Re: [ql-users] XP problems
Dilwyn wrote: My own saga with the Epson USB drivers illustrates this I think - without solving this I wasn't able to use my PC properly which in turn prevented me using QPC2 properly. Unless I can resolve this, there's no point reinstalling QPC2 and all the QXL.WINs if I have to subsequently update my backups and reinstall everything again. Hi Dilwyn, having read about your reinstall-adventures so often now, gives me the idea that you really reinstall the whole system every time and not play back an image, don't you? Wouldn't it be very practical to use the opportunity of a new reinstall to partitionate your hard disc in at least 2 partitions, one for the system and one (or more, depends on hard disc space) for all data and stand-alone programs like QPC2? Together with an imaging program like Powerquest Drive Image or Acronis True Image (of which I could give you a free full version I got from of a computer magazine) you could then burn a perfect functioning system to a CD and the next time your PC crashes, you just play back this image. No hassle any more with drivers, programs, preferences, etc. Your other partition with QPC would never be affected any more by system crashes. Or did I completely misunderstand what you mean by reinstalling? Wolfgang ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] One last try...
David Isaacs writes: P.S. I now have a DOS 6.22 partition on my XP machine which will soon, I hope, proudly appear as a QL emulator on my boot menu choice (Boot Magic). And all my old QL software will have a new Pentium lease of life! You may find using your old QL or anything like it rather heavy going after all these years. The best QL emulator for the PC is the commercial QPC2. It should run most of your old software as well as all the new colourful stuff. Using QPC2 means you dont have to choose: you can have both your QL and your Windoze PC running at the same time. A demo version can be downloaded from the author Marcel Kilgus' site at http://www.kilgus.net/ Happy QL-ing! Per ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Operating Systems
Roy, You might know about MS, but I think you are misinformed about Linux. If you buy a Linux suite - and Mandrake Pro-suite comes to mind here - you get a DVD and about 9 CDs containing pretty much every application you will ever need. The only application I think that a Linux purchaser would ever need to go out and buy is a professional OCR package - ie one that can preserve complex page formatting an import it into Office. Linux has a significant edge on Microsoft when it comes to the bundling of software. Also, (believe it or not), support for hardware is not patchy like it used to be. USB is better behaved than using Windows 98SE - no printer problems there , eh Dilwyn?! Even Winmodems are (in the main) supported, as are digital cameras, TV cards, parallel port scanners However, you are right about Joe public wanting Windows (XP), but, in my opinion, for the wrong reasons! With Linux you are faced with choices... Which window manager to install (KDE, Gnome Windowmaker Enlighttement.) Which browser to use (Galeon, Mozilla, Opera, Netscape, Konqueror...) Which Media player to use Which Office Suite etc. The public don't want to make that sort of decision. They just want to use the thing out of the box. Also, they don't read manuals - they ask friends for advice - that doesn't work if they all use different applications. At the workplace, I believe that that most big organisations have accepted the excessive overhead of purchasing MS licences and maintaining the system, realising that they are saving on training - all the kids exit our education system able to use windows and ms-office. This is, I believe a totally different argument than the one that was started. I believe that the original arguments boil down to: 1) The microsoft operating system is not modular. Applications that modify registry settings and add DLLs to the system directory become part of a large unwieldy and unstable operating system, and Microsoft are the worst offenders when it comes to making de-installation of (what should be merely) applications, difficult or impossible. 2) That it is not possible to spend less on a bare-bones operating system from microsoft if that is all that is wanted or needed. (with Linux Mandrake - instead of purchasing their pro-suite you can download 3 CDs for free). You can then customise it to work on lesser machines. I'm quite happy keeping one foot in both camps. But, (getting back on topic) I think that the lesson is that those of us who like to tinker would like our operating systems - SMSQE included, kept modular as much as possible. Time now to close this thread - I hope. Jeremy - Original Message - From: Roy wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2004 12:47 AM Subject: Re: [ql-users] Operating Systems In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], John Sadler [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes - Original Message - From: Roy wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 2004 8:33 PM Subject: Re: [ql-users] Operating Systems In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], =?iso-8859-7?B?IlBob2VidXMgUi4gRG9rb3MgKNbv3+Lv8iDRLiDN9Pzq7/IpIg==?= Really, this thread is turning into an excuse for people to air their own particular rants If the cap fits ... Now if I had said that on a previous thread I would have been accused of being petty. As I said before I do not want to be a M$ apologist but all you fanatical anti M$ people mostly do not really understand what you are talking about or what the average user actually wants. If the average user wanted to spend hours tracking down programs to do what M$ already does the LINUX would have become the market leader. As it is it has not. This is not stifling or any other such nonsense. -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex. Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk ___ QL-Users Mailing List ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Operating Systems
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Jeremy Taffel [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes You might know about MS, but I think you are misinformed about Linux. If you buy a Linux suite - and Mandrake Pro-suite comes to mind here - you get a DVD and about 9 CDs containing pretty much every application you will ever need. The only application I think that a Linux purchaser would ever need to go out and buy is a professional OCR package - ie one that can preserve complex page formatting an import it into Office. Linux has a significant edge on Microsoft when it comes to the bundling of software. I have never seen this so, you are correct, I do know less about Linux. My dabbling with LINUX were some time ago and, at the time I found it unwieldy and time consuming to set up. I also found the application very clunky. Also, (believe it or not), support for hardware is not patchy like it used to be. USB is better behaved than using Windows 98SE - no printer problems there , eh Dilwyn?! Even Winmodems are (in the main) supported, as are digital cameras, TV cards, parallel port scanners Hmmm that is a moot point. As someone who sells hardware on a day to day basis I get a lot of calls from Linux users who have to have a modem or network card with 'x chipset' or without some features. This may, of course, be because they are using older versions of Linux but that is unusual because Linux users are usually right on the button with upgrades. Mind you the number of people trying to buy modems which are not 'Winmodems' is less than it used to be so either the support is better now or most users are on Broadband. However, you are right about Joe public wanting Windows (XP), but, in my opinion, for the wrong reasons! That is normal The public don't want to make that sort of decision. They just want to use the thing out of the box. Also, they don't read manuals - they ask friends for advice - that doesn't work if they all use different applications. This is what I was saying when I said they had 'local support' (a posting I did not get around to replying to). All of the support they get is from others who have been through the same hoops. There are no 'Windoze User Groups' as far as I know but there is a lot of help available. I know because I am first port of call for a lot of people. At the workplace, I believe that that most big organisations have accepted the excessive overhead of purchasing MS licences and maintaining the system, realising that they are saving on training - all the kids exit our education system able to use windows and ms-office. This is, I believe a totally different argument than the one that was started. True but a point I made in my column a while ago. The report I quoted (from Gartner) said that LINUX uptake was highest in Government circles where training can be given in large numbers and is part of the regime anyway and a slowdown in output is not costly. In industry these things are taken in account more and M$ tends to rule. 1) The microsoft operating system is not modular. Applications that modify registry settings and add DLLs to the system directory become part of a large unwieldy and unstable operating system, and Microsoft are the worst offenders when it comes to making de-installation of (what should be merely) applications, difficult or impossible. This is true and occurs to a degree on the QL and probably most other systems. I forgot to remove an extension that I loaded when I tested the early colour window manager and this caused a lot of crashes and false error reports. The more complex the system the easier this is to happen. 2) That it is not possible to spend less on a bare-bones operating system from microsoft if that is all that is wanted or needed. (with Linux Mandrake - instead of purchasing their pro-suite you can download 3 CDs for free). You can then customise it to work on lesser machines. True, but the training of staff and the employment of specialist IT staff to do this more than balances the books. To be honest here many companies have a single copy of W98 or W2000 and install it on multiple machines. They have not upgraded to XP because of activation. They operate illegally but it is cheap. I could make a fortune by reporting these because there is a reward! I'm quite happy keeping one foot in both camps. But, (getting back on topic) I think that the lesson is that those of us who like to tinker would like our operating systems - SMSQE included, kept modular as much as possible. I completely agree. But I do like a good argument. -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex. Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Nasta
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], gwicks [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes There was a suggestion of approaching QUANTA over financing. Has this been done? If not, is any help necessary? Nasta was out of communication for a while because of his current job. He is thinking about this as an option but, at the current time, his replies are a bit delayed. Apart from Roy Wood there was no reaction to this. (And given his close interest in Nasta's work, I think Roy would have given every assistance to Nasta in formulating a request to QUANTA.) Well I did offer to help I am really waiting to hear from him if he wants to ask Quanta to help. He did send a long email about current plans for me to read at the AGM. Now two nasty and unpleasant questions posed in my role as the unfeeling and unsympathetic bastard who heads the hard-hearted reality department. Nasty question number 1 (For Nasta): To what stage of physical hardware has coldfire developed, or is it still all on paper? Not nasty at all. I believe there are some prototypes for the new Qubide and Aurora. The Qubide has the most ambitious changes. The Goldfire, I think, is still on paper but ready for prototyping when the parts are available. Drivers for the Goldfire would be the biggest hurdle. Nasty question number 2 (Not for Nasta, but possibly for RWAP or QBranch): What do you envisage would be the maximum production run for goldfire? Hard to say I think. There would be more interest in a better memory/CPU upgrade (i.e. Goldfire) in my opinion than for the other two projects. The native QL has been left behind a bit by the Q.xx and QPC2 because its memory is so limited that it cannot run the latest versions of SMSQ/E in high colour mode and still be usefully loaded with a full suite of programs. People still want SuperGold Cards and I do not often have a second hand one. When I do they go in days. There is a small demand for Qubides but people have shown some interest in the new version Nasta is proposing. I would only conceive a first run of 50 of each and see what the interest is. 50 seems to be the common number because it is the lowest number of PCBs that can be economically produced. Of course you do not have to buy components for the whole run but there is a degree of decision making in what quantity price breaks you get. I am not sure how this should be done. Should it be proposed as a loan from Quanta to Nasta to produce the goods and then have them sold through the usual traders or should Quanta get them made and sell them itself? I am not adverse to either position but I suspect that Quanta's constitution forbids sales outside its membership. -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex. Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Nasta
In a message dated 11/04/2004 10:47:37 GMT Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], gwicks [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes There was a suggestion of approaching QUANTA over financing. Has this been done? If not, is any help necessary? Nasta was out of communication for a while because of his current job. He is thinking about this as an option but, at the current time, his replies are a bit delayed. Apart from Roy Wood there was no reaction to this. (And given his close interest in Nasta's work, I think Roy would have given every assistance to Nasta in formulating a request to QUANTA.) Well I did offer to help I am really waiting to hear from him if he wants to ask Quanta to help. He did send a long email about current plans for me to read at the AGM. Perhaps that email could be posted on this list after the AGM, for those of us who are not able to attend... Now two nasty and unpleasant questions posed in my role as the unfeeling and unsympathetic bastard who heads the hard-hearted reality department. Nasty question number 1 (For Nasta): To what stage of physical hardware has coldfire developed, or is it still all on paper? Not nasty at all. I believe there are some prototypes for the new Qubide and Aurora. The Qubide has the most ambitious changes. The Goldfire, I think, is still on paper but ready for prototyping when the parts are available. Drivers for the Goldfire would be the biggest hurdle. Nasty question number 2 (Not for Nasta, but possibly for RWAP or QBranch): What do you envisage would be the maximum production run for goldfire? Hard to say I think. There would be more interest in a better memory/CPU upgrade (i.e. Goldfire) in my opinion than for the other two projects. The native QL has been left behind a bit by the Q.xx and QPC2 because its memory is so limited that it cannot run the latest versions of SMSQ/E in hgh colour mode and still be usefully loaded with a full suite of programs. People still want SuperGold Cards and I do not often have a second hand one. When I do they go in days. There is a small demand for Qubides but people have shown some interest in the new version Nasta is proposing. I would only conceive a first run of 50 of each and see what the interest is. 50 seems to be the common number because it is the lowest number of PCBs that can be economically produced. Of course you do not have to buy components for the whole run but there is a degree of decision making in what quantity price breaks you get. I agree that 50 seems the most likely starting point I am not sure how this should be done. Should it be proposed as a loan from Quanta to Nasta to produce the goods and then have them sold through the usual traders or should Quanta get them made and sell them itself? I am not adverse to either position but I suspect that Quanta's constitution forbids sales outside its membership. Yes, I believe so - the most likely suggestion would be for Quanta to provide an interest free loan to Nasta which would be repaid at £x per card sold (possibly add a little more here so that Quanta gets some return - ie. if it needs to lend £30 per card, it should get back £33 per card sold). I would also suggest that Nasta gets the cards made himself - he may be able to finder cheaper production than Quanta (or traders in the UK), plus it ensures that we do not get a repeat of the original Q40 saga. At least Nasta would then have control over the manufacturing process and be able to correct any problems at an early stage. -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services 35 Chantry Croft, Kinsley, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF9 5JH TEL: 01977 610509 Visit our website at URL:http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk Stuck with ordinary dial up internet connection ?? Read our review of internet accelerators and broadband at: URL: http://www.rwapadventures.com/Services/reviews.html ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Printer help
Where is the history of devices? - Original Message - From: Roy wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2004 11:33 PM Subject: Re: [ql-users] Printer help In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Bill Waugh [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes a PC type fellow once pointed out to me that it pays to visit -system- devices - and delete any drivers that have a problem ( yellow question mark ) before you attempt to reload them If you do this in 'safe mode' you can delete the history of devices that were installed and not just the current ones. The registry is not very good at cleansing itself which is why I suggested editing the registry. There are several shareware and freeware programs that can do that. Check Tucows. -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex. Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk ___ QL-Users Mailing List ___ QL-Users Mailing List
[ql-users] SQLUG Site
Latest updates for Turbo TurboPTR are now on the site. Of interest are programs to Edit WDA files manually to allow fine tuning of windows. Convert EasyPTR window files toi WDA files to convert TurboPTR. Any problems please let me know. ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Printer help
Re: Dilwyn's- And browsing the CD I cannot find a single folder or file which looks vaguely like a stand alone driver free of the all the tied in Epson clutter - That could be because the final 'driver' has as many as 30+ files which result when the compacted files on the disk are expanded and/or are produced by various _.exe's similary liberated. That will be done when I get a chance. Start from scratch, adding one card at a time. -- My W98/Me experience is to do just that but also to reboot between **every** card. Infuriating and slow - but it has got me there in the end. = As to bad/lenghty experiences with replies from Epson - I have always had prompt e-responses - the last one (just three days ago) was 24hrs old. John in Wales ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Printer help
Hmm - just a final thought (as Epson will probably take a couple of weeks to reply, unless you can get their live chat to work - not worked here since I installed the latest Sun Java) Anyway, what would happen if you disabled the parallel port before installing the Epson software?? You can disable the hardware in control-panel / system / hardware / ports (should list Epson ECP Printer Port LPT1) - right click on this and disable (or similar - I'm on XP). This occurred to me as well. Sadly, it screwed up the scanner drivers (not too big a problem as it is easy to reinstall). All it achieved was to install the Epson parallel port software even though the printer (or indeed nothing, no cable plugged into LPT1:) was on USB001: Peter Fox sent me some Epson USB files to manually install the driver. Even that installed to LPT1: even though the files he sent are USB drivers for his 740! There is something sadly lacking in my relationship with this PC at the moment and I have a glazier on standby in case it goes flying out the window. If I can get peace and quiet for a whole day here soon, I'm locking myself in and it's getting stripped down and a total reinstall of Windows and all hardware one card at a time until it works. There has to be something installed on it (software or hardware) which is incompatible or interfering in some way. -- Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] XP problems
Hi Dilwyn, having read about your reinstall-adventures so often now, gives me the idea that you really reinstall the whole system every time and not play back an image, don't you? Wouldn't it be very practical to use the opportunity of a new reinstall to partitionate your hard disc in at least 2 partitions, one for the system and one (or more, depends on hard disc space) for all data and stand-alone programs like QPC2? I have enough problems with this machine without getting into things like 'partitioning' I know nothing about! Anyway reinstall just means putting WIndows 98 SE back and a couple of CDs of backups (QPC, QXL.WINs, the *.DBX and *.WAB email files, a couple of games, AVG anitvirus and the iamges of my QL CD-ROMs). So much seems to go wrong with this PC that restoring a true image is only asking for trouble, asI'm sure there's something in the software somewhere which is incompatible or causing problems in some way and varying the setup one step at a time is probably the only way to find and remove it, especially with my poor knowledge of WIndoze systems. High time I started saving my pennies for a better computer I think. Anyway, this time I've written everything down and can put it all back together one step at a time to really diagnose what is going on. Then I can forget about the PC side of things and concentrate on QLing. -- Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Operating Systems
Also, (believe it or not), support for hardware is not patchy like it used to be. USB is better behaved than using Windows 98SE - no printer problems there , eh Dilwyn?! Even Winmodems are (in the main) supported, as are digital cameras, TV cards, parallel port scanners Win98SE is probably the most advanced Windoze this old PC will run...the thought of trying to squeeze XP onto a 333MHz 64MB RAM, 8.2GB PC makes me want to reach for the Valium :-( *!SULK!* -- Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Printer help
As to bad/lenghty experiences with replies from Epson - I have always had prompt e-responses - the last one (just three days ago) was 24hrs old. John in Wales Maybe, but mine was timed just before Easter, so I understand and forgive longer waits, and anyway the problem is probably less than straight forward to resolve. At least with QDOSMSQ things generally either don't work at all or work well, not this halfway house which isn't really clear whether thinsg are working, sort of working, part working, mostly working, tells you it's working and it ain't or tells you it ain't working but it is ! Never mind, it's all been good clean and legal fun in the end, with the possible exception of the breach of the peace when there's just me and the computer in the house :-( My PC could be a Weapon of Mass Destruction all by itself...it could send half the population insane! -- Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Operating Systems
On Sun, 11 Apr 2004 at 12:32:39, Dilwyn Jones wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Also, (believe it or not), support for hardware is not patchy like it used to be. USB is better behaved than using Windows 98SE - no printer problems there , eh Dilwyn?! Even Winmodems are (in the main) supported, as are digital cameras, TV cards, parallel port scanners Win98SE is probably the most advanced Windoze this old PC will run...the thought of trying to squeeze XP onto a 333MHz 64MB RAM, 8.2GB PC makes me want to reach for the Valium :-( *!SULK!* XP works just fine on my Toshiba Libretto 266 with 64mb ram. It even has only max 800x600 screen. It even worked (slowly) with 32mb memory, when the expansion card got knocked out of its socket. I have absolutely no problems with any hardware (USB, wifi, 100mb network, floppy disk, infrared, CF adaptor) or software. It even worked first time with my Epson USB printer. Take heart. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname.co.uk http://www.firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Operating Systems (OT)
My dabbling with LINUX were some time ago and, at the time I found it unwieldy and time consuming to set up. I also found the application very clunky. Over Christmas I upgraded from Mandrake 8.2 to 9.2 and from Windows 98 to 98SE. The former was no problem. The latter was a real palava. Umpteen reboots; then installing all the manufacturers hardware drivers, then visiting the microsoft site to get all the OS updates - then reinstalling all the software. First time round I got as far as the microsoft site, but could not work out what updates I needed, and crashed. Machine then crashed everytime I tried to reboot it. Bottom line Linux took several hours, most of which time it did not need me present. Windows took over a week to get running stably. I still have one problem. If I shut down it is fine. If I shutdown and reboot it hangs. Why ? I get a lot of calls from Linux users who have to have a modem or network card with 'x chipset' or without some features. Look in the mandrake hardware database http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/hardware.php3 The list there is comprehensive and contains some very new cards (the latest ATi All in Wonder for example) And in my experience there are drivers around for non-listed products -eg motorola winmodems, but they aren't part of the standard distribution so they need a certain amount of expertise to get up and running. The report I quoted (from Gartner) said that LINUX uptake was highest in Government circles where training can be given in large numbers and is part of the regime anyway and a slowdown in output is not costly. In industry these things are taken in account more and M$ tends to rule. My wife is a nurse. She spends about 30 minutes a day at work on email, intranet, word and excel using Windows2000. The NHS is spending a fortune on the microsoft licences (one per very part time user) for functionality they could have had for free. I read in the press they are trying to negotiate a discount. About By time too. . True, but the training of staff and the employment of specialist IT staff to do this more than balances the books. And how many IT Specialists really understand their Windows NT/2000 network? I was just upgraded at work from NT to 2000, and now I get a 3 minute wait every time I try to pull up a file open dialogue from within MSoffice. However the Unix (Solaris) side of the same network is fine. If you understand networking concepts it is just as easy to establish and maintain a network under any variety of Unix as it is NT; That knowledge is necessary to put a reasonably secure system together. Most of the IT support staff I come across are not that knowledgeable! The problem isn't networking, but maintaining the desktop. Under linux every user is likely to set himself his own environment, making the users more efficient but giving IT a headache because they believe its their duty to impose uniformity. Until recently Linux desktop was not very good (inferior fonts, no decent office packages etc). So Microsoft have had a massive head start, but Linux is probably catching up now. To be honest here many companies have a single copy of W98 or W2000 and install it on multiple machines. They have not upgraded to XP because of activation. They operate illegally but it is cheap. I could make a fortune by reporting these because there is a reward! If they switched to Linux they would be operating quite legally ;~) . But I do like a good argument. So do I. But I don't think there is actually any disagreement of substance. One last point though. Microsoft don't actually deliver the goods. The public wants a machine they can switch on and use without understanding its inner workings. Microsoft claimn to provide that product. That's fine when it works. When it doesn't ... Ask Dilwyn about his printer. By hiding the workings, they make manual intervention and correction all but impossible. XP is an improvemnent, but still isn't perfect. I wasted several days trying to get a wireless network running on XP. The first time I installed the card it crashed one machine, but the other was fine (same procedure, same card). After several attempts, both machines seemed to recognise their cards, and eventually I even established a network. Top speed established 6 baud! I did transfer one file once, before giving up and getting my money back on the cards. With Linux, the user friendly installations like Mandrake provide you with all the automated wizards, to detect and install your hardware but if they don't work, and you are prepared to go through a learning curve, you can read the configuration files (plain text not registry gibberish), and put it right yourself. Jeremy ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Nasta
Now I get to be the subject on an email list ;-) - well, there is always that first time, i suppose ;-) People monitoring this list will have noteced that my posts are few and far between these days - for two reasons: one, I have two jobs, and two, I have the same problem with emails Jochen seems to have, but even worse. As my ISP seems to be an originator of SPAM, many ohers simply ignore emails sent from it. I am rather delighted to see that the last message got through to the list, since it was changed over, but I have no idea how long this will last. As one would immagine, it is most frustrating to be only able to read emails, AND have 95% of them be SPAM lately (I get 100 emails a day). Regarding a formal business proposal to Quanta, this will be complicated for me without an intermediary. Let me remind you that I live in Croatia now, which is not a part of the EU (and currently regarded far too backward a country to become a member, apparently), which means that proposing any kind of business that has to deal with trans-border stuff is a real problem. If I were to, for instance, detail the channels that I would use to procure parts, most would definitely find them arcane (to put it mildly) but that is how things work here. Let me make it clearer - I _can_ get practically any part I want, assuming I can talk (twist arms and necks etc) of the suppliers to get me these in small quantity, and am willing to wait an indeterminate amount of time - hardly something that would seem sound in a formal business proposal. Secondly, some services have to be procured elsewhere - for instance, there are a gazzilion facilities that can produce quality two-layer PCBs in Croatia at very reasonable prices, but none that do multilayer boards - for that I have to go to Slovenia, which will, sometime in the next 3 months, become an EU member, at which point any arrangements made may become a bit more complex - or simpler, the fact is, I don't know and no-one else seems to, either (list members from countries that use the Euro will no doubt remember the price fluctuations on nearly all markets when the Euro changeover took place - a similar thing will happen in Slovenia). Most of the market for a product such as GoldFire is in the UK, which, even while being a member of the EU has it's own rules of sorts when finances are concerned, and the rest of the market is distributet amongst other EU countries and the US. For me, this means that I have to go through hoops to import parts which will be exported as a product, all while not being a company, but a private individual. In order to do so, I would have to find an intermediary here, which makes things far more complicated. Last but not least, I have two jobs at the moment, which for obvious reasons (such as being able to afford a living at least at the very basic food and lodging level) have to take precedence. Hardly a situation that makes it possible to just sit down and write a formal business proposal, and have it not sound insane... Fortunately, things are not as dark as they may seem. Due to the arrangement I have at work, I can use the resources of my employer with regards to parts and service sourcing, at their cost. Secondly, my employer has a keen interest in ColdFire based single-board computers. In fact, we have done some preliminary discussions on two possible projects, one based on the V4 coldfire, and another, based on the 68VZ328 Dragonball CPU (the latter is fully 68k compatible and runs at 66MHz, and includes a ton of peripherals on-chip, including a LCD/CRT controller). For the people that have suggested giving me room and board as it were, things are a bit more complex than that at the moment. I can do the developement where I am now, however, a modest amount of cash and a rather larger amount of time is necessary for this. Nasty question number 1 (For Nasta): To what stage of physical hardware has Goldfire developed, or is it still all on paper? This question is not as nasty as much as it stems from a misconception. The answer comes in two parts: 1) Apart from a set of parts for prototypes (and some parts that I have in sufficient numbers for a 50 piece production run), GoldFire is still only 'on paper' or rather as designs and simulations in relevant CAD programs, plus reference documentation. 2) There is no way to breadboard* this design, so 99.95% of the developement is carried out 'virtually' - it is impossible to produce a true prototype design without it being so close to the final design to be virtually indistinguishable, or, an attempt to make it as a 'breadboard' prototype would result in a non-functional design because of the required technology to insure signal integrity at such speeds. * Breadboarding is the process of completing a design on a 'breadboard', i.e. a 'universal' PCB that is then hand-wired point to point. Chips used on the GoldFire cannot be used in this manner with any reasonable expectations of proper functionality,
Re: [ql-users] Knoware
Slightly improved site: Some pages more compliant with HTLM4.0, but more work to do! Fixed links (I used '\' instead of '/' in some path names (Thanks LR!) Added wrezmov.zip Updated dbf2htm (html bugs removed) and added demo ... Per ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Nasta
ZN a écrit: Now I get to be the subject on an email list ;-) - well, there is always that first time, i suppose ;-) [snip] Regards, Nasta Hello, I know how painful it is to receive all this spam. Fortunately I receive only ~50/day and 80% are send to other [EMAIL PROTECTED] users. So this flood is relatively easy to filter (I asked them 3 times if they were hacked or if they sold the adresses: no answer..). Do you have another email that is easier to use? Arnould ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Nasta
A possible project being investigated is a board that would in essence be a QL replacement, that could fit into the old case (or a much cmaller one), would include extra frills and in essence be a all-in-one machine, is a board based on the aforementioned 68VZ328 Dragonball. There was talk of this on the list before, but at that time there was no source for the CPUs. Note that this board would be far less powerfull than a GoldFire (or Q60) - think of it as a 66MHz GoldCard with loads more RAM and Aurora+ style graphics, but would be a simple and quite cheap solution for a replacement QL for non-power users ;-) especially if I can find a market for it elsewhere and sell it under the guise of something else (which I think I may be able to do). And now questions about this 68328. You talk about the VZ version. But according the motorola web site there is the 68SZ328: The MC68SZ328 (DragonBall Super VZ) microprocessor, the fourth generation of the 68K-based DragonBall family of products, is designed to save system designers time, power, and cost. Requiring less board space, it allows for reduced pin count and fewer programming steps when designing products. The major differences between previous versions of DragonBall processors and the new Super VZ are an improvement in system speed, TFT color LCD support, an A/D converter (with touch panel control), an MMC/SD host controller, a DMA controller, embedded SRAM, a USB device controller, and an I2C interface. It has a lot of things on board, even 100 kb of memory not mentioned in the extract above. And it is reasonably fast: 10 MIPS against about 7 MIPS in the 24 MHz 60020 based Super Gold Card (if I understand how to do the calculation :) But do you know more about the USB interface? I do not know the exact terminology, but IIRC what you already wrote here, it is not the same in the PC and in accessories. Is it a real USB port like in PCs? (I know the sotware problem of drivers, it is not the question). And: is it available in reasonnable quantities, ie about 50 units? Arnould ___ QL-Users Mailing List
[ql-users] QL2004 website
The QL2004 website is now available: http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/ql2004.htm Apologies to Opera users, but since Lycos added the advertising column, the site cannot be displayed on this browser. It works OK on IE, Netscape and Mozilla, but could you let me know if other browsers give problems? Geoff Wicks ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Nasta
- Original Message - From: Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Nasta Although it is too late to present this as something for discussion at the Quanta AGM, there is nothing to stop this sort of idea being discussed during one of the workshop sessions as aninformal discussion or debate from which the main points and views raised could be summarised and presented to the committee for discussion, or even for informal discussions to take place at the AGM dinner on saturday night - all I;m suggesting is bounce a few ideas around as initial discussion, sound out the members and officials and start forming views which in themselves won't carry any official weight but you may at least get a feeeling of opinion among the active members present which may simplify or clarify the direction any formal enquiries, discussion of any business plans or requests for help with funding etc might take in the future. It is quite common for informal discussion and 'sounding out' to take place before things go through formal channels to know the best way to (legally and fairly of course) present matters in the most efficient way. I have been asked to fill a slot on the Sunday morning and we have kept the subject matter open. I was thinking of a general discussion on the questions I raised in connection with QL2004, all as part of getting among members and other QL-ers as John Taylor is suggesting, but this could easily be changed to the ideas you want to discuss. In fact, the Nasta cards provide a good case example of the difficulties involved. In summary a business case is not five pages of technical specifications, but production cost per item, production time, production quantity and selling plans. It does not matter if the initial estimates are fairly crude, that is what gets sorted out in negotiation. Just remember that 20 cards at £100 each is an investment equivalent to the subscriptions of a third of our members. That is why there has to be a lot of legal red tape involved. BTW the above is subject to my staying ovenight in Manchester on the Saturday. That is my plan at the moment, but it could be subject to change. Best wishes, Geoff Wicks QL2004 website: http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/ql2004.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Nasta
- Original Message - From: ZN [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Nasta Now I get to be the subject on an email list ;-) - well, there is always that first time, i suppose ;-) Thanks for your reply. It's given us a clear idea of your situation, although I shall have to read it several times to get the complete picture. (I have already made a hard copy.) I think we can now all look at the whole business far more calmly. One final point. Do you think you will be able to make it to QL2004? I would love to give you a slot to talk about your work. Best wishes, Geoff Wicks QL2004 website: http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/ql2004.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] QL2004 website
Well, I use Opera V7.11 and its fine. I can't tell the difference between it and the page on IE6. What's supposed not to work? I also use tripod to host my site and have never had any problems with it. But then its perhaps because I've got pop-ups partly blocked that it works for me. Jeremy - Original Message - From: gwicks [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: ql-users [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2004 10:06 AM Subject: [ql-users] QL2004 website The QL2004 website is now available: http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/ql2004.htm Apologies to Opera users, but since Lycos added the advertising column, the site cannot be displayed on this browser. It works OK on IE, Netscape and Mozilla, but could you let me know if other browsers give problems? Geoff Wicks ___ QL-Users Mailing List ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] One last try...
Wolfgang Lenerz wrote: On 8 Apr 2004 at 13:00, Dave P wrote: I actually didn't have Quanta in mind for this. I put 'someone' in quotes thinking this could be an individual, or many people. However, if Quanta thinks such a path is of interest to them, I am sure he would be interested. Especially if it was a package that included some support to help him move to England... OK, I'll go on record to subsidise this at the tume of 100 . I would be willing. Amount to be determined (100euro minimum). A business proposition would also be an option... Joachim Van der Auwera ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] One last try...
OK, I'll go on record to subsidise this at the tume of 100 . Anybody else? Wolfgang You can count on me. However apparently the money would be welcome, but he has no plans to relocate (see Nasta discussion). Arnould ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] QL2004 website
The QL2004 website is now available: http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/ql2004.htm Apologies to Opera users, but since Lycos added the advertising column, the site cannot be displayed on this browser. It works OK on IE, Netscape and Mozilla, but could you let me know if other browsers give problems? Geoff Wicks Yes indeed, Opera (7.23) shows up but the Lycos script interferes heavily. No popup-block can change this. Why do you have to accept that they change your HTML, anyway? Do they ask that for the free use of their server? Do you want space on my Tiscali account? I have got enough :-) Wolfgang ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Nasta
The USB interface is not a USB 'HOST' but rather a USB endpoint. I.e, a SZ328 system with propper software support becomes a USB device, rather than a host (or, to use simpler terms, a controller). As such, this port will not be able to accept other USB devices directly, although there appears to be a way to do this using some sort of a USB bridge device, something which is commonly used in USB to USB networking cables, for instance. Specs on this are very difficult to find. I have only seen it referred to in a completely unrelated document (for a Cirrus - Crystal MP3 player chip), where this approach is used to connect USB mass memory devices. Exactly, that was underlying idea: use of the USB port provided with of that chip for mass storage, and more specifically, use the USB flash memory keys around that are cheaper and cheaper. But it is not possible. Here the best sum up of a few hours of comments reading and browsing through the USB 1.1 specifications ( www.usb.org ): USB is a very asymmetrical protocol; the roles of the host and the targets are very different. (Some specific examples: *all* data transfers are initiated by the host; the host sends a SOF token once per millisecond; the host is in charge of enumerating the device tree, reading each device's descriptor, and polling any devices whose descriptors request it. The target simply listens, and responds to requests, except for a very few situations such as wakeup-from-sleep.) So the conclusion: I still hope that it may be feasible to interface flash ram or rom cartridges to the 68SZ328, but it will not be through the USB *device* port that they provided. Or maybe yes, but outside of any industry standard by using very special tinkering. Let it be. ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] QL2004 website
On Sun, 11 Apr 2004 at 10:06:30, gwicks wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) The QL2004 website is now available: http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/ql2004.htm Apologies to Opera users, but since Lycos added the advertising column, the site cannot be displayed on this browser. It works OK on IE, Netscape and Mozilla, but could you let me know if other browsers give problems? Looks good. That guesthouse looks worth exploring. By the way, you should add title tags to the site - there is nothing, so it displays the URL (and same when one saves). Also the first words of text should make some sense, as they are ones that will appear in summaries on search engines (Google etc). At the moment there is nothing intelligible. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname.co.uk http://www.firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] QL2004 website
On Sun, 11 Apr 2004 at 19:07:12, Wolfgang Uhlig wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) The QL2004 website is now available: http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/ql2004.htm Apologies to Opera users, but since Lycos added the advertising column, the site cannot be displayed on this browser. It works OK on IE, Netscape and Mozilla, but could you let me know if other browsers give problems? Geoff Wicks Yes indeed, Opera (7.23) shows up but the Lycos script interferes heavily. No popup-block can change this. Why do you have to accept that they change your HTML, anyway? Do they ask that for the free use of their server? Do you want space on my Tiscali account? I have got enough :-) I can also put it on my site if you want. I have just about enough space (35GB at the last count (8-)# ) I could give you a user account on my Linux system, and you could use pscp from Windows (and puTTY) to maintain the site. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname.co.uk http://www.firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Nasta
Arnould Nazarian wrote: So the conclusion: I still hope that it may be feasible to interface flash ram or rom cartridges to the 68SZ328, but it will not be through the USB *device* port that they provided. Or maybe yes, but outside of any industry standard by using very special tinkering. Let it be. I'm no hardware guy, but just for the sake of argument this chip looks like it could provide USB host functionality with a not too complex CPU interface. There's even a document with complete schematics that describes on how to interface it with a DragonBall CPU. http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/cgi-bin/pldb/pip/ISP1161a.html I have no clue how difficult the software side would be. Marcel ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] QL2004
Wolfgang Uhlig wrote: Marcel (if you read this) couldn't you ask Albin about that, you know him best of all of us? Yes, but first I'd like to know under what conditions he gave out the sources he did. So far I didn't get any answer to that one, although I have asked twice. Marcel ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Fw: [ql-users] QL2004 website
Second attempt - after 3 hours it hasn't made its way onto the list - Original Message - From: Jeremy Taffel [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2004 5:41 PM Subject: Re: [ql-users] QL2004 website Well, I use Opera V7.11 and its fine. I can't tell the difference between it and the page on IE6. What's supposed not to work? I also use tripod to host my site and have never had any problems with it. But then its perhaps because I've got pop-ups partly blocked that it works for me. Jeremy - Original Message - From: gwicks [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: ql-users [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2004 10:06 AM Subject: [ql-users] QL2004 website The QL2004 website is now available: http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/ql2004.htm Apologies to Opera users, but since Lycos added the advertising column, the site cannot be displayed on this browser. It works OK on IE, Netscape and Mozilla, but could you let me know if other browsers give problems? Geoff Wicks ___ QL-Users Mailing List ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] QL2004 website
Well, it took about a minute second time around. Does anyone know what's going on? The first didn't bounce - just disappeared into the ether. - Original Message - From: Jeremy Taffel [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2004 8:32 PM Subject: Fw: [ql-users] QL2004 website Second attempt - after 3 hours it hasn't made its way onto the list - Original Message - From: Jeremy Taffel [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2004 5:41 PM Subject: Re: [ql-users] QL2004 website Well, I use Opera V7.11 and its fine. I can't tell the difference between it and the page on IE6. What's supposed not to work? I also use tripod to host my site and have never had any problems with it. But then its perhaps because I've got pop-ups partly blocked that it works for me. Jeremy - Original Message - From: gwicks [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: ql-users [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2004 10:06 AM Subject: [ql-users] QL2004 website The QL2004 website is now available: http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/ql2004.htm Apologies to Opera users, but since Lycos added the advertising column, the site cannot be displayed on this browser. It works OK on IE, Netscape and Mozilla, but could you let me know if other browsers give problems? Geoff Wicks ___ QL-Users Mailing List ___ QL-Users Mailing List ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: Fw: [ql-users] QL2004 website
Jeremy Taffel wrote: Second attempt - after 3 hours it hasn't made its way onto the list Actually I got that one 10 minutes after you'd sent it (18:51). Marcel ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Nasta
- Original Message - From: Roy wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Nasta I am not sure how this should be done. Should it be proposed as a loan from Quanta to Nasta to produce the goods and then have them sold through the usual traders or should Quanta get them made and sell them itself? I am not adverse to either position but I suspect that Quanta's constitution forbids sales outside its membership. -- There is the model of the Q60 which was done as a loan to D D systems, although I understand that this was a fairly controversial decision within the Quanta committee. There was an alternative view that Quanta should have sold it itself, which, as I understand it, would have meant that only members could have bought a Q60. However what is £14 Quanta membership when you are spending £500+ on a computer? Nasta has now given us a good picture of his situation. I think it would be in everyone's interest if we all studied this carefully so that we can think about how we can best proceed. Best Wishes, Geoff Wicks QL2004 website: http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/ql2004.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] List issues
And this one just showed up within 1-2 minutes. Cheers, jim On Apr 11, 2004, at 2:04 PM, James Hunkins wrote: Guys, I haven't had any problems posting to this list. In fact, I usually see my postings within a few minutes. I would suspect that you are all hitting issues with different providers/routings and not so much with the list. I saw the discussion about providers blocking common spam sources which is a very common practice (unfortunately but needed for now). Jim On Apr 11, 2004, at 12:36 PM, Jeremy Taffel wrote: But I still haven't received it back. Weird! - Original Message - From: Marcel Kilgus [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2004 8:39 PM Subject: Re: Fw: [ql-users] QL2004 website Jeremy Taffel wrote: Second attempt - after 3 hours it hasn't made its way onto the list Actually I got that one 10 minutes after you'd sent it (18:51). Marcel ___ QL-Users Mailing List ___ QL-Users Mailing List ___ QL-Users Mailing List ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] QL2004 website
Safari on the Mac can also see if just fine. jim On Apr 11, 2004, at 2:06 AM, gwicks wrote: The QL2004 website is now available: http://members.lycos.co.uk/geoffwicks/ql2004.htm Apologies to Opera users, but since Lycos added the advertising column, the site cannot be displayed on this browser. It works OK on IE, Netscape and Mozilla, but could you let me know if other browsers give problems? Geoff Wicks ___ QL-Users Mailing List ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] QL2004
On Sun, 11 Apr 2004 at 22:13:55, Tony Firshman wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) On Sun, 11 Apr 2004 at 21:53:13, Marcel Kilgus wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Jeremy Taffel wrote: Am I the only one having problems? - it appears that random postings are not coming through to me. This makes no sense to me whatsoever because I never received the previous message. The message I have answered here was 2 weeks old. There are certainly some odd delays in messages. I have very often seen replies to messages, and the original arrive days, sometimes a week, later. ... but this one arrived back here in minutes. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname.co.uk http://www.firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] XP problems
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Wolfgang Uhlig [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes you could then burn a perfect functioning system to a CD and the next time your PC crashes, you just play back this image. No hassle any more with drivers, programs, preferences, etc. Your other partition with QPC would never be affected any more by system crashes. Or did I completely misunderstand what you mean by reinstalling? Now that is sensible ... :-) -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Operating Systems
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Also its security support from file level up, is unparalleled. This may only be because it is not probed in the same way. I firmly believe that one of the reasons so many attacks target windows is because the attackers have something to prove. As opposed to QDOS/SMSQ, it is very difficult with Windows to know what is loaded at boot. Similarly it is pretty impossible to prune the system areas. Actually it is not that hard. System.ini and Win.ini hold a lot of information if you know how to use it. If not there are programs available to help. One good one is the Registry Drill. I hear though that the next flavour of Windoze is going back to W3.1 days and allowing programs to stand alone. Is that the case, Roy? If so it is a _very_ good move. snip No information that -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex. Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Printer help
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], John Sadler [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Where is the history of devices? If you go into 'safe mode' and look at the devices tab in the properties of my computer they should be all there. -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex. Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk ___ QL-Users Mailing List
Re: [ql-users] Operating Systems (OT)
Over Christmas I upgraded from Mandrake 8.2 to 9.2 and from Windows 98 to 98SE. The former was no problem. The latter was a real palava. Umpteen reboots; then installing all the manufacturers hardware drivers, then visiting the microsoft site to get all the OS updates - then reinstalling all the software. First time round I got as far as the microsoft site, but could not work out what updates I needed, and crashed. Machine then crashed everytime I tried to reboot it. Bottom line Linux took several hours, most of which time it did not need me present. Windows took over a week to get running stably. I still have one problem. If I shut down it is fine. If I shutdown and reboot it hangs. Why ? Probably the dreaded shutdown problem with some versions of 98. That was never a very good O/S anyway but streets ahead of its younger sibling ME. I get a lot of calls from Linux users who have to have a modem or network card with 'x chipset' or without some features. Look in the mandrake hardware database http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/hardware.php3 The list there is comprehensive and contains some very new cards (the latest ATi All in Wonder for example) And in my experience there are drivers around for non-listed products -eg motorola winmodems, but they aren't part of the standard distribution so they need a certain amount of expertise to get up and running. And this is why there are problems. On the whole the drivers provided with the hardware work well with Windows and all is fine. My wife is a nurse. She spends about 30 minutes a day at work on email, intranet, word and excel using Windows2000. The NHS is spending a fortune on the microsoft licences (one per very part time user) for functionality they could have had for free. I read in the press they are trying to negotiate a discount. About By time too. N these cases there is a point that those 30 minutes may stretch to a n hour or so if the software was changed. Given that most nurses are overworked anyway would this make sense? . True, but the training of staff and the employment of specialist IT staff to do this more than balances the books. And how many IT Specialists really understand their Windows NT/2000 network? I was just upgraded at work from NT to 2000, and now I get a 3 minute wait every time I try to pull up a file open dialogue from within MSoffice. However the Unix (Solaris) side of the same network is fine. If you understand networking concepts it is just as easy to establish and maintain a network under any variety of Unix as it is NT; That knowledge is necessary to put a reasonably secure system together. Most of the IT support staff I come across are not that knowledgeable! True. The 'yesterday I could not spell technician today I is one' syndrome takes over. I have a customer who has the M$ certification and did not realise that converting a system t run on NTFS would not affect the floppy drive file system. Basic stuff like that makes it a mockery. The problem isn't networking, but maintaining the desktop. Under linux every user is likely to set himself his own environment, making the users more efficient but giving IT a headache because they believe its their duty to impose uniformity. Until recently Linux desktop was not very good (inferior fonts, no decent office packages etc). So Microsoft have had a massive head start, but Linux is probably catching up now. Only in some areas. To be honest here many companies have a single copy of W98 or W2000 and install it on multiple machines. They have not upgraded to XP because of activation. They operate illegally but it is cheap. I could make a fortune by reporting these because there is a reward! If they switched to Linux they would be operating quite legally ;~) Does that matter to them if they are not caught? . But I do like a good argument. So do I. But I don't think there is actually any disagreement of substance. One last point though. Microsoft don't actually deliver the goods. The public wants a machine they can switch on and use without understanding its inner workings. Microsoft claimn to provide that product. That's fine when it works. When it doesn't ... Ask Dilwyn about his printer. By hiding the workings, they make manual intervention and correction all but impossible. I suspect this may go deeper than being a M$ problem. XP is an improvemnent, but still isn't perfect. I wasted several days trying to get a wireless network running on XP. The first time I installed the card it crashed one machine, but the other was fine (same procedure, same card). After several attempts, both machines seemed to recognise their cards, and eventually I even established a network. Top speed established 6 baud! I did transfer one file once, before giving up and getting my money back on the cards. With Linux, the user friendly installations like Mandrake provide you with all the automated wizards, to detect and install your hardware but if they don't work, and you are prepared to go
