Re: [ql-users] QeyMail question...
On Wed, 24 Apr 2002 at 21:50:14, Dilwyn Jones wrote: (ref: 000901c1ebdb$0307e9e0$d7065cc3@default) But it's not true about me and that sheep! ;) You should ask Dilwyn about the sheep and the haystack ! I bribed you to stay quiet about that one, so I'll have the money back with interest please ;-)) In case anyone wonders, a few years ago I injured my back on my father's farm trying to help him get a stray sheep down off a haystack and part of the haystack collapsed under us, and of course I was rather careless in how I phrased it to Roy, I should have known better with Roy, the actual words I used were something like I injured my back in an incident involving a sheep and a haystack... How was the sheep (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] fido
On Mon, 22 Apr 2002 at 10:05:41, Michael Grunditz wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Is there any qwk mailer program wich I can use as a point on fidonet , or can I use pbox and in that case how ? Yes PBOX works OK. You simply set up PBOX and use its own mailer to contact a BBS. Of course the other BBS has to set you up as a point. Thierry has been a point to me for many years now. QBOX USA are also, but I have not had anything from them for a long while now - is it still going? PBOX also has incoming fax support, and this is the primary reason I keep my BBS going. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] fido
On Mon, 22 Apr 2002 at 17:21:26, Michael Grunditz wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) In message [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Mon, 22 Apr 2002 at 10:05:41, Michael Grunditz wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Is there any qwk mailer program wich I can use as a point on fidonet , or can I use pbox and in that case how ? Yes PBOX works OK. Good , now I know whom to ask when I get into trouble when I try :) Hrmmm (8-)# I use it with Minerva so am frozen into version 1.16. Phil never even tried it under Minerva, so I had horrendous debugging problems, and still have unsolved ones. It is not easy to configure, but I am sure I can help there, even though I have had to do nothing to it since 1998 or so. Under SMSQ/E I am sure there are no serious problems. Derek Stewart though probably knows more about config than me now, as he has worked on it recently (sorry Derek (8-)# ) -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] QeyMail question...
On Mon, 22 Apr 2002 at 15:39:51, Dave wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Hi all, I'd like to promote a discussion about the features of a QL-based email program. I don't want to discuss standard features just yet, but those exotic features that will really help us. For example, I've recently learned of the difficulty of moving files between machines. Headers are a wonderful thing. Would you prefer to have zip file attachments that are MIME encoded, or a proprietary attachment system that will allow you to transfer files with header info? (I would open up the source of this to anyone wanting to write an FTP client too) Headers are only a problem with EXECable files of course. What kind of features not already in common use would give a QL email client higher utility value? Being able to write a control file that would handle, say , the QL emailshot list. I have all the data in my database files, and although emailing via my Windows machine is straightforward, it would be psychologically nicer to send the emailshot from a QL. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] QeyMail question...
On Mon, 22 Apr 2002 at 21:03:12, Dave wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) On Mon, 22 Apr 2002, Tony Firshman wrote: Well, less is more. Clive taught me that. ... but it is 'fewer' Amazing the way English (and American I think) has lost good English from Tony Blair through the BBC to schools. people, features, bricks (discreet - ie countable) - many. fewer sand, flour, water (not-countable) - much, less OK it is good that language evolves, but losing a subtlety of meaning like this using existing words in the wrong context is bad. NOT your fault Michael - you are in very good and numerous company (8-(# Michael never said that. It was me. My grammer has never been the best, as these sentences show ;) It _was_ Michael I was referring to when he said: Less features:-) You snipped that bit out in your reply (8-)# Your statement was OK. It is only when specifically linked to a noun that 'proper' English needs to choose between 'fewer' and 'less' etc. Sorry to lead you into a false confession (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] The Next Step...
On Sun, 21 Apr 2002 at 22:10:24, Dilwyn Jones wrote: (ref: 00bc01c1e97c$c8a29800$bf065cc3@default) Unfortunately neither Turbo itself not its output is very clean: It is neither ROMable not Thingable ;( Given Simon's Assembly background I would think that the output from TURBO would be fairly clean (but I've never looked at it and I really don't know Turbo, as one of its speed-up tricks, generates self-modifying code, so a Turbo compiled program could never run from ROM in its DP form at least. Example: machine code loops were speeded up with a series of consecutive move.l ... type instructions in succession and the loop generated a jmp or jsr to the appropriate number of move.l instructions, so it had to modify the parameter for the jump instruction to tell itself how far into the loop to jump to generate the correct number of move.l instructions! In brief, the code modified itself to some extent as it ran, so it couldn't modify itself while executing from a ROM, and if it were HOT_RES'ed for example, chaos would ensue if two or more copies of the program running from the same place tried to modify the same code! That's what's meant by by non-rommable and non-thingable code. It also uses RESPR space to store transient data. We had a midnight session with Freddy in Eindhoven sorting out issues like this. Users used to change RESPR to LRESPR. This failed often, 'cos the procedure space was _larger_ than the code size, ie RESPR area reserved was larger than the code size. Awful. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] The Next Step...
On Fri, 19 Apr 2002 at 18:53:59, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) At 06:44 ìì 19/4/2002, you wrote: For SBASIC programming, best start is TURBO, which is now freeware. It's not quite as powerfull as Qliberator, but you can get it online (check Dilwyn's web site) with manuals and a number of extra tools including TurboPTR, a tool for creating Pointer Environment programs with TURBO. Powerful is in the eye of the be(er)holder :-) Actually equivalent Sbasic code generated by Turbo is faster by a factor of almost 15% or so (in tests I run) over QLiberator. Turbo has other problems though like parameter passing... Exactly. I chose QLIB originally as it was far more tolerant of bad code. I was trying to compile the Archive file repair prog in QL User (last edition) but failed totally with Turbo. Qlib compiled first time, I think - well certainly with very little work. I usually need compilation for multitasking rather than speed. Mind you with David Gs work, Turbo is far better. Does the current version really still have the problem of parameter passing? -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] The Next Step...
On Sat, 20 Apr 2002 at 00:20:49, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Additionally being restrictive in some aspects I believe that is a feature. By being very strict programmers are forced to write clean programs ... but I abandoned Turbo because I was trying to compile other people's code (from mags). There are times when one needs QLib flexibility. (Not that dirty tricks aren't possible of course... you can still call machine code ;-) or mess with the Memory :-). And now with full GD2 support it's a clear choice. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Wee_Haa... Got a QXL!
On Sat, 20 Apr 2002 at 10:43:25, ZN wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Phoebus Dokos wrote: but I was asking if you can assign a .win file (any QXL.WIN file, regardless of filename or disk - a la QPC :-). The only way I know that works with QXL, assuming you are using DOS is to use SUBST. Essentially, create a directory to emulate a dribe, then do SUBST X: directory (or was it directory X: ...not sure, it was a while ago) where X: is an unused drive letter K. Keep in mind that the letter to win mapping seems to be hard-coded. So, D will be win2_ etc. if you already have a D and can't put a QXL.win file on it (for instance if it's a CD ROM), tough luck :-( The syntax is: subst [drive1: [drive2:]path] drive1: is the virtual path drive2: is the physical drive containing 'path' drive1: can be any unused letter up to the 'lastdrive=' in config.sys You must have had 'lastdrive=k' in config.sys Well done - you remembered well. You can free the CDROM letter though (order is vital of course (8-)# ) subst R: D: subst D: C:\driveD This was where I had one very large physical drive as C and a CDROM as D. I had a lot of links/batch files/programs etc that needed stuff in D - it would have been hell reconfiguring. It worked very well. If you have more than one physical drive though, it is hell remembering what disk drive contains what physical data. Like Nasta, I hope I remember right - it was a long time ago. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Another stupid question.... re Floppies
On Fri, 19 Apr 2002 at 06:44:27, wrote: Another wrongly setup attribute-- ^ (8-)# blank == Wolfgang Lenerz (I think) (ref: 3CBFBCCB.21958.1DDB5@localhost) On 18 Apr 2002, at 9:20, Tony Firshman wrote: Needs a tiny soldering bit though and bravado. .. and you have lots of those... No - only one bravado (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Another stupid question.... re Floppies
On Wed, 17 Apr 2002 at 23:29:55, ZN wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) These days drives do not have jumpers any more. There are though solder pads on a lot of drives actually marked DS0/DS1 I have soldered the link for Bill Richardson a few times. Needs a tiny soldering bit though and bravado. there are two selects and two motor on's, the correct combinatiopn is achieved using a twist in the wire (the unused select and motor on end up on unused pins on the drive, that once used to be select 2, 3, 4). -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] US QL specs... (and problems ;-)
On Wed, 17 Apr 2002 at 21:23:43, Dennis Sutherland wrote: (ref: 012f01c1e680$135c4120$[EMAIL PROTECTED]) Phoebus, IIRC I had to invert one of the signals on the video. Now just which one it was?? In 84-5 a new RGB monitor was funtional with this inverted signal. Perhaps one of the fellows over here can elucidate? I think it was vertical sync, but don't bet money on it. I have no documentation and very little memory of it. Has anyone inverted the signal on one of the video lines here in the US? It won't be that. If sync lines were wrong, you would not see a stable image. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] [OT] Joke (Short)
On Tue, 16 Apr 2002 at 09:20:12, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) At 09:07 ðì 16/4/2002, you wrote: I thought I'd share this one with you all - seeing as how there is no Assembler Tutorial in the latest QL Taody. There are 10 kinds of people in this world - Those who understand binary, and those who don't !! Good One! :-) Although given my recent experience I would phrase it: ...11 kinds of people, those who understand binary, those who understand decimal and Phoebus who does neither ;-) ... but in saying that, you _prove_ you understand both, up to 3 fingers at least (8-)# While we are on the OT subject of number bases, everyone knows the 'answer' is 42. Now I read the book (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) for the first time recently, and near the end, we find the question is What is the answer to 6 times 9? Now 54 is 42 in base 13. Richard Adams said that was simply a coincidence. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] [OT] Joke (Short)
On Tue, 16 Apr 2002 at 15:41:01, Norman Dunbar wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) So did Douglas :o) Whoops - who was 'Richard' I wonder (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] CF Hot Removable adapters
On Sat, 13 Apr 2002 at 02:37:27, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) At 02:22 ðì 13/4/2002, Tony The Wizard Firshman wrote: On Fri, 12 Apr 2002 at 21:19:52, Phoebus Dokos wrote: Snippety - Snip ..., think again Even with the fastest card, due to QubIDE restrictions (yep 8 bit bus and all the magic Nasta performs in order to make this thing work :-) It is a lot slower than the RomDisq. Phew (8-# Oh I said it many times... by far the RomDisq is the fastest flash drive i've seen If only there was a larger version... (Say 64 Meg :-) There could easily (technically) be a 16mb version. Tony Tebby has catered for every 2mb boundary, so no problem there. I have got the address line there. When I designed RD there was a address pin sequence up to 2mb (per chip) but the next pin (4mb) was NC. I asked _everyone_ including the manufacturer, but they said 'dunno'. The 4mb chip arrived and the address pin was exactly where I had guessed. Stuart would need to change his code, but that is not the problem. Right now I have to buy in 96 units for each of the two types of flash chips. However the minimum buy for 4mb chips is 484 per chip, and they cost more than twice the 2mb chip. This is an outlay of at least £10,000, so is impossible. I will have another look see. P.S. Have fun at the AGM (I suppose that's why you're up so early right?) Yep - and am back now. Was a good event (for me). It was amusing to find that Robin Barker had not been told about the error including Bill Newell on the list of people standing. I wonder what happened? -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Keymap
On Sat, 13 Apr 2002 at 09:12:25, Dexter wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) On Sat, 13 Apr 2002, Phoebus Dokos wrote: Will send you a printed copy tomorrow :-) Thank Timothy for that :-) It really isn't necessary - 90% of it is webbed - it just didn't translate very well from scanned sheets to text - and the keyrow table was demolished. I now have in my posession a scan of the table. Unfortunately, it's all wrong! Eg: (row 2, col 1), (row 3, col 1), (row 5, col 1) are all vertical lines. Now, which is left square bracket and which is right square bracket? (row 5, col 128) is blank. Is this 0? (row 2, col 32) and (row 2, col 128) are pound and tilde - which are the same key. How can that be? In UK: row col 2 32 £ (UK pound sign) keyrow ignores shift, and shift pound _is_ tilde, so it is the same KEYROW. This applies to a lot of other shift characters too of course. Put another way, is (row 2, col 128) the apostrophe? Can anyone enlighten me? Once I am enlightened, I will put the corrected table on ql.spodmail.com Yep - there are errors in the 12/84 manual. my corrections are: row col 7 128 , (comma) 6 32 0 (number zero) 5 128 O (letter O) 3 1 [ 3 128 ; 2 1 ] 2 128 ' (single quote) -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] CF Hot Removable adapters
On Sun, 14 Apr 2002 at 16:38:20, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Boot file loads the following: SMSQ/E 2.91 QLiberator runtimes IPCMouse QPAC2 Time to boot using a 2 Mb RomDisq (From the F1/F2 prompt till windows set up and everything): 12.8 sec. (Cache_off and SCR2EN) Same thing with a 26x PQI Flash card : 18.3 sec With a WDC36400 (2 Mb Cache on board): 22.6 sec I think that this says it all... Of course, there is fixed QL processing time here as well. This means that the actual physical read from RomDisq is, in percentage terms, even better. In my measurements, I found RomDisq read at 2mbyte per second. What is the physical read speed of CF and HD I wonder? To test, I copied a 1mb file a 100 times to ramdisk. To ensure slave blocks had minimal effect, I loaded first to ram, and then did ALCHP(free_memory - 2000) - or some similar value to 2000 until the following would run: FOR j= 1 to 100:COPY_O rom1_file to ram1_file I will provide the list with more scientific results once I perform them (soon I hope :-) Above method might be a better way - it eliminates the fixed processing time. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
[ql-users] Another lost QLers
Anyone know where Wayne Weedon [EMAIL PROTECTED] is now? -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
On Wed, 10 Apr 2002 at 23:18:50, Dexter wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Oh, for heaven's sake, why would you need a custom transformer? My dear Nasta, have you become so disillusioned that you don't see the *fun* in winding yer own transformer? ;P It's a great way to pass an evening :o) ... much like tapestry or knitting (8-)# QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Aurora problems
On Wed, 10 Apr 2002 at 17:25:45, ZN wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) On 09/04/02 at 12:23 Phoebus Dokos wrote: Hi all, I am turning to the list for any ideas... As you might have guessed at last I have a working (well sort of) Aurora setup... However I experience a couple of problems, mainly with resolutions. ... Specifically, I give DISP_SIZE 640, 480 but nothing happens (still 512x256). OK, this has been solved. The soulution has two parts: the usual one, and the 'read the manual' (oops, sorry, don't think it's in there!) part. The usual part is taking out the 8302 ULA and cleaning it's pins, which for some reason have a tendency to oxidise. They do this even when left alone in a drawer - I have three spares and they all had their pins turn black while sitting peacefully in my QL spares box, in their antistatic rail. Yes - very odd isn't it. It is the only QL chip that does this. interesting Aurora/qubide tutorial for the files PS can't believe I'm doing Qubide support after all these years! and I am still telling people how to wire serial leads (8-)# There are things in life that always need working on (like relationships) -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
On Thu, 11 Apr 2002 at 14:17:54, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) At 12:15 ìì 8/4/2002, you wrote: Who?^ This is something I got pulled up (rightly) on quite a while back. This attribute is fine for personal email, but is not good in a public area. I bet it is configurable - my mailer allows %c character substitutions to construct any weird and wonderful attribute you want. Mine is very boring but has your name, Phoebus (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Clive Sinclair working for the French??
On Tue, 9 Apr 2002 at 11:04:48, ZN wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) On 09/04/02 at 14:31 Claude Mourier 00 wrote: Clive Sinclair working for the French?? I know that Sir Clive's skills lay in other places other than marketing, but has he sold out to the french I wonder?? Just that I saw a TV advert last night for a Citreon C5 As always Sir Clive was a precursor : others take advantage of his technology. Merge two C5 (4 wheels) and add a motor and you get something that can earn money ;-) Citroen C5 has nothing to do with Sinclair, though I am sure their marketing department must have been caugh unaware by the history of that 'name' in the UK. The Cit C5 is named after it's pre (pre-pre-pre) decessor from the 1920s. Now if you don't mind, stop knocking down my favorite car manufacturer ;-) who actually has a lot in common with the QL, in philosophical ways. Although, I will be the first to acknowledge, Citroens can be a pain in the a... khm, neck when there is a problem, but when it all works, it's amazing. Just like with the QL, where you have to seek converts to computing in a better way, with Citroen you get to preach that there are better ways to drive around on 4 (and actually, even 3 - some will work without one rear) wheels! Oddly enough on the way back from the recent Eindhoven QL show, a Citroen in front of us had a flat tyre and diesel was pouring out of it. I pumped it up for him - but I see he could have driven without it (8-)# Great when they go well of course (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] SMSQ/E license criticisms
On Mon, 8 Apr 2002 at 09:34:31, wrote: (ref: 3CB16427.19667.AF2613@localhost) On 27 Mar 2002, at 19:32, Dexter wrote: There are two ways to make money from SMSQ: 1. Be Tony Tebby. 2. ... To be quite frank, I resent that comment. the decision the pay TT some money was not his, but was an agreement we came to at Eindhoven. TT has put in an enormous amount of time and money into SMSQ/E, and HAS not gotten back as much as he should. Indeed. If Tony had been getting what he should from SMSQ, then he would still be developing it. The whole reason it is OS is that he wasn't. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
[ql-users] Miracle Hard Disk
Does anyone have the documentation for the Miracle Hard Disk? -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Miracle Hard Disk
On Mon, 8 Apr 2002 at 11:14:27, Timothy Swenson wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Tony, I got some hard copy with the one that Ruth sent me. I can either photocopy and send via snail mail, or I can scan it in and send to you. Thanks - a scanned copy would be great, thanks. -- Tony Firshman
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
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-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Miracle Hard Disk
On Mon, 8 Apr 2002 at 19:21:23, Tony Firshman wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) On Mon, 8 Apr 2002 at 11:14:27, Timothy Swenson wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Tony, I got some hard copy with the one that Ruth sent me. I can either photocopy and send via snail mail, or I can scan it in and send to you. Thanks - a scanned copy would be great, thanks. Stop that scan - I got a quill.doc from Italy. Thanks folks. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
On Mon, 8 Apr 2002 at 21:08:25, Dexter wrote: (ref: [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. I wonder. Do the transformers in QL PSUs have 120 and 240v windings, or did they use a different transformer for each region? They don't - I think Malcolm was confused. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
On Mon, 8 Apr 2002 at 22:10:09, Dexter wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) 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... 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) I won't forget the flight across the USA a few years back between the East and West coast QL shows. We had the most amazing aerial view of storms below us. That was the time when a plane was hit and crashed somewhere in the Rockies, I think. The US certainly does have grand storms, but it is a big place (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] DIANOUX aftermath, OffT then OnT
On Sat, 6 Apr 2002 at 20:13:10, Geoff Wicks wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) - Original Message - From: P Witte [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] DIANOUX [EMAIL PROTECTED] Finally, those who moan about Lookout Express should consider how they would feel about changing their system after using it for many (on the whole, happy) years. Taking such drastic action is a last resort! Although I only deploy a virus checker on suspicion of infection, or after engaging in unsafe practices, I have only once in five years actually been infected, and that I discovered without the aid of one. I caught it off the internet, not via email. 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. All I was saying was that TP has worked fine. I have never used any other product 'cos of this. I am not trying to be arrogant in any sense, and I am sorry if you interpreted the bare words in this way. I am very much looking forward to the day when I can use my QL BBS machine to, in particular, send out the QL snailshots. I find it quite incongruous to use my PC for this. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] DIANOUX aftermath, OffT then OnT
On Sun, 7 Apr 2002 at 13:48:22, Richard Zidlicky wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) On Sat, Apr 06, 2002 at 08:13:10PM +0100, Geoff Wicks wrote: It may be surprising for some but the QL actually had working email/news programs for maus and fido -nets long before MS - and at that time maus/fidonet provided good interoperation with the internet. Indeed - I was part of this. My BBS is still going, including the internet maus link. Jonathan Hudson and Marcel for instance still chat (usenet: maus.computer.ql.int) Does anyone know who arranges the link and how it is done? There is a vast amount of spam, which I delete when I see it. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] QL Forum
On Fri, 5 Apr 2002 at 16:11:38, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: 3X6Z6PNNJ6ZMJPL07DCWVMURIF1XB8.3cae130a@quantum-central) 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 Well I tried that. I registered, and it then invited me to login using user name and password. Considering I had never registered a password, that was difficult (8-)# Ah well - no problem. I will get all info by email so that will do me for now. I would not log in to the forum much anyway - I much prefer the mailing list/usenet method. It is much easier all in one place. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] DIANOUX _jean-louis.dianoux@wanadoo.fr
On Thu, 4 Apr 2002 at 09:09:12, Claude Mourier 00 wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) De : Tony Firshman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Envoyé : jeudi 4 avril 2002 01:40 À : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Objet : Re: [ql-users] DIANOUX [EMAIL PROTECTED] (...) Maybe, as a doctor, he could prescribe something (8-)# I hate to be pedantic, but it is a worm (8-)# -- Tony Firshman
Re: [ql-users] DIANOUX _jean-louis.dianoux@wanadoo.fr
On Thu, 4 Apr 2002 at 09:34:44, DIANOUX wrote: (ref: 009901c1dbab$320714e0$47b1fac1@y4z4n0) I am absolutely sorry for the virus you received, my panda antivirus version did'nt detect it. Now it's updated and cured (...) I'm very impressed by the number of reactions I received from all ! Medicine is ever one step after the illness: in a first time, medicine is just contemplative; then, sometimes active. That is a very nice intellectual reply. I am glad you have cured it now. I do wonder who these b**s are. -- Tony Firshman
Re: [ql-users] DIANOUX _jean-louis.dianoux@wanadoo.fr
On Thu, 4 Apr 2002 at 23:36:34, Richard Zidlicky wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) On Wed, Apr 03, 2002 at 11:25:46PM +0100, P Witte wrote: Hiall, This is the third virus Ive had from [EMAIL PROTECTED] within the last couple of months. So far I have escaped, but sooner or later someones going to take a hit. to be more precise, someone using the unfortunate email program. Should I post a list of alternative email programs? There is probably at least 400 really usable email programs around, many of them free, a good fraction of this even work on several platforms. None of them can promise perfect security but the impact with *every* other mailer has been not even a fraction of the problem you encounter with Outlook every time its miserable design fails. Btw don't think this is a problem that will go away with improved anti-virus SW or the 1EXP46-th build of Outlook, a real solution would require Microsoft to cut back on unneeded dangerous features and that probably won't happen until the doomsday. Demon's Turnpike has been 100% OK since I started using it 5 years ago. There are no security flaws in it - well none the hackers know about. -- Tony Firshman
[ql-users] Jean-Louis Dianoux
Watch out if you are in his address book - he has a worm. File comes as PICS.DOCS.scr -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] DIANOUX _jean-louis.dianoux@wanadoo.fr
On Wed, 3 Apr 2002 at 23:25:46, P Witte wrote: (ref: 002b01c1db5e$edf5c400$0200a8c0@home) Hiall, This is the third virus Ive had from [EMAIL PROTECTED] within the last couple of months. So far I have escaped, but sooner or later someones going to take a hit. Cant he be switched off until he gets himself sorted? He isn't responding to direct emails other than a returned worm. I guess he is away. Maybe, as a doctor, he could prescribe something (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] QPC and SuperHERMES
On Tue, 2 Apr 2002 at 08:44:11, wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) In a message dated 02/04/02 08:57:45 GMT Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I have been looking at some of the software which I sell and checking whether it works on QPC or not. Two problems which I am unable to solve exist (do far), namely Deathstrike and Hoverzone - both of these programs fail to work on both QPC and using the SuperHERMES keyboard driver, in that as soon as they enter supervisor mode (to utilise the two screen mode), they cannot read the keyboard. OK, there is no 2nd screen, but why is the sH driver used at all? sH driver is only used on my Aurora system to allow my keyboard to work!! Unfortunately, as you said in the past, the sH keyboard driver will not work in supervisor mode.. Pity!! Ah - your sentence was ambiguous. I was wondering why you used the sH driver in QPC (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
[ql-users] Giles Walker
Giles Walker seems to have flown away from the following: Giles Walker [EMAIL PROTECTED] Giles Walker [EMAIL PROTECTED] Does anyone know where he has gone to earth? He is a retired BA airline pilot who loves in Scotland. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Giles Walker
On Tue, 2 Apr 2002 at 20:15:25, Marcel Kilgus wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Tony Firshman wrote: He is a retired BA airline pilot who loves in Scotland. ^ insert joke here :-) Oh dear oh dear oh dear. That was entirely accidental, honest. Mind you it may well be true (8-)# Nice story about his wife - that _he_ told: As an ex BA pilot, he gets free first class seats but has to pay for his wife, so she goes tourist! Also reminds me of Pointer Products (now what was his name - lived in Basingstoke and rode a motorbike) who typed 'forst' instead of 'first'. That spawned months of jokes about the Little Green Forsts of Norway. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
[ql-users] Darren Branagh - for private reply
I am afraid all varieties of you hotmail account are bouncing, even including the advertised [EMAIL PROTECTED] so I have no idea whether you got the copy of the emailshot draft I sent you. Please reply privately, and give me an email address that works (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] QPC and SuperHERMES
On Tue, 2 Apr 2002 at 01:44:26, Marcel Kilgus wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Errr any ideas?? About what? Does anyone know if these programs will work on the Q40 or any other emulators?? QXL, Q40 and Q60 don't have a second screen either. I think the same is true for uQLx. QemuLator will most likely do the job (does anybody know what happened to it? The site has been down for a while now). Qlay probably, too, but the emulation is not as good as QemuLator. His email - sistestATictpDOTtriesteDOTit is still working. However you are right - he has gone from geocities - even his docs found by a site search have gone. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] QPC and SuperHERMES
On Mon, 1 Apr 2002 at 17:55:56, wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) I have been looking at some of the software which I sell and checking whether it works on QPC or not. Two problems which I am unable to solve exist (do far), namely Deathstrike and Hoverzone - both of these programs fail to work on both QPC and using the SuperHERMES keyboard driver, in that as soon as they enter supervisor mode (to utilise the two screen mode), they cannot read the keyboard. OK, there is no 2nd screen, but why is the sH driver used at all? -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
[ql-users] Darren Branagh
Darren, your hotmail account is bouncing (as usual (8-)# ) Have you had my email about the AGM mailing via your new address? Plse reply privately. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] SMSQ/E license criticisms
On Wed, 27 Mar 2002 at 16:56:26, wrote: (ref: Hb5f1240e71f.1017248184.ln4p1327.ldn.swissbank.com@MHS) Oh boy. It is little Jimmy's birthday party. All his little friends are there. Little Jimmy's dad instructs (with naive futility) the children to play nicely with the new toys [so adults can have a few beers in peace]. But (surprise surprise) the children are unable to play nicely. Instead they do nothing but squabble over who is in charge of the toys and what games to play. Eventually their squabbling becomes so noisy that little Jimmy's dad storms over and picks up all the new toys saying I told you to play nicely, now none of you can have the toys! Might be an idea to get the licensing biz wrapped up before TT decides to take the toys away again. Just an idea. (8-)# I think we all ought to go and read William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies' - very much on the same lines as Ian's comment. Calm down folks, please. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Source Code Status
On Tue, 26 Mar 2002 at 08:01:22, Jerome Grimbert wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Tony Firshman makes some magical things to make me read } I have understood the bit about no charge in giving copies. As someone } running a PD library I'll mention here I'm happy to adhere strictly by } this. } I was surprised that media/post costs were vetoed I must admit. } Surely that is a bit of an imposition on the sender. Well, I was not part of the discussion, but I can understand some reasons for the veto. For instance, the QLCF library has been running along similar lines: - the requestor must provide both the media and stamped return package. That is what I was thinking of almost exactly, but I couldn't see mention of that. It was Wolfgang's longest ever email so apologies if I missed it. Outside ones own country, IRCs have to be used which is 'payment' of a sort - but in stamps. Surely no problem with this? -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Source Code Status
On Tue, 26 Mar 2002 at 12:15:47, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) The way IRCs work,it is evident to the sender as a notice is posted on the return letter (when IRCs are used). (At least that's what happens in Greece). This way you have an additional check on the distributor's honesty :-) (Not implying anything by that of course... just clarifying the issue) Not in the UK - you get stamps to the equivalent of an overseas letter. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Aurora and SuperHermes Lite Manuals
On Mon, 18 Mar 2002 at 14:52:21, Dilwyn Jones wrote: (ref: 003d01c1ce91$d0d22fa0$33065cc3@default) If Tony is happy, these could be held with the rest of my manuals-on-disk to provide replacement manuals for those needing them, and a one-stop source of QL documentation. No problem with sH. Phoebus - what did you use to convert to PDF? -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Source Code Status
On Mon, 18 Mar 2002 at 15:29:17, Dilwyn Jones wrote: (ref: 004001c1ce91$d33f3800$33065cc3@default) Following the discussions at EIndhoven,here is what has been agreed upon, Tony TEBBY also having agreed to it: This is good news, a positive step forward. And having someone as highly regarded as you in the QL world as registrar will be a popular move I am sure. I HOPE you can agree with this. I KNOW some of you will not. I have understood the bit about no charge in giving copies. As someone running a PD library I'll mention here I'm happy to adhere strictly by this. I was surprised that media/post costs were vetoed I must admit. Surely that is a bit of an imposition on the sender. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] serials
On Sun, 17 Mar 2002 at 13:29:15, Dilwyn Jones wrote: (ref: 004401c1cdbe$f5efd360$81065cc3@default) Tony Firshman wrote: This is all done after 1am, just having returned from Eindhoven, so would welcome correction (even by myself when I re-awake later) DSR/DTR connections are not needed. QL ser1 is identical to ser2 other than RX/TX and CTS/DTR(RTS) swapped. = QL QL QL CABLE QL PC PCPC ser1 ser2COLOUR SIGNAL SIGNAL 25D 9D (modem?) (terminal?) = 3 (RxD o/p) 2 (TxD o/p) - whiteTxDRxD- 3 RxD 2 2 (TxD i/p) 3 (RxD i/p) - greenRxDTxD- 2 TxD 3 5 (CTS) 4 (DTR=RTS) - blue DTR(=RTS) CTS- 5 CTS 8 4 (DTR=RTS) 5 (CTS) - red CTSRTS- 4 RTS 7 11-- blackGNDGND-- 7 GND 5 N/A N/A 6 DSR 6 N/A N/A20 DTR 4 = I knew I should not have done it so late. Pinouts are right, but directions are worng. This should be OK (but I am not laying my life on - I am still tired (8-)# ) = QL QL QL CABLE PC PCPC ser1 ser2 COLOURSIGNAL 25D 9D = 3 RxD2 TxDwhite -RxD 32 2 TxD3 RxDgreen -TxD 23 5 CTS4 (DTR=RTS)blue -CTS 58 4 (DTR=RTS) 5 (CTS)red -RTS 47 11 black--GND 75 N/A N/A DSR 66 N/A N/A DTR 20 4 = This whole diagram is QL - PC only of course. If you think of QL to 25D by pin number, then ser1 is 'straight through' and ser2 is 'crossover'. That is always my starting point, and all the rest can be derived from that. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Calling George Loumtzides
On Sun, 24 Mar 2002 at 09:05:50, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) 0i all and sorry about the following- I am trying to locate a fellow QLer from Greece that reads the list: George Lamtzidis [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Aurora Manual
On Sun, 24 Mar 2002 at 10:23:22, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Does anyone have an Aurora Manual (scanned or otherwise)? I want to setup mine and my manual is still in Greece :-) Send me a private email pls. 1.5mb manual word .doc coming by email, so no-one else send it plse (for his sake). -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Aurora Manual
On Sun, 24 Mar 2002 at 18:59:13, ZN wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) On 3/24/02 at 11:44 PM Tony Firshman wrote: Does anyone have an Aurora Manual (scanned or otherwise)? I want to setup mine and my manual is still in Greece :-) Send me a private email pls. 1.5mb manual word .doc coming by email, so no-one else send it plse (for his sake). Tony, would you mind sending it to me too? I am ashamed to admit it, but I don't have the complete manual :-( I'll convert it to PDF and add to the Aurora archive on QLhardware... he he - and you wrote it (8-)# URL:http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk/aurora.zip Sorry Phoebus, I should have zipped it for you (to 350k or so). You might want to delete your incoming email and download direct. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Looking for advice
On Fri, 22 Mar 2002 at 11:25:27, Norman Dunbar wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) My Sinclair addictions started before that : - I always wanted a 'Scientific' calculator - untill I found out about RPN. A fried had one back in school around 1973-74-75 ish, and when you did 0 0 divide, it started a stop watch counting upwards in seconds :o) Yeah - you are talking HP of course. I got hooked by the HP65 in 1973 or so at Ford. It was the cause of me leaving Ford in disgust but that is another story. I went to a meeting of the Cambridge University Computer Preservation Society (CUCPS) recently where I met the HP65 agian, and many other HP calculators. I will be giving a talk (with son Ben) on 30 April at Cambridge entitled The Sinclair QL: Recent Developments 1984 -- 2002 If anyone is interested, I will publish details of where etc when I have them. One advantage of joining (although I am sure they will accept guests) is a regular 'lucky dip' of donated hardware. - I wanted a 'black watch' - but never had one. - I wanted a 'matchbox radio' - never got one. - 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. - ZX81, much modified, upgraded to a 16K Spectrum - complete with rubber keyboard. Was I the only person who liked that keyboard ? - Spectrum, now with IF1, Cheetah memory pack, two microdrives, that speech processor, and a thermal (non-sinclair) printer, upgraded to a QL. - Which I still have to this very day - although Tony has had his hands on it a couple of times ... but way back in August 1991, with a guarantee repair a few months later (8-)# Looks like (with the exception of one membrane) it has been going well ever since. and it has had a few new membranes too. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Looking for advice
On Fri, 22 Mar 2002 at 18:47:05, Duncan Neithercut wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Hi TF services once made me up a serial to serial cable with one QL conector and one standard connector. I used it to transfer files from a basic QL with microdrives to an AMIGA 1200 running the QL emulator. Transfer was accomplished by using a basic program to send and receive from QL to emulator, the highest baud rate achieved was 1200 so it was slow. If you manage to get a cable I could send you the program as I think I still have it I have offered a free copy of QuaLsoft QL terminal, which will do the job with xmodem. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Looking for advice
On Fri, 22 Mar 2002 at 12:06:12, wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) 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 made a few of these from Greenweld parts. What a terrible pcb and manufacture it was, and ate very expensive flat batteries. Mind you it had a very clever auto multi standard. The beam was bent through 90 degrees causing immense distortion. He did not try seriously to correct that magnetically, but simply put a fresnel screen there to bend the image back to near normality. Very cunning. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] serials
On Sat, 23 Mar 2002 at 14:36:17, Dilwyn Jones wrote: (ref: 009c01c1d27a$79f00260$42065cc3@default) OK, to get this resolved, can someone check the data below and correct/fill in blanks as necessary so this data can be permanently posted somewhere to clear this up. This is all done after 1am, just having returned from Eindhoven, so would welcome correction (even by myself when I re-awake later) DSR/DTR connections are not needed. QL ser1 is identical to ser2 other than RX/TX and CTS/DTR(RTS) swapped. This is formatted with TAB so if it appears odd in your mailers, copy and paste to a text editor. The colours are from the std QL flat cable (copied for superHermes): QL - PC serial links -- QL PC ser1ser2QL PC 25D 9D 3 2 white RX RX - 3 2 5 4 blueDTR RTS - 5 8 2 3 green TX TX - 2 3 4 5 red CTS CTS - 4 7 1 1 black GND GND -- 7 5 I think this way of laying it out says it all. $ UKQL DB9 DB25 SIGNALS DB25 DB9 UKQL SER1SER2 3 23 RxD-TxD 232? 2 32 TxD-RxD 323? ? 420DTR-DSR 66 ? (QL DTR is actually an RTS) 1 57 GND-GND 751 ? 66 DSR-DTR204 ? (QL DTR is actually an RTS) 4? 74 RTS-CTS 585? (QL DTR is actually an RTS) 5? 85 CTS-RTS 474? (QL DTR is actually an RTS) -- GND=ground RxD=Receive Data TxD=Transmit Data CTS=Clear To Send RTS=Request To Send? DTR=Data Terminal Ready? DSR=Data Send Ready? DB9 and DB25 respectively are 9 and 25 pin D connectors, as used on PCs for example. Some serial ports on some QL style machines (e.g. my Aurora!) were wired the same as these. If anyone can fill in the question marks above I can put a definitive list on my website to 'post it on a mountain top' as TF said! Using the above table, it would appear based on the info I have that the correct pinout for a U.K. QL SER1 to 9 pin D COM port, for example is: === UKQL9PIN 25PIN SER1 COM COM === 1 (GND)--(GND) 5 7 2 (TxD)--(RxD) 2 3 3 (RxD)--(TxD) 3 2 4 (DTR=RTS)--(CTS) 8 5 5 (CTS)--(RTS) 7 4 6 (+12V) not used === No - see above. You are possibly thinking QL to modem. Some questions: answered above 1) Can someone fill in the question marks? 2) Would QL SER2 be wired the same? Swap TX/RX and CTS/RTS(DTR) pairs. 3) When connecting to QL does one leave unused COM port DTR and DSR on PC/whatever unconnected? Yes. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Eindhoven
On Thu, 21 Mar 2002 at 09:21:28, wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Phoebus is referring to a problem his wife had cashing a bank draft I sent him to pay for some CF adapter samples. The cashier then asked Whats Ireland? (I kid you not, 40 million americans claim Irish decent, I am sure you _are_ decent too (8-)# The humour is descending I am afraid. and she didn't know what it was) So Phoebus' wife says ITS A COUNTRY... Eventually after they get the manager to intervene they accept the draft - unbelieveable. Well the good thing I guess is that cashier never supported the IRA (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Q40 to ql transfer
On Thu, 21 Mar 2002 at 14:40:46, Jerome Grimbert wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) A serial cable is all you need, with the right connection... One of the two must be a DTE and the other DCE. Best thing is to use Ser2 on QL with normal QL serial cable, (if you have one for a printer for instance). Nope - the 'normal' QL serial cable is for a printer, and doesn't have handshaking wired correctly. The cable MUST have CTS/RTS handshaking - the QLs DTR is actually RTS - it was worngly named. Then setting same baud rate and parity on both machines. copy_n (or just copy) is then your best friend, or you can write a basic program to transfer line by line a text file. just like QL: 10 open_in#3,ser2_ 15 open_new#4,mdv1_myfile 20 repeat loop 30 input#3,a$ 40 print#4,a$ 50 end repeat loop Q40: 10 open#3,ser1_ 20 open_in#4,win1_myfile 30 repeat loop 40 if (eof(#4)): exit loop 50 input#4,a$ 60 print#3,a$ 70 end repeat loop For test purpose, it is better to replace the file with #1... Only thing: to stop the reception on the QL, you have to use ctrl-c. Copy_n works better with binary files, but is difficult for test purpose.. This method is absolutely no good with the std QL - the serial input and handshaking is hopeless, and problems vary from random character loss to complete destruction of serial input, needing power down (not reset). For reliable operation, Terminal programs and file transfer protocol is needed. Even then problems are likely to arise, and 4800 is the fastest reliable speed. With Hermes, 19200 can be used, giving about 13000bps throughput. All these problems were recognised in 1986 and conceived Hermes. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Looking for advice
On Thu, 21 Mar 2002 at 13:59:05, Wolfgang Lenerz wrote: (ref: 3C99E729.19474.EEF91@localhost) On 21 Mar 2002, at 12:43, Michael Grunditz wrote: Hi My son (7 year old) is programming basic on a plain standard ql. Id like to give him some files from my Q40, but I dont know how. I have no commuincation software on mdv, and I have never seen such serialports. The ql doesnt have a floppy interface. How about sernet? No good - that needs SMSQ on the QL. If you send me two blank mdvs (one spare) and a floppy, and 2 IRCs I will send you QL Terminal. Another E15 brings a serial lead, and then forget the IRCs. The std QL printer lead would be dodgy as it doesn't have proper handshaking. Tony Firshman perhaps has (or can make) the necessary cables. (plug, plug) No - plug only QL end. It is a 9D socket at the Q40 end (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Q40 to ql transfer
On Thu, 21 Mar 2002 at 08:10:15, Al Feng wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) This may or may not work [someone else will tell you whether this is worth trying OR you can just give it a go] ... When I looked at the NETwork ports on the QL a long time ago, I (lacking the hardware expertise of others to realistically analyze the schematic and chip functions) nonetheless ascertained that there were two pins on the SERial port which the NETwork's two connections echoed ... THAT suggests that if you ascertain which SERial pins are in play, you _may_ be able to simply run a SERial connection from your Q40 [OR, does the Q40 have NETwork ports?!? AND, if not, then why not?] to the NETwork port of your son's QL. No QL network on the Q40 - why not indeed? Serial ports are the way - and will work well if my suggestions are followed. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Q40 to ql transfer
On Thu, 21 Mar 2002 at 08:57:29, Al Feng wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) On Thu, 21 Mar 2002 15:46:34 + Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: On Thu, 21 Mar 2002 at 08:10:15, Al Feng wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) snip THAT suggests that if you ascertain which SERial pins are in play, you _may_ be able to simply run a SERial connection from your Q40 [OR, does the Q40 have NETwork ports?!? AND, if not, then why not?] to the NETwork port of your son's QL. No QL network on the Q40 - why not indeed? Serial ports are the way - and will work well if my suggestions are followed. Yes, but a TK2 dongle (or, an existing-or-used Trump card plugged into the side sans disk drives) must certainly be cheaper and easier to employ than buying a new Hermes chip which requires opening the QL and jeopardizing the (as we all know) fragile membrane tails. What? That is not making sense. Q40 has no network port. and Hermes is only need for 19200 bps (nominal). Std QL works fine at 4800, and (with a prayer) might well work OK -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Q40 to ql transfer
On Thu, 21 Mar 2002 at 14:23:49, ZN wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Observing the ports in question (with not entirely adequate equipment!) may have resultind in the impression that the signals are the same - they are not. Also, the net port only has two pins, really - one is ground and the other is a bidirectional input/output (it is however externally combined out of separate in and out pins on the 8302 ULA). The only reason why two connectors are provided is to avoid the need for a T splice and terminator, that would need to be employed dependant on the cabling (it's similar to coax ethernet in this respect). The idea is sound, but the execution, due to substandard quality connectors, is not :-( I'm sure Tony F. can elaborate! Not much more. The QL ones are certainly very sub standard. All QL networks by definition have one empty socket. The socket when empty provided a 330 ohm termination. Unfortunately it needed very little use to make in the third connector not reconnect when empty. A neat solution is always to have two jack plugs with 330 Ohms across the pins in each - or never use one socket (difficult in 3+ networked QLs (8-)# ) Very very often a non-working network (on QLs I repair) was cured by bending back the third connector. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Q40 to ql transfer
On Thu, 21 Mar 2002 at 20:26:30, Timothy Swenson wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) With a null modem cable (or Ser1 on the Q40 to Ser2 on the QL), it should be fairly simple to send ASCII data (and possibly binary). No no no no (8-)# Null modem cables are no good at all - in the UK at least they loop back handshaking. I have been saying this for 14 years now, but it keeps getting missed. Roy Wood spent years with SERNET and failing 'cos he was using a null modem lead. Solved in a few minutes by me at a recent Byfleet show with a proper RTS/CTS serial lead. I wish this could be posted on a mountain top for all to read: -- The only way to get reliable serial connections to/from a standard real QL is to use a fully handshaked serial lead (CTS/RTS each end - QLs 'DTR' is an RTS). Without Hermes, it needs a terminal program at 4800bps each end, and file transfer protocol to trap the inevitable odd error. -- When I was using my Z88 and the QL, to copy data from the Z88 to the QL all I did on the QL was: copy ser1_ to ram1_file_txt and then have the Z88 send the file. When the Z88 was done, I hit CTRL-C on the QL to break out of the copy. Worked like a champ. The same principle should work for the Q40 to QL xfer. The champ breaks down very often, especially at 9600, as the 8049 code was very broken. That was why the Astracom modem was developed for the QL - it was the only 'real' modem that worked with the QL at 9600. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] OffT:I am back
On Tue, 19 Mar 2002 at 08:42:11, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Oh and For those who missed me (very few I gather) I am 100% recovered (or so I hope) from that nasty respiratory infection so I can be once more your most hated annoyance :-) How did it affect your fingers then (8-)# I don't mean that - welcome back. Of course we missed you. Anyone who stays up late in Europe cannot miss the dialogues (almost conversations) between you and 'Dexter' when most of us here are tucked up in bed. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Drawing in the save area (SMSQ improvement)
On Sun, 17 Mar 2002 at 18:17:21, ZN wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Joachim wrote: As I already mentioned, I am willing to volunteer for the following changes in SMSQ. - have all windows draw their contents in the save area - background update of windows (same mechanism) Ye! :-) In general I propose the following changes. - Application should not draw onscreen, but in the save area. When they properly use the iow.xtop call as exists at the moment, nothing needs to be done, except that the use of iow.xtop will no longer be necessary (the call now gives the address with the screen base, so that makes things easy). In practice the applications which work in extended resolutions will not need any changes. Exactly. Also, emulation for applications that need to use the original screen areas would actually be easyer to implement. They would effectively get one save area that just happened to be at $2. Further important side effects: a) 'Regular' memory is generally quite substantially faster than screen memory Wasn't it 30%? b) The address of the screen memory can really be anywhere, only the 'sweeper' task needs to know where. How does the second screen concept fit into all this? ... sorry if you said but there was a _lot_ of text (8-)# It is a long time since I have seen this (now I use SGC) but if memory was short, TT used the visible screen area as a working area. Quite entertaining to watch. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
[ql-users] Jochen
Jochen is having trouble linking to ql-users right now - his mail bounces, which is why we had forwarded mail (from Bruce N) so do not read anything into Jochen's small involvement in the discussion. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Open source
On Thu, 14 Mar 2002 at 20:22:41, Timothy Swenson wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) From the Commercial Side, Roy Wood and Tony Firshman. I think Roy and Jochen - ie much as now. I have always been a hardware man (8-)# It would be nice to get Lau involved, but I don't know his availability I will leave him to comment on that, but I know he is thinking of doing similar with Minerva. It would be nice to see Minerva improvements - like colours/hi resolution. The person who I think has the best qualifications to lead the group, due to his in depth knowledge of QDOS, SMSQ/E and 68000 assembly code, would be Simon Goodwin. I know that he is not as active as others, but he really knows his stuff. It might take some convincing to get him to accept such a position, and it might take some work to get him to work well in the position. At the very least, we should get him involved because he probably writes 68000 assembly in his sleep. I only got to spend a week with him when he came to the West Coast Sinclair Show back in 1999, but I think I got a feel for the man (pre- fatherhood). Yes - one gets to know people well in hot tubs (8-)# URL:http://zx-museum.org.ru/www.outlawnet.com/~jboatno4/show.htm I remember you, Tim, arrived in it soon afterwards. He is even better as a father. Certainly a very different person from the frantic supercharge days. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Is there a Qdoctor in the house?
On Thu, 14 Mar 2002 at 09:26:51, wrote: (ref: Hb5f122c22a6.1016098010.ln4p1327.ldn.swissbank.com@MHS) What I did on the I/O cards that passed through me was remove the metal locating strip, and file the cutouts which screwed onto the D plugs so that the card sat lower onto the board sockets. I loosened the nuts and found enough play in the metal strip to be able to slide it a couple of millimetres which was all it needed; however the remaining problem is the card doesn't sit close enough to the slots in the back panel to be able to screw it down without pulling on it to line it up with the screw hole. When I do that I can see the tension lifting the mainboard. That is probably because the stand-off at the far end of the mainboard isn't high enough. For the time being I've left the card unscrewed so it can find its own position. It is clamped in place by the overlapping head of the screw holding the blank plate covering the slot below. It's all back in the case now and was running lastnight for a couple of hours without problems. I'll have to make sure I'm very careful when I try connecting a printer to the parallel port! Great - looks like the real problem is found. Sounds like your case is way out of spec. Maybe a case for moving the studs a few mm nearer the back. I assume the misalignment is not enough to warrant drilling all new holes? Maybe a very small cylindrical file would do the job - to make oval looking holes: __ (__) -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Is there a Qdoctor in the house?
On Thu, 14 Mar 2002 at 14:35:52, wrote: (ref: Hb5f122c22ad.1016116551.ln4p1327.ldn.swissbank.com@MHS) Alternatively, I might just leave well alone now I've got it working again, and tell the cat to tread lightly near it, instead of thundering up and down the stairs after her stuffed mouse. ;O) That reminds me of Henry. She used to sit on my QL way back in 1994, as it was nice and warm (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Is there a Qdoctor in the house?
On Thu, 14 Mar 2002 at 17:05:48, wrote: (ref: Hb5f122d3e7b.1016125546.ln4p1327.ldn.swissbank.com@MHS) That reminds me of Henry. She used to sit on my QL way back in 1994, as it was nice and warm (8-)# Sam is a living Van der Graaf generator. She goes near my computers, or me, and grounds herself. The shock - usually through her nose - makes her jump. I've actually seen the spark a few times - and felt it when I'm on the other end of it - it's quite a bolt! :O) She rolls over on the carpet building up the voltage. I've been trying to think of a way to charge a battery off her, a kind of homemade cat-powered UPS... Sorry I'm getting a bit OT now! At least I kept my comment genuinely on topic (do we have an acronym for that - OT is genuinely ambiguous) -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Is there a Qdoctor in the house?
On Wed, 13 Mar 2002 at 12:20:55, wrote: (ref: Hb5f122a3eda.1016022053.ln4p1327.ldn.swissbank.com@MHS) Last night I removed the Q40 completely from its case and set it all up on the table. It ran all evening (about 3.5 hours) with not a flicker of interference on the monitor. Not even when I picked up the mainboard, or prodded (gently) the video RAM chips. This suggests that when the mainboard is mounted in the case, with the I/O card screwed onto the back panel, the geometry of the case is putting the board under sufficient strain to move one or more chip pins in their sockets enough to break connection. There were no metal objects trapped between the mainboard solder side and case. Looks like a new box might be the solution. It is more likely to be the height of the case stand-offs. I found that this need to be very carefully set, otherwise the I/O card is not making proper contact with the socket. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Is there a Qdoctor in the house?
On Wed, 13 Mar 2002 at 17:33:41, wrote: (ref: Hb5f122b6a33.1016040819.ln4p1327.ldn.swissbank.com@MHS) Looks like a new box might be the solution. It is more likely to be the height of the case stand-offs. I found that this need to be very carefully set, otherwise the I/O card is not making proper contact with the socket. I think you are definitely right about that. As the card is screwed to the back panel it pulls along the top edge which will try to lift the furthest end out of the socket. The stand-offs supporting the rear (keyboard socket) edge of the mainboard are both brass threaded things, whereas the one at the opposite end is just a nylon spacer that clips into the hole in the mainboard and is suspended in a keyhole shaped slot in the case side panel (it's a tower case). When I reassemble it all tonight I'll see if I can make some adjustments. What I did on the I/O cards that passed through me was remove the metal locating strip, and file the cutouts which screwed onto the D plugs so that the card sat lower onto the board sockets. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] V6.01 beta 3 - Auto highlighting of address 'find' (want)
On Tue, 12 Mar 2002 at 23:12:29, Tony Firshman wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) I see the 'Find:' entry in the Address Book does not auto-highlight when selected with text in. If it did (like say the MSIE URL entry, and like almost any text entry field one can name) then it could autodelete. This could have saved me a lot of time in my search in the address book against another 500 name list (8-(# Maybe this applies elsewhere in TP? Whoops - sorry, wrong area. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Membranes
On Mon, 11 Mar 2002 at 08:21:39, Norman Dunbar wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) -Original Message- From: Tony Firshman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] ... the tails are bent round in a tight 180% degrees, and the bend is under tension. If I remember correctly, 180 degrees is not bent at all - it's a straight line. Don't you mean 360 degrees :o) ) degrees is a straight line. No - I mean 180 degrees. Tails come out on one direction in the line of the keyplate, and are bent 180 degrees back, hard, and taped to the back of the metal plate. It is worth detailing as it is such a stupid thing to do. Without that, I suspect the only membranes that would have failed were on opened QLs. (Sorry, couldn't resist - first thing on a Monday !) . but I know you are joking (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stname@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
[ql-users] Al Feng
Al - could you please let me know (privately if you prefer) your correct email address. The one you quote alfengATjunoDOTcom bounces. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stnamesurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Is there a Qdoctor in the house?
On Mon, 11 Mar 2002 at 10:53:48, wrote: (ref: Hb5f122619c6.1015844026.ln4p1327.ldn.swissbank.com@MHS) It was not a good weekend for my Q40. The problem is with the video. The machine boots and appears to be working because you can still see the picture on the monitor, but superimposed on it are shimmering horizontal lines that wander up and down the screen. Sometimes, if I switch off, wait a minute or two, then switch back on the picture will be stable but this is shortlived - the 'interference' soon comes back again. I've done as many basic checks as I can (I'm suspecting the problem is caused by dirty/damaged contacts somewhere) - the monitor works OK on a PC, the header plug connecting to the video pins on the mainboard is not loose (though not particularly tight either) and none of the pins are bent. I checked the seating of the I/O card, the contacts on the card are clean. Looking into the slots, all the contacts appear correctly aligned. I suppose there is the possibility of tiny breaks in any of the tracks on the board, Very unlikely indeed. but the only stress the board has had was when the I/O card was originally plugged in, and the machine has been working fine for a long time. You don't actually say, but are your memory chips soldered or socketed? If socketed, then check that all pins are properly located. You also don't mention system ram - always worth cleaning the contacts on the simm(s), and making sure that the socket is physically OK. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stnamesurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Is there a Qdoctor in the house?
On Mon, 11 Mar 2002 at 11:51:59, wrote: (ref: Hb5f122619cd.1015847517.ln4p1327.ldn.swissbank.com@MHS) You don't actually say, but are your memory chips soldered or socketed? If socketed, then check that all pins are properly located. The chips are socketed. The sockets are staggered, and the pins are bent close to the edge of the chip and appear to have been stretched about as far as they'll go to reach the sockets. They have not been stretched - that is how they are designed (8-)# I did check that they were all located in their sockets but I can't tell whether they are all making sound contact. It will also be difficult to check whether any of the pins have broken where they emerge from the chip, because the chips are mounted close together. Pull them all out, and start form scratch. It is most likely to be video ram, as you say the system is actually working. It could be bad contact on two Lattice chips near hte video socket. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stnamesurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Is there a Qdoctor in the house?
On Mon, 11 Mar 2002 at 11:57:28, Norman Dunbar wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 11:52 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: Re: [ql-users] Is there a Qdoctor in the house? ... and the pins are bent close to the edge of the chip and appear to have been stretched about as far as they'll go to reach the sockets. That sounds pretty horrible to me :o( I repeat This is _exactly_ how the chips are designed. They have the same pin layout as the GC/SGC memory chips, but are longer. Not horrible in the slightest (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stname@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] More lost QL Users
On Mon, 11 Mar 2002 at 10:41:27, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: QL4NKYTVP3VPJIFY2ULJU86TSKEYT.3c8cd027@quantum-central) ??? 11/3/2002 10:30:12 , ?/? Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] ??: Darren Branagh [EMAIL PROTECTED] I am _sure_ this is a valid address, Darren [EMAIL PROTECTED] Not for long - he has or is about to leave that address. I used that one as well, which succeeded. BTW Tony: Is this mailer acceptable for Turnpike (I remember you had trouble with my other mailers ;-) Fine. It was about one of your mailers not adding the '' indents on quoted text, so that the whole email became pretty unreadable. It is nothing to do with the receiving mailer - these indents are generated by the sending mailer, and received as literal text. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stname@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] More lost QL Users
On Mon, 11 Mar 2002 at 15:58:38, wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) The qcelt one is still alive, but the problem is with damn spam - I get about 1.8Mb of pure unadulterated rubbish into my inbox everyday, and unless I visit it daily to remove all the spam it quickly eats into my 2Mb mailbox limit, and when that happens emails bounce due to my mailbox space being exceeded. At the moment, I'm too busy to do that and can't access the web to get at hotmail during work hours - its usually after midnight when I get home :-(( I am looking into other email accounts though these are still limited in Ireland - this is something I hope to cure when I leave the bank (at the start of April). The nice thing about hotmail is you can access it anywhere (even freebie airport terminals!) but thats about all I like about it There are plenty of ways to reduce spam. I have my from: and to: address as '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' and don't quote my literal email address in my sig or on my web site. You can't use that with hotmail. Mind you I don't know why you mess with that. It is a real pain having to manage emails on-line, and it is so slow. Also I often get a burst of spam when emailing to hotmail addresses. Some people open a free account, and use that only for usenet etc. The cardinal rule is never quote your literal address anywhere except private emails. Since doing this my spam is reducing dramatically. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Is there a Qdoctor in the house?
On Mon, 11 Mar 2002 at 16:11:04, wrote: (ref: Hb5f1226ff94.1015863062.ln4p1327.ldn.swissbank.com@MHS) That sounds pretty horrible to me :o( I repeat This is _exactly_ how the chips are designed. They have the same pin layout as the GC/SGC memory chips, but are longer. Not horrible in the slightest (8-)# It's a chip package I've never encountered before; I accept the pin layout is as designed. Sorry - I assumed you had been through the QL/GC/SGC route. No, they are not horrible, they are exquisite (perhaps they are even available in a range of pretty colours) ;O) :) No - only black (8-)# Quick question on a related matter while I'm here: How can I make an ATX PSU supply power to the Q40 with its normal mainboard connector disconnected, i.e. not receiving its wakeup signal? Connect PS-ON pin to GND. You could be clever and replace the existing power momentary switch with an AT type switch. Here is the layout with 'normal' colours: 3vDC3.3v sense 11 O/brown 1 orange +3.3V -12vDC 12 Blue2 orange +3.3V GND 13 Black 3 black GND PS-ON 14 Green 4 red +5V GND 15 Black 5 black GND GND 16 Black 6 Red +5v GND 17 Black 7 Black GND -5V 18 white 8 GreyPower OK +5V 19 red 9 purple +5V SB +5V 20 red 10 yellow +12V If formatting is upset, copy to an editor. I have used TABS so all should line up. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] More lost QL Users
On Mon, 11 Mar 2002 at 11:03:19, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: 5162YX61ROSR3XA5RNUP3XLGRSM936.3c8cd547@quantum-central) ??? 11/3/2002 10:53:17 , ?/? Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] ??: It was about one of your mailers not adding the '' indents on quoted text, so that the whole email became pretty unreadable. It is nothing to do with the receiving mailer - these indents are generated by the sending mailer, and received as literal text. I am pretty sure that you were referring to the mail headers not the ''s (THat was one message sent by mistake in HTML only) I wasn't (8-)# Your email was pretty unreadable as your reply and my quoted text (which was interleaved) had no indented '' You saw the indents in my reply as I added them manually! -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Is there a Qdoctor in the house?
On Mon, 11 Mar 2002 at 11:12:05, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) At 11:04 ÐÌ 11/3/2002, you wrote: I had a similar problem with my Q40, in my case was related with the Ram Simm. I removed it and cleaned carefully both the simm contacts and the sockets. I use alcohol to do it, it is an extremely difficult operation clean the ram sockect contacts and I HAD TO DO IT many time before solve the problem. Hope this will help. Ciao A contact cleaning pen might solve the problem a lot faster (There are some that have a tip small enough to fit into a RAM socket) I was thinking of the simm, which has non-gold connectors. A rubber is OK for that. I hadn't realised until Q40 that simms used two connectors for each signal - sort of accepting the connections were dodgy. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Membranes
On Mon, 11 Mar 2002 at 00:08:10, P Witte wrote: (ref: 001801c1c946$aca80230$0100a8c0@gamma) Al Feng writes: I *know* (for example) that SMSQ/E is BETTER, but I doubt that I could be convinced to buy it, now, without first seeing what it can/cannot do compared to the plain-jane variant because what the enhanced version of the OS can do still might not be what I want as a perceivable improvement. Of course, if you only ever monotask Quill, there is little point in going for SMSQ/E, but apart from that there is no comparison. SMSQ/E will do any and everything QDOS will do, only better, and with less bugs. Youll never want to revert once you get to grips with it. Some programs may no longer work, but that is 'couse they never really worked in the first place, except that on the ol' QL it didnt show up! For most of these programs there will be modern equivalents or debugged and spruced up versions, probably freely available off the web or from one of the many libraries. ... and a small word for Minerva too - much the same can be said. SMSQ/E is better now of course. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Membranes
On Sat, 9 Mar 2002 at 20:19:17, Al Feng wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) BTW. Just as many want to hold to their notion that the material selection, alone, is the problem, I will maintain my belief that if the tails were not located in proximity of the heatsink that the problem of premature aging would probably not have occurred. I don't think so. I have seen brittle membranes in QLs that have been very little used (according to their owners). Heat would certainly accelerate the aging, but oxygen and evaporation are also factors. BTW2. The fact that the chimney effect draws smoke out the vents behind the heatsink MEANS that is the hottest location inside the case. The fact that a peripheral is usually plugged into the expansion slot means that the optimal air flow that might cool the tails just doesn't occur. Think about it. As noted by almost EVERYONE, the failure IS, indeed, usually at the bend in the membrane tails which is adjacent to the heatsink when the upper half of the case with the keyboard is in place above the motherboard on MY QLs rather than being at the opposite (?) end as you seem to suggest! That is _only_ because of the sharp bend. The material is just as brittle at the pcb end, but not under stress. The tail is equally brittle along its whole length in my experience. Often when removing the old membrane, a sliver is left in the socket. It the manufacturers had installed with a gentle curve, then I don't think we would have seen any membrane failures on unopened QLs. and I have repaired a lot of keybosrds (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stname@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Membranes
On Sun, 10 Mar 2002 at 06:48:31, Al Feng wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) On Sun, 10 Mar 2002 09:03:21 + Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: original C84 QL membranes - snipped I presume by clear you mean window glass clear Yes. I have seen this sort of plastic on many other computers - eg Apple powerbook, AST Premium exec notebook, and all the PC keyboards I have disected. -- your clear membranes are _not_ a pure vinyl ... count your blessings! After swapping out my fourth [!?!] membrane, I was more than happy to pony up the funds for the maligned-by-others Falkenberg keyboard interface [the earlier Scho(e)n ABC keyboards with proprietary interfaces did not seem like a wise choice]. I never saw a well manufactured Falkenburg. The pins to the 8049 socket were very badly thought out. The cable clip to the pcb was unbelievable - was wrong with a sH type socket. The quality of the pcbs and manufacture varied from dire to ridiculous. One board I saw had the two layers so misaligned that the pins of the chips etc had to be bent sideways to even touch the pads on the solder side. This says a lot about the attitude to quality. I spoke to him about this, and he got them done on the cheap by a university contact - he said. I was a candidate for an aftermarket keyboard/interface within 5-minutes of pulling my QL out of its box BECAUSE I find the stylized key tiles to have been the design effort of someone who did not type. BTW. The perceived problem of the key caps was mitigated by gluing/piggy-backing REAL key caps on top of the original key tiles. I never have any trouble with the kbd - esp after the WD40 treatment. . but maybe I am jut a bad typist. The current PC keyboard I am using now (Alps) is much worse than any QL kbd. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stname@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Membranes
On Sun, 10 Mar 2002 at 14:28:26, Dilwyn Jones wrote: (ref: 005701c1c83f$f7857ce0$02065cc3@default) After swapping out my fourth [!?!] membrane, I was more than happy to pony up the funds for the maligned-by-others Falkenberg keyboard interface [the earlier Scho(e)n ABC keyboards with proprietary interfaces did not seem like a wise choice]. I have had a Falkenburg Keyboard90 interface in my time and although a little bit clumsy, it worked well enough. My favourite though was the little Diren keyboard interface. Tiny, easy to install and reliable. Pity Robin Barker stopped doing that one. My Aurora has a SuperHermes Lite in it and that too has been very reliable and eays to use. More to the point, it's still available (from TF Services)! and both these are so much smaller than the Falkenburg, and have kbd pcb plugs. I followed the std pin numbering for such pcb plugs, and Diren cabling is exactly the same. He though didn't realise there was a numbering convention. A very nice toss of the dice on his part because it has brought me some after-sales for panel mounted cabling (8-)# Thanks for the plug, Dilwyn (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stnamesurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Membranes
On Sun, 10 Mar 2002 at 09:37:23, Al Feng wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Heck, if I lived in New England (or, England) and could actually see ANY-/everything demo'd ahead of time, I would probably own a lot more QL related hardware/software ... or, certainly, different hardware/software I see you live in the same town as John Impellizzeri - I assume you two know each other. How about a joint trip to the Washington show this year. It is a bit less than the trip from Europe (8-)# I was a candidate for an aftermarket keyboard/interface within 5-minutes of pulling my QL out of its box BECAUSE I find the stylized key tiles to have been the design effort of someone who did not type. BTW. The perceived problem of the key caps was mitigated by gluing/piggy-backing REAL key caps on top of the original key tiles. I never have any trouble with the kbd - esp after the WD40 treatment. . but maybe I am jut a bad typist. The current PC keyboard I am using now (Alps) is much worse than any QL kbd. 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. Ah yes - so I _am_ a bad typist then (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stname@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Membranes
On Sat, 9 Mar 2002 at 11:39:59, Wolfgang Lenerz wrote: (ref: 3C89F48F.30211.39C748@localhost) On 8 Mar 2002, at 20:50, Timothy Swenson wrote: After 12 years of using my QL with a keyboard interface, there is no way that I am going back. Yes, that was one of the first things I did with my QL, as well. Keyboards, of course, are a matter of taste. I found the Ql one a disaster. Mine became very slick by removing the keys and putting a bit of WD40 on the plastic sliders. Woflgang Who he? Someone who waffles a lot? (8-)# (you might need your dictionary for that one Wolfgang, and it is nothing to do with that nice sticky Belgian goody) -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stnamesurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
[ql-users] QL and hammers
I have just had a very funny chat with a customer. He is an original black lump devotee, but has just hit one of his QLs with a club hammer! I lost an archive file and got cross so a Minerva 1.81 has gone to the tip (8-(# Still, he wants his other QL mended, so is still with us, so to speak. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stnamesurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Membranes
On Thu, 7 Mar 2002 at 13:50:20, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) At 01:48 ìì 7/3/2002, you wrote: In reply to my own post, I have one particular question. What is the specified and typical force required to actuate a key on a QL keyboard? Newtons or ounces please! Dave ql.spodmail.com Maybe an owner of the QL Service manual will be able to answer that... Nothing anywhere near in that - it is a very sparse document. The only mention of the keyboard is keyboard connections. I would think it would be much like any PC keyboard - the key pressure is much the same. The UK manufacturers (NFI now Polyflex it seems) might help. I suspect they were taken over by an American company - address on web site URL:http://www.applegate.co.uk/elec/company/ct_4455.htm Last time Bill Richardson got QL membrane made by NFI, they did minimum 5000 for QL, but that was part of a Spectrum membrane job too. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stname@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Membranes
On Fri, 8 Mar 2002 at 06:20:22, Al Feng wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) EVERYONE! Speculation about the material used in the QL's membranes by Sinclair or otherwise seems futile. It is worth noting, IMO, that the reason that the membranes have failed in the past, and will probably fail in the future in a standard QL configuration IS singularly BECAUSE of the proximity to the heatsink. Think about it. As long as the standard PS configuration is used, you are baking the tails. The rest of the keyboard membrane does not appear to suffer from the problem of becoming brittle. If you want to make a BETTER *membrane*, then get hold of a TS-2068 and see how Timex made their keyboard -- printed circuit, carbon pads to close the circuit, ribbon wire tails attached to a connector. Worrying about the pressure needed to actuate a key is a silly exercise if you are simply trying to create a replica of the original membrane because your keyboard membrane's tails will inevitably suffer the same fate which the original membranes experienced ... Nope. As I said earlier in this thread, Sinclair used a good clear plastic for earlier machines, and this is 100% OK. I know this 'cos I have a few and seem to last for ever and are showing no sign at all of failing. The conducting strips also show little sign of oxidisation - and these all date from 1984. My experience of the std membranes is that they become brittle on exposure to air. Heat simply accelerates this. I have had a lot of people who report their QLs have not been used for many many years. They worked fine when hibernated, but membranes failed while not used. This happens because the tails are bent round in a tight 180% degrees, and the bend is under tension. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stname@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Membranes
I was in the middle of replying to a msg from Dave, but my m/c crashed and I cannot find the original now (8-(# A mention was made of a keyboard type with carbon pads onto a pcb and ribbon cable tails. This is exactly what a UK Co (Keyboard Products) used to make for the QL - it replaced the QL keys. It certainly looked and felt good. I have seen a few of these and this is an amalgam of the problems on them: 1) Keybounce. They produced a replacement 8749 to 'cure' this, which it did. Unfortunately it killed ser2 (8-(# Hermes/superHermes have cured key bounce with all keyboards using the pcb connectors. 2) The pcb was sub-standard, and the 'gold' plated contacts weren't. After maybe 5 years, all the contacts need cleaning - quite a major dis/re-assembly job 3) The ribbon cable was soldered each end, and fractured very easily 4) The thin pcbs weren't thin enough and ruined the connectors for std membranes Careful with your design (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stnamesurname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Membranes
On Fri, 8 Mar 2002 at 21:24:28, Tony Firshman wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) 2) The pcb was sub-standard, and the 'gold' plated contacts weren't. Weren't 'gold' I mean. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stname@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Membranes
On Fri, 8 Mar 2002 at 22:52:34, Dave wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) On Fri, 8 Mar 2002, Tony Firshman wrote: 1) Keybounce. They produced a replacement 8749 to 'cure' this, which it did. Unfortunately it killed ser2 (8-(# Hermes/superHermes have cured key bounce with all keyboards using the pcb connectors. Any comments on bounce? Mind you I wouldn't mind at all if users had to buy Hermes (8-)# 2) The pcb was sub-standard, and the 'gold' plated contacts weren't. After maybe 5 years, all the contacts need cleaning - quite a major dis/re-assembly job There's a lot of incentive to have poor or false gold contacts - having a large PCB like that plated will more than triple the cost of the PCB. I'm looking for a way to do quality 24K gold plating in-house - it looks like it will cost a few hundred dollars to buy the equipment, and a couple of days practice and training to learn how to use the equipment properly. That sounds very good. There really is no substitute for 24K gold, but yes, it is expensive. It added about 40p to the cost of RomDisq pcbs. 3) The ribbon cable was soldered each end, and fractured very easily My design will not have soldered ribbons. It will have IDC cable and connectors, for simple re-usability. That is perfect - that means the kbd can be removed, presumably, without removing the ribbon cable. 4) The thin pcbs weren't thin enough and ruined the connectors for std membranes The trick to this was to stick a couple of layers of tape to the back of the ribbons to make them thicker. Yes indeed - have done that myself. It makes for a good tough end of tails too. I in fact routinely add one layer of tape when fitting membranes to QLs (when I remember) However, my design will have thin pins which enter the two sockets. Flattened pins? If not, then the contact area might be small. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stname@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] I got one...
On Thu, 7 Mar 2002 at 01:39:58, Dave wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Thanks to Phoebus, I am now in possession of a US QL. It's S13-003595, and it has all it's little rubber feet, and every plastic cover. I am guessing from the sticker on the back that it may never have even been opened. The keys show no wear or shininess. If it is an original QL then you will probably find the membrane is dead or dying. The manufacturers folded the tails back through a sharp 180 degrees. This means that when the plastic becomes brittle, it cracks right at the bend, even if not used (8-(# If not dead, then be _very_ careful if you open it, and whatever you do, do not disturb the tails where they join the main section. Now I just have to wait for the PSU! I have one - but it would cost maybe £20 to ship - just not worth it for you. I also got a SQB with 512K expanderam. I've examined them carefully and am quite certain these are ones I personally assembled back in '87 or thereabouts. You should contact Keith Mitchell. He did amazing work many years ago on Steve Meech's SQB. It had no mouse circuitry, and he back engineered it. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stname@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] TCP/IP
On Wed, 6 Mar 2002 at 09:34:27, Dent Jonathan wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Jon. writes: Yeah still active. I've been really bogged down with trying to get Linux working with two serial ports on my Notebook. hardware vs firmware Linux probs cured - snipped Glad you got it sorted. That is the advantage of open source of course - the authors are actually _interested_ in problems. Time after time, QL users say internet access is their number one want. Do plse give us regular progress [ or lack of (8-)# ] - there are quite a few people who need reassuring (incl me). -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stname@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Hove Workshop
On Tue, 5 Mar 2002 at 09:25:15, wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Also, I am gettting involved with the production of the first ever QL DVD!! Myself and another Ql'er, Steve Reyal, shot some footage at the Hove Workshop with a new DV Camera, and will be doing the same at the Manchester QL2002 Show (well, it is a 2-day event so why not call it QL2002??) We will be releasing it soon after, and hope to do a NTSC and PAL version, in region 1 and 2 versions. It will have custom made menus and biographies of QL personalities, some funny moments, etc... will even put web links and some software on it too ;-) Anyone interested? ;-)) Of course. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stname@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Hove Workshop
On Tue, 5 Mar 2002 at 10:01:24, wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) rant about baggage etc on Ryanair and extra charges Never again It is very like 'free' internet providers charging £1 a minute for help - the extras are where the profit is made. I have signed up for 0800 net as a backup ISP - but I need basic config info from them (like my IP address) to configure for Linux. Their free email support simply does not reply. I ring them, and they say I have to ring a £1 a minute line! I will see them in the small claims court if they charge my sign-on fee. - the contrast between Stena Line and Ryanair is unreal - Stena line is 48 euros RETURN to wales and that INCLUDES a return ticket on the train out to Bangor (from Holyhead) near Dilwyn's house. No Contest. ... and you haven't mentioned the meals and bar. That is one advantage of Ryanair - you will lose weight (8-)# I remember the Stena boat on the trip to your show, Darren , with Stuart getting drunk and bicycles. It was only when we got on the ferry that we recognised it as a very familiar boat from the Harwich - Hook of Holland run. Stuart and I had been on it dozens of times overnight on Eindhoven etc trips. It was ideal, but all ruined when they moved to fast cats, with first sailing at about 10am, and nothing overnight. Still, the show was fun, although I didn't sell that much, I did pretty well. I only ever to sell at shows nowadays. Postal sales have now dried to a trickle. and I agree with Chris cave's comment on the food - excellent bit of catering from Roy's wife and family, and cheap too. That Lemon cake was to die for, and the Sandwiches... ;-) I missed the hard sell last year from Julia (Roy's now 7yr old) - she did a grand marketing job then. She was too busy 'frightening' everyone with ghosts this year. Yes - the food was very very good again. Saskia (with help from the Quanta Treasurer's team) seemed to really enjoy it. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 1stname@surname,demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
