial OS on there.


Many devices nowadays, for example, most ebook readers,  have embedded 
Linux of some sort simply because (a) it works and (b) it's free and so 
keeps the prices down.


I don't see Microsoft giving away free versions of Windows to help keep 
the price of anything down - well, not unless you are a big government 
agency or similar, but then you get screwed on support and software costs.


I suspect, but don't know, that it will come with some form of Linux 
onboard.



Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
Thorpe House
61 Richardshaw Lane
Pudsey
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
LS28 7EL

Company Number: 05132767
___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm


Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi the £15 PC

2011-08-04 Thread Lee Privett
Cluttering of cables sounds bad however based on the size it is likely
to turn out then the whole thing including a USB hub could be fitted
inside a QL BB, a way of converting the existing keyboard matrix to a
USB may prove difficult, however alternative USB keyboards could be
used instead, but then it wouldn't look like a QL :(

My second point (or question) for what it's worth is that other than
machine code routines, peek and poke for fixed memory (screen or
systems variables) does SuperBASIC need 680?? emulation?

Regards, 
Lee Privett

Editor
---QUANTA---
The QL Users And Tinkerers Association
http://www.QUANTA.org.uk



-Original Message-
From: ql-users-boun...@lists.q-v-d.com
[mailto:ql-users-boun...@lists.q-v-d.com] On Behalf Of Norman Dunbar
Sent: 04 August 2011 13:50
To: ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com
Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi the £15 PC

On 04/08/11 12:43, Dilwyn Jones wrote:
 Whilst I agree with most of what you say, Bryan, the likeliest 
 scenario for using it as a QL is that it will have some form of 
 native OS with which a QL emulator would have to be run..

Based on the actual price of the device, around $25, then I am having
extreme difficulty seeing how they can even begin to think about
putting a commercial OS on there.

Many devices nowadays, for example, most ebook readers,  have embedded
Linux of some sort simply because (a) it works and (b) it's free and
so keeps the prices down.

I don't see Microsoft giving away free versions of Windows to help
keep the price of anything down - well, not unless you are a big
government agency or similar, but then you get screwed on support and
software costs.

I suspect, but don't know, that it will come with some form of Linux
onboard.


Cheers,
Norm.

-- 
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
Thorpe House
61 Richardshaw Lane
Pudsey
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
LS28 7EL

Company Number: 05132767
___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm

___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm


Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi the £15 PC

2011-08-04 Thread Norman Dunbar

Hi Lee,

On 04/08/11 16:37, Lee Privett wrote:
 ...

My second point (or question) for what it's worth is that other than
machine code routines, peek and poke for fixed memory (screen or
systems variables) does SuperBASIC need 680?? emulation?


Well, I suspect that QPC will run under WINE on any flavour of Linux, 
and not necessarily one that has an Intel Processor of x86 fame beneath 
it. So QPC will probably run fine under WINE under Ubuntu on the Pi.


More specifically, SuperBasic is just a language - albeit a good one. 
So I suppose someone could write a SuperBasic interpreter/compiler in, 
say C, to be packaged up and/or compiled from source on any Linux.


If this person wasw to use something  like wxWidgets or QT, then the 
code would be cross platform and SuperBasic on Windows would be a 
possibility.


The obvious problem would be Machine code - unless the SuperBasic system 
had a built in 68000 emulator, then assembly will be a non-starter.


None (I presume) of the system variables and so on would be the same 
either. The *language* would be there, just not the platform itself.


I think!


Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
Thorpe House
61 Richardshaw Lane
Pudsey
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
LS28 7EL

Company Number: 05132767
___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm


Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi the £15.50 PC+

2011-08-04 Thread Lee Privett
Thanks Norman, I really don't know how much of a problem it is, its'
been over 25 years since I dabbled in m/c and then it was 8085 (I
think) using a hex keypad, too much for me but then came along
Sinclair ZXBASIC whoopee and the rest is history.

Moving to a PC with processors 8086, 286, 386, 486, 586? I have no
idea what is used now, dual core all singing and dancing means nothing
to me really. Point being, if machine code is essential, should not it
be using current systems rather than being original then  emulated
ones (whatever they are are)? RISC was supposed to be simpler and
faster I thought!

Two other unrelated points, is it just me that finds a QL emulated on
a RISC/ARM system ironically funny considering the history?

We are now in August the 'estimated' deadline has passed and surprise
surprise (no its not Cilla) à bicyclette from Sinclair not forth
coming n'est-ce pas :(

 
Regards, 
Lee Privett

Editor
---QUANTA---
The QL Users And Tinkerers Association
http://www.QUANTA.org.uk




-Original Message-
From: ql-users-boun...@lists.q-v-d.com
[mailto:ql-users-boun...@lists.q-v-d.com] On Behalf Of Norman Dunbar
Sent: 04 August 2011 17:00
To: ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com
Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi the £15 PC

Hi Lee,

On 04/08/11 16:37, Lee Privett wrote:
  ...
 My second point (or question) for what it's worth is that other than

 machine code routines, peek and poke for fixed memory (screen or 
 systems variables) does SuperBASIC need 680?? emulation?

Well, I suspect that QPC will run under WINE on any flavour of Linux,
and not necessarily one that has an Intel Processor of x86 fame
beneath it. So QPC will probably run fine under WINE under Ubuntu on
the Pi.

More specifically, SuperBasic is just a language - albeit a good
one. 
So I suppose someone could write a SuperBasic interpreter/compiler in,
say C, to be packaged up and/or compiled from source on any Linux.

If this person wasw to use something  like wxWidgets or QT, then the
code would be cross platform and SuperBasic on Windows would be a
possibility.

The obvious problem would be Machine code - unless the SuperBasic
system had a built in 68000 emulator, then assembly will be a
non-starter.

None (I presume) of the system variables and so on would be the same
either. The *language* would be there, just not the platform itself.

I think!


Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
Thorpe House
61 Richardshaw Lane
Pudsey
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
LS28 7EL

Company Number: 05132767
___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm

___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm


[Ql-Users] Just Words! wwebsite

2011-08-04 Thread Geoff Wicks
I have now added a QL news page to the Just Words! website.

This is experimental and I hope it will be a permanent feature, bit I give no 
guarantee.

Thanks to all the people who have visited the site. There were 489 visits in 
the first month although 168 of these were the Google and Yahoo search engine 
robots. I estimate about 300 visits from QL-ers which far exceeded my 
expectations,

Best Wishes,



Geoff

www.gwicks.net/justwords.htm

___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm


Re: [Ql-Users] Just Words! wwebsite

2011-08-04 Thread Tony Firshman

On Aug 4, at 19:59 | Aug4, Geoff Wicks wrote:

Geoff/

 I have now added a QL news page to the Just Words! website.
 
 This is experimental and I hope it will be a permanent feature, bit I give no 
 guarantee.
 
 Thanks to all the people who have visited the site. There were 489 visits in 
 the first month although 168 of these were the Google and Yahoo search engine 
 robots. I estimate about 300 visits from QL-ers which far exceeded my 
 expectations,
 
 It is worth repeating the URL - I for one don't know it.

Tony

-- 
QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:257/67) +44(0)1442-828255
  t...@firshman.co.uk http://firshman.co.uk
Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 Skype: tonyfirshman
   TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG

___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm


Re: [Ql-Users] Just Words! wwebsite

2011-08-04 Thread Rich Mellor

On 04/08/2011 21:45, Tony Firshman wrote:

On Aug 4, at 19:59 | Aug4, Geoff Wicks wrote:

Geoff/


I have now added a QL news page to the Just Words! website.

This is experimental and I hope it will be a permanent feature, bit I give no 
guarantee.

Thanks to all the people who have visited the site. There were 489 visits in 
the first month although 168 of these were the Google and Yahoo search engine 
robots. I estimate about 300 visits from QL-ers which far exceeded my 
expectations,

It is worth repeating the URL - I for one don't know it.

Tony


Yes - it is worth repeating the URL of Geoff's website -

www.gwicks.net/justwords.htm


--
Rich Mellor
RWAP Services
Specialist Enuuk Auction Programming Services

www.rwapservices.co.uk


___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm


Re: [Ql-Users] Just Words! wwebsite link

2011-08-04 Thread Lee Privett
It was on the original email from Geoff, just under his signature

Regards, 
Lee Privett

Editor
---QUANTA---
The QL Users And Tinkerers Association
http://www.QUANTA.org.uk




-Original Message-
From: ql-users-boun...@lists.q-v-d.com
[mailto:ql-users-boun...@lists.q-v-d.com] On Behalf Of Rich Mellor
Sent: 04 August 2011 22:58
To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com
Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Just Words! wwebsite

On 04/08/2011 21:45, Tony Firshman wrote:
 On Aug 4, at 19:59 | Aug4, Geoff Wicks wrote:

 Geoff/

 I have now added a QL news page to the Just Words! website.

 This is experimental and I hope it will be a permanent feature, bit
I give no guarantee.

 Thanks to all the people who have visited the site. There were 489
visits in the first month although 168 of these were the Google and
Yahoo search engine robots. I estimate about 300 visits from QL-ers
which far exceeded my expectations,

 It is worth repeating the URL - I for one don't know it.
 Tony

Yes - it is worth repeating the URL of Geoff's website -

www.gwicks.net/justwords.htm


-- 
Rich Mellor
RWAP Services
Specialist Enuuk Auction Programming Services

www.rwapservices.co.uk


___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm

___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm


Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi the £15 PC

2011-08-04 Thread Marcel Kilgus
Norman Dunbar wrote:
 Well, I suspect that QPC will run under WINE on any flavour of Linux,
 and not necessarily one that has an Intel Processor of x86 fame beneath
 it.

Hmm, where to begin... The very name of WINE itself stands for Wine
Is Not an Emulator. It does not do ANY CPU emulation. So, running QPC
is downright out. Actually there is a WINE port for ARM, but it only
works with Windows apps that have been cross-compiled for the ARM
architecture (QPC, being much assembler code, cannot be cross
compiled).
Additionally there is a way to employ the QEMU x86 emulator, but
I somehow doubt running an unsupported QEMU solution on such a slow
and limited platform would really work or be anything near usable.

 More specifically, SuperBasic is just a language - albeit a good one.
 So I suppose someone could write a SuperBasic interpreter/compiler in,
 say C, to be packaged up and/or compiled from source on any Linux.

While this is true, most power of the language comes from its
extensions and these would all have to be rewritten, too.

Cheers, Marcel

___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm


Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi the £15 PC

2011-08-04 Thread Marcel Kilgus
Dilwyn Jones wrote:
 Now what did Marcel once say about being unable to resist a
 challenge...   :-)

I've grown up since then ;-)

Marcel

___
QL-Users Mailing List
http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm