Re: [ql-users] QDT
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], James Hunkins [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes QDT seems a very interesting development. A GUI would put 'QL_ware' into the frame with modern OS's. I learn't computing on non-GUI machines, yet I now use the GUI's available for other OS's all the time. I haven't commented on QDT before ... yet if you need any help with user testing, then I could oblige. Actually, while QDT started, as you say, as a desktop GUI, it is growing rather dynamically. It turns out, as most of us realize, there are a lot of capabilities available for the QL thanks to different people who developed things like FileInfo, Scratch, Screen Dazzler, pointer environment, etc. However, many users (including myself) have not taken advantage of all of them due to knowledge limits and/or time constraints. Indeed ... it is very capable when it is all put together. I second the time constraints ... :-) So QDT will be trying to give easy and clear access to many of these capabilities under its desktop GUI environment. That is exactly what is required ... EASY ACCESS to features that currently only appear to be available to experienced users. After the US QL show in a couple of weeks, I will start working on updating my websight. The update will show hints at a lot of the 'new' interfaces to the different QL capabilities. I suspect that it will take 3-4 weeks after the show and I will let everyone know when the update is completed. I will be showing some of the interfaces at the US show for those who can attend. The beta testing will be done by a small and tightly 'controlled' group (resources and time are a huge problem for me - as they are for most people). I will keep your offer in mind when the time approaches. OK. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QDT and GUIs
In message 014701c20031$6967c100$97075cc3@default, Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes QDT seems a very interesting development. A GUI would put 'QL_ware' into the frame with modern OS's. I learn't computing on non-GUI machines, yet I now use the GUI's available for other OS's all the time. I haven't commented on QDT before ... yet if you need any help with user testing, then I could oblige. QDT is definitely something to look forward to. I also have a much less ambitious one on the cards, which will work with QDOS systems too, called Launchpad. I've kept quiet on this (been working on it for several months) and it is basically an iconised front end for a QDOS system (will work on SMSQ/E including GD2 but does not use the extra colours). The program launcher part works, the file handler part works interpreted but not yet compiled (the file handler is a standalone program which will probably be released as freeware, working name Q-Trans file transfer program - it's a split two window source and destination file windows). The main thing causing a delay on Launchpad is Darren Branagh's idea for a 'MyQL' section (3 guesses where he got that idea from...aaarghhh!). All to the good ... what does the Q-Trans part do ? As I said, it's far less ambitious than Jim Hunkins's QDT, so if you want the best, go for QDT. If you just want a nice simple no frills system, try Launchpad. Likely that both will be out about the same time - I'll most likely release a demo version too. Not in competition with Jim in any way or form (like I said from what I've seen his system will be far better specified), just providing a simpler alternative which will also work on traditional QDOS systems with pointer environment. If we are lucky, Launchpad will introduce people to GUIs on a QL system and they'll progress to glorious technicolour GD2, SMSQ/E QDT and all other things wonderful! ... and, very importantly encourage users to use the OS with ease. This is why OS's with GUI's are so successful and have many users. (Not vapourware, Launchpad was demoed at the Manchester Quanta AGM though it wasn't very stable then!) 'Welshware' then ... :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Source Code
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], James Hunkins [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes I am sorry to say that I am very, very disappointed. I have been a loyal QL user from nearly day 1, have never made any money off of it, but keep going at it. I am now working extremely hard on QDT as some of you may know. To be honest, it is a labor of love. I will be happy if I ever make enough money to pay for my trips to the shows that I do get the chance to attend. QDT seems a very interesting development. A GUI would put 'QL_ware' into the frame with modern OS's. I learn't computing on non-GUI machines, yet I now use the GUI's available for other OS's all the time. I haven't commented on QDT before ... yet if you need any help with user testing, then I could oblige. I am very appreciative of all who have kept the QL alive. Some make money off if (not much I bet) and others don't. This includes both those involved in the hardware and software; all very much appreciated, whether or not I use their product. Everyone counts in this group. As are we all ... I recently just joined this email list because I was hoping to get some help on some implementation problems that I am having with the QDT project. Instead I have been getting this stream of emails that, to be very blunt, sounds like a lot on non-productive whining. These discussions come and go ... as they saying goes put group of experts in the same room and they will never agree :-) I understand that there are major disagreements in the license plans for SMSQ/E. But I would hope that, instead of putting the dirty laundry out for the public to see (and it is very disappointing to have to see all this), that the parties who are involved would try to have some constructive and pro-active direct contact amongst themselves to resolve the disagreements. I believe thrashing out the arguments is actually very healthy. And, as it is in the real world, not everything is going to be perfect for everyone. The parties involved need to step back, take a breath, try to understand what is important to them AND to the others. And then, and only then, with that understanding and acceptance, come up with some real proposals that try to do the best for all involved. I will continue to work on QDT. I made a decision a long time ago that it will require SMSQ/E to run as there are some major pieces that I need from SMSQ/E to to it properly without having to write a tremendous amount of additional code. I would hope that everyone can come to an agreement about this license that will support SMSQ/E for all systems currently available which will allow QDT to also run on them. Just as a final reality check, until a few months ago, SMSQ/E was not open source or anything else. It was being maintained by Tony and a few vendors who put a lot of effort into getting changes done as required to run on different systems and to add important capabilities (such as color drivers). And I suspect that there hasn't been much money made off of it for some time for anyone. As far as I can see, with the new licensing being worked out, everyone should try to make the best of it for everyone, instead of making it ideal for themselves. I hope that this didn't come over too bluntly, but I have to deal with disagreements much larger than this everyday in my 'real' job and we get them resolved, without resorting to the kind of stuff that I have been reading for the last couple of days. I really enjoy working on my system and my development of QDT. So, please guys, just find a way to resolve this and get on with it. I believe it will resolve ... even if it seems fraught when written down in emails. Face to face discussions most often resolve the main issues anyway. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Quanta Editor
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED] , Nicholls, Bruce [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes I am now the new editor of the Quanta Magazine if you have any articles/news you would like to submit please use the address/email telephone number supplied below as the one in the latest Quanta magazine was published in error. Most Formats QL/PC now accepted. Good luck with the mag ! -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Is there anybody out there ?
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED] uk, Norman Dunbar [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Bit quiet today, are we all QL'ing ? I didn't get any mail last night either - must be busy out there. Anyway, here's a laugh - not ! I use a ZIP disc to run QPC on so I can travel between home and work and still do stuff QL wise. Today, I decide to upgrade my version of QPC on the Zip disc, so I slot it into my work box, and lo, it is totally blank. Selecting Properties, shows it has 100 MB of free space and nothing used at all. Oh dear, I feel something bad coming on ! Hopefully, when I get home to Win98, it will still be full of data - if not, I'm up that creek again :o( ... Just shows that the SyQuest disks are far more reliable :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] ROM versions
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dave [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Thu, 2 May 2002, Norman Dunbar wrote: And, they don't have any QLs anywhere nowadays. (hopeless attempt to get on topic) Yes. If I ever get to twist Nasta's arm to do it (which won't be for a while as he's got more important things to do) I think the BBC was the perfect education machine - it had usable programming language, deep access to the machine (inline assembly, etc) and ports for everything. I really think a QL could do the job better, if it was designed right, and had programmable IO ports and a cleaned up (IE completely redefined to look like it belongs in this century) windowing system. As a teacher in the English education system I have to agree. The BBC model 'B' was the best for control and electronic projects ... the 'user port' was well implemented and easy to program directly in a few lines of code. Either BASIC or direct Assembler. I had both the BBC B and the QL at my school in regular use, ( still have them too ... but not in use, as the 'kids' can't program these days :-) ). From the early 1990's it all went 'industry standard', all at least schools' perception of it :-( ... so it became PC networks. In the beginning I even successfully ran a BBC emulator on the PC with a hardware version of the 'user port' to continue with control based projects ... even at University level teaching. Just now I'm having to use the Lego RCX 'brick' via a PC serial port ... with an infrared link, it only has 3 inputs and 3 outputs ... so not much progress. The local education advisors think it is the 'bees knees' :-) An Hitachi microchip is used with both ROM and RAM. It uses a graphical programming language known as 'G' - you arrange a program as a series of graphical items as 'icons', which is then interpreted for you ( hidden from view ). http:\\www.lego.com/dacta/robolab Of course, it is incompatible with the previous Dacta as it is 9v and not 6v. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Suggestions...
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes At 07:46 ìì 10/4/2002, you wrote: Plus you need a good editor ... the Editor or MicroEmacs I would recommended - I use both. Personally I use QD and you can buy it from Jochen too so this is not an advert. QD is one of the best programming (and more) editors I've ever used too :-) (If only it weren't for that weird block function... I know I know Jochen don't beat me with it... You have made your opinion known too many times and in any case you programmed the thing so you can have it your way :-)) I suggested to Dave to start off with MicroEmacs as since he's been using Linux he would be a known environment (QD is FAR EASIER TO WORK WITH than MicroEmacs :-) Yes, I figured that Dave would probably already be familar with MicroEmacs ... with his programming background. Thierry has also made a very good job of getting it in to the QL, as it also uses the PE. I use little of the vast array of features with MicroEmacs, yet they are all easily available with a menu choice, so I don't see it as being difficult to use. The Editor, on the other hand, is command line driven, which you have to learn. I haven't used QD, yet I am sure it is excellent. Just shows how lucky we are to have so many good editors for the QL ! I don't know how many people have tried MasterBasic - now it is freeware - it is very good for knowing about your BASIC program. it was written some time ago, so is not PE. Yet it uses its own very convenient menu system to navigate the extensive features. The great thing about the QL is the multi-tasking OS - so several programs can be in memory, and easily switched between. With a programming project this really does come to the fore as an advantage. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Suggestions...
In article 009201c1e151$c485fb00$38075cc3@default, Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Dexter wrote: Last week, I used a GOTO! Careful, that's an offence you can be locked up for in QL-land. Probably OK between consenting QLs in private though ;-) The late Joe Haftke used to have a good reply in favour of his use of GOTOs each time I nagged him about not needing them in S*BASIC. He would say short GOTOs to a line no further than a screenful of lines was OK (i.e. if you could see the destination line). Yes, Joe used to defend his 'style' with vigour at the London Quanta group meetings. However, he was in a minority of one ... -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dexter [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Sun, 7 Apr 2002, Malcolm Cadman wrote: Probably best to have a look, then. Although I am a great believer in alternatives ... it makes for more challenges. Well here's the plan: The program has a config file with sensible defaults. The first time it's run it asks for your name, email address, POP3 and SMTP servers. It asks if you want to set up a .sig file. After that, and immediately for all subsequent executions, it goes to the folder display. This gives you access to your inbox, outbox, and archived mail in month-by-month folders. Archived mail is compressed. It will as far as possible use pine keypresses to do thing, providing a useful subset of functionality. It will do everything plain text. If it receives email in HTML format, it will strip out or obey the tags the best it can. If there's a MIME or UUE attachment it will understand it, and you can save that attachment as a file. I'm looking at ways to reliably transfer header info. Very interesting outline ... you have been planning :-) What are you going to code it in ... C ? ... and I guess its an American power supply that you need ? Yes. I will be doing an ATX - QL adaptor at some point, but it's a case opening job, so many won't like it. However, ATM I have a QL I can't use, though I understand a PSU is available for me - I just have to contact someone and arrange it. Well, if you ever visit England I've got lots of them ... that have been donated to the London Quanta Group. They are too heavy to economically post. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Mon, 8 Apr 2002 at 19:31:27, Malcolm Cadman wrote: (ref: GawSgHA$[EMAIL PROTECTED]) Well, if you ever visit England I've got lots of them ... that have been donated to the London Quanta Group. They are too heavy to economically post. Who donated you lots of 110 ac power supplies with US plugs, or are you forgetting that he lives in the USA (8-)# He .. he .. I meant UK ones :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dexter [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Mon, 8 Apr 2002, Malcolm Cadman wrote: In addition you should find C68 on the QL easy to adapt to. If using it is anything like using GCC, I'll be fine... You will ... ql.spodmail.com (New posts by Nasta in the forum, with latest news on the Goldfire, Aurora 2 and SuperIDE/EtherIDE - check it out!) The site was down when I looked last night. Did you type www. in front of it? It was definitely up last night. I was sat there nursing it through a storm - we had 15 inches of rain last night, and some hail too. Texas is grand when it comes to extreme weather. Luckily, the power was only out for about 20 minutes, and the UPSes can hold out for about 35 minutes. It was a very pretty storm though :o) Wow ! ... I guess everything in Texas is big then :-) Also given the time difference, my 'last night' was probably your morning. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dexter [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Mon, 8 Apr 2002, Malcolm Cadman wrote: Wow ! ... I guess everything in Texas is big then :-) Well, TX weather is a case of extremes. There's warm and humid air circulating up from the gulf of Mexico, and cold, dry air coming down from alaska/canada... They meet in a spectacular line that spawns terrific storms, tornados, hail that has been known to put bullet holes in the tops of peoples' heads, and often 12 inches of rain in one hour, causing flash floods that are more than rising water, and literally like the rumble in the distance that appears as a wave six foot high. I live on high ground. :o) A wise man, then :-) Also given the time difference, my 'last night' was probably your morning. I can see a couple of people tried to access www.ql.spodmail.com and one person (I won't name you, but I know who you are!) tried to access ql.spodmail.com/qeyboard and ql.spodmail.com/goldfire *tsk tsk* It's http://ql.spodmail.com/ Yes, just logged on OK this evening ... and registered. A very neatly done Forum that you have created. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
In article 3X6Z6PNNJ6ZMJPL07DCWVMURIF1XB8.3cae130a@quantum-central, Phoebus Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes 5/4/2002 4:05:54 ??, / Malcolm Cadman [EMAIL PROTECTED] : In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dexter [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Thu, 4 Apr 2002, Phoebus Dokos wrote: Well i am not using the forum because last I checked the site was down :-) You mean the day the CSU/DSU blew up, poof, and I had to go out and spend boucoup bucks on a new one? :o( Everything's fine now :o) What is the address again ? -- Malcolm Cadman http://ql.spodmail.com OK ... it will now go in the favourites :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dexter [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Sat, 6 Apr 2002, Phoebus Dokos wrote: Qmail Exists... Ask J. Dent for more :-) Well, mine'll probably be called Qemail (pronounced keymail) to match the Qeyboard (pronounced, well, you know ;) Nice idea of 'namimg' :-) ... Jon's work needs a good interface attached to it to become a 'useable by all' emailer. Assuming that you will be basing it on Jon's TCP/IP code ... if you really are planning something :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
[ql-users] DIANOUX aftermath, OffT then OnT
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Geoff Wicks [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Many thanks, Per, you have expressed my feelings exactly not only in the above quote but in your whole piece. In about two years I have only caught a virus once and that was my own fault! (I caught it from a QL-user on this list!) I spend a lot of time working on international surveys of company computer users and have a pretty good idea of how MS is regarded in most European countries. There are some MS lovers, but most users are constructively critical. MS is usually assessed as the most arrogant computer software or hardware company. Now to bring this provocatively back on topic the unfortunate reality is that you can do a lot of things with MS systems than you cannot do with a QL. Our loyalty is based more on a recognition of what the QL could have been rather than of what it is. In discussing MS I would welcome more humility and less arrogance from the QL community. The interesting thing with the QL is that there is a lot that can still be done with it to bring it 'up to date' ... that is to use the 21st Century 'goodies' that have developed in hardware and software. It is also in the hands of enthusiasts ... hence the recent SMSQ discussion to develop the OS further. There is a market for other operating systems, even though it may be small and specialist ... like us lot :-) The problem that many people have with M$ is that it is the worlds dominant system on PC's, yet it is not the best OS. 'Market forces' have put it there, not technical merit. ... Anyway, this is really OT :-( -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dexter [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Qmail Hmmm, I do have to do something there. I've written an email client before. If I do something, it will end up looking like pine. Qbrowser Even the most basic browser is a huge undertaking. This would have to be a group effort. Well you did ask That'll teach me :o) Tarquin has already started to write a browser in beta form for the QL - he is also a RISC OS user - I have forgotten what he calls it. I have a copy, yet it doesn't work for me :-( ... anyone got it working ? It is only text at present. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
In message 009f01c1de51$006f5ca0$20065cc3@default, Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Tarquin has already started to write a browser in beta form for the QL - he is also a RISC OS user - I have forgotten what he calls it. Hyperbrowser Ah ... yes, that's the one :-) I have a copy, yet it doesn't work for me :-( ... anyone got it working ? Yes, all but one version I could only get to work with text. He has (or was plannign to?) use Photon to display JPEGs but I don't think I got hold of this version. I seem to remember it relied on a version of Photon which was able to have filenames for display passed as a parameter and I'm not sure that existed then (i.e. did Tarquin get it working or was it just a feature he'd put in ready for when Dave Westbury got that to work in Photon). It is only text at present. That's a start at least. Text browsers are a bit useless in the modern graphics-driven internet but at least Lynx and HyperBrowser form something from which to start from once soql becomes reality (if ever Jon Dent sorts his Linux systems out - I think he was having problems with a Linux system he was setting up to test and debug soql). There was another QL text-only browser called QMosaic too. If you could find a version which worked on your system, it worked rather well as a text-only browser. Trouble was, of all the versions I came across (and I have 2 or 3) they were a bit fussy as to which QL system they'd run on. Yes, that seems to be the core of it, at present ... exactly which system it will run on. However, it is still early days ... Any graphical QL browser would need to be able to handle much of what the internet currently thrusts upon us - reasonably fast display of various graphics format like PNG, JPEG, and GIF. Or at the very least be sufficiently capable of putting a square in the display where the graphic is to go and a 'Click On This To View This Graphic' as the next step up from text browsers. One way would be for this 'Click To View' thingy to call up a graphics viewer like PhotoQL or Photon via FileInfo 2 and over time a library of file viewers would be available, so that even if browser development stopped external viewers etc (plug-ins???) allowed some advancement. Download speed needs to be good, for graphics. Although many are not a problem to display if the site authors have taken the trouble to correspond the file size to the graphic display size. Unfortuneatley many sites have graphics that have been 'slung up'. We also need a first GD2 graphics program. No need to be PaintSlap Pro or whatever, just a little something along the lines of earlier QL graphics programs which allow you to draw some simple graphics. The parts for this seem to be coming together now that graphics can be done well on a QDOS / SMSQ base. I know that Chris Cave is working on an excellent technical drawing program - called 'Drawing', as I am working on writing the manual for it :-) So, the QL can do graphics, and and it very well ! It does go to show that although up until now we have had adequate software development tools to produce reasonable software, GD2 has not had the support tools necessary to plough ahead with good software. Yes, the Q40 has brought some good programs, but to some extent they are specific to Q40, or are only at their best on a Q40/Q60. How I look forward to QPTR and EasyPtr being GD2-aware for example. I have not seen what has been done for the Q40/Q60. Wolfgang Uhlig recently sent me a cute little GD2 program called QcoLour which helps with the development of hues and shades on high colour systems, and I think is the first or one of the first QL program to use 'skins' or user definable backgrounds (nice colour ripples and textures). A neat little splash of colour. Yes, I have downloaded that ... the examples are impressive. Although it does now show up the poor quality of the fonts. Simon Goodwin, for example, has been doing some good work with his Digicam software, so people with some Kodak cameras can download and handle camera graphics on a QDOS system. The capability is there, but we have to remember it's talented individuals working in their spare time and mostly for free. That is it ... yet it is fun :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dexter [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Sun, 7 Apr 2002, Malcolm Cadman wrote: Nice idea of 'namimg' :-) ... Jon's work needs a good interface attached to it to become a 'useable by all' emailer. I haven't seen his work. However, the mail client I plan to do will be functional, text-based, and probably fully open source. Probably best to have a look, then. Although I am a great believer in alternatives ... it makes for more challenges. Assuming that you will be basing it on Jon's TCP/IP code ... if you really are planning something :-) I'm really planning to do it. Not having a power supply for my QL is the biggest challenge to doing anything! ;) Good ! ... and I guess its an American power supply that you need ? -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dexter [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Thu, 4 Apr 2002, Phoebus Dokos wrote: Well i am not using the forum because last I checked the site was down :-) You mean the day the CSU/DSU blew up, poof, and I had to go out and spend boucoup bucks on a new one? :o( Everything's fine now :o) What is the address again ? -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Looking for advice
In article 00a101c1d27a$7f706540$42065cc3@default, Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes The sequence was ZX81, Spectrum 48K, QL, Amstrad PPC640 ... the earlier ZX80 was by someone else, as were the later variations on the Spectrum. John Grant/Steve Vickers of Nine Tiles software company IIRC! Umm ... a knowledgeable man :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QL Stuff needed
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes At 12:42 ìì 21/3/2002, you wrote: In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Christopher Cave [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes In-Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peter I am sorry if this is a time waster (I was off line for some days courtesy BT) but DID you get hold of a configurable TKII and a TrumpCard? Christopher Cave Yes, someone did ask about a Trump Card. The London Quanta has just been donated one, so this could be available to the person who enquired. I would like one PLEASE? And if you have an extra SGC maybe Someone??? OK ... will mail you privately. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QL Stuff needed
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes At 12:42 ìì 21/3/2002, you wrote: In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Christopher Cave [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes In-Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peter I am sorry if this is a time waster (I was off line for some days courtesy BT) but DID you get hold of a configurable TKII and a TrumpCard? Christopher Cave Yes, someone did ask about a Trump Card. The London Quanta has just been donated one, so this could be available to the person who enquired. I would like one PLEASE? And if you have an extra SGC maybe Someone??? Hi Phoebus, Send me your details, again. I next go to the venue where we hold our meetings in the middle of April 2002 - where the equipment is stored. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Looking for advice
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Me too :-)) I have a Sinclair TV though And one of the new X-1 FM radios he is currently selling on his website. - I did get a ZX-81, and it was hooked from then. I wouldn't be where I am today (ie Married and working with Oracle) without the ZX-81, so I've been at it since about 1981-82. A bit longer than me. I went from a 16K Speccy to a 48K one via a RAM upgrade for my birthday in June 1984. Then to a 128K Speccy Plus, and then the QL. I now have ALL the speccys - 16K,48K,Plus,128K,128K+2(grey and black models) and the 128K+3. Also a ZX81 and recently a ZX80 which I think will be my pension one day... I have a collection of about 70 computers at home most with original boxes, manuals and cables (easy know I wasn't married..;-)) I'll sell them all when I'm 50 and retire.. ;-)) Orics, BBC b's, Electrons, Archimedes, A Sord M-5, Aquarius, Dragon 32, Commodore Vic-20 and 64, a PET, an Osborne, tandy TRS80, Texas Ti-499a, and loads of various Ataris.. loads more too. Sad, aren't I? What a mega collector you are :-) ... which I added to with an Amstrad PPC640, when I met with Darren at the Hove show. The link with the QL is that the early Amstrad PC portable, in design terms, were both conceived by the same industrial designer. The sequence was ZX81, Spectrum 48K, QL, Amstrad PPC640 ... the earlier ZX80 was by someone else, as were the later variations on the Spectrum. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Q40 people incompatible?
In article GEHC5175S8287TSIF1XSOYXSLKWSR.3c994179@quantum-central, Phoebus Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes ??? 20/3/2002 6:37:23 , ?/? Roy Wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] ??: Snip One thing I would like to say... In light of the fact that we are probably in front of one of the most significant breakthroughs in the QL world (Making SMS open), I would urge EVERYONE to put their battle cries, weapons and accusations aside - NO MATTER WHERE THEY COME FROM, WHOM THEY ARE TARGETTING, FOR WHATEVER REASON or BEING EITHER RIGHT OR WRONG- and work together to save the platform. Now is not the time to say who's better than whom and whose opinion is more valid. Let's just move forward... once the QL community grows some more then we can accuse everyone as much as we like ;-) (ME first :-P) Okay despite that little humouristic comment... honestly guys... can't we figure out a way to advance the QL first? Yes ... this development has the potential to 'save' the platform, and even expand it a little. Should be fun too :-) One thing that is very important to build in is the input from the more 'ordinary user'. At present the conversation has been with the people who feel comfortable with 68K coding. However, do not forget the 'users' have to take it up to make it viable. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Open source
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Christopher Cave [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes In-Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] I have no axe to grind as regards any particular platform on which to 'ql' (new verb). BUT I do hope that the arrival of open source, in whatever form, will be recognised as an opportunity not just to CHANGE the OS etc. but also to improve (or indeed to create) the documentation. Over the last few years, I have gained much useful information from Jonathan Hudson - the comments at the head of some of his code are much more illuminating than the OFFICIAL stuff, even when the latter actually exists. C programmers in particular need some accessible HOWTO material, especially in relation to the PE. Clarity and unambiguity are what we (I) what. There is a TV ad in the UK which has a punch line - 'It does exactly what it says on the tin'. Our system software should do just that. It is at least as important as redesigning the tin's contents. Very true. This is a chance to get the documentation developed along with the understanding of the source code, and any advancements implemented. With the www now available the distribution will be aided. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QL Stuff needed
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Christopher Cave [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes In-Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peter I am sorry if this is a time waster (I was off line for some days courtesy BT) but DID you get hold of a configurable TKII and a TrumpCard? Christopher Cave Yes, someone did ask about a Trump Card. The London Quanta has just been donated one, so this could be available to the person who enquired. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Membranes
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Dilwyn wrote:- My favourite though was the little Diren keyboard interface. Tiny, easy to install and reliable. Pity Robin Barker stopped doing that one. I have about 3 or 4 customers wanting a Di-Ren keyboard interface. Many need one over the sH because it doesn't need drivers - it works from power on and they are wanting to use it in an environment where they don't want to use additional drivers (I don't know for what reason, I didn't get into it). If anybody has one (or four!) for sale, please let me know... I wonder is it worth trying to get Robin to make a few more..? The Di-Ren is the one that I use, and it has been 100% reliable, so I'm not parting with mine :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] D17-QL?
In article 001601c1c7b3$29fb1a00$a76dca3e@exeqtor, Urs König [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Thanks to Phoebus I will get a US QL soon! Some weeks ago I got a very early english QL during a business trip to London from Malcolm, thanks to the London Quanta Group! I got my D05 also from Malcolm at QL2000. Happy to help with your collection. We have just had five more black QL's donated, as well as many other items, by the son of the late Frank Merrison - ( who was a long time QL enthusiast ). I updated my homepage with pictures of my machines so for those who never have seen e.g. a Samsung or non serial-number QL have a look. http://mypage.bluewin.ch/QLvsJaguar/QLBuild-Standards_PCB-Issues.html I'm still searching for an english pre D05 (up to D04) and an english post D16 (D17) QL. If someone knows how I could obtain such a machine, please let me know, Thank You! I will have a check on the numbers of the recent donations. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Membranes
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dave [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Sun, 10 Mar 2002, Al Feng wrote: The significant problem [which *I* found] is the SHAPE of the top of the QL's tiles ... if you are a moderately fast typist, you are not looking at the tiles AND your fingers are not locked onto the tiles, either; so, you will inevitably be striking the top edges of the cupped portion ... or, at least, I was doing so. It's understandable. We are all individuals. SRL did not design the keyboard. Absolutely not. The key-caps are, in fact, part of a standard system which existed from ~1975 for making short run keyboards. I certainly used an ICL minicomputer with the same style and construction keyboard, in around 1981-2. I also used a late Datacom terminal with exactly the same kbd construction. I've got the catalogue, somewhere, of the manufacturer who was commissioned by Sinclair for the QL keyboards. They are just a custom version - to suit the QL layout of functions - of a standard range of keyboards at the time. Widely used in many other applications, not necessarily just personal computers. This being the case, Sinclair was able to get a good price per unit as the mouldings already existed. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Hove Workshop
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes At 10:13 ìì 3/3/2002 +, you wrote: I thoroughly enjoyed myself today at the Hove meeting. My thanks to Roy Wood and his bevy of caterers. Like others there, I drooled over the Q60 on demo - got to load my latest prog in it for a trial - and can't wait to take delivery and have a serious play. Christopher Cave Hmmm seems to me you only need a CompactFlash adapter and you'll be all set! (Now THAT's one heck of a PLUG!!! :- Yes ... the latter was on demonstration too ... :-) ... impressive. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] CUCPS
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes I am giving a talk on the QL tomorrow evening to the CUCPS (Cambridge University Computer Preservation Society?). I am taking my entire BBS system, so off line for an evening. Anyone live in/near Cambridge and interested? If so I will try and find out where I am going (I am getting a lift). They specialise in worshipping obsolete computers, and there is also a guy talking about HP calculators. The HP65 from about 1972 was the cause of me abandoning Ford. Fabulous programmable calculator - everyone there (directors down) totally lacking in foresight (8-)# Sounds like fun ... I hope that you will do the QL proud. From where it began to where it is now had been quite a development too. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Hove Workshop
In article 00ac01c1bb28$b1fabc90$0100a8c0@gamma, P Witte [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Im sure someone is carefully planning these shows to include me out ;) ... no, you are just paranoid :-) - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2002 9:22 AM Subject: RE: Re: [ql-users] Hove Workshop I was intending to get to this show - would have been my first one - but I'll be in Yorkshire that weekend now. I will get to one, one day! Ian. -Original Message- From: qbranch Sent: 20 February 2002 23:24 To: ql-users Cc: qbranch Subject: Re: [ql-users] Hove Workshop Those of you who are coming to the Hove show and want somewhere to stay might try : The Ship Hotel, Hove, 01273 734936 (twin rooms £55.00) The Kingsway 330, 01273413402 (£25.00 per person) Both had rooms available when I checked today. -- Roy Wood -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Lost email addresses
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Malcolm Cadman wrote:- David Gilham [EMAIL PROTECTED] I know that this one is no longer valid for David Gilham. When I next see him I will get him to mail you his current one. The info on your mail was very interesting, thanks. Malcolm Cadman As far as I know, Dave's new email address is :- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yes, I know of that one, yet even that may not be currently valid. I know that David use 'internet cafes' for his web access, not his home system. So the 'totalise' was the one that he changed to. Of course, Tony, can mail him to confirm ... which I suspect he has already done, knowing how efficient he is :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Re: PIC/SCR Compression Sprites
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus R. Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Yes, the graphics toolkit is a need, I see what you are getting at now. Didn't Simon Goodwin do at lot of work on this ? IIRC He did a lot of work on areas like Thumbnail manipulation etc. However there is no comprehensive graphics toolkit; one that would incorporate image effects, high-colour screen compression in either LZW or RLE, Sprite and animation and image processing. Pixel/Line/Arc manipulation in odd resolutions etc. Something like that is urgently needed. Yes, you are right ... so now there is a need, and benefit will be a lot of new and interesting software that makes use of the new systems. Many parts of those have been done thanks to the effort of people like Wolfgang or Claus but we're still a long way from being complete. What I concentrate right now is a 2D graphics/games engine that would incorporate many of these things and hopefully in time it will graduate to 3d. That's another reason for me asking about openess and exactly why adding up GD2 compatibility to QDOS Classic and/or Minerva is I think urgently needed. It is interesting that the new capabilities of the QL systems are making demands on graphics. Have you seen my IFG CD startup animation? (37 Megs).. Now it is available (not yet commercially) for Aurora (256 colours) (with Nasty Hacks) and Mode 33. All of the versions will also take advantage of Thierry's driver CD Audio Capabilities and QPC2's CD Audio commands. No I haven't had the pleasure ... and that is a big file, maybe if it gets put onto a CD at some time I can see the fruits of your work. Although I do recall you describing this late lasy year ( 2001 ). I plan on the new version CD to have three sessions. One on a QXL.WIN file, one in ISO9660 format (with saved/restored Headers to ensure maximum compatibility) and an audio track which would provide sound effects :-). Additionally the ISO format track will be readable through the DOS device from QPC2 too. I haven't yet tested the ability of Thierry's driver to read multi-session disks but I don't see why not. If it works I believe it would be the most multimedia a QL has ever been (running a QDOSMS variant) 'Sounds' good :-) Good luck with the work. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Lost email addresses
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Following the Trader emailshot the following are undeliverable. Help on the correct emails would be appreciated. I get very very few emails from people letting me know their addresses, but the majority on my list have asked to be on it. When people move house, it is an expensive hassle letting everyone know. With emails, it is so easy. Odd. Mind you the list is very much smaller now that the 100 or so I got after the first effort last year! David Gilham [EMAIL PROTECTED] I know that this one is no longer valid for David Gilham. When I next see him I will get him to mail you his current one. The info on your mail was very interesting, thanks. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Things (was Super Sprite Generator 4.0)
In article 001f01c1b8c7$86f83260$d2075cc3@default, Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Hee Hee - there a 'series' of articles in QL Toady all about writing Things. From the Thing Master himself, morning Jochen, but unfortunately he hasn't had time to finish it yet. Is that article available on the web ? Then ... when I have spare moment I can do my 'thing' :-) Might be worth asking Jochen Merz if he's prepared to let me put it on my website? If he is reading this then he may just do that, if it is not already on his own newly revamped site :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Re: PIC/SCR Compression Sprites
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus R. Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes At 07:38 ìì 18/2/2002 +, you wrote: What are you writing ? Presumably a game of some type :-) No comment :-) OK ... :-) The usual way, despite all your other intentions which are probably valid, is to only update that part of the screen where new activity occurs ... and leave the rest alone. The thing is that there is no standard way of managing sprites apart from what PE tells us. The problem with that is that (at least I couldn't find it) documentation on how PE handles sprites apart from their format. So what I see is writing some sort of toolkit (a-la SSG) which can do this in high-colour (and more)... for example clever background redrawing of the screen on the anticipated movement of the sprite, collision detection and the ability to run as a job that can accept input from pipes (so you can feed the job what do you want the sprite to do on a given level etc..) Of course it would need to be able to handle more than 16 sprites (Ambitious aren't we?) What I think is actually needed, is a form of a graphics only toolkit/library for s*basic and C. (And which would be a good Idea to incorporate something like the Packbits command from the DIY toolkit only with 16 bit / 32 bit capability as Packbits compresses only byte-by-byte which makes it unusable for high-colour) Kinda like the Allegro library on the PeeCee (which unfortunately contains x86 assembly and it's impossible to port else we would be up to our necks in games by now :-) Yes, the graphics toolkit is a need, I see what you are getting at now. Didn't Simon Goodwin do at lot of work on this ? It is interesting that the new capabilities of the QL systems are making demands on graphics. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Things (was Super Sprite Generator 4.0)
In article 003e01c1b8aa$4e1a92c0$9e075cc3@default, Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes That's why I no mention it NormaN... BTW, an IT chappie by the name of N.Dunbar is due (from Newcastle) at work on fridaY...no relative I suppose (sorry dont know what the N. stands for)? Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.soft.net.uk/dj/index.html Hee Hee - there a 'series' of articles in QL Toady all about writing Things. From the Thing Master himself, morning Jochen, but unfortunately he hasn't had time to finish it yet. Is that article available on the web ? Then ... when I have spare moment I can do my 'thing' :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: PIC/SCR Compression (Was:Re: [ql-users] DISP_COLOUR)
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus R. Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes At 06:49 ìì 18/2/2002 +0100, you wrote: Phoebus R. Dokos wrote: Well, just think of QXL user ! at most 8 Megs. You are right of course. In any case hidden refresh a-la PEX/PICE would solve most problems Solve the problem of memory consumption? How? (at least for the thing I wanna do... -sprites-) Well, where exactly is your problem? I don't see any relation to memory constraints or PEX. Oh you misunderstood me... What I meant is that you won't have to move the ENTIRE screen memory, only a part at a time. And that would be the area of the sprites :-) (Which is by default smaller due to their size) What are you writing ? Presumably a game of some type :-) The usual way, despite all your other intentions which are probably valid, is to only update that part of the screen where new activity occurs ... and leave the rest alone. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Sprite movement and relative info.
In article 004401c1b78b$c4656100$f9075cc3@default, Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes I have a funny feeling that Digital Precision dod a sprite editor/manager system a long time ago. I can't remember the name though - sorry. Super Sprite Generator. Doesn't work on anything other than QL 512x256 4 or 8 colour modes though. Which can be updated if the source code is available. Anyone know the program status ? -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Turbo TK v3.32
In article 001501c1b465$d3545320$2f075cc3@default, Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes He didn't send an attachment, just the notes on what to do to correct the zip file. But it's done now anyway///phew! OK ... glad you were up to the task :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Turbo TK v3.32
In message 001c01c1b3f3$1fc34400$3d075cc3@default, Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes David Gilham contacted me to say that some incorrect files from a previous version were included in the TURBOTK.ZIP file on my website's Other Software Page. This error has now been corrected. Aha... it turns out I was right after all :-) (God I love it when this happens) snip Apologies for the error. Actually I don't think the error was yours in the first place (unless you created the zip file). I turned out that the QDOS_code file was fine, but the SMS file had the hiccups ;-) (Among other things sent the Charge command, home for tea! instead of running Turbo :-) I wasn't too sure where the error occurred, as I have been up to my ears in starting a new job lately. David Gilham spoke to my wife on sunday night (I was in the bath!) and I misunderstood the reason for the call. So when I next checked email, the message was there ex?laining how to correct the zip file on my website, I didn't know if the error was mine or not (I've been so short of time of late that checking has been non-existent on these things!) Something happened in the zip file. David explained it at the London Quanta Group meeting on Sunday 11th February 2002. He sent you the corrected version that same evening. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Well I never!
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dave [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Hi all, I got an email back from Lau today. It would seem he IS the Lau I knew back in '85! :o) We're just starting the whole catching up on old times thing... Thanks for hooking me up, guys! The small world of email :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] elf compilers
In article SGG6o$[EMAIL PROTECTED], Roy Wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes In message K$[EMAIL PROTECTED], Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes It seems you just stick with the one that you used first. No. I used Turbo but got so fed up with having to rewrite code to cope with its foibles, that I got Qliberator. OK Qlib is not so fast, but most times compiling is not for speed, but for multitasking. SMSQ/E will multitask SBASIC ! Oh no ! ... the Turbo Qlib debate again :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] List etiquette. (Was: ms-users-and-smalltalk-list)
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Richard Zidlicky [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Thu, Feb 07, 2002 at 06:55:53PM +0100, Wolfgang Lenerz wrote: On 7 Feb 2002, at 16:11, Richard Zidlicky wrote: Btw, out of 821 messages I have (selectively) archived of this group a mere 172 were sent using Outlook. Eudora 262, Turnpike 68, Bat 37, sylpheed 24, Lotus 6, Calypso 59, Mozilla 51, kmail 27, talk 1, pine 69, mutt 91. Totally incomplete and unrepresentative survey. So you are not archiving mine, then, hmmm? Why the ostracism? I've missed Pegasus, sorry. So that makes 35 Pegasus in total, 30x v3.12c, 3x v4.0-beta 40, 1x v3.12a, 1x plain v3.12 And none from a QL mail prog :( (phew back on topic) Most likely I have simply missed them because I don't know which identification to look for, this was a very simple 'grep | wc -l' job. Looking more carefully, there were aproximately 1200 messages and not nearly all user agents were recognised by my search. Bye Richard A fairly incomplete list of recognised mailers, most of which I've never even heard about: clip Interesting list :-) ... thanks for that, certainly a good variety. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] elf compilers
In article 00b501c1b15b$d8b89400$12065cc3@default, Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Malcolm Cadman wrote: Hi Michael, I hope that you enjoying your new QL OS equipment. Do you mean a 'BASIC' compiler ? If so, then there are - you will be pleased to hear - two of them available. TURBO - formerly sold by Digital Precision and now freeware. Available from Thierry Godefroys' web site. And my site! Of course :-) no doubt in the 'other' page ... Turbo has had some more recent work done on it. QLIBERATOR - not sure of its current status. Not sure when it was last updated. Current version is 3.36, last updated many years ago, but still working remarkably well in view of its age! Yes, I assume so, as it still seems very popular. I have always used Turbo. The latest version is 4. ( something ? ) I believe. Amusingly I read a review recently that compared the 2 compilers - in an old 'Your Computer' magazine from the 1980's ! Both came off well, as they have different strengths. It seems you just stick with the one that you used first. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] List etiquette. (Was: ms-users-and-smalltalk-list)
In article 3C62CDB9.23456.19AAD2@localhost, Wolfgang Lenerz [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On 7 Feb 2002, at 16:11, Richard Zidlicky wrote: Btw, out of 821 messages I have (selectively) archived of this group a mere 172 were sent using Outlook. Eudora 262, Turnpike 68, Bat 37, sylpheed 24, Lotus 6, Calypso 59, Mozilla 51, kmail 27, talk 1, pine 69, mutt 91. Totally incomplete and unrepresentative survey So you are not archiving mine, then, hmmm? Why the ostracism? And none from a QL mail prog :( (phew back on topic) Interesting statistics though ... it just shows what a varied bunch we are on this newsgroup. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] elf compilers
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Michael Grunditz [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Is there any elf producing compilers for qdos/sms ? Hi Michael, I hope that you enjoying your new QL OS equipment. Do you mean a 'BASIC' compiler ? If so, then there are - you will be pleased to hear - two of them available. TURBO - formerly sold by Digital Precision and now freeware. Available from Thierry Godefroys' web site. Turbo has had some more recent work done on it. QLIBERATOR - not sure of its current status. Not sure when it was last updated. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Re: Q-less
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dave [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Thu, 7 Feb 2002, John Hitchcock wrote: Ok... someone is going to mention 50/60Hz I'm waiting. (:O( I'm building a powered backplane which will take power from a switched mode PSU. Such things as 50/60Hz and voltages won't be an issue. Good idea ... that will make QL's more accessible. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] ms-users-and-smalltalk-list
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Geoff Wicks [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes - Original Message - From: Malcolm Cadman [EMAIL PROTECTED] There is clearly a need for a document on virus handling ... when I get time I will liase with you and we can put out an advice notice. Maybe on your website. Then whenever there is a problem with a virus we can refer to the advice to help out those in need. This is a good idea and I hope it can be implemented. Thanks ... but don't hold your breath for the implementation ... it all takes time and effort. I am also relying on Norman to have plenty of spare 'lunchtimes' :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Re: Q-less
In article 012701c1b01a$05cc5500$5ecbfea9@johns, John Hitchcock [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Dave sez - BTW: I'm still QL-less... Scary huh? Malcolm sez - Well, if you ever visit England that can be cured :-) John sez - It can also be cured if you _prioritise_ (;) and that means coming to Wales...! One JM + Gold Card + Microvitec Cub Monitor + DD disks + all else necessary Collect within one year! ... then, if there's time, you can catch a bus and still go see Malcolm. Interested Dave? John in Wales Ummm ... a good offer John :-) ... have been 'gazumped' ( out bid ) :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] ms-users-and-smalltalk-list
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED] uk, Norman Dunbar [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Please don flame proof clothing before reading this !! BEGIN RANT MODE Snipped :-) END RANT MODE A lot of your 'rant' needed to said. Yet we have to be tolerant of each other, and, thankfully we are. This is a very pleasant list to be on. There is clearly a need for a document on virus handling ... when I get time I will liase with you and we can put out an advice notice. Maybe on your website. Then whenever there is a problem with a virus we can refer to the advice to help out those in need. Now, having said all that, regardless of whether you re-join or not, and I'll be glad to see you return, I sincerely wish you every success with sales and development of Q40/Q60. One day, I hope to be able to have one - wife permitting of course. Good Luck. Sorry about that rant above everyone, but this tedious attitude from some people that 'only their way is right' gets on my t*ts ! -Original Message- From: Peter Graf [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2002 9:42 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [ql-users] ms-users-and-smalltalk-list Hi folks, I find it absolutely OK to have some off-topic mails on this list now and then. But in the last weeks there has been a neverending *huge* flood of absolutely non QL-related traffic. PC's, Microsoft, the related software and the related viruses and the related problems will never end, and there are enough forums where they can be discussed. There is no reason why these forums are not used, and the ql-users list is constantly abused instead. Why don't you open a ms-users-and-smalltalk-list? Please see that I'm not talking about just a few mails now and then - that's fine by me! I'm talking about floods of mails. The consequence is, that I will now leave the list, because I don't have the time to handle this anymore. I'll unsubscribe after this mail. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] ms-users-and-smalltalk-list
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dave [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Tue, 5 Feb 2002, Tony Firshman wrote: If the virus has come via the list, then I think it _is_ on topic, and the information is interesting. Not only that, it serves as a reminder of why QLs are so great. No viruses! BTW: I'm still QL-less... Scary huh? Well, if you ever visit England that can be cured :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Virus
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Richard Zidlicky [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Mon, Feb 04, 2002 at 07:27:56PM +, Malcolm Cadman wrote: One of the superb features is mail routing - which creates a newsgroup like tree based folder for groups such as this. Yes, the tree listing of emails in a newsgroup is amazing to watch ! interesting to read that basic MUA functionality hits windows. On linux-q40 at least sylpheed, mutt, exmh and balsa do this. Oh no ! ... I wondered when Linux would get a mention :-) How is it the that Linux gets such names like sylpheed, mutt, exmh and balsa :-) ... is there no imagination ? -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Virus
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED] uk, Norman Dunbar [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Malcolm wrote : So look out for anything with .com or .exe in the file name. As I get involved in the virus protection of our installation from time to time, here is a partial list of the file extensions we block to avoid virusses : exe, com, scr, vbs, pif, html, htm, drv, 386, doc, xls, xlt, dot The list is quite large I'm afraid, only .txt, and .dat and .zip get through unscathed, but zip files will be opened and the contents scanned. If the zip file is password protected, then the file is quarantined - just in case. We block some wierd extensions, but these are ones that virus writers have used in the past. Yes, they use the 'common' extensions to seem normal or innocous. The best way to avoid these things is 'just be careful'. If you get an email from *anyone* with an attachement, save it to your disc first before opening it. Then, use explorer to find out how many extensions the file really has - some things come through as 'readme.txt.scr' but people see only the 'readme.txt' bit and assume it is harmless - it is not ! Saving to disc is a good option for anything suspicious. Make sure that explorer has been changed from the default setting which says 'hide file extensions for known file types'. This is a mojor bone of contention as it basically means that the above file would show up as 'readme.txt' rather than 'readme.txt.scr' is the scripting engine is installed on your PC. Sorry to be so off topic, but even as QL users we can't be too careful - until we get our own email system. As most users are using M$ software and PC hardware, it worth discussing. As it keeps coming around :-) Receiving emails with Win 3.11 seems to work fine though :-) as the virus writers don't think to target it anymore. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Launch of new web site
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Marcel Kilgus [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Malcolm Cadman wrote: Why does everybody get viruses except me? This is really unfair! Now ... now :-) ... be careful ... there are some clever originators around, yet, fortuneately the common ones are relatively trivial. Usually the infection has to be done manually by the user. At least with my mailer (The bat!) there is no other way to execute code. So no danger there. Agreed, yet it doesn't mean that will always be the case. Don't wish a disaster on your self. I have disassembled and analyzed several viruses and also wrote specific anti virus software in my past, I think I could handle it ;-) I don't doubt your skills, and I hope you remain virus free :-) But I also think it's better to stop the discussion at this point, it's way off topic. On topic, as those hit by a virus can be infected via the newsgroup, and are taken off the newsgroup for a while. Or may even put some off contributing again :-( -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Surplus QL ED drives
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], ZN [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On 2/4/02 at 7:38 PM Malcolm Cadman wrote: My efforts have been thwarted by an unlikely problem: now that I am using a CF card instead of a 'ral' hard drive, the QL's power consumption is too small - in particular, it uses next to no power from the 12V line, which is confusing my power supply :-) He .. he .. trust you to be lucky :-) ... 12v and only a few volts being used. That's Amps... or rather, milliamps. The only drain off 12V is now the RS232 driver chip. So, the CF card is good ? Works just like a hard drive, but no noise :-) It actually takes getting used to. And it's tiny, I made my own adapter (out of one that came from Phoebus) that fits right on top of the Qubide and even takes the power for the card from the Qubide, so no cables. I think you can see a picture on Phoebus' site. Congratulations to Phoebus for his foresight in grabbing the CF cards are due then :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Surplus QL ED drives
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], ZN [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On 2/5/02 at 1:02 AM Roy Wood wrote: Well, yes, there's just one problem: they are from IBM and have NO jumpers. It still may be possible to get them to work on a GC/SGC, I'm looking into it. Just use a twist in the cable to change the selector lines it is pretty simple. Yes, but that only takes care of the select lines - and sometimes not even that. Most new PC drives also make assumptions at what signals are used for what. For instance, a drive I used recently assumes that activating the motor on signal also selects the drive. But that's small fry. That same drive thinks there's always a disk in it once connected to the SGC. It also only works right with DD disks even though it's a HD drive. On the PC two signals are used (three in a ED drive) to communicate the density and presence of a disk. This is normally set by jumpers on older drives - no such luck on the new ones, although most actually have sensible defaults. In cases when you deal with drives manufactured to a particular narrow spec, all bets are off :-( Is the logic for disk drives 4 bit then ? 0 0 0 0 - low 1 1 1 1 - high -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] ms-users-and-smalltalk-list
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Peter Graf [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Hi folks, I find it absolutely OK to have some off-topic mails on this list now and then. But in the last weeks there has been a neverending *huge* flood of absolutely non QL-related traffic. PC's, Microsoft, the related software and the related viruses and the related problems will never end, and there are enough forums where they can be discussed. There is no reason why these forums are not used, and the ql-users list is constantly abused instead. Why don't you open a ms-users-and-smalltalk-list? Please see that I'm not talking about just a few mails now and then - that's fine by me! I'm talking about floods of mails. The consequence is, that I will now leave the list, because I don't have the time to handle this anymore. I'll unsubscribe after this mail. You will be missed ! I hope that you change your mind. This list has to be tolerant of high level technical discussion of hardware and software through to trivia and personal concerns. Which is what makes it a very good list to enjoy. This is what makes it open to anyone to join in with a 'thread'. It would have the potential to be boring otherwise. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Virus
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Geoff Wicks [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes - Original Message - From: Malcolm Cadman [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Virus By the way what version of Windows are you using, as I suspect it is aimed at the most recent versions ? 98 - it came with the computer and I see no need to upgrade (yet). I still like to access DOS occasionally. OK ... it vunerable to virus attacks then. Also try to use something other the Outlook, if you can. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Virus
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Geoff Wicks [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes I am sorry I have discovered that the BadTrans virus had infected my machine. My apologies if I have infected someone else, but I think I picked it up through the group originally, so there is probably someone else with the problem. Fortunately it was no more than a couple of days, but that is long enough to do damage. BE WARNED! This is a new version of the worm that was not detected in several scans, even with recent scanning software, that I did after getting the suspicious email with a ql-users subject line. I became more suspicious when, during routine maintenance, my hard disk seemed more fragmented than usual. It was only after I had downloaded the latest definitions that I finally tracked it down. Again my apologies for any trouble caused. Not your fault ... as that is the way it was intended to spread. By the way what version of Windows are you using, as I suspect it is aimed at the most recent versions ? -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Virus
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Sun, 3 Feb 2002 at 16:59:31, Phoebus R. Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) At 09:21 ìì 3/2/2002 +, you wrote: I am sorry I have discovered that the BadTrans virus had infected my machine. My apologies if I have infected someone else, but I think I picked it up through the group originally, so there is probably someone else with the problem. Fortunately it was no more than a couple of days, but that is long enough to do damage. Hi Geoff, the singular MOST important thing you need to do to get rid of worms of that kind is to get rid of Outlook you are using :-) You wouldn't have any trouble with Eudora for example :-) ... or Turnpike. This is Demon's mailer, but is generally usable for about £25 I think. It is a quite superb piece of software. I can second that Turnpike is superb piece of software, if you want a good email system ... with great potential for more sophisticated use. However, it all depends with a virus what it is aimed at. The best thing with anything supicious is not to read it ! Yet we all succumb at some time. Another way is to examine it in an editor - only - to check out its contents ... yet you need some expertise there. Usually the virii are written in compiled Visual Basic ... as this is what is available to the authors of this rubbish. So look out for anything with .com or .exe in the file name. The more sophisticated originators will have different ways ... -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Virus
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Mon, 4 Feb 2002 at 08:21:38, Norman Dunbar wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) I have just signed up with Demon and got Turnpike 6 for my emails. It is ok, but my wife has problems with it. I can understand that. It has enormous config depth and is based on windows explorer - both of which deter users who need their hands held. You do the configuring and she will be OK I suspect. One of the superb features is mail routing - which creates a newsgroup like tree based folder for groups such as this. Yes, the tree listing of emails in a newsgroup is amazing to watch ! -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Virus
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED] uk, Norman Dunbar [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes I have just signed up with Demon and got Turnpike 6 for my emails. It is ok, but my wife has problems with it. However, calypso, is excellent. Once installed, my wife was using it in seconds with no problems. It looks a bit like 'lookout' but doesn't have the mail work problems. Highly recommended. (and free) http://10xshooters.com/calypso-free/ I hope calypso is good. Turnpike takes a bit of learning, which means many of the computer mags fail to review it too highly, for example. However, it pays off later when you realise you how many features it has, and the depth of it. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Surplus QL ED drives
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], ZN [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On 2/4/02 at 12:26 PM Phoebus R. Dokos wrote: Hi all, PC Surplus online has a HUGE stock of Mitsubishi ED drives for $4.00 (Yes 4!) a piece Check it out here http://www.pcsurplusonline.com/cat.cfm?catid=3 Well, yes, there's just one problem: they are from IBM and have NO jumpers. It still may be possible to get them to work on a GC/SGC, I'm looking into it. My efforts have been thwarted by an unlikely problem: now that I am using a CF card instead of a 'ral' hard drive, the QL's power consumption is too small - in particular, it uses next to no power from the 12V line, which is confusing my power supply :-) He .. he .. trust you to be lucky :-) ... 12v and only a few volts being used. So, the CF card is good ? -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Launch of new web site
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Marcel Kilgus [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes P Witte wrote: PS I sent this mail earlier but it did not arrive on this list. Instead I got a message with the same heading in return containing what I suspect was a virus! New_napster_site.mp3.pif Why does everybody get viruses except me? This is really unfair! Now ... now :-) ... be careful ... there are some clever originators around, yet, fortuneately the common ones are relatively trivial. Don't wish a disaster on your self. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Virus
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus R. Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Re: my previous email... This was on the header Received: from mel-rta7.wanadoo.fr (193.252.19.61) by mel-rto6.wanadoo.fr; 2 Feb 2002 22:01:48 +0100 Probably an edited message by the worm itself, but it had the ql-users signature on it so whoever sent it me is definately reading the list Careful again Yes, there was one sent to the list, or the addresses from the list. I deleted it straightaway. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] BMP2SCR-WIN Add.
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus R. Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes At 08:12 ìì 1/2/2002 +, you wrote: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus R. Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Just to add a little something to my previous announcement, The next version will have also support for RLL encoded BMPs... and auto select of conversion method according to colour depth (currently the code supports only 24 bit colour) Also in the works right now (I'll get to the fonts too but right now I've been named official translator of Opera so I'm kinda racing to finish the damn thing) Is that Opera the browser ? Very nice program ... what are you translating it to ? Why in Greek of course (Rolls eyes) what else? Ah ... I see the need now :-) P.S. We also have one tug-of-war going on with them... I am trying to convince them to compile for m68k (Q40) Linux :-) P.S. (2) For whoever is interest we also prepare (me and the secretary of the Hellenic Language Institute) Ancient Greek and Latin versions ;-) hehehe :-) Didn't start the Latin yet but it will be interesting to say the least :-) (Yeah maybe the Pope will use it :-) I suppose the 'scholars' will like it too ... -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] cueshell
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Michael Grunditz [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes I try to run the cueshell demo on my q40, but I only get : ex win1_utils_demo_cueshell Invalid Parameter Probably means the 'path name' is wrong for your system. Try to find where it is set, and change it accordingly. Usually it is in a boot file, or some other 'launching' program. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Traffic
In message 3C5A4087.23781.2949B9C@localhost, [EMAIL PROTECTED] .co.uk writes Well, first time ever, this group is my largest mail download beating even my argumentative Linux group!!! He .. he .. life in the QL yet :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] BMP2SCR-WIN Add.
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus R. Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Just to add a little something to my previous announcement, The next version will have also support for RLL encoded BMPs... and auto select of conversion method according to colour depth (currently the code supports only 24 bit colour) Also in the works right now (I'll get to the fonts too but right now I've been named official translator of Opera so I'm kinda racing to finish the damn thing) Is that Opera the browser ? Very nice program ... what are you translating it to ? -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Launch of new web site
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Marcel Kilgus [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Norman Dunbar wrote: nice web site - and I know what you look like now. :o) Oh, didn't know there was anyone left not knowing it (my old page had pictures, too). But that reminds me of my first trip to the US a few years ago. We had dinner the first evening and it seemed that I was just considered the kid that travels with Jochen by the residents. Then we met the English party and Roy simply greeted me with Hi Marcel. The look on their faces and the following YOU are Marcel??? (yes, with three question marks) was priceless :-) Just your boyish good looks :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] win format
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes The best keyboard/typing one I ever heard was from a friend who works in the Call Centre for Microsoft. Apparently this story is a legend in there. This girl calls up to say she can't get Word 6 (back in Win 3.1 days here) to work on her 286 /386 or whatever it is. She has put Disk 1 of the set of 6 or 7 in the floppy drive, followed the instructions, but nothing happens - everytime she enters INSTALL from the A: prompt, she gets bad command or file name. The Microsoft assistant tries everything, and talks her through the procedure twice, to no avail, even checks to see if she is inserting the floppy fully and its the right way up in the drive. Still no joy. Eventually, frustrated after an hour long attempt, the Microsoft guy says are you absolutely sure you're typing INSTALL? To which the girl replies Well, yeah - except my N key is broken, so I'm using M instead - does that matter? Amazing how stupid some people can be... BTW, I have loads more of these if anybodys interested!! I guess you have the 'classic' call centre one, where after endless help from the assistant, the punch line is - 'Sir, do you have the computer plugged in to main power supply ?' -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QDOS web site - it's back !!
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED] uk, Norman Dunbar [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes After not much happening for over a year, I have now finished moving the QDOS internals web site from my old ISP to Demon. As of now, the link is http://www.bountiful.demon.co.uk/qdos but if your browser won't load it try http://www.bountiful.demon.co.uk/qdos/index.html instead. Also loaded, but not yet purged of incorrect email addresses, is the HTML tutorial at http://www.bountiful.demon.co.uk/html/ or http://www.bountiful.demon.co.uk/html/index.html. Is the above still progressing ? ... I just recommended it to someone to download. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Mailwidth
In message 007901c19eab$42dc13c0$36b4fea9@johns, John Hitchcock [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Thierry notes -. .(over 400 messages in 2002 (i.e. in 15 days) already in ql-users, wow !) == Hello Malcolm. Are you already up all night with a current QUANTA summary? This month perhaps you'd rather opt for - ..be[ing] infested with the cracks of a thousand keyboard membranes :) Nope :-( ... it looks like there is going to be a long delay before I can get my head around all that lot ! However, isn't it great to have so much going on ? -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Yuuuuck.
In message 007801c19eab$4212a940$36b4fea9@johns, John Hitchcock [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes . Yck. (Ok, I don't sound like Nasta. He wouldn't say Yuck when 500 words would do ;) = A trades-union convenor once famously said *something*(!) like - The lads deserve every explanation they can get; and more if they can get them... Be assured Nasta that some of us *need* your 500 - and more if we can get it! Help ... :-) ... how will I summarise it all ? -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Another floating idea...
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dave [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes I am learning it's a complex market. I like the Q60. I like the idea of the Goldfire, and I like the work I've seen so far. It's far better than most of us could manage (myself included) and we need to make it happen, not slip through our fingers due to lack of interest, or market forces *smiles* I'm not going to deliberately make and sell something that will make another project suffer. Instead, I'm working closely with Nasta and others (since Nasta is truly the centre of development atm) to make *compatible* products that have a market (QL add-ons) that doesn't compete with the Goldfire or Q60, but enhances both. If the hardware developers can successfully co-operate then it will benefit all of us, as users have different needs, as well as different amounts that they can afford to spend. I would really like my QL system networked with everything else, so it means ethernet is a good option. We do need to enhance our hardware by leaps and bounds, this will then lead to more innovative software being written. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Compact Flash Adapters.
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dexter [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Sun, 13 Jan 2002, Malcolm Cadman wrote: This is good, yet I haven't personally got IDE with my RISC OS, but SCSI. Which Risc OS machine do you have? I know where you can get a cheap IDE adaptor for the A30X0... Its an A3000. Yet I have a SCSI 1 adaptor in place, which is great. I use a 230MB SCSI SyQuest Ezflyer as the main drive most of the time as it is quick and quiet. There is no room to also have IDE on this system, as there is only one expansion port. Although someone has devised a board that does both, for me this would me starting again. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Making PCBs (was Q40/Q60/??? Ultra IO card)
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Peter Graf [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Hi Ian, Is it all very expensive for a hobbyist to produce one-off boards for experiments prototypes? Having one 2-layer board (in the size of a Q40 IO card) should cost about EUR 60 here. So a hobbyist with CAD software might find it useful to save the time he needs for wiring, and have himself a professional looking board. If I had more time, I would like to write a little tutorial on how to make your own Q40 extensions for QUANTA magazine. That would be interesting ... the revival of hardware projects. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] SINCLAIR QL's 18th birthday! Congratulations and a surprise...
In article 017301c19af3$c458d110$536bca3e@exeqtor, Urs König [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On January 12th 1984 (exactly 12 days earlier than Steve Jobs lauched the Apple Macintosh) Sir Clive Sinclair presented the QL professional-computer to the world in a hollywood-style event at the Intercontinental Hotel, Hyde Park Corner, London. Today, 18 years later we congratulate and celebrate to the QL's 18th birthday! Indeed ... a happy birthday as we are still using it. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Compact Flash Adapters.
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus R. Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes At 03:47 ìì 12/1/2002 -0500, you wrote: Also for Malcolm (and Dave...), I tried my CF adapter with my A7000 and it works like a dream :-)... Another extra ;-) Booted RISC OS 3.x like a charm and then copied my entire hard drive to a (on loan 1 Gb Microdrive)... then started the machine w/o the HDD... No problems :-) Actually since my A7000 has a 850 Meg (yuck.,... small ! :-) older IDE HD the CF felt a little faster than the hdd This is good, yet I haven't personally got IDE with my RISC OS, but SCSI. CF is certainly a good medium though. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Making PCBs (was Q40/Q60/??? Ultra IO card)
In article Hb5f11cf080d.1010753047.ln4p1327.ldn.swissbank.com@MHS, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes What equipment do you use to apply the etch-resist pattern to the boards, etch them, and then bond them together? Is it all very expensive for a hobbyist to produce one-off boards for experiments prototypes? (Probably nothing as complicated as a Q40 board.) In comparison to, say, the cost of digital photography with film scanner, A3 printer, software, consumables? (Probably another stupid question from an ignoramus) If you are interested in developing electronic skills with 'one-offs' you do not need to go to the bother of using PCB's ( Printed Circuit Boards - named after a screenprinting technique used ). There are several 'prototyping' systems, like 'breadboard' and 'veroboard' where you place the components and connecting wires in place, or solder the links for a permanent connection. You can make very sophisticated designs this way, but each one is manually assembled as you do it. Visit places like Maplins are see what is available. There are a lot of catalogue companies, like Radio Spares, Rapid, etc to order components from. Another way is to use a of line copper tape that you just lay on to a suitable surface ( even cardboard ) to link up the circuit design. It is worth 'PCB' when you wish to have more than one. For basic design work you can use any CAD style software to layout the circuit. Invent your own component 'library' or use an existing one, and alot of work can be done for very little extra outlay ( as you most likely already have the software ). With circuit design software you can get many freeware or shareware programs that will do a lot. Commercially you pay for the ability and sophistication of the program - which does not accord with ease of use. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] seasonal cheer, Silly Season
In article 00ac01c19779$c818f3c0$ac065cc3@default, Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Imagine if Sinclair had been successful since the late 1980's, and QDOS was the dominant OS ... then people may have written Windows emulators to run on 'QDOS2000' :-) Clive Sinclair=Bill Gates? Windows emulator running on Q60? Yuk, no thanks. ... yet it happens ... if only for the novelty :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] seasonal cheer, Silly Season
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED] uk, Norman Dunbar [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Morning Dennis, I use QPC2v2 on Win2K at work and on Win98 at home. I have the system installed on a 100Mb Zip disc which I take back and forth with me so I have the same setup at home and at work. Well, that's the theory, at work the zip is win1_ and at home it is win2_ and I even remember to backup my home Win1 to Win2 occasionally. The problem is when I have done stuff at work and forgotten to synchronise with win1 at home and then 'update' my zip from the 'real' win1 at home hence losing all the stuff I did at work. Brain problems :o) There has to be a 'elegant' solution to making sure that you only update the latest work from the Zip ... but I can't think of right now :-( -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] seasonal cheer, Silly Season
In article 00ab01c196fc$3e5ea6c0$[EMAIL PROTECTED], Dennis Sutherland [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes - Original Message - From: Malcolm Cadman [EMAIL PROTECTED] Imagine if Sinclair had been successful since the late 1980's, and QDOS was the dominant OS ... then people may have written Windows emulators to run on 'QDOS2000' :-) I suspect that if Sir Clive was was driven by whatever makes Mr. Bill tick, then that could well have happened. Do you think the PM would've taken him to court? He .. he .. judging by recent goings on with Railtrack, you never know :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] seasonal cheer, Silly Season
In article 003c01c195d2$a700c1c0$86065cc3@default, Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes I take it from recent posts that W98 is not the ideal platform for QPC2 and SMSQ/E? Or anything else it seems, by my experience lately. clip Basically, if a version of Windows works well and is stable on your PC, QPC2 will almost certainly work well on that system. It is designed to run on anything from Win95 onwards, and I have happy experience of running it on Win95 and Win NT4 where I used to work. As I've found to my cost, blaming problems on Windows or QPC2 is all too easy, there are so many variables in modern hardware and software that often no one thing is at fault but a combination of factors as with my recent problems with the Stlus 800 printer from QPC2 (now resolved...I'm happily printing from both OSes again). Don't be afraid of QPC2 on a Win 98 system, just be afraid of Windows in general ! All emulators are using the 'host' as the carrier for the emulated system. The discussion on this list does show that stabilty and performance is high for most people using them. Hopefully the sharing of ideas teases out any remaining difficulties. At present Windows is the most popular system running on home and business computers ... so it has to be worked with as it is. Imagine if Sinclair had been successful since the late 1980's, and QDOS was the dominant OS ... then people may have written Windows emulators to run on 'QDOS2000' :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Our Friend Dave again
In article 00e401c19608$35713180$d225fea9@johns, John Hitchcock [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes clip Little Willie, ageing some(!) Waits for a production run Sinclair schematics all are shredded His next love... will be embedded! (if he's lucky) John, in asbestos, in Wales ... and a poet too, very understandable, John. PS - John has managed to weave the themes of many email discussions into one brief poem. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] US QL differences...
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dexter [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Hi all, I've been sat like a hawk on Ebay waiting for a QL to come up for auction. I recall the US QLs had a different ROM version and PSU, but are their any other differences? Is there a PSU and/or power supply section schematic anywhere, so if I got one shipped over, I could convert it for US 110v 60Hz operation? I'm competent to do it, *with the right information*... As the organiser for the London Quanta Group, we have several QL's that have been donated to us by now 'lapsed' users. They are in various states of working and non-working ( good for spares ), with various ROM's in them. Obviously they are all of UK specification as regards power requirement, i.e, 240v. I have no experience of shipping to US. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] QDOS TCP/IP (was: Welcome to ql-users)
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Wed, 2 Jan 2002 23:20:26 +0100 Richard Zidlicky [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: We have Ethernet! It works fine on Q40/Q60, but under Linux. The development of QDOS/SMS software is (as always) the big bottleneck. actually it would be easy to get Ethernet and TCP/IP working in QDOS. Do you think of a port or writing a driver from scratch? A much bigger problem is 'ppp' support, unfortunately thats what most people need to get internet access. Yep, that's why Jon's tcp/ip stack cannot be used by most of us. I still haven't found a slip provider. A few UK providers have it, like Demon. Although not much use to you in Germany :-( Usually it is the 'older' more established providers that have it available, as the newer ones just rent the PPP. A Q60 on DSL or cable modem would be fun though. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Happy New Year (and with a BITTER lesson to be lea rned) Love Live QLs
In article 20020103182853.UAJA1008.fep02-svc.ttyl.com@localhost, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes From: Thierry Godefroy [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thu 03/Jan/2002 16:06 GMT To: ql-users [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Happy New Year (and with a BITTER lesson to be lea rned) Love Live QLs On Thu, 3 Jan 2002 15:27:56 - , Norman Dunbar wrote: Well, I'm running QPC2v2 on Win2k - what's wrong with it ? Apart from being slowest than Win95, My experience is that as long as you ahve at least 128Mb of memory then Win2K outperformas any of the Win9x variants. more bloated (if at all possible) and giving you no way to run in TRUE DOS (a MUST on desktop PCs for QXL !), nothing is wrong... This point I have to give you! Or is it (sorry, the Win2k stuff) only for Laptops ? We have a couple of Compaq Evos which run Win2k very nicely. It may run nicely, this is not to say that it makes a good usage of the machine ressources: re-install Win95 and compare the speeds of the same software under both OSes: you will be _amazed_ by the speed difference... My laptop is is dual boot (with the OS in separate partitions so they do not interfer with each other). The performance under Win2K is noticeably faster than under Win95. I do have 256Mb of memory on the machine and I think Win2K makes better use of extra memory than Win9x. Trust you to have the luxurious hardware, Dave :-) When are you going to attend a London Quanta Group meeting, we would love to see you with your speedy laptop ? -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Re: Welcome to ql-users
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], ZN [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes The problem with the Motorola 68000 series is that they aren't making them anymore. They do. Unfortunately, it's something of a poor relation. They're made on .5 or .65u processes with aluminium interconnects - generally very old hat. If they were fabbed at even .25u, they would happily run at 250-400MHz speeds. But that would cost a few tens of millions of bucks ;) Actually, the biggest problem with the 68k family is that Mot. does not want to sell the licence to anyone else, so that even FPGA cores that implement the same instruction set are, strictly speaking, illegal. Besides, there are compatible (or close enough) CPUs based on the 68k manufactured using .25u process, the V4 ColdFire. Even here we have a problem, which is Mot. dawdling over making the chips more freely available. They are targetted at the embedded OEM market and get 'compiled' to order along with peripherals. HP uses them profusely in their printers, for instance, because Mot. gladly maks speciffic versions that reduce the printer to 2 chips. The validity of the 68k concept is certainly obvios, otherwise it would have died a long time ago. Instead, an attempt to reduce the instruction set in the previous generation ColdFire's has been all but reversed with the new ones, which can be made almost completely compatible - if you can get Mot. to sell them to you! Thanks for the clarity around the 68k. I was gettting the impression that the series had come to the end of its development potential. In terms of Mot doing the manufacturing. Yet obviously not the case. HP do make very good printers ... so that's how they are doing it :-) I guess it is very financially worthwhile too ... as every computer needs a printer, or two. There are a couple of alternative aproaches, all of which have problems with mustering the required amount of manhours to make them work. One interesting possibility would be a Transmeta CPU with a 68k code interpreter. Even the smaller Crusoe would do just fine. In this case you also have the problem in getting Transmeta to provide the data to write the interpreter. Transmeta has invested a lot of work in producing their code morpher for I86 CPUs, and they principally want to sell you the licence for that - the CPU just comes along. On the otehr hand, a 68k interpreter or (wishful thinking) code morpher could be a lucrative venture. The QL community by far isn't the only one wanting faster 68k CPUs. This is interesting ... what other approaches are there ? Is there any QDOS/compatible OS that's written in C? I could try to get it converted to compile on ARM chips - I realize for QDOS itself that's a no-no, as it's basically hand assembly... what's the nearest to a version of QDOS written in C? There isn't one. In fact, I wish there was one because it could be used as a classic comparison of Assembler vs C efficiency :-) Finally, with open hardware, and/or doing it the old-fashioned way, what is the likely interest in a QL-compatible SBC? note the Q40/Q60 are not an SBC - an SBC would have the interfaces and connectors all built onto the same board. I can hunt around for a schematic for the original QL and dig out my SQB schematics and see what else could be added in... This isn't likely to happen, but if it was, what would people be looking for? Well, not that I am putting down the idea, but wouldn't that be a step back, especially considering your lamentation re 68k not being available on a .25u process :-) Strictly speaking, no there are no QL based SBCs, but the problem here is that QL developement being what it is, there is an interesting problem of conflicting requirements: 1) Because of limited resources, we get to design such a thing about once in a decade, which means a lot has to be anticipated - whatever is designed has to last a decade! 2) 'Evolving' too far away from existing hardware results in problems with actually using the new features - entirely because of a lack of open _software_ developement, namely the OS. 3) At the same time, whatever you come up with gets compared to the latest PC, but is required to be able to use all the old QL bits. Hardware developement is not really a problem, to tell you the truth. It's making the OS cope with it that's the real problem. This really requires the designer of the hardware to become a one-man band and do boththe hardware, and the software - that's very unlikely to happen. By all means, I applaud your open hardware developement idea, but I would at the very least like to see it followed by open software developement - maybe even preceeded by open software developement. clip -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Re: Welcome to ql-users
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus R. Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes A 68060@66MHz Q60 will give you about 300 times the processing power of a QL... not that bad, hue ? Not bad at all... :o) I've been playing with StrongARMs. When Sinclair went away I followed the Acorn route. This is the main reason I'm so out-of-date on the current state of play... ;) I use RISC OS, as well as QL and PC ... so you are in good company :-) ARM have made considerable progress with the RISC chips ... they even have INTEL on board now, after all these years ... The problem with the Motorola 68000 series is that they aren't making them anymore. I beg to differ Malcolm... what about M*Core chips like the DragonBall for example (Used in Palm OS handhelds or even the 68010 (Used in TI92 calculators... hehe just bought one... BTW... anybody wants to port QDOS on it). Even 68040's and 60s are being produced if I am not mistaken Isn't this the 'embedded' market though, like the ARM chips that are appearing in many exciting products ? It is always the case that new hardware stimulates new software development. What is to follow the 68060 ? -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Re: Welcome to ql-users
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dexter [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Wed, 2 Jan 2002, Malcolm Cadman wrote: I use RISC OS, as well as QL and PC ... so you are in good company :-) Risc PC 700/SA@287MHz, plus a LART (www.lart.tudelft.nl) I am using an 'older' generation, an A3000, with upgraded SCSI 1 interface. ARM have made considerable progress with the RISC chips ... they even have INTEL on board now, after all these years ... I wouldn't say they have Intel on board. Intel won the intellectual property that is the difference between an ARM and a Digital StrongARM in a lawsuit with Digital. They saw the embedded marketplace as the largest growth area in the future, and they were right - by controlling their already-biggest competing product, well... He .. he .. good to see you have not lost the scepticism :-) The problem with the Motorola 68000 series is that they aren't making them anymore. They do. Unfortunately, it's something of a poor relation. They're made on .5 or .65u processes with aluminium interconnects - generally very old hat. If they were fabbed at even .25u, they would happily run at 250-400MHz speeds. But that would cost a few tens of millions of bucks ;) Indeed ... the new development is not being invested in. Is the supply of 68000 series still assured for the forseeable future ? Is there any QDOS/compatible OS that's written in C? I could try to get it converted to compile on ARM chips - I realize for QDOS itself that's a no-no, as it's basically hand assembly... what's the nearest to a version of QDOS written in C? Finally, with open hardware, and/or doing it the old-fashioned way, what is the likely interest in a QL-compatible SBC? note the Q40/Q60 are not an SBC - an SBC would have the interfaces and connectors all built onto the same board. I can hunt around for a schematic for the original QL and dig out my SQB schematics and see what else could be added in... This isn't likely to happen, but if it was, what would people be looking for? Not getting anyone's hopes up, but asking seriously... -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Happy new year!!
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Hi All, Just to wish you all a happy new year - hope the hangovers are receiving the nesscessary treatment!! Happy new year, Darren. The Euro is in full swing over here; organised Chaos this morning, as everyone comes to terms with it. The coins have a very cheap feel to them, a bit like the toy money in those toy grocery shop sets for children! Notes are much smaller, so you feel you have a lot less money even it your bank balance is larger!! Took me 20 minutes to pay for a newspaper this morning as the poor girl tried to work out the correct change - by law, all shops must accept both euro and irish punts until 9/2/02, and give change solely in Euro. Quite confusing!! You could have read most newspapers for free in that time ... How many punts to the Euro then ? ... I must admit I have not yet seen a Euro note in 'real life', nor any of the coins. The 'time was' when genuine coins had real gold or silver in them :-) -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Re: Welcome to ql-users
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dexter [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes This begs the question: What is the current best performer in 68XXX Integer: 68LC060 80MHz (but it lacks a FPU) Floating point math: 68060 66MHz A 68060@66MHz Q60 will give you about 300 times the processing power of a QL... not that bad, hue ? Not bad at all... :o) I've been playing with StrongARMs. When Sinclair went away I followed the Acorn route. This is the main reason I'm so out-of-date on the current state of play... ;) I use RISC OS, as well as QL and PC ... so you are in good company :-) ARM have made considerable progress with the RISC chips ... they even have INTEL on board now, after all these years ... The problem with the Motorola 68000 series is that they aren't making them anymore. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Christmas greetings from Switzerland
In article 001a01c18c98$0b997ad0$606a03d5@exeqtor, Urs König [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Hi QLers I wish you all merry christmas and a reflective time! I hope and wish that all of you start well in the comming new year. For some, resp. many of us it will be the 19th year with our beloved QL. I hope that you'll find some time for QL thinkering during this christmas/new years periode. Viele Grüsse aus der Schweiz / Best regards Urs König http://mypage.bluewin.ch/QLvsJaguar/ Thanks Urs ... I will be getting a parcel of QL magazines organised in the new year to send to you. Happy new year ! -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Sources
In article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Timothy Swenson [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes At 04:32 PM 12/23/2001 +, you wrote: If you get time then try a visit to Dillions bookshop ... I have found this in the past to be a treasure of all the latest in computer related texts. Latest does not necessarily mean good. I find that most modern computer books fall into two categories: 1 - Good thought out volumes on a particular computer program, language, or technology. 2 - Worthless 500 page tome with the nutritional value of sugary breakfast cereal. Most O'Reilly books fall in the first category. They are full of good technical information that is aimed at the programmer or System Administrator. They cover topics like Perl, Apache, DNS, Cisco routers, etc. Most are about an inch thick. I've been buying O'Reilly books for about 11 years and have about 30 so far. The others are these Java in 24 hours tomes put out by publishers like Que, that are 3-4 inches think and are pretty much worthless. They are aimed at the new guy to computers and are glitzy enough to catch the attention of the new guy. They seem to think that the greater the word count, the better the book must be. There are probably a few books on the last 10 years that might eventually become classics. There is a web page called Joel of software where this guy talks about books and such, but he is mostly talking about User-Interface books. clip of good advice Like everything there are books to suit all tastes and abilities. I agree that there will be few 'classics' amongst them ... yet word soon gets around about which are best. Knowing Chris Cave ... he will require the new ones with a good depth of understanding. Anyone know of any that they have enjoyed and benefited from ? -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] Turbo Configuration
In article 005601c18273$20bfdfa0$c4befe3f@iti, HUGH N CUMPER [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Can anyone help me get turbo working? I am running the Qlay emulator under Windows, I have the Turbo toolkit loaded successfully, the compiler distribution files are in my only drive win1_, I have changed the periods in the names to underscores (do I really have to do this?), when I type charge it just says not found. I have tried 'default_device win1_' to no avail. Any suggestions? You probably also have the Turbo software in a sub directory called 'win1_turbo_' ? Also edit the 'runtime_boot' file for Turbo and add in the directory names that you are using. Then it will 'find it' :-) This is a one line boot file with no line number. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: [ql-users] cub ttl rgb monitor pin outs
In article 002501c1801e$78a46b20$5c5687ca@michael, Michael Lasham [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes BTW I advertised for some old sinclairs (zx80-ql) hoping to get something and was very suprised to have someone phone up with some QL's. Never seen them here before :) One day I hope to get as much as a complete set from zx80, zx81, spectrum, spec + and QL. If you ever get to little old England ... on a world tour or something :-) ... then we at the London QUANTA group have lots of QL goodies that have been donated to us by other QL users. Both hardware and software. -- Malcolm Cadman
Re: AW: [ql-users] Parcel service from the UK to germany
In article G6Vw$[EMAIL PROTECTED], Roy Wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dr. Martin Weltzer [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Try parcelforce. Depends how lost you want it. They just lost a parcel I sent to Spain with a superHermes in it. !! According to my 'Dictionary of World Mythology', in Greek mythology Hermes was the son of Zeus, and although a messenger of the gods he often led men astray. Later he came to be looked upon as the patron of good luck and fortune ... so your package may well turn up where it was supposed to :-) Yet, then again, he was also the patron of merchants and thieves :-( -- Malcolm Cadman
