Re: [ql-users] Progress bar
- Original Message - From: Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, February 09, 2003 2:55 PM Subject: Re: [ql-users] Progress bar Sun used a spinner to show work being done. Basically it's a dash (-) then a slahs (\) then anther dash, and then the other slash (/). When printed at the same location, it looks like it's spinning. and a host of others. This spinning chr is also on Promise Raid card. ... and in XTreeGold. And closer to home, by Geoff Wicks in his programs, e.g. in QL2PC while transferring a large file. There is nothing particularly clever in this. QL-2-PC is transfering word processings files byte by byte and everytime it comes across a full stop it prints either a forward or backward slash. This is just to let the user know that the program and the computer had not crashed. I have just rebuilt a QTYP dictionary using QTYP_ded and this program does not have this facility. You spend a lot of time wondering if there has been a crash. QL-2-PC always checks the length of a file and it would be a simple matter to have a bar indicating progress, but I wonder whether this would be worthwhile. Most transfers are fairly quick and adding a progress routine would slow down the process. BTW I shall use the opportunity to publicise my new email address - [EMAIL PROTECTED] - this is my prefered address from now on, although I shall keep the hotmail address for a little while yet. Geoff Wicks.
Re: [ql-users] Clashing workshops
- Original Message - From: Malcolm Cadman [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yet there is a lot to consider, such as : * Workshops are organised by volunteers ... and we are struggling for active members to support regular meetings, let alone Workshops. * London and the South-East are big enough to attract enough support, which can be sufficiently different. Byfleet is 'miles away' for me ! As is Hove. * Not all traders can make every event, which is acknowledged. * There are European and American dates not to clash with. * When we analysed this last year the London Group found that November was one of the very few 'slots' available. * If a Workshop is to be 'annual' then it is useful to have it at the same time every year ... this helps people remember and to plan their own calendars. * It is already June, so six months on the year gone by :-) I fully understand that Byfleet is miles away. In fact, all of 21 miles and 35 minutes from Waterloo by train. However, I can assure you that if you take a few beads and baudles with you to give them as presents, you will find the natives quite friendly. Sorry to be sarcastic, but it is a bit rich to know that I shall be talking to my near neighbours from Derbyshire and Manchester at Byfleet, but that it is too far for Londoners to travel. The practice learns that if two shows clash, then the attendance at both will be mediocre and the punters will go home from both with the impression that workshops are no longer worthwhile. There is a good case for a London show, but please get together with Hove and Byfleet to co-ordinate dates. If we to have more shows in the UK, then we need them in the north. I would make a special effort to attend any show outside the South East. (And I write this as a trader who until now has found every show north of Watford a commercial disaster.) Or perhaps we should accept reality, and officially declare the QL as dead not only north of Watford, but also north of the Thames. We should learn from two experiences overseas. Eindhoven once had a high reputation for its international shows, and there is no reason why it could not still have. Unfortunately there was a unclear policy which of the six yearly workshops was local and which international, a situation in which traders were stupid enough to collude. Now attendance at all Eindhoven shows can be counted on your fingers and your toes. In contrast North America has just one show a year, which is carefully and thoroughly planned and organised. I have never been to one, but from all accounts users go not just for the show, but also for the social contacts. And they go with great enthusiasm. Geoff Wicks.
Re: [ql-users] Attention of Tony Firshman
- Original Message - From: Roy wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] I normally hold the Hove show late Feb or Early March. This year's was later because of the AGM but, if you want to go for a London show in January I will move the Hove one to the end of April. Is that OK for everyone ? -- In your absence both on the list and privately, there has been a little bit of traffic on this and January seems a good idea for a London show. If you go for late April one problem could be the QUANTA AGM. I suspect Manchester may want this so that it is north and south in alternate years. May be worthwhile to check that out first. Geoff PS for all those chemistry lesson vandals, that sort of thing did not go on at my school, because every boy was expected to behave as a gentleman. However it could have been more to do with the fact that the chemistry master kept a piece of rubber tube concealed in his gown. No marks on the body so nothing in the punishment book!
[ql-users] Silly season, but on-topic.
I was editing a word list for a QTYP dictionary today and came across the following: Mispelt word: Microfossil PC spellchecker correction: Microsoft Geoff Wicks
Re: [ql-users] Quanta Workshop in Norwich
- Original Message - From: Tarquin Mills [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [ql-users] Quanta Workshop in Norwich Suggested dates are March 6,7,13,14,20,21,27,28, please pick one. Possible times are 10pm to 5pm. -- Sorry I can't give any firm suggestions about dates or give a firm promise to be there at this notice. Having said that I would want to give a Norwich show a high priority because of what I have earlier said on this list about the need to break the stranglehold the South East has on shows. I would probably choose Norwich over one of the more established workshops. Please don't be put off by what I am now going to write. The show agenda for early next year is beginning to look crowded. London and Norwich are now being planned and we can also expect Hove and a QUANTA AGM all before end April/early May. (Although given that QUANTA now no longer has respect for its own constitution, it must be seen as being an unreliable, loose cannon.) Practically I think it unlikely that I would be able to attend all these workshops and I think this will probably true of most traders, particularly those who have long distances or overnight stays to get to shows. We really need to start thinking about what the frequency and purpose of workshops should now be. The attendance at the last shows has been fairly low and frankly they are beginning to offer very little to the average QL user. Their main purpose now seems to be meeting old friends and updating software from the traders. There are now no talks, no demonstrations, few people bringing their own QLs, hardly anyone giving advice or asking advice. This may be OK for the in-crowd, but not much use for people on the periphery of the QL community. The one place that still seems to have the golden touch is North America. What can we learn from them? Geoff Wicks
Re: [ql-users] Quanta Workshop in Norwich
- Original Message - From: Bill Cable [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Quanta Workshop in Norwich I am afraid the North American group is suffering from the same problems as the UK groups. We are lucky that Jochen and Marcel and Roy and in past years Tony and Darren like to come over even without the chance of many sales and others take it as an opportunity to come over for a holiday at the same time. Having Phoebus over here going to school is also a big plus because he has so much energy for the QL. We have one person, Al Boehm, who does his best to motivate and organize and delegate but being such a large country we are spread very thin and some of the most active QLers can not come to the shows. Thanks for the reply and to all the others who replied. Sorry to hear that attendance is also a problem in North America, but the point I was trying to make was that from the reports in QL Today it appears that North America still has shows old style with talks, demonstrations and a good social occasion. You can be sure that people would not come from Europe each year if they did not enjoy the shows. Mind you, Al can be a pretty persuasive person. We seem to have a specific problem in the UK that next year lots of people seem interested in organising shows, and that's welcome, but it is too many for those of us who have to travel long distances. Another question is what we do at shows now that numbers are smaller. I don't know the answer to this, which is one of the reasons I started the discussion. Maybe we have to think of putting more emphasis on social events and less on the QL for at least some of the shows (e.g. QUANTA AGM). A QL2000 type event, on a slightly less lavish scale, should be possible once a year, but then we have to think how we give form to more local workshops. Malcolm Cadman made a good point a few weeks ago when he said that organising a shows helps to build up enthusiasm in a local group. Geoff Wicks.
Re: [ql-users] QL 2003/4 (was Norwich Workshop)
- Original Message - From: Roy wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Quanta Workshop in Norwich I'd like to suggest that as 2003/4 is the 20th anniversary of the QL, a big publicity splash be given for one show to celebrate this, in much the same way as we had QL2000 or whatever that one in the Horizon Centre was called. A one off special, well advertised so that international visitors can have the chance to attend as well, in other words, at a venue reasonably close to either sea or air ports. I could suggest we do it at Hove. The venue is not as big as then Horizon Centre but it might do if we use the extra room that the committee were in. -- This seems quite a good idea as Hove is a well established show and Brighton a good area. There are one or two practical problems. QL2000 was a very expensive workshop and thus not repeatable every year. We would need to find out whether QUANTA could subsidise the event and by how much. Also timing would be important. Brighton is probably at its best at the beginning or end of the season when it would also be easy to get hotels. (I appreciated the May show this year since every February/March so far it has been cold, windy, often wet, and uninviting.) There would have to be some form of social programme both for QL-ers and for their guests. This would mean somewhere for the workshop dinner etc. Also we would need to decide how long the workshop would be. Two days or one and a half days. Also a programme of activities for the workshop itself. This all means much more work than a normal Hove show, which should not all fall on the Sussex group. What help and support would you need?
Re: [ql-users] Irish Meeting (was Norwich workshop)
- Original Message - From: John Hall [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Quanta Workshop in Norwich Well guys, which is it? The bank Hol will be busy here - there is always an invasion from the UK then. The following weekend the kids are back to school... weekend of the 23rd or the 30th?? I vote for the 30th :-) Can we please change the subject when the topic changes? There are three threads here each of which is important in its own right. These are: Norwich Workshop QL2003/4 Irish Meeting. It is beginning to get confusing. BTW Darren I am not sure whether I will be present or not until I have had time to think about it. I shall also need cast-iron guarantees about my safety! (For people mystified by the last bit, I should perhaps mention that I am 1/16th Irish. This made me a good mate of Darren until he discovered that my great great grandfather was in Ireland as a corporal in the 36th Foot Regiment.)
Re: [ql-users] Quanta Workshop in Norwich
- Original Message - From: Tarquin Mills [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Quanta Workshop in Norwich Tarquin Mills Suggested dates are March 6,7,13,14,20,21,27,28, please pick one. Possible times are 10pm to 5pm. [snip] Would people prefer a different month? -- Sorry to have caused you so much trouble about the date, but its better to get this problem sorted out early rather than wait for a panic at the end of the year. It's good that everyone is trying to plan in advance and be flexible. Unfortunately it's almost impossible to give advice as the silence from QUANTA has been deafening. The QUANTA AGM has to be held before the end of April and this is the winter/spring workshop that is usually the best attended. The date and place of the QUANTA AGM has repurcussions for both Norwich and Hove. I know at one time Manchester were thinking of holding a workshop once every two years so that they could host the AGM. The idea being that it could be north and south alternate years. I do not know if they still plan a workshop in 2004. An added complication is that QUANTA usually insists that a well established workshop hosts their AGM. If you try a date before the QUANTA AGM we still have the problem of too many shows clashing, but if you try after the AGM summer approaches and there are often workshops in America and on the continent that are a priority for traders. I still think it important that we have a Norwich show. You have a started a user group in the area, which is quite an achievement these days and this deserves recognition from the rest of the QL community. Best Wishes, Geoff Wicks.
Re: [ql-users] Quanta Workshop in Norwich
- Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Quanta Workshop in Norwich QUANTA should fund it - Can anyone from QUANTA make a comment on this? Are there any of the QUANTA guys still on this list?? I am also beginning to ask this. I have been making increasingly critical comments about QUANTA on this list and getting no response. Do they still exist? There are more elusive than so called *weapons of mass destruction. Geoff Wicks * A little bit of politics included to upset Tony. Work out for yourself whether I mean Blair or Firshman.
Re: [ql-users] Bird Flu (OT)
- Original Message - From: Bill Waugh [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Original Message - From: gwicks [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2003 7:15 PM I have been making increasingly critical comments about QUANTA on this list and getting no response. Do they still exist? There are more elusive than so called *weapons of mass destruction. Geoff Wicks * A little bit of politics included to upset Tony. Work out for yourself whether I mean Blair or Firshman. Yes lets keep politics out of it Point taken Bill, but I'm sure you'll like this one. After reading this list I went to the website of Radio Netherlands to pick up their main Dutch stories. As you may know there has been a serious outbreak of bird flu in the Netherlands, which has led to scenes rather like the foot and mouth crisis. In one area they had to use asylum seekers to clear up the carcasses which was difficult to do legally. To solve the problem the local tax inspector allowed them to use an NI number and register under the name F Birdflu. The Society for Hobby Pet Owners (who opposed the slaughter) are now prosecuting the tax office for criminal acts and forgery. The Ministry of Finance accepts this should not have happened, but adds that it was a crisis situation. Best Wishes, Geoff.
Re: [ql-users] OT
- Original Message - From: Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] OT And have just remembered that after talking about missiles etc, I'm the one writing the program called LAUNCHPAD :-) Just remember, when SOQL comes out I'll put a feature in Launchpad that I can dial you up and destroy your QL files, OK??? Dilwyn, remember what you accused me of the other day about naughty bits of code in my programs to spy on Ql-ers. May I advise you to double check the bits of code I sent you for use in Launchpad? You never know what my Whitehall masters have secretly slipped into it! BTW, just because you are paranoid, it doesn't mean that they aren't out to get you. Geoff
Re: [ql-users] Fw: Quanta Workshop Support
- Original Message - From: thegilpins [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [ql-users] Fw: Quanta Workshop Support Having been forwarded a couple of your emails (thanks Alex) I thought it was time that at least one member of the committee was to field the items relevant to the committee so I have subscribed. I am not sure that I will be contributing a great deal on many topics - Friendly Fire etc but here's my first comment: The Quanta committee is still prepared to offer financial support to those sub groups wishing to run workshops etc. which are open to all Quanta members. Requests for such support should be sent to Roy Brereton (Quanta Secretary) with full details of the event and a breakdown of anticipated costs. Any support offered has been, in the past, to pay for the venue and the bill from the venue owners should be addressed to Quanta Treasurer at the address inside the front cover of Quanta Newsletter.(Or a photocopy of the receipted bill if it has already been paid). This is statement of long standing QUANTA policy on QL workshops that should be known to most members. What still is not answered is how far QUANTA would support, financially and otherwise, a QL2000 type show. As I understand it, and if I am wrong I am sure one of the old QUANTA committee will correct me, QL2000 was organised directly by QUANTA with only a minimal contribution from the local group. (If, indeed, there was still a local group in existence.) Realistically I don't think we can reasonably expect QUANTA to do the same again from both a financial and organisational aspect. It would probably have to be a joint effort by a local group and QUANTA, and in this respect Roy's offer seems to be the most practical so far. If we are really serious about another QL2000, it has to be more just a hall, tea and coffee. A two day event with a fancy name, but which otherwise remains much the same as any other show is New Labour, not QL2000. Geoff
Re: [ql-users] Fw: Quanta Workshop Support
- Original Message - From: thegilpins [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Fw: Quanta Workshop Support Having only just joined the ql-users list (Shame! I hear you all shout), I have missed Roy's offer to contribute to a QL2000 show. Can someone copy me the details? Indeed shame! You have missed some really rude remarks from me about QUANTA! Although I attended QL2000 in Portsmouth, I was not involved in any way with its organisation. What do members want from such a show? I am sure that something unusual can be put together. Fill me in with the details guys. Perhaps we could plan something along with our current planning for the AGM in Manchester in April 2004. Nemqlug (North East Manchester QL User Group) meet in about a week's time and this is on our agenda. Give us something to get our teeth into. Just an idea to throw out in the group, but would it be possible to combine QL2004 with the Manchester AGM? It is already a two day event with a QL Dinner, which we know Manchester can organise well. The scout hut is fairly large, but would this be large and luxurious enough for a major event? It would solve the problems of halls being booked already, but I get the impression most would prefer a larger, more luxury hall. Also are the small rooms too small for talks and presentations? Basically if Manchester are interested in hosting it, the basic structure would be as usual, but with an extended program. This would include a guest's programme (I won't be sexist and call it a Lady's programme) for the non-QL-ers who come with their partners. I would have thought this would be fairly easy in Manchester especially, if I dare mention it, with the European City of Culture being so nearby. (Or even the pleasures of Derbyshire!). Also a good day programme of activities for the QL-ers. Who needs ideas for those now Dilwyn has supplied them? Also worth considering if QUANTA could subsidise travel/accommodation costs of any foreign visitor with a special contribution for the event. North America have done this in the past. OK, I admit I am biased. I want to bag this event for the North! Geoff
Re: [ql-users] QL2004
- Original Message - From: John Taylor [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [ql-users] QL2004 I have had a long discussion with Roy Brereton, secretary of Quanta, and the outcome is that QL2004 will go ahead. Highly favoured is October 2004 and the venues under consideration are the Horizon Centre Portsmouth or St Joris College Eindhoven. Combining the event with the AGM is not an option as one would detract from the other. I would opt for Eindhoven as there is local support, an excellent motel within walking distance and it may influence attendance from mainland Europe. Thank goodness something is happening at last. I have a couple of comments. The first is not so important, but I disagree with you that the AGM and QL2004 would detract from one another. I think that QUANTA does not profile itself strongly enough for its role is supporting and financially backing shows. How many people realise, for example, that QUANTA provides the insurance. Not important, of course, until one day there is an accident. Having the AGM and QL2004 together would reinforce the connection. I would like to see the QUANTA AGM become the major UK QL event each year with a fully organised social and QL programme on the lines of the North American show. Then local groups would then be free to organise what they want, when they want and on the scale they want. Market forces would apply and if they want the punters and traders it will be up to them to provide a workshop that will attract them. I like the idea of a continental QL2004 because I think they deserve it more than we do. With the exception of D D systems, who have made the Q60 a reality, all the major QL advances in recent years have come from outside the UK. This is a bad record when the UK has the highest number of QL users in the world. Unfortunately I doubt the practicality of Eindhoven. It is about 5 years since QUANTA was last at Eindhoven and about the same time since Eindhoven has hosted a major international show. In that time SinQLair has become a poor shadow of its former self and the Eindhoven shows I have been to recently had attendance that could be counted on your fingers and thumbs. Pity because it really is a fanastic venue, both for facilities and accessibility. Best Wishes, Geoff
Re: [ql-users] QL2004
- Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] QL2004 I can see that Geoff would prefer a UK show, Actually Darren you are misquoting me. I have already indicated my theoretical preference for a continental show. What I doubt is the practicality. In any case it is all very theoretical as I do not expect to be in the QL community this time next year. Geoff Wicks.
Re: [ql-users] QL2004
- Original Message - From: François Van Emelen [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] QL2004 Hi Geoff, Sad news. I hope these are only 'Just Words' François Van Emelen Thanks for the kind words - I shall miss seeing you. I decided about 10 days ago to get out of the QL world and then spent two days working on the timetable to do it. When I had done that I had a tremendous sense and relief and relaxation. I realised I should have done it a year ago. Best Wishes, Geoff PS To our American friends. Eindhoven is in the Netherlands, not Germany. Quite easy to get to from Schipol (Amsterdam) Airport.
Re: [ql-users] QL 2004
- Original Message - From: Roy Brereton Subject: [ql-users] QL 2004 Eindhoven is a good venue but do we have organiser/s over there? Some comment would be appreciated, especially from more of our continental friends. On another point it will be sad to lose you Geoff although I can understand your reasoning, but Hey! can't you delay until AFTER Oct 2004? Hi Roy, Thanks for the kind words. I think everyone can see from this whole discussion that my thinking about the future of the QL in England is quite different from that of most other active QL-ers. It is probably in everyone's interest that I depart from the scene, otherwise I would just get angrier and angrier. I still be around for some months yet, although not so visible, as I have contracts with QUANTA and QL- Today to complete. I will try to give more reasons for the decision as Wolfgang asks, but this will be a little bit painful. Tonight I have to give priority to a *woman I have just met on the internet. It may surprise you to hear that you and John are currently two of my best QL heroes. A tutor once told me on a training course, "Your hallmark is constructive subversion". Sometimes you have to stir things up to get things moving. I hope you are successful in Eindhoven, as I think it is the better of the two locations (and also cheaper). You may be having difficulty getting hold of people at the moment, because you are in the middle of the Netherlands holiday season. It closes down even more in the summer than England does. I know Sjef v.d. Molengraaf follows this list, and as he has not said anything I assume he is on holiday. Assuming an attendance of about 100, I think you would have to consider outside caterers. The kitchen at St. Joris College is quite small and I doubt if Sin-QL-Air now has the resources to do it themselves if you want more than tea and coffee. I wonder whether it would be possible to set up a small committee of say Dutch, Germans and Belgians to do some detailed support/organisation. If you choose Eindhoven, can I suggest you and John go to the 11 October 2003 Eindhoven show? Best Wishes, Geoff Wicks. *I knew that would get you all excited. Actually it is a very distant relative who has found me on a family history site and we have to swap information.
Re: [ql-users] QL2004
- Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] QL2004 That's pretty sad - both that you are leaving the QL World, and that you should feel such a relief in doing so! You will be missed! Care to enlighten us about your reasons? Wolfgang As promised, some detailed reasons. It is a long piece, about 1,700 words, so I have done it as an attachment. It is in four sections, which can each be read separately. One of the sections is positive. Geoff Wicks I am a proactive person. When I look back on my work life, I am proud of the two years that I sat on the National Executive of my trade union/professional association. Although I was not a nationally known figure, I increased membership in my region by 20% - 30% at a time when the union was in severe financial difficulties. I am proud of the number of times in my work life I transformed non-functioning committees into working bodies. It goes without saying that I would relish the challenge to transform the QL scene. The QL is in serious decline, but I am confident it could remain viable for some years yet. QUANTA has over 300 members. Most of us know about 50 to 100 of them. They are the usual suspects who attend shows. This means there are 200 - 250 QUANTA members about whom we know little. They are remain loyal to their QLs and continue to subscribe to QUANTA. Strange because PCs are now dirt cheap and, if you are not an active member, QUANTA is frankly a waste of money. The survival of the QL means getting these people back into the main stream. It means having shows that are more than a room, coffee and tea. A person on the peripherals of the QL community does not travel 10, 20, 30, or whatever, miles to come to a show and drink a cup of tea. He will come if he wants to buy something from a trader. He might come if there is a program to interest him. People act differently in a group than in one to one contacts. Activities, talks and demonstrations get people reacting as a group. Ideas breed ideas and ideas generate enthusiasm. Over the last few weeks, I have initiated a discussion on QL shows that some may think has been too provocative. The main benefit of this discussion is the clarity it has given about what QL-ers in the UK expect from shows. Tony Firshman gave the game away (and this is not intended as a criticism of Tony) when he said the best show he has ever attended was last year in Ireland when just 6 people were present. I think Tony echoed what the majority of UK-QL-ers want. I am now convinced the lack of activity at shows is not negligence; not laziness; and not a lack of skill in running shows. It is what most UK QL-ers actively want. This goes against all my instincts as someone who enjoys reviving moribund bodies, but I find it quite understandable, particularly when I look at the present state of QL businesses. Probably no QL trader now makes a profit. What I suspect has now happened is that a point of equilibrium has been reached in which the businesses tick over and the losses remain sufficiently constant to be absorbed in the other activities of each trader. Anything that upsets this equilibrium is a threat, not just a perceived threat, but a material threat. A threat that genuinely could spell the final death of the QL. There are many signs that this is an accurate analysis. Scarcely any traders' adverts change from month to month. The UK has the largest QL community in the world, but, apart from D D systems, nothing exciting has come out of the UK for about 5 years. I am satisfied that I am so out of tune with the rest of the UK QL community that my continued presence would also upset that equilibrium. - Many of the people with whom you have to do business as a QL Trader are unreliable. This is not just my opinion, but that of other traders. In volume 7 issue 3 of QL Today Jochen wrote of his difficulty in getting replies to emails from some QL traders. He gave as an example cases where he had placed orders with third parties on behalf of customers. If that third party did not react to emails or failed to send the goods promptly, then his (i.e. Jochen's) reputation as a trader was at stake. Does he then tell the client he cannot get the goods because the company is too unreliable. Jochen referred to Tony Firshman having similar problems. About three years ago, Tony invested hours of his time in building up an electronic database of QL members, which has been to the benefit of every QL trader. It saves the expense of sending flyers by snail mail, and is a form of free advertising for traders who cannot make it to shows. Some traders never reply to his first request for copy, and he usually has to send two more emails to get the copy in. His anger and frustration are clear from the text of the second and third emails. A few months ago a QL trader lost an order from me worth
Re: [ql-users] QWord
Hi Rich, A couple of points about your two QWord mailings. Youmentioned the difficulty of looking at the source code for EasyPtr to allow it to usethe newcolours. I think there is another problem. Many of us are grateful for EasyPtr for providing a simple way to learn pointer programming, but it does have its limitations. I doubt very much whether you could have written QWord in EasyPtr. I suspect that we shall have to look at theQPTR and TPTR to see if they are easier to learn once you have grasped the fundamentals of pointer programmingusing EasyPtr. The secondis a tribute to George Gwilt. QWord will, I believe, be the first commercial pointer program compiled by Turbo. This would have been impossible a couple of years ago. George is maintaining and revising Turbo, but no one is doing this for QLiberator so the continuing compatibility of the latter is not guaranteed. You can compile some, but not all, EasyPtr programs with Turbo. Among the ones you cannot compile are allthose using application sub window menus. This is another reason for considering alternatives toEasyPtr. I have a special reason to thank George this weekend. A client who makes serious use of the very old non-pointer version of Solvit-Plus reported on Thursday that it does not load on QPC2 running on WindowsXP although it does on a Windows98 machine. AllI had to do was recompileusing the latest Turbo, and the client should get his working copy tomorrow. Geoff Wicks PS Have safely received your private email and attachment - I want to do some more testing and will give a reaction early next week.
Re: [ql-users] Geoff's departure
Interesting. Can someone explain why it is that whenever there is a crisis in the QL community everyone goes into nostalgia mode? I would be more impressed if more people were looking forwards than backwards. After all, as Per wrote about my ill chosen timing, despite all problems, so much is going on just now. Geoff Wicks
Re: [ql-users] Show management - quantity and quality
- Original Message - From: Roy wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Show management - quantity and quality No one complains about the UK/EU shows either (except you). Ahem, I seem to remember a trader starting a long and acrimonious thread on this list last year by complaining about the atmosphere at a show. However, perhaps it doesn't count as he was complaining about some of the company, Geoff Wicks
Re: [ql-users] Show management - quantity and quality
Thanks for this mailing. I am sorry that no one has replied to it. It is a businesslike way of thinking and if someone in the UK had written what you wrote, then I would not have decided to get out of the QL community. You write that making the QUANTA Magazine bimonthly was a tough decision, but that it may produce a better magazine. I suggested making the magazine bimonthly about 4 or 5 years ago. QUANTA was then in severe financial difficulties and their main suggestion for improving finances was to charge traders to attend shows (burst of laughter). In fact not only did they keep the magazine monthly, but they also insisted that each issue was exactly 32 pages, no more and no less. Think of the strain that must have been on the former editor, who had taken the job on temporarily while QUANTA searched for a new editor, but who then found himself as a permanent fixture. I don't think it unfair to suggest that QUANTA abused the former editor. A similar thing would apply to shows. One well run UK show a year on the American model was all that was needed. What happens in between is up to local groups. It does not even have to be directly QL based. Let's not call Ireland a QL show, but a QL piss-up, which is what it is. Nothing wrong with that. Some creative ideas can come out of a relaxing weekend. Equally a local group might like to run a fund raising activity for charity. Say, for example, one of their members had died from a particular illness then raising money for the appropriate charity would be a good way of honouring his memory. It would also help to bind the community together. It is about three years since there was a formal talk or demonstration at a QL show in England. Are we really saying that for three years nothing has happened in England worth talking about? I don't believe that, but if it is really so, then let's face reality and say the QL is dead in the UK. In fact we have lost the skill to organise true shows in the UK. It is no coincidence that if QL2004 comes it will be organised by QUANTA and one of the old school show organisers. It was the Manchester AGM that directly led to my decision to leave the QL world. First it took ages to get the date and place out of QUANTA. Then it was a two day show, which, apart from dinner, will be the same old hall, tea and coffee as before. I thought about it a long time. I have never enjoyed the second day of a two day show. Commercially it is always a disaster and by then I have spoken to most of the people I needed to see. I had a choice. Go only for the Saturday, This I could do as cheaply as £5 and for the first time in years I would make a profit at a show. Or go for both days. This would be at least double the travel costs and there would be an overnight hotel bill all for the second day in which I had no interest whatsoever. Goodbye profits. Goodbye a good feeling from a QL show. Manchester defined the limits of loyalty to the QL for me. And for those who think my £100 subsidy to the QL community is chicken-feed. then this is £100 after creative accounting. (If I go to Eindhoven I only charge £16 to Just Words! - the rail fare Amsterdam - Eindhoven.) I don't object to subsiding the QL within reason. I am not prepared to subsidise inefficiency. Geoff Wicks.
Re: [ql-users] Show management - quantity and quality
- Original Message - From: Roy wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Show management - quantity and quality - and you did not approach me to ask to give a talk at Hove and you had Q-Word Funny you should mention that. I emailed the main author of QWord in February suggesting a demonstration at a QL show, but never got a reply to that part of the email. In the circumstances all I could do at Hove was to show it to a few interested people just to prove it was not fantasyware. QWord is a good example of something worth talking about at shows because it could be approached from many aspects. It has an interesting history. It started off in quite a small way as just another QL program, but Rich and I felt that we should call in an expert to help us with the sound and graphics. Little did we know what we were letting ourselves in for when Phoebus took on the job! It illustrates the difference between the standards of commercial and PD software. One of the reasons for the delay in release is bringing the program up to the standard that allows it to run on all systems, in all modes and in all resolutions. Plus allowing for QTYP and non-QTYP users etc. My part of the program was relatively small, but without some technical word knowledge over such things as relative letter frequencies and designing grids for maximum word generation the program would have been much the poorer. Rich and Phoebus have been working at the limits of new QL technology and have faced even worse problems than I did. They have learnt lots of things about the new colour drivers and their associated programming difficulties. Extrapolating from this the theme of Hove could have been the QL in a new coat and the possibilities and problems this gives. We may have found other people who are experimenting with the new drivers and even if they did not want to give a talk, they would have been able to join in a discussion. There are lots of interesting issues. The amount of memory the colour drivers consume - welcome bloatware to the QL. Will those of us who program in EasyPtr now have to learn QPTR or TurboPtr - how easy will that be? What new programs do people expect? All it takes is something to start the thing off and a bit of open-ended thinking from a small group of QL leaders well in advance of the show. And if need be let it happen just once a year at the AGM. Add a show dinner and possibly some other social activity and you create an interesting show. Possibly an argument for the role of the local group to be smaller and the role of QUANTA to be larger in the AGM show. No one pretends that the police have to control the crowds at American shows, but I have yet to hear anyone moan about the quality of one of Al's shows. Geoff Wicks
[ql-users] Solvit-Plus + Spelling Crib
I have posted new versions of the two programs on the Just Words! web page. SOLVIT-PLUS: Version 3 now displays the correct house colours in high colour mode. (This was particularly ugly in the old version.) Version 2 (non-pointer version) now loads in QPC2 running on an XP machine. SPELLING-CRIB: Also displays the correct house colours in high colour mode. Now comes with a larger and improved dictionary of 82,000 UK English words. A slightly smaller USA English dictionary is at an advanced stage of preparation. http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/justwords.htm
Re: [ql-users] RWAP Software / Quantum Leap Software news
- Original Message - From: Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] RWAP Software / Quantum Leap Software news Geoff, at one stage I did have a Flemish word list or QTYP dictionary (I forget which). Would you like a copy of this to add to your range? I did ask someone in Belgium to look at it some time ago, but I have completely forgotten what the outcome was. I'm not sure what the differences between Flemish and Dutch are, but I'm sure someone like Francois would be able to tell us. If you'd like a copy, I'll see if I can dig it out. Hope I haven't erased it! We've had this conversation before - about 2 years ago I think. There are very few differences between Flemish and Dutch. I once did some work for a market research company who insisted there should be separate Dutch and Flemish questionnaires for a survey. In 32 pages there were only 10 minor differences and in my opinion the Flemish was just improved Dutch. The big difference between the two is accent. The Dutch claim the Flemish are impossible to understand and the Flemish the Dutch. A bit like a confrontation between a Geordie and a Cockney. (Or even better a native of Edinburgh and a native of Glasgow!) I think I have a copy of the dictionary you have. It was a brave effort, but full of mistakes. Also written before a major spelling revision. It has been corrected and incorporated into my Dutch dictionary. If you find a copy, its best to wipe it, Best wishes, Geoff Wicks.
Re: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL??
- Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL?? Just a quick survey.A lot of people have expressed an interest in Epson 850 colour stylus printers for their QL.However, what printers are people actually using nowadays with their QL??I stick with the 850 - but am I correct in believing that the Epson Stylus 900 (not the Photo 900) is also fully compatible??@ Its also worthwhile to ask which laser printers are compatible with the QL especially as they are now as cheap as some inkjets and per copy are cheaper to run. There is some evidence that lasers are going the way of inkjets in that they are Windows only compatible. During a discussion on this list about two years ago we discovered that my Samsung ML-4500 is QL-incompatible, but Wolgang Lenerz's Samsung ML-4600 is QL compatible. Does anyone have any information about other Samsung models? For QL use I still keep my Canon BJ-200ex, which has given a good service, even though the cartridges are expensive and not always reliable, but this is now about 8 years old. Not sure what I will do when it finally dies. Cease printing from the QL? Geoff Wicks.
Re: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL??
- Original Message - From: Phoebus R. Dokos ( . ) [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL You can assign PAR to a USB printer for example... ie. I use my LJ 1000 (which is a USB only printer) with QPC. It is worth reminding everyone that, in theory, it is possible to use practically any printer with QPC2. Not only can you assign Par to any print device, but Marcel has built in the possibility of using filters. You could use these with Ghostscript to print to any Windows compatible printer. All we need is someone with the technical knowledge to write the filters. Geoff Wicks
Re: Re: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL??
- Original Message - From: Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Re: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL?? Is there a rule of thumb that we should look for in leaflets or web pages to help decide that a printer works by control codes rather than pure GDI printers, e.g. it offers DOS or HP emulation? What about Mac printers, are they GDI-only, for example? (postscript?) I suspect there is no rule of thumb if my experience of laser printers is anything to go by. My laser was advertised as Mac and Linux compatible and with HP emulation, but in fact is GDI only. When I bought it I knew more about printers than the salesman who sold it me, so it mwas no use asking his advice. I took the risk because it was 1) cheap and 2) I needed a good quality printer for PC use. I suspect a lot of lasers are a lot cheaper than they used to be simply because they are going the way of inkjets and are GDI only. In fact if you look at it from the manufacturer's point of view this is sensible and reasonable. A couple of thousand QL-ers worldwide who will on average buy a printer once every five years is not exactly a thriving market. BTW to your list of old printers that are QL compatible you can add the Canon BJ-200ex. Geoff Wicks http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/justwords.htm
Re: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL??
- Original Message - From: Phoebus R. Dokos ( . ) [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL?? Regarding printer language the cheapest parallel-equipped printers (that call themselves winprinters) in reality are not GDI printers anymore (as opposed to 5 years ago). Instead they use PJL, a very basic language from Zenographics. Most cheap LaserJets are fully HP PCL compatible as long as you can initiate a PJL session and download the firmware to them, after which they become full-fledged LaserJets (a good example is the LJ 1xxx series that uses this trick). I have managed to download the firmware independently from QPC2 to my HP LJ1000 (without using the DOS Emulation as they call the regular PCL emulation on these ones) and it worked fine after that using RAW transfer on ProWeSs. Hi Phoebus, I have been thinking about this message for a few days. Are you implying that a lot of Windows only lasers could still print from QPC2? If so, can you give more information about the technique, where you can get PJL from. (Is it downloadable freeware etc?). What is your technique for downloading PJL from QPC? It might be worthwhile if other of us who have lasers tried a few experiments. If these are successful it would make a good article for QL Today. Geoff Wicks http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/justwords.htm
Re: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL??
- Original Message - From: Marcel Kilgus [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL?? Phoebus R. Dokos (Öïßâïò Ñ. Íôüêïò) wrote: Besides that, in reality EVERY printer can work with the QL with the following workaround (that has been explained before by Marcel if I am not mistaken). Yes. But I have given up on the subject. IIRC the only comment to the the German article I wrote about the subject was Geoff who wanted to do an English translation. This appeared and the response was zero, nada. Unfortunately this is only too true. At about the same time I wrote an article for the Quanta Magazine suggesting that the ultimate death of the QL would be because we could no longer use printers with it. This produced one reaction. IIRC about a year later Colin Baskett tried to raise the subject again, but this produced little reaction. We have just buried our heads over the printer problem. Two years ago it was obvious that the parallel interface was on its way out, but people are only beginning to realise this now. What is the point of the Q60 if there will soon be no printers for it. Now people are suggesting that we should turn to the second hand market (assuming that ribbons and cartridges for these ancient beasts remain available). Marcel has provided a solution to the printer problem for a large number of QL users, but instead we prefer to behave like a group of tramps rooting in dustbins for someone's discarded sandwiches. I personally have zero need for SMSQ/E printing functionality anyway. I think this is what will happen to me. I have already decided to do all my spreadsheets on a PC and it is only a little step further to do my word processing on a PC as well. Then I shall be using the QL for nothing more than my own programs and program development. Geoff Wicks http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/justwords.htm PS: I am having a little trouble displaying the new QL colours on my green monitor (sob). Can anyone help? (burst of laughter).
Re: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL??
- Original Message - From: Phoebus R. Dokos ( . ) [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL?? Hi Phoebus, Thank for the detailed reply. That's one helluva lot of information to digest and I will need the time to do it. Geoff Wicks
Re: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL??
- Original Message - From: Phoebus R. Dokos ( . ) [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL?? Geoff Wick wrote: PS: I am having a little trouble displaying the new QL colours on my green monitor (sob). Can anyone help? (burst of laughter). I may be able to help. Hmmm you could use those coloriser filters for bw tv sets... Anyone remembers them? :-D My goodness what constructive thinking! You really should be nominated for a Nobel prize! (Believe it or not, I know someone who nearly bought one) Geoff
Re: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL??
- Original Message - From: Marcel Kilgus [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] What printers do people use with their QL?? My solution regarding postscript would also very much solve the problem for Qxx. SGC is probably too slow or doesn't have enough memory to run Ghostscript. To add a little controversy to this discussion, because we must not shy away from it, should we start thinking the unthinkable and plan for QL native hardware obsolescence? Colour drivers already push the SGC to the limit and there would appear to be no long term native hardware solution for the printer problem. Realistically there are only two ways for the QL to develop. One is the QPC way and the other the Q60 way. I realise this is hard on the people who have a heavy investment in native hardware, but unless a new super SGC becomes a real possibility it is going to become harder and harder for native hardware to keep up with new developments. Geoff Wicks http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/justwords.htm
Re: [ql-users] QLwIP, Ethernet, USB, Q60 successor
- Original Message - From: Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] QLwIP, Ethernet, USB, Q60 successor Now...should that be license or licence??? Can never remember which is verb, which is noun :o/ It depends on whether you are American or English. Sorry, can't help further. I don't know the rules for the Welsh. Greetings, Just Words! Pedantry Service.
Re: [ql-users] Even more Q-Word news
Also worth mentioning that we have increased the international possibilities of QWord. It will be possible to configure the release version to play the game not only in English, but also Dutch, French and German. We shall be supplying special accentless dictionaries in the non-English languages and a USA English dictionary for a small additional fee. If there is sufficient demand, we can also build in support for other languages, Geoff Wicks
Re: [ql-users] Eurocheques
- Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [ql-users] Eurocheques Just a query regarding Eurocheques. Mostly for the traders this one, but any advice welcome... Snip The cheque was for 48 pounds sterling - and nearly half of this would have gone on charges if I had cashed it. Is this correct? How on earth are eurocheques therefore usable at all, unless dealing in huge amounts? Am I doing something wrong? Hi Darren, Welcome to the world of currency transfers inside the EU. I suspect your experience is about normal. When I wanted to pay Jochen my year's QL Today advertising bill, my bank's minimum charge was £14, and that was without any guarantee that Jochen's bank wouldn't also charge him. In the end I sent Jochen a sterling cheque for much more than the advertising bill in the hope that was cheaper for us both. This has now been cleared at my end without any further charges, and so far I have heard nothing further from Jochen so I assume he was not out of pocket. For obvious reasons I usually settle with Jochen in cash, but this year it was not possible. Remember European Commissioner Frits Bolkestein in your prayers. He has been working on this problem for some time! Best Wishes, Geoff Wicks.
Re: [ql-users] Pictures from the QL Show in Italy!
- Original Message - From: Marcel Kilgus [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Pictures from the QL Show in Italy! I absolutely second this. Exceptionally well attended and very professionally done. Geoff, I think you'd have enjoyed this one. There was an extensive part with a talk/presentation (using a beamer) about all news in the scene and future activities (like Nasta's presentation of the boards he is developing). Granted, I didn't understand a word because it was all in Italian (except Nasta's comments which Davide translated), but still it did sound impressive ;-) I should really reply to this, but for once someone has rendered me speechless! Best Wishes, Geoff
[ql-users] QL-Thesaurus + Style-Check
QL-THESAURUS and STYLE-CHECK are now freeware programs and can be downloaded from the Just Words! webpage: http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/justwords.htm QL-THESAURUS is version 4.02, which most existing users will now have. STYLE-CHECK is version 3.01 which is a new version displaying the correct house colours in high colour mode. Geoff Wicks
Re: [ql-users] QL Today - news
- Original Message - From: Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [ql-users] QL Today - news If anyone has any news or articles for QL Today, we are now (rather later than hoped) starting to compile the next issue, so please send in any material as soon as possible to Jochen or myself. Thanks for the request. About 10 days ago I sent you an article (1000 words) on QTYP dictionaries and a new advert, but I am not sure whether these have arrived safely. Basically everything I have been sending to Jochen using @j-m-s.com has bounced back as undeliverable. When I send things to you, my adress book defaults to [EMAIL PROTECTED] These emails appear to get through, but I wonder if you receive them because I see you no longer give this as a valid email address in QL Today. I also see that the QL Today web site is seriously out of date. It currently advertises forthcoming shows at Byfleet and Berchtesgaden giving the 2002 dates!! Thanks also for the Autograph review. I don't usually reply to reviews as I think an author should not breathe down a reviewer's neck, but there is one serious factual error. (You do not need the QLib runtime exts to run Just Words! programs - they are incorporated into the program.) I am more interesting in writing about John's suggestion of using TurboPTR and Turbo, partly through things I have learnt from QWord. I think this would be an interesting subject for discussion in QL Today. BTW the screens reproduce quite well on my PC with the exception of the green help screen. Best Wishes, Geoff Wicks.
[ql-users] QL2004
Happy New Year to everyone. Sorry to start the New Year on a controversial note, but has anyone else noted how quiet it has become on the QL2004 front? As far as I know there has been no mention of it anywhere other than in QL Today for over 4 months. Nothing at all from QUANTA whom we assumed would organise it. I have even heard hints that the QUANTA AGM would be designated QL2004. (Those who remember the controversy over this last Summer can probably hear my quiet sniggers!) If QUANTA was serious about organising QL2004 we should have known details of the date and venue by now. People living outside the UK need this information at least 6 months in advance. If QUANTA are organising QL2004 can they please reply to this mailing very quickly, because, if they are not, some of us want to revive the idea of a (non-QUANTA) international QL2004 show in Eindhoven. This is in line with Jochen's suggestion in the last QL Today. Basically Jochen and I were thinking of a show late October/early November to avoid a clash with a possible Berchtesgaden event. We have yet to sound out Sin-QL-Air about the feasibility of this, but this will happen very shortly. We assume that the St. Joris college will be available, but we should bear in mind that Sin-QL-Air has a low membership so there is a limit to what we can ask of them and we would need a lot of support from outside the Netherlands. We would also want the show to be a themed show with an activity program. I wonder whether people who are still successful in running shows with such a program, i.e. Italy and North America, could give advice or, even better, send a contingent to organise part of the activities. Another idea I had was for a QL Today theme with as many of the regular QL Today contributors present as possible. This could be a meet the QL Today writers day with possibly a forum to discuss the future of the QL. Any other ideas would be gratefully received. We also need to know what the traders' interest would be with firm promises to attend. (I shall probably be emailing traders separately.) In particular it would be nice to see people like D D systems at their first continental, sorry international, show. So please some reaction, but please do not just say good idea, and then do f*ck all. We need concrete ideas, concrete offers of help and we need them urgently. It will not be easy to organise a show from a distance, so we need all the help we can get. By the end of January, and preferably earlier, we need to have a date and an indication whether or not such a show is feasible. Finally another plea to QUANTA. Please tell us what your plans, if any, are for QL2004. I have written and said many hard things about QUANTA in the last 12 months and after January I shall no longer be a QUANTA member. However, from my side (and I think yours), I hope any future contact between us will not be acrimonious. Geoff Wicks.
Re: [ql-users] Birthday QL 2004
- Original Message - From: Wolfgang Lenerz [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Birthday QL 2004 Hi all, Yep, it's the 20 th birthday. Congrats all around. I really can't remember what I did on the fatal day. I do remember, though, typing on a cardboard keyboard that was an advertisment for the QL in a magazine (PCW?) in 1:1 size Anyway, there have ben several attempts to get a discussion going about what should be done to celebrate this. The response hasn't really been overwhelming, has it? So, what is this - a general disaffection for all things QL related? Is the writing on the wall? Are we going to give up after 20 years? Or is this some kind of general apathy? Anyway, I for one will very much welcome some kind of QL 2004 event. I'm not sure whether I'll be able to attend all if there are several events (e.g. one in Eindhoven and one in the UK - I'm not even sure I'd be able to attend the UK one (this neralt always means an overnight travel OKn, so one vote explicitkly in favour of Eindhoven here) What would be actually DONE during such an event? Indeed the response has been disappointing. Just 4 replies to a possible Eindhoven event, and 3 of those were business replies on specific matters. The present Eindhoven situation is that we are now waiting for Sin-QL-Air to have a committee meeting to determine their program for this year. When we know the date of their first meeting Jochen and I will go to discuss QL2004 with them. Only then can we decide finally if it goes ahead. At the moment Jochen and I are thinking of a nostalgia show. The idea is to make this a reunion of current and ex-QLers so that we can meet old friends and show them how the QL has advanced in the last few years - QPC, Q60, colour drivers - we have enough to boast about and maybe we could persuade some to return. The advantage of this format is that a similarly themed show in the UK would not clash provided we can co-operate on dates. As I have said twice before all suggestions are welcome. In the meantime as soon as I have definite information and, most importantly, a date I will keep people informed via this list, Best wishes, Geoff Wicks
Re: [ql-users] Birthday QL 2004
- Original Message - From: Dent [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Birthday QL 2004 As I said in the QL-Today poll I will do my absolute best to get to either or evenboth events whether in UK or NL. Would an Internet connection workshop be of interest? I'm thinking in terms of Bring along your QL get it fitted with Hermes, Help with registering with an ISP, setting up an email account, etc. Install and try-out the soQL TCP/IP stack Aim of the workshop would be that none connected QLers could go home with the know-how, hardware and software to participate on ql-users. Any comments? This would fit in with a theme of showing how the QL has progressed - and a useful follow up to your contribution to QL2000. Could I take this as being a sign that you would be prepared to do a presentation if we manage to get QL2004 off the ground? Best wishes, Geoff Wicks.
Re: [ql-users] Norwich Workshop + QL2004 + QL2005!!
- Original Message - From: Tarquin Mills [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Norwich Workshop Still on for 6th November, which QL2004 organisers should be reminded. Talking of QL2004 show(s) have bids closed for the possible UK venue? I have noted this. Unfortunately we do not have a great deal of flexibility over QL2004 (Eindhoven) as we are dependent on what is suitable for Sin-QL-Air. I.e. the Pleincollege St. Joris has to be available - we are not the only group that sometimes uses it on a Saturday. As far as Hove is concerned QL2004 (Eindhoven) is no problem as we are looking to October/November. It would be impossible to organise it before then. The same would apply to a serious QL2004 (UK) event. Any planning for a major QL2004 event should really have been started in the Summer of last year to avoid this sort of clash. If UK-ers still want a QL2004 type event, it may be better to plan instead for QL2005. I am making an interesting suggestion for such an event (together with date) in the next QL Today. Geoff Wicks
Re: [ql-users] Recent Quanta
Last Sunday I spent about 90 minutes talking to the QUANTA committee. As you will all know I have been one of QUANTA's most vocal critics during the last 12 months. I attended the meeting at the request of QUANTA and I think it is to their credit that they are prepared to listen to criticism and take it on board. Our discussion, in a friendly, but at times frank sphere, covered the complete range of QUANTA activities including shows, the magazine, advertising, sub-groups, the library, the help-line and finances. As a result of this discussion I am satisfied that QUANTA is eager to reform itself, and have renewed my membership. (I have not, however, renewed my advertising contract - QUANTA have still to prove their reliability in this regard.) I now know the names of the people who are likely to form the new QUANTA committee and I think it will be a capable and hard working body. Recently there has been sharp criticism of the OCT/NOV/DEC/JAN Magazine. QUANTA was as shocked by this magazine as you were. They have taken interim measures to prevent this happening again - a member of the present committee is now acting editor - but in the long term it cannot produce the magazine without copy from its members. I have attached some personal thoughts about QUANTA to this mailing, and I think all members could profitably read these and then come to the AGM in April to discuss QUANTA's future. Geoff Wicks In recent years there has been much discussion about the viability of QUANTA and this has given rise to a myth that QUANTA is in financial crisis. On the contrary QUANTA is in good financial health and can almost certainly claim to have the greatest financial security in the QL community. Occasionally economies and other changes have to be made, but this is good housekeeping and not evidence of financial crisis. In 2003 QUANTA lived within its income. QUANTA's viability problem has more to do with how it spends its money and how well its serves its members. Fewer members are participating in QUANTA activities and even fewer are prepared to take an leading role within QUANTA. The case for winding QUANTA up is very strong, but should this happen it would have implications for the survival of the QL not just in the UK but also in the rest of the world. During 2002 QUANTA gave out 80% - 90% of its income on two activities, shows and the magazine. In both activities it failed to serve its members adequately. SHOWS: The show problem is easily stated: rapidly falling attendances; poor quality content; and a bias to shows in the South East. In 2002 QUANTA spent about 38% of its income on sponsoring shows that probably less than one sixth of its members attended. From figures in the 2002 Treasurer's report it can be estimated that QUANTA subsidised shows to the extent of £10 per attendee per show. This sum does not include the insurance costs that probably came to £5 per attendee per year. Most members are unaware just how expensive show venues are. A top location such as Portsmouth starts at £1,000. A university will ask even more. A church or village hall, where most current shows are held, can cost up to £300. Is it responsible for QUANTA to spend these sums on a show that perhaps only 20 - 30 people will attend? Increasingly in recent years shows have been concentrated in a small triangle of Byfleet, London and Hove. In five years there have been only 5 shows outside this triangle, Clevedon, Portsmouth, Portishead and Manchester (2). There have been only 2 shows North of Watford in five years. Why is this? Strangely QUANTA knows very little about the distribution of its membership. There is a general impression that membership is concentrated in the South and that there has been a fall in membership in the North. (Chicken and Egg?) I have agreed to do some demographic research for QUANTA to investigate this problem. It will involve the release of some membership details, but to keep within data protection law and guidelines I have asked for nothing more than a list of post towns and counties. One possibility to improve our presence North of Watford is the Micro Mart fare in Birmingham. They need exhibitors to fill their retro hall. How about a QL village next time? QUANTA may well have to impose conditions on frequency and quality of shows in the future. It recognises the status quo cannot continue, but ultimately it is the membership that determines the quality of workshops. MAGAZINE: The magazine is in serious trouble. In the last 10 issues there have been only 11 contributors and, of these, only 5 have contributed more than one item. 2 of these 5 were the editors. (I have excluded QUANTA business items from these totals.) In these 10 issues there have been only 3 reviews of new products, all written by the same person. A magazine editor has the unenviable choice of either writing the magazine himself; of extensive padding; or of plagiarism. I estimate
Re: [ql-users] Recent Quanta
- Original Message - From: SMSQ - Jochen Merz [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Recent Quanta Of course, Geoff did not question the reliability of QL Today ... but it is only down to our readers if QL Today continues by renewing or not - like Quanta members decide whether they cancel membership or not. Indeed everyone knows how enthusiastic I am about QL Today. I am just realistic about the fact that the trading environment is not easy for any QL trader. It would be nice to have the reliability of QL Today combined with the financial stability of QUANTA. If, BTW, I write less for QL Today in the near future, this is because I shall be doing my bit to improve the fortunes of the QUANTA Magazine. Geoff Wicks
Re: [ql-users] Quanta
- Original Message - From: John Taylor [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [ql-users] Quanta An interesting contribution from John, as the secret to QUANTA's future lies in how you use its income and capital. Contrary to popular ideas QUANTA is not in financial crisis, but is a very healthy organisation. Its financial stability could be its most important contribution to the QL community. Each year it ploughs thousands of pounds into QL activities, but the question is how far these are benefitting members. QUANTA spends £1,500 to £2,000 a year sponsoring shows, which works out at a subsidy of about £20 per attendee per year. This is why it is important we work hard to improve the quality of shows. As John has said QUANTA is a non-profit organisation for the benefit of its members. This restricts what can be done with its income and capital, but it does not mean that the capital is unuseable. What would be the reaction if QUANTA backed a software or hardware project for members only? For example, QUANTA backed the Q60. This, I understand, was in the form of a loan that was repaid. How would people have reacted if QUANTA had made it available to QUANTA members only? A Q60 costs £545. Would it have been too much to ask for an extra £14 or £17 for QUANTA membership on top? As a previous treasurer of Quanta who had difficulty assuring the Inland Revenue of their status and who also had difficulty convincing committee members of the tax laws I can assure Roy that the prospect of charging for entry would be very unlikely as that would make all workshops members only If ANY money or benefit is received from a non Quanta member then the association becomes liable for corporation tax as it is then a trading organisation. When it's turnover was much higher it would have been liable for VAT too. Corporation tax at present is only paid on Bank Interest and will continue to be paid while Quanta funds are such as to earn interest. The same difficulty arises when considering amalgamating with QLToday. Non Quanta members would be contributing to the joint effort. The tax man may understand but it isn't worth the risk. This should have been explained to Jochen at the time and I thought it was, though at the time most of the benefit would have been to QLToday as Quanta had an a more than adequate editor. John Taylor.
[ql-users] QL2004 Eindhoven - PROVISIONAL DATE
I now have a provisional date for the QL2004 Eindhoven show: Saturday 16th October 2004. As I have said before, we have very little leeway about alternative dates. The show calender can get quite busy in the Autumn. Also we get the venue free of charge. It is a school that other groups sometimes use on Saturdays so even Sin-QL-Air are restricted on suitable dates. Jochen I will meet the Sin-QL-Air committee probably sometime in March and from then on we can start to make detailed plans. I'm feeling happy! Geoff Wicks
Re: [ql-users] CST Thor
- Original Message - From: Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] CST Thor SNIP, SNIP [Geoff Wicks for Quanta chairman or editor if he retires from trading, now that Robin Barker is stepping down!!!] er hem, Sorry you are out of order, or rather out of time, Dilwyn! Read your QUANTA constitution better next time! Seriously, I know what the new QUANTA committee will look like, subject to AGM approval, and I think it will prove to be a good committee. Geoff Wicks
[ql-users] Eindhoven shows
I have now received the dates for all the 2004 Eindhoven shows, so I thought I would pass then on: Saturday 27th of March 2004 (regular) Saturday 12th of June 2004 (regular) Saturday 16th of October 2004 (Continental QL2004 Show) Geoff Wicks
Re: [ql-users] Quanta
- Original Message - From: Timothy Swenson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Quanta SNIP I read the bit about Quanta and shows with some disinterest. Given that I have to fly 2,000 miles for my nearest QL show, I find it ammusing about all the discussion about where, what QL shows are and such. Heck I even have to travel 500 miles to get to the nearest other country. On this topic and writing as a certified wrinkly - I have my bus and train passes to prove it - I nearly killed myself laughing at the latest QL Today: many of the UK users are a bit older than their continental counterparts and they would be unlikely to undertake a journey across the channel... Must remember to ask Sin-QL-Air to lay on a few zimmer frames and a standby nurse just in case any UK ql-ers make it to QL2004. Geoff
[ql-users] QL2004
As you will have noticed it is a little quiet on the QL2004 front. This is because we are waiting for a meeting with all the organisers in Eindhoven at the end of March. I recently asked traders for their comments on a few questions about QL2004. I think it would also be interesting to have opinions from more people: 1) What QL developments would you like to see over the next 2 - 3 years? 2) Are there any special guests you would like invited to QL2004? 3) Who would you like to see as panel members at the QL Forum? Do you have any topics you would like discussed? 4) Do you have any suggestions for suitable speakers or other activities during the day? Can I suggest that you reply privately (gwicks @ beeb . net) rather than via this list, preferably within the next couple of weeks? It wopuld help our discussion at the end of March. Many thanks in advance, Geoff Wicks.
[ql-users] £ 1000 to spend! (2nd attempt!)
Thanks to all the people who have replied to this thread. Nice to know I can still stir things up! Just a pity that the subject was hijacked into a discussion on printers although there were one or two other good suggestions. Thus a 2nd attempt to get answers. Let me be more specific why I posed the question. Members of Quanta who read financial reports - maybe a contradiction in terms - will note something strange happened last year. Quanta has consistently made a loss since 1999, but last year it made a profit of £1,363. This was partly due to the reduced frequency of the magazine; partly due to increased advertising; and partly due to the efforts of Rich Mellor in selling Sinclair equipment on behalf of Quanta. It is also noticeable that the costs of workshops fell from £1,944 in 2002 to £1,156 in 2003. There is some evidence that these savings could become structural with a little bit of discipline. Present workshop locations are cheap to hire and, if the South East show organisers could get together to co-operate on show dates over a 2 year period rather than compete with one another, this saving could become structural. (Thanks to Roy for taking the first steps in this direction!) This means that Quanta would have a sum of about £1,000 each year to spend on QL development. How should they spend this money? In fact Quanta would have two possible ways of financially stimulating QL development. Major projects (SGC successor?) could be financed out of the capital. These would have to be backed with good business plans and legal safeguards to ensure that there was a return on the capital and that Quanta does not lose its favourable tax status. Minor projects (mainly software?) could be financed out of subscription income. No financial return would be expected from these and thus there would be fewer legal difficulties over tax etc. Remember your subscription is your money, not Quanta's. How would you like them to spend it on your behalf? Geoff Wicks.
[ql-users] Re: [ql-users] £ 1000 to spend! (2nd attempt!)
- Original Message - From: Wolfgang Lenerz [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] £ 1000 to spend! (2nd attempt!) SNIP I don't know whether offering something like 1000 pounds for software would be a good idea. The reason is that it is, in my mind, too much and too little. Let me explain. It is too little. If you want to finance a software author, 1000 pounds will get you - what? A month' worth of work? Look at what Peter has told us on this list - if he were offered 2000 pounds for his ongoing work, he wouldn't accept it, because it would be far from what the software would be worth... This is a point of view I can share. So, thibking that a professoinal would do some real work for this amount of money is, IMHO, just too optimistic. SNIP Thanks for this contribution. I can agree with most of what you write. Obviously £1,000 is peanuts for a professional programmer's time. All we would be doing if we paid for software is giving the author a generous present as a token of gratitude. Nevertheless, there is a long history of people in the QL community doing a lot of work for little reward. Look at the traders who are prepared to make a yearly loss because of their belief in the QL. With Just Words! I do this quite coldly and calculatingly. There is a level I am prepared to go to and no further. (Hence the anger of last year.) The result is that for the first time in years I am now in control of the deficit, Just Words! remains in existence and if nothing else QL Today gets a bit of advertising money. (But not yet Quanta - they have yet to prove their reliability - famous last words - Just Words! will be financing the QL2004 advertising in the Quanta Magazine - however you will get the principle.) All I am asking is whether a little money would provide a little oil to a machine that is slowly rusting to a standstill. (There is, I believe, the precedence of the colour drivers.) The question you ask, What would you do for £1,000? should be considered by everyone. Thanks to everyone for their contributions. They are all being carefully noted, although unfortunately I have not yet seen much that I can recommend to Quanta. (Some good ideas would fail for legal and practical reasons.) I am very concerned about the future of Quanta. Most of its money is spent on workshops, which I suspect are becoming more and more burnt out, or the magazine whose problems are obvious. The one thing Quanta has is financial stability. How can we use that for the benefit of its members and the QL community? Geoff
[ql-users] Re: [ql-users] £ 1000 to spend! (2nd attempt!)
- Original Message - From: Jeremy Taffel [EMAIL PROTECTED] You have said that Quanta is heading towards a £1000 a year structural profit. I am also interested in how much Quanta has in realisable assets. The reason I ask, is that as has been pointed out, the pond is now a puddle and rapidly drying out. What good are those assets while they aren't being used to good effect? I suggest that Quanta decides to work on the basis that it is going to die in N years anyway, and plans to liquidate its assets by investment in good projects over that time. This could breathe new life into both the QL, and into Quanta, and actually ensure that it keeps going for longer than if it just keeps its assets in the bank. I for one would rejoin if I thought they would actually do something useful with my subscriptions. £1000 would actually only pay for one week's work for a programmer in my industry. I agree with most of what you are saying, but there are still good grounds for keeping the capital reasonably intact. The capital is currently £16,000, which on your figures is only 16 week's work. You won't get any decent hardware or software from just 16 week's work. That means finding projects that will bring some returns, no easy task. At the moment Quanta is failing its members and the QL community and has to find a better way of using both its income and capital than it is doing now. If it cannot do this within the next 12 months then a motion at the 2005 AGM to wind up Quanta would be the best solution. Geoff
[ql-users] Re: [ql-users] Re: [ql-users] £ 1000 to spend! (2nd attempt!)
- Original Message - From: Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [ql-users] Re: [ql-users] £ 1000 to spend! (2nd attempt!) Does this fall into the parameters of what you were looking for Geoff - the possibility of paying someone to extend the SDUMP system. Of course, a small(ish) job, but one that could be incoporated into a lot of programs. Perhaps we should start thinking of what sort of routines we would like if someone were to write a new DIY toolkit. Another possibility would be to pay someone to update EasyPtr. This gives me yet another idea. What about Quanta trying to obtain the rights of some old software that is still extensively used? The two that spring to mind are QLiberator and Text87. Anyone with suggestions for other programs? People often complain that QLiberator is not being updated. Just think if Quanta could buy the rights and then find someone to do what George Gwilt has managed with Turbo. Text87 is even more interesting. There is still the incompatibilty with the Q60. Also no one seems to know anything about Text87 file formatting. If we did, the RTF/HTM filters could become quite sophisticated. Spell checking could be inproved and, dare I say it, Just Words! writing tools incorporated. Would it be possible to make the program more user friendly and put it in a nice PE jacket? Another suggestion: Peter Graf does not want paying for his software, but does he have any development expenses towards which Quanta could contribute? We cannot expect 6 members of the Quanta committee to come up with ideas, if 300 members and many more non-members cannot! Geoff
[ql-users] Re: [ql-users] £ 1000 to spend! (2nd attempt!)
- Original Message - From: Roy wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2004 10:45 PM Subject: Re: [ql-users] £ 1000 to spend! (2nd attempt!) I approached Fred Toussi a while ago about doing an upgrade to Text 87 and suggested that he could produce a new version using the new colours and adding simple stuff like access to pointer driven menus for file selection (via Menu_rext). He was not keen. I suggested he gave us the sources and we could get someone to do it but he regarded his sources as being secret . Ah yes, but was he offered serious money? Qliberator was another story but Ian Stewart, who was my only contact, had only a small part in writing it. The other author, whose name escapes me, had long since disappeared and the sources were not available. I have now no contact for Ian so when the last few copies I have are exhausted I cannot sell it. I have not sold a copy for some time so I am not too worried but I would have liked to get it updated. -- This is really disappointing, because, if the sources were available they would probably be relatively cheap to buy. It would have been a valuable contribution to the future of the QL. But again, would money help in a search for the source code? Don't forget I am not suggesting asking people for the source code, but buying it. No trader could afford to do this, because it would have to be done at a loss. Quanta does have the resources and this could become one way in which Quanta could better serve the QL community. Geoff
