Re: [Ql-Users] hardware

2024-03-26 Thread Urs Koenig (QL) via Ql-Users
Graeme wrote:
> Just letting the list know that I picked up the George's QL collection
this
> evening!
> 
> It is a substantial collection it almost filled my van. So its going to
take me a
> while to catalogue it!
Good job, Graeme! Glad that it's saved and not dumped!

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Re: [Ql-Users] hardware

2024-03-25 Thread Juraj Lutter via Ql-Users


> On 25 Mar 2024, at 21:46, Graeme Gregory via Ql-Users 
>  wrote:
> 
> Just letting the list know that I picked up the George's QL collection this 
> evening!
> 
> It is a substantial collection it almost filled my van. So its going to take 
> me a while to catalogue it!

Good job! Can’t wait! :-)

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Re: [Ql-Users] hardware

2024-03-25 Thread Graeme Gregory via Ql-Users
Just letting the list know that I picked up the George's QL collection this 
evening!

It is a substantial collection it almost filled my van. So its going to take me 
a while to catalogue it!

Graeme
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Re: [Ql-Users] hardware

2024-03-25 Thread Peter Graf via Ql-Users
Computer Research Centrum, Ltd via Ql-Users wrote:
>> The Q60, was sold by me in 2003, which should be 66Mhz Q60 64Mb ram,.
> 
> Battle of the Q60 upcoming?
> Dear, so much of us will like one…
> dex

27 years after design time... still unreached by any other QL hardware.
And maybe the fastest 68060 mainboard forever, as the VME and chess
mainboards were somewhat slower.

Someone still compiles up-to-date Linux kernels for Qx0 ... so crazy.
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Re: [Ql-Users] hardware

2024-03-25 Thread Computer Research Centrum, Ltd via Ql-Users
>The Q60, was sold by me in 2003, which should be 66Mhz Q60 64Mb ram,.

Battle of the Q60 upcoming?
Dear, so much of us will like one…
dex
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Re: [Ql-Users] hardware

2024-03-25 Thread Derek via Ql-Users
Hi 

The Q60, was sold by me in 2003, which should be 66Mhz Q60 64Mb ram,.

I would normally drive up to to Edinburgh and collect everything and arrange 
distribution. But I my life is constrained by being a carer for an older 
relation.

Regards
Derek

On 25 March 2024 14:48:34 GMT, Peter Graf via Ql-Users 
 wrote:
>Darren Branagh via Ql-Users wrote:
>
>> I don't have a Q60, so would be more than willing to pay postage to have it
>> sent to me?
>
>A Q60 for just postage would be a fantastic deal, it's easily worth a
>four digit sum these days...
>
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---
Regards,
Derek
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Re: [Ql-Users] hardware

2024-03-25 Thread Peter Graf via Ql-Users
Darren Branagh via Ql-Users wrote:

> I don't have a Q60, so would be more than willing to pay postage to have it
> sent to me?

A Q60 for just postage would be a fantastic deal, it's easily worth a
four digit sum these days...

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Re: [Ql-Users] hardware

2024-03-25 Thread Darren Branagh via Ql-Users
Just thinking

I will actually be in Edinburgh later this month, so could collect some
pieces then... 16th to the 19th..

Can also make a donation to charity in Georges name. Would like to have
something belonging to him.

Darren.

On Mon 25 Mar 2024, 14:07 Darren Branagh,  wrote:

>
> Hi Richard,
>
> I don't have a Q60, so would be more than willing to pay postage to have
> it sent to me?
>
> Maybe some other items too... A QL with Trump card and some of Georges
> floppies etc found be nice.
>
> Let me know if willing to post them. Certainly don't dump any of it.
>
> Darren.
>
>
> On Sat 23 Mar 2024, 11:14 Derek via Ql-Users, 
> wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Please do not dump it, I can drive up from Derbyshire to collect it
>>
>> Regards,
>> Derek
>>
>> On 23/03/2024 10:44, George Gwilt via Ql-Users wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Hallo again from Richard Gwilt - George’s son.  Thank you very much for
>> your kind words over the last week or so.  Sorry to bother you all AGAIN -
>> but we are in the process of tidying up - and are faced with a room FULL of
>> QL stuff!!
>> >
>> > 6 old black QL computers (1 with Trump card)
>> > 1 Q60
>> > 1 QL21
>> > assorted CRT monitors, MILLIONS of micro tapes, floppies etc.
>> > ENORMOUS number of manuals etc etc
>> >
>> > We are about to take it all to the dump - if anyone would like any,
>> it’ll be here in Edinburgh in Dad’s computer room available for pick up for
>> the next couple of days.  I know, no time to think — but perhaps there
>> photos give you an idea of the scale of the problem …
>> >
>> > All the best,
>> >
>> > Richard
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > ___
>> > QL-Users Mailing List
>> ___
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>>
>
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Re: [Ql-Users] hardware

2024-03-25 Thread Darren Branagh via Ql-Users
Hi Richard,

I don't have a Q60, so would be more than willing to pay postage to have it
sent to me?

Maybe some other items too... A QL with Trump card and some of Georges
floppies etc found be nice.

Let me know if willing to post them. Certainly don't dump any of it.

Darren.


On Sat 23 Mar 2024, 11:14 Derek via Ql-Users, 
wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Please do not dump it, I can drive up from Derbyshire to collect it
>
> Regards,
> Derek
>
> On 23/03/2024 10:44, George Gwilt via Ql-Users wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Hallo again from Richard Gwilt - George’s son.  Thank you very much for
> your kind words over the last week or so.  Sorry to bother you all AGAIN -
> but we are in the process of tidying up - and are faced with a room FULL of
> QL stuff!!
> >
> > 6 old black QL computers (1 with Trump card)
> > 1 Q60
> > 1 QL21
> > assorted CRT monitors, MILLIONS of micro tapes, floppies etc.
> > ENORMOUS number of manuals etc etc
> >
> > We are about to take it all to the dump - if anyone would like any,
> it’ll be here in Edinburgh in Dad’s computer room available for pick up for
> the next couple of days.  I know, no time to think — but perhaps there
> photos give you an idea of the scale of the problem …
> >
> > All the best,
> >
> > Richard
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ___
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Re: [Ql-Users] hardware

2024-03-23 Thread Graeme Gregory via Ql-Users
Hi Richard,

I live pretty near Edinburgh and would be willing to help you clear out and 
distribute the stuff to the QL community!

Graeme

On Sat, 23 Mar 2024, at 10:44 AM, George Gwilt via Ql-Users wrote:
> Hallo again from Richard Gwilt - George’s son.  Thank you very much for 
> your kind words over the last week or so.  Sorry to bother you all 
> AGAIN - but we are in the process of tidying up - and are faced with a 
> room FULL of QL stuff!!
>
> 6 old black QL computers (1 with Trump card)
> 1 Q60
> 1 QL21
> assorted CRT monitors, MILLIONS of micro tapes, floppies etc.
> ENORMOUS number of manuals etc etc
>
> We are about to take it all to the dump - if anyone would like any, 
> it’ll be here in Edinburgh in Dad’s computer room available for pick up 
> for the next couple of days.  I know, no time to think — but perhaps 
> there photos give you an idea of the scale of the problem …
>
> All the best,
>
> Richard
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ___
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Re: [Ql-Users] hardware

2024-03-23 Thread Juraj Lutter via Ql-Users


> On 23 Mar 2024, at 12:13, Derek via Ql-Users  wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Please do not dump it, I can drive up from Derbyshire to collect it

I might be interested in some of the HW (provided that you can save it from the 
dump).

—
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XMPP: juraj (at) lutter.sk
GSM: +421907986576

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Re: [Ql-Users] hardware

2024-03-23 Thread Derek via Ql-Users

Hi,

Please do not dump it, I can drive up from Derbyshire to collect it

Regards,
Derek

On 23/03/2024 10:44, George Gwilt via Ql-Users wrote:







Hallo again from Richard Gwilt - George’s son.  Thank you very much for your 
kind words over the last week or so.  Sorry to bother you all AGAIN - but we 
are in the process of tidying up - and are faced with a room FULL of QL stuff!!

6 old black QL computers (1 with Trump card)
1 Q60
1 QL21
assorted CRT monitors, MILLIONS of micro tapes, floppies etc.
ENORMOUS number of manuals etc etc

We are about to take it all to the dump - if anyone would like any, it’ll be 
here in Edinburgh in Dad’s computer room available for pick up for the next 
couple of days.  I know, no time to think — but perhaps there photos give you 
an idea of the scale of the problem …

All the best,

Richard








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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware update and re-hello :)

2011-04-29 Thread Mark Martin
On Fri, Apr 29, 2011 at 12:55 PM, Dave Park  wrote:

> Hi all...
>
> What a year so far. I had to disappear for a while due to
> complications of pneumonia and heart issues, and then got pneumonia
> again! The medical bills are almost paid off, but it means I have been
> away and put back into the poor house again!  :)
>

Here's to hoping your health improves and stays improved!


>
> On the bright side, The SAFT battery replacement PCBs for Gold Cards
> have arrived and they're perfect. On the downside, the bulk pack of
> sockets I ordered do not match the specs listed so I have RMA'd them.
> They were 0.7mm too tall and the SMD pads were not as specified on the
> drawing.
>
> The ATX power controller design is well tested now, and samples have
> been sent to two people here in the US to use in real-world situations
> - as much to test the instructions and packaging as the controller
> itself. Mercifully, the controller will be cheaper than I originally
> thought as I got a great deal on one of the more pricey components.
>
> I haven't done anything yet with the mplanes - I have some of the
> components in, but the rest will take a little longer.
>

If you've seen the ROM port i2cSD thing announced the other day, then maybe
there will be more of a need for these.  I hadn't thought about pulling my
original QL's out as much until I realized I might actually get a SD card on
an original QL without being able to source a superHermes.


>
> One setback is that my webserver motherboard up and died two weeks
> ago. I haven't got the clarity yet to look into it, so I am webless
> for the near future - it's not a priority for me.
>

I've got space and bandwidth on my hosting plan.  You're welcome to use it.
I used to do the hosting from the basement thing, but that got old and ended
up taking up so much of my time.


>
> I hope everyone else is doing better and that summer has found you all
> in great health and with sharp minds!
>
> Dave
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-14 Thread Lee Privett
Excellent, thanks Tony
 
Lee Privett
 
¦¦
  Sent from my Laptop running XP   
  but emulating the QL using QPC2  
¦¦
  - Original Message - 
  From: Tony Firshman 
  To: [email protected] 
  Sent: Monday, February 14, 2011 9:36 AM
  Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question


  Lee Privett wrote, on 14/Feb/11 09:32 | Feb14:
  > Some more Minerva MKII upgrades which replaces the standard QL ROMs (a 
small circuit board and new ROM) with real-time clock and I2C interface. :roll:
  >
  Ah yes.  These are on my list to supply to Rich Mellor.

  Current ETA looks like third week in March.

  As I have said, I am really now too busy to keep QL work going.  I am 
  working Tuesday to Saturday in London, and really only have Mondays to 
  *try* to catch up.


  Tony

  -- 
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  Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 Skype: tonyfirshman
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-14 Thread Tony Firshman

Lee Privett wrote, on 14/Feb/11 09:32 | Feb14:

Some more Minerva MKII upgrades which replaces the standard QL ROMs (a small 
circuit board and new ROM) with real-time clock and I2C interface. :roll:


Ah yes.  These are on my list to supply to Rich Mellor.

Current ETA looks like third week in March.

As I have said, I am really now too busy to keep QL work going.  I am 
working Tuesday to Saturday in London, and really only have Mondays to 
*try* to catch up.



Tony

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Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 Skype: tonyfirshman
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-14 Thread Lee Privett
Some more Minerva MKII upgrades which replaces the standard QL ROMs (a small 
circuit board and new ROM) with real-time clock and I2C interface. :roll:

Lee Privett
 
¦¦
  Sent from my Laptop running XP   
  but emulating the QL using QPC2  
¦¦
  - Original Message - 
  From: Tony Firshman 
  To: [email protected] 
  Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2011 6:51 PM
  Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question


  Some more what?

  Tony
  -- 
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  Voice: +44(0)1442-828254  Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 Skype: tonyfirshman
TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, Tring, Herts, HP23 4DG
  > ¦¦
  >   
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Lee Privett
Thanks for the comments and apologies to Tony for any misunderstanding and for 
Malcolm I am not sure if a ZIF socket is needed for what I have in mind but 
thanks anyway.

I only need the QL to run the boot file from floppy (or SD card if that becomes 
a real possibility) from a cold power up without the user having to press 
anything.

The delay that Minerva offers and then boots anyway is fine for my needs, I 
just need to find away to realise its installation

The comments including those below suggest I can take the existing two Sinclair 
QL ROMs out and replace with a (programmed and taped) EPROM with the Minerva 
code + Toolkit II and maybe SpeedScreen if there is room (its not essential) 
already in place and following the instructions from Peter G. this would all I 
need. Now unless I have got that wrong and I am sure somebody will tell me, my 
next step is to source the hardware for erasing and burning the EPROM. 
 
Lee Privett
 
¦¦
  Sent from my Laptop running XP   
  but emulating the QL using QPC2  
¦¦
  - Original Message - 
  From: Malcolm Cadman 
  To: [email protected] 
  Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2011 10:17 AM
  Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question


  In message 
  , Plastic 
   writes

  The ZIF carrier would be a neat way of doing it.

  The BBC Micro also has a slot, to the left of the keyboard area, for 
  this purpose (it is a perforated).

  It is normally covered over, so most people would not notice it being 
  there.

  For Lee's project with the QL, a PCB taking 4 ROM's with a ZIF, would be 
  neat way of getting easy access to alternative ROM's.


  >If there's enough demand, I would be happy to make a few of these boards -
  >though they would be "prototype" PCBs and fairly expensive. Short run PCBs
  >tend to run around $40 each just for the PCB. Everything else would be
  >around $10. It might be easier to have more than one QL.
  >
  >On the upside, ZIF sockets would make things easier.
  >
  >At Sandy, we had one of the QEPIII programmers, which we used to program all
  >the EPROMS in everything we made. We also had a ZIF carrier which could hold
  >four ROM sets. It didn't just switch the CL lines - it unpowered the
  >unwanted slots, because once we put four Sinclair plastic-cased ROMs in
  >there and the current draw was too much and popped something in the power
  >section! Weird.
  >
  >Dave
  >
  >On Sat, Feb 12, 2011 at 6:16 PM, Peter Graf  wrote:
  >
  >> Hi Lee,
  >>
  >> > So I need to look out for a Gc, SGC or Minerva conversion kit,
  >> > haven't seen those on eBay or sell my retro
  >>
  >> For Minerva ROM you could try
  >>
  >> 1. Get an M27C512 and a 28 pin DIL socket (wide, long pins)
  >> 2. Program lower 48 KB with Minerva, and upper 16 KB with extension ROM
  >> binary of your choice
  >> 3. Lift up pin 1, 20, 22.
  >> 4. Press M27C512 into an IC socket
  >> 5. Wire socket pin 20 to M27C512 pin 1
  >> 6. Wire socket pin 22 to M27C512 pin 20
  >> 7. Wire M27C512 pin 28 to M27C512 pin 22
  >> 8. Remove both QL ROMs from socket
  >> 9. Press in the M27C512 with it's socket into one of the QL sockets
  >>
  >> All the best
  >> Peter
  >>
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  >>
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Malcolm Cadman
In message 
, Plastic 
 writes


The ZIF carrier would be a neat way of doing it.

The BBC Micro also has a slot, to the left of the keyboard area, for 
this purpose (it is a perforated).


It is normally covered over, so most people would not notice it being 
there.


For Lee's project with the QL, a PCB taking 4 ROM's with a ZIF, would be 
neat way of getting easy access to alternative ROM's.




If there's enough demand, I would be happy to make a few of these boards -
though they would be "prototype" PCBs and fairly expensive. Short run PCBs
tend to run around $40 each just for the PCB. Everything else would be
around $10. It might be easier to have more than one QL.

On the upside, ZIF sockets would make things easier.

At Sandy, we had one of the QEPIII programmers, which we used to program all
the EPROMS in everything we made. We also had a ZIF carrier which could hold
four ROM sets. It didn't just switch the CL lines - it unpowered the
unwanted slots, because once we put four Sinclair plastic-cased ROMs in
there and the current draw was too much and popped something in the power
section! Weird.

Dave

On Sat, Feb 12, 2011 at 6:16 PM, Peter Graf  wrote:


Hi Lee,

> So I need to look out for a Gc, SGC or Minerva conversion kit,
> haven't seen those on eBay or sell my retro

For Minerva ROM you could try

1. Get an M27C512 and a 28 pin DIL socket (wide, long pins)
2. Program lower 48 KB with Minerva, and upper 16 KB with extension ROM
binary of your choice
3. Lift up pin 1, 20, 22.
4. Press M27C512 into an IC socket
5. Wire socket pin 20 to M27C512 pin 1
6. Wire socket pin 22 to M27C512 pin 20
7. Wire M27C512 pin 28 to M27C512 pin 22
8. Remove both QL ROMs from socket
9. Press in the M27C512 with it's socket into one of the QL sockets

All the best
Peter

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Tony Firshman



On 13 Feb 2011, at 17:58, "Lee Privett"  wrote:

> "as I said, one can never *really* escape the QL scene."
> 
> Ok Tony, not sure what you mean by that, are you saying you may be making 
> some more?
> 
> Lee Privett
> 
Some more what?

Tony
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> ¦¦
>   
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Ralf Reköndt

Lee Privett wrote:


"as I said, one can never *really* escape the QL scene."

Ok Tony, not sure what you mean by that, are you saying you may be making
some more?


I am *very* sure, what he means. After more than 10 years beeing absent, I 
have received an original boxed QL from Urs König and Markus Dettwiler from 
Suisse (with many thanks) have bought QPC2, text87, and have spent a few 
bucks to Marcel, who corrected a few (but serious) bugs in programs, I 
heavily use (now again).


I can understand everyone!

Cheers...Ralf 


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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Plastic
On Sun, Feb 13, 2011 at 11:58 AM, Lee Privett  wrote:

> "as I said, one can never *really* escape the QL scene."
>
> Ok Tony, not sure what you mean by that, are you saying you may be making
> some more?
>
> Lee Privett
>

I think he's saying he has a stalker that wants to talk to him about his
hard long black thing. *SHOCK!*

Dave
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Lee Privett
"as I said, one can never *really* escape the QL scene."

Ok Tony, not sure what you mean by that, are you saying you may be making some 
more?
 
Lee Privett
 
¦¦
  Sent from my Laptop running XP   
  but emulating the QL using QPC2  
¦¦
  - Original Message - 
  From: Ralf Reköndt 
  To: [email protected] 
  Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2011 1:23 PM
  Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question


  Tony Firshman wrote:

  > ... as I said, one can never *really* escape the QL scene.

  Hopefully...

  Cheers...Ralf

  BTW: Always good to hear you speaking, when I switch to the ROMdisq page.
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Ralf Reköndt

Tony Firshman wrote:


I found a few more broken links and they are repaired.
One *tries* to make the site fully relative, but it is hard.
It should all be now.


Thank's a lot!

Cheers...Ralf
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Tony Firshman

gdgqler wrote, on 13/Feb/11 15:32 | Feb13:


On 13 Feb 2011, at 15:28, Tony Firshman wrote:


Ralf Reköndt wrote, on 13/Feb/11 14:53 | Feb13:

Tony Firshman wrote:


I use IE. Andthe links to the corresponding files for ROMdisq are
broken!


Whoops - should be OK now.
Any other broken links?


The file links under http://tfs.firshman.co.uk/ql/rdhist.htm are broken,
no driver, no manual available.


Done


Yes it is.


That was quick (8-)#

I found a few more broken links and they are repaired.
One *tries* to make the site fully relative, but it is hard.
It should all be now.

Tony


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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread gdgqler

On 13 Feb 2011, at 15:28, Tony Firshman wrote:

> Ralf Reköndt wrote, on 13/Feb/11 14:53 | Feb13:
>> Tony Firshman wrote:
>> 
 I use IE. Andthe links to the corresponding files for ROMdisq are
 broken!
 
>>> Whoops - should be OK now.
>>> Any other broken links?
>> 
>> The file links under http://tfs.firshman.co.uk/ql/rdhist.htm are broken,
>> no driver, no manual available.
>> 
> Done

Yes it is.

George
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Tony Firshman

Ralf Reköndt wrote, on 13/Feb/11 14:53 | Feb13:

Tony Firshman wrote:


I use IE. Andthe links to the corresponding files for ROMdisq are
broken!


Whoops - should be OK now.
Any other broken links?


The file links under http://tfs.firshman.co.uk/ql/rdhist.htm are broken,
no driver, no manual available.


Done

Tony

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Ralf Reköndt

Tony Firshman wrote:


I use IE. Andthe links to the corresponding files for ROMdisq are
broken!


Whoops - should be OK now.
Any other broken links?


The file links under http://tfs.firshman.co.uk/ql/rdhist.htm are broken, no 
driver, no manual available.


Cheers...Ralf 


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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Tony Firshman

Ralf Reköndt wrote, on 13/Feb/11 13:38 | Feb13:

Tony Firshman wrote:


Ralf Reköndt wrote, on 13/Feb/11 13:23 | Feb13:

Tony Firshman wrote:


... as I said, one can never *really* escape the QL scene.


Hopefully...

Cheers...Ralf

BTW: Always good to hear you speaking, when I switch to the ROMdisq
page.


Ouch - I had forgotten that was there. It doesn't work under Firefox.
Any idea why?




I use IE. Andthe links to the corresponding files for ROMdisq are
broken!


Whoops - should be OK now.
Any other broken links?

Tony

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Ralf Reköndt

Tony Firshman wrote:


Ralf Reköndt wrote, on 13/Feb/11 13:23 | Feb13:

Tony Firshman wrote:


... as I said, one can never *really* escape the QL scene.


Hopefully...

Cheers...Ralf

BTW: Always good to hear you speaking, when I switch to the ROMdisq page.


Ouch - I had forgotten that was there.  It doesn't work under Firefox.
Any idea why?




I use IE. Andthe links to the corresponding files for ROMdisq are 
broken!


Cheers...Ralf 


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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Tony Firshman

Ralf Reköndt wrote, on 13/Feb/11 13:23 | Feb13:

Tony Firshman wrote:


... as I said, one can never *really* escape the QL scene.


Hopefully...

Cheers...Ralf

BTW: Always good to hear you speaking, when I switch to the ROMdisq page.


Ouch - I had forgotten that was there.  It doesn't work under Firefox.
Any idea why?




Tony

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Ralf Reköndt

Tony Firshman wrote:


... as I said, one can never *really* escape the QL scene.


Hopefully...

Cheers...Ralf

BTW: Always good to hear you speaking, when I switch to the ROMdisq page.
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Tony Firshman

Rich Mellor wrote, on 13/Feb/11 13:17 | Feb13:

I am fresh out of Minervae unfortunately, until Tony makes some more for
me
Unlikely I am afraid until March - I am in the final stages of a house 
renovation.



... as I said, one can never *really* escape the QL scene.

Tony

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Rich Mellor
I am fresh out of Minervae unfortunately, until Tony makes some more for 
me


My Gold Card does not have the auto_ functions, as I found out today!

No spare Gold Card or Super Gold Card here either

Rich

On 12/02/2011 19:00, Lee Privett wrote:

So I need to look out for a Gc, SGC or Minerva conversion kit, haven't seen 
those on eBay or sell my retro

any other places?

Lee Privett

¦¦
   Sent from my Laptop running XP
   but emulating the QL using QPC2
¦¦
   - Original Message -
   From: gdgqler
   To: [email protected]
   Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2011 5:15 PM
   Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question



   On 12 Feb 2011, at 17:06, Tony Firshman wrote:

   >  Ah yes you are right, but I think it only 'presses' it - the start screen 
still appears I believe.

   As I recall the start screen does not in fact appear.

   (But that was before the battery gave out!)

   George
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http://www.rwapservices.co.uk

-- Try out our new site: http://sellmyretro.com


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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Plastic
If you buy an EPROM on eBay and it needs erasing, remove the label (you'll
find letting the label soak in some lysol is the best way to do this) and
then putting the EPROM with the window facing the sun for approx 30 mins
should erase it. On a dull day it doesn't take longer, as UV goes right
through clouds.

To combine the top OS ROM image I suggest you:

(pseudo-code alert!)

base = ALCHP(32768)
copy the upper OS ROM image to base
copy the TK2 ROM image to base+16384
save base TO base+32767 to a file that will be your new ROM image.

Burn the image to the EPROM. If you have really amazing eyesight you can
look in the window while it's burning and what all the bits turning off! [1]

Cut yourself a 10x15mm bit of label, and write something descriptive on it,
THEN stick it onto the EPROM window. ProTip: leave a bit of backing extra so
you can separate it easily. Store programmed EPROMS in a bit of conductive
foam or wrapped in aluminium foil when not in a PCB - they're quite hardy,
but it only takes 25v on a pin to change a bit, and you walking around
generates a lot more than that.

Good luck!

Dave

[1] if you try this, you will go blind. Also, a blank EPROM is all 1's and
burning it turns off the 0's you need to be zeros. Neat huh?


On Sun, Feb 13, 2011 at 6:13 AM, Lee Privett  wrote:

> Looking on EBay the prices for the EPROM's are just a few pounds if
> M27C512-15 is the same thing, the 28 pin DIL socket less than a pound, the
> ROM codes Minerva & Toolkit II are freely available so other than getting
> the code burnt on to the EPROM I have everything or am I missing something?
>
>  Lee Privett
>
>  ¦¦ ha
> Sent from my Laptop running XP
>but emulating the QL using QPC2
>  ¦¦
>   - Original Message -
>  From: Peter Graf
>  To: [email protected]
>   Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2011 12:16 AM
>  Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question
>
>
>   Hi Lee,
>
>  > So I need to look out for a Gc, SGC or Minerva conversion kit,
>  > haven't seen those on eBay or sell my retro
>
>  For Minerva ROM you could try
>
>  1. Get an M27C512 and a 28 pin DIL socket (wide, long pins)
>  2. Program lower 48 KB with Minerva, and upper 16 KB with extension ROM
>  binary of your choice
>  3. Lift up pin 1, 20, 22.
>  4. Press M27C512 into an IC socket
>  5. Wire socket pin 20 to M27C512 pin 1
>  6. Wire socket pin 22 to M27C512 pin 20
>  7. Wire M27C512 pin 28 to M27C512 pin 22
>  8. Remove both QL ROMs from socket
>  9. Press in the M27C512 with it's socket into one of the QL sockets
>
>  All the best
>  Peter
>
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Lee Privett
Looking on EBay the prices for the EPROM's are just a few pounds if M27C512-15 
is the same thing, the 28 pin DIL socket less than a pound, the ROM codes 
Minerva & Toolkit II are freely available so other than getting the code burnt 
on to the EPROM I have everything or am I missing something?
   
  Lee Privett
   
  ¦¦ ha
Sent from my Laptop running XP   
but emulating the QL using QPC2  
  ¦¦
  - Original Message - 
  From: Peter Graf 
  To: [email protected] 
  Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2011 12:16 AM
  Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question


  Hi Lee,

  > So I need to look out for a Gc, SGC or Minerva conversion kit,
  > haven't seen those on eBay or sell my retro

  For Minerva ROM you could try

  1. Get an M27C512 and a 28 pin DIL socket (wide, long pins)
  2. Program lower 48 KB with Minerva, and upper 16 KB with extension ROM
  binary of your choice
  3. Lift up pin 1, 20, 22.
  4. Press M27C512 into an IC socket
  5. Wire socket pin 20 to M27C512 pin 1
  6. Wire socket pin 22 to M27C512 pin 20
  7. Wire M27C512 pin 28 to M27C512 pin 22
  8. Remove both QL ROMs from socket
  9. Press in the M27C512 with it's socket into one of the QL sockets

  All the best
  Peter

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-13 Thread Tony Firshman

Plastic wrote, on 13/Feb/11 03:50 | Feb13:

If there's enough demand, I would be happy to make a few of these boards -
though they would be "prototype" PCBs and fairly expensive. Short run PCBs
tend to run around $40 each just for the PCB. Everything else would be
around $10. It might be easier to have more than one QL.

He he - I have given up QL trading.

.. but I could supply supply boards which give Minerva but not the 
16k rom.


(One can never escape).

Tony

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread Plastic
If there's enough demand, I would be happy to make a few of these boards -
though they would be "prototype" PCBs and fairly expensive. Short run PCBs
tend to run around $40 each just for the PCB. Everything else would be
around $10. It might be easier to have more than one QL.

On the upside, ZIF sockets would make things easier.

At Sandy, we had one of the QEPIII programmers, which we used to program all
the EPROMS in everything we made. We also had a ZIF carrier which could hold
four ROM sets. It didn't just switch the CL lines - it unpowered the
unwanted slots, because once we put four Sinclair plastic-cased ROMs in
there and the current draw was too much and popped something in the power
section! Weird.

Dave

On Sat, Feb 12, 2011 at 6:16 PM, Peter Graf  wrote:

> Hi Lee,
>
> > So I need to look out for a Gc, SGC or Minerva conversion kit,
> > haven't seen those on eBay or sell my retro
>
> For Minerva ROM you could try
>
> 1. Get an M27C512 and a 28 pin DIL socket (wide, long pins)
> 2. Program lower 48 KB with Minerva, and upper 16 KB with extension ROM
> binary of your choice
> 3. Lift up pin 1, 20, 22.
> 4. Press M27C512 into an IC socket
> 5. Wire socket pin 20 to M27C512 pin 1
> 6. Wire socket pin 22 to M27C512 pin 20
> 7. Wire M27C512 pin 28 to M27C512 pin 22
> 8. Remove both QL ROMs from socket
> 9. Press in the M27C512 with it's socket into one of the QL sockets
>
> All the best
> Peter
>
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread Peter Graf
Hi Lee,

> So I need to look out for a Gc, SGC or Minerva conversion kit,
> haven't seen those on eBay or sell my retro

For Minerva ROM you could try

1. Get an M27C512 and a 28 pin DIL socket (wide, long pins)
2. Program lower 48 KB with Minerva, and upper 16 KB with extension ROM
binary of your choice
3. Lift up pin 1, 20, 22.
4. Press M27C512 into an IC socket
5. Wire socket pin 20 to M27C512 pin 1
6. Wire socket pin 22 to M27C512 pin 20
7. Wire M27C512 pin 28 to M27C512 pin 22
8. Remove both QL ROMs from socket
9. Press in the M27C512 with it's socket into one of the QL sockets

All the best
Peter

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread Tony Firshman

Malcolm Cadman wrote, on 12/Feb/11 19:37 | Feb12:

In message <[email protected]>, Rich Mellor
 writes


On 12/02/2011 13:32, Lee Privett wrote:

I was just wondering what would be involved in burning my own EPROM
with my own set of routines for plugging into the ROM port (like
TK2), has anyone done this? what sort of kit is involved and how much
are we talking about here. Also would I have to make my own pcb or
can they be bought/manufactured. This is all for the original QL of
course.

Lee Privett

¦¦
Sent from my Laptop running XP
but emulating the QL using QPC2
¦¦
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Hi Lee,

There is a special header for EPROM code, but I don't have it to hand...

I have plenty of spare PCBs however :-)



I remember the BBC micro have several Sideways ROM pcb's produced, along
with software.

Which allowed you to switch in to a different set of ROM's.

Would that hardware be possible with the QL?


Yes it is - I have seen one of those.  I forget though who made them.
It was nothing sophisticated - just a switch to divert the chip select 
lines.


Tony

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread Malcolm Cadman
In message <[email protected]>, Rich Mellor 
 writes



On 12/02/2011 13:32, Lee Privett wrote:
I was just wondering what would be involved in burning my own EPROM 
with my own set of routines for plugging into the ROM port (like TK2), 
has anyone done this? what sort of kit is involved and how much are we 
talking about here. Also would I have to make my own pcb or can they 
be bought/manufactured. This is all for the original QL of course.


Lee Privett

¦¦
   Sent from my Laptop running XP
   but emulating the QL using QPC2
¦¦
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Hi Lee,

There is a special header for EPROM code, but I don't have it to hand...

I have plenty of spare PCBs however :-)



I remember the BBC micro have several Sideways ROM pcb's produced, along 
with software.


Which allowed you to switch in to a different set of ROM's.

Would that hardware be possible with the QL?

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread Lee Privett
So I need to look out for a Gc, SGC or Minerva conversion kit, haven't seen 
those on eBay or sell my retro

any other places?
 
Lee Privett
 
¦¦
  Sent from my Laptop running XP   
  but emulating the QL using QPC2  
¦¦
  - Original Message - 
  From: gdgqler 
  To: [email protected] 
  Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2011 5:15 PM
  Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question



  On 12 Feb 2011, at 17:06, Tony Firshman wrote:

  > Ah yes you are right, but I think it only 'presses' it - the start screen 
still appears I believe.

  As I recall the start screen does not in fact appear.

  (But that was before the battery gave out!)

  George
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread Bob Spelten

Op Sat, 12 Feb 2011 17:40:58 +0100 schreef gdgqler :

I thought Super Gold Card and probably Gold Card did this. The F1/F2  
choice is just not there (if you have requested that).


The SCG has a few commands that should be used under QDOS or Minerva,  
before a Boot file is run.


AUTO_TK2F1 or AUTO_TK2F2 will invoke Toolkit2 and skip the F1/F2 prompt  
the next time the machine is booted.

This setting is remembered as long as the clock battery has power.

AUTO_DIS will disable this automatic booting.

Bob

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread gdgqler

On 12 Feb 2011, at 17:06, Tony Firshman wrote:

> Ah yes you are right, but I think it only 'presses' it - the start screen 
> still appears I believe.

As I recall the start screen does not in fact appear.

(But that was before the battery gave out!)

George
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread Tony Firshman

gdgqler wrote, on 12/Feb/11 16:40 | Feb12:


On 12 Feb 2011, at 15:16, Ralf Reköndt wrote:


Lee Privett wrote:


Thanks guys, I am now giving some serious thought to a Retro Arcade
Console with the QL at the core, but at switch-on I don't want the user
to have to see or press the F1/F2 configuration choice, so the next thing
is in the EPROM code (which I assume will run first) can I get it jump
passed the F1/F2 choice and just to if F2 has been pressed so that it
finishes off the sequence as in TV mode and looks for a boot file or will
it just load in extensions from the memory locations in the EPROM?


As far as I know, just Minerva supports an automatic start of the OS after a 
few seconds.


I thought Super Gold Card and probably Gold Card did this. The F1/F2 choice is 
just not there (if you have requested that).

Ah yes you are right, but I think it only 'presses' it - the start 
screen still appears I believe.


I use Minerva so haven't bothered with that for years.

Tony
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread Tony Firshman

Lee Privett wrote, on 12/Feb/11 16:31 | Feb12:

I have only ever seen the Minerva ROM in emulation packages, is it an actual 
ROM I can get hold off and replace the JS/JM type or is it a little more 
complicated than that?

It is.  There is a small PCB but it would be easy to wire up a pcb to 
emulate it.  Three pins need bending out and reassigning.


Tony

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread gdgqler

On 12 Feb 2011, at 15:16, Ralf Reköndt wrote:

> Lee Privett wrote:
> 
>> Thanks guys, I am now giving some serious thought to a Retro Arcade
>> Console with the QL at the core, but at switch-on I don't want the user
>> to have to see or press the F1/F2 configuration choice, so the next thing
>> is in the EPROM code (which I assume will run first) can I get it jump
>> passed the F1/F2 choice and just to if F2 has been pressed so that it
>> finishes off the sequence as in TV mode and looks for a boot file or will
>> it just load in extensions from the memory locations in the EPROM?
> 
> As far as I know, just Minerva supports an automatic start of the OS after a 
> few seconds.

I thought Super Gold Card and probably Gold Card did this. The F1/F2 choice is 
just not there (if you have requested that).

George
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread Lee Privett
I have only ever seen the Minerva ROM in emulation packages, is it an actual 
ROM I can get hold off and replace the JS/JM type or is it a little more 
complicated than that?
 
Lee Privett
 
¦¦
  Sent from my Laptop running XP   
  but emulating the QL using QPC2  
¦¦
  - Original Message - 
  From: Ralf Reköndt 
  To: [email protected] 
  Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2011 3:16 PM
  Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question


  Lee Privett wrote:

  > Thanks guys, I am now giving some serious thought to a Retro Arcade
  > Console with the QL at the core, but at switch-on I don't want the user
  > to have to see or press the F1/F2 configuration choice, so the next thing
  > is in the EPROM code (which I assume will run first) can I get it jump
  > passed the F1/F2 choice and just to if F2 has been pressed so that it
  > finishes off the sequence as in TV mode and looks for a boot file or will
  > it just load in extensions from the memory locations in the EPROM?

  As far as I know, just Minerva supports an automatic start of the OS after a 
  few seconds.

  With Jochen's tool, you can also put a SuperBASIC program into the eprom. 
  This will be set as a device BOOT, which the OS searches first.

  Cheers...Ralf 

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread Ralf Reköndt

Lee Privett wrote:


Thanks guys, I am now giving some serious thought to a Retro Arcade
Console with the QL at the core, but at switch-on I don't want the user
to have to see or press the F1/F2 configuration choice, so the next thing
is in the EPROM code (which I assume will run first) can I get it jump
passed the F1/F2 choice and just to if F2 has been pressed so that it
finishes off the sequence as in TV mode and looks for a boot file or will
it just load in extensions from the memory locations in the EPROM?


As far as I know, just Minerva supports an automatic start of the OS after a 
few seconds.


With Jochen's tool, you can also put a SuperBASIC program into the eprom. 
This will be set as a device BOOT, which the OS searches first.


Cheers...Ralf 


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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread Tony Firshman

Lee Privett wrote, on 12/Feb/11 15:03 | Feb12:

Lee/

Thanks guys, I am now giving some serious thought to a Retro Arcade Console 
with the QL at the core, but at switch-on I don't want the user to have to see 
or press the F1/F2 configuration choice, so the next thing is in the EPROM code 
(which I assume will run first) can I get it jump passed the F1/F2 choice and 
just to if F2 has been pressed so that it finishes off the sequence as in TV 
mode and looks for a boot file or will it just load in extensions from the 
memory locations in the EPROM?

I don't think so, but Minerva will - at least it shows the F1/F2 but 
presses F2 after an interval.

 but not what you want.
I bet that though could be patched.  The code is open source.

Re burning you should look for a second hand QEPIII eprom programmer. 
It fits in the expansion slot so saves/reads from microdrive.


I used an internally expanded QL and Romdisq so bypassed the microdrives.

Tony



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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread Lee Privett
Thanks guys, I am now giving some serious thought to a Retro Arcade Console 
with the QL at the core, but at switch-on I don't want the user to have to see 
or press the F1/F2 configuration choice, so the next thing is in the EPROM code 
(which I assume will run first) can I get it jump passed the F1/F2 choice and 
just to if F2 has been pressed so that it finishes off the sequence as in TV 
mode and looks for a boot file or will it just load in extensions from the 
memory locations in the EPROM?
 
Lee Privett
 
¦¦
  Sent from my Laptop running XP   
  but emulating the QL using QPC2  
¦¦
  - Original Message - 
  From: Ralf Reköndt 
  To: [email protected] 
  Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2011 2:35 PM
  Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question


  Lee Privett wrote:

  > I was just wondering what would be involved in burning my own EPROM with
  > my own set of routines for plugging into the ROM port (like TK2), has
  > anyone done this? what sort of kit is involved and how much are we
  > talking about here. Also would I have to make my own pcb or can they be
  > bought/manufactured. This is all for the original QL of course.

  The Technical Manual states:

  11.4 Add-on Card ROMs

  When the machine is booted, the operating system checks for plug-in ROM 
  drivers by looking for

  the characteristic longword flag $4AFB0001 at the base of each location in 
  which a ROM might

  be present. The beginning of a plug-in ROM should be in the following 
  format:

  00 $4AFB0001 (flag to indicate ROM is present)

  04 pointer to list of BASIC procedures and functions

  06 pointer to initialisation routine

  08 string identifying the ROM

  The pointers are relative to the base of the ROM. If the list pointer is 
  zero then there will be no

  attempt to link routines into SuperBASIC.



  There are also a few tools, which do that for you. There is one from Jochen 
  Merz, very good and easy to use (Thing & EPROM-Manager) and one from 
  Liberation Software (RPM-Manager, not do delightful, but working)



  Cheers...Ralf

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread Ralf Reköndt

Lee Privett wrote:


I was just wondering what would be involved in burning my own EPROM with
my own set of routines for plugging into the ROM port (like TK2), has
anyone done this? what sort of kit is involved and how much are we
talking about here. Also would I have to make my own pcb or can they be
bought/manufactured. This is all for the original QL of course.


The Technical Manual states:

11.4 Add-on Card ROMs

When the machine is booted, the operating system checks for plug-in ROM 
drivers by looking for


the characteristic longword flag $4AFB0001 at the base of each location in 
which a ROM might


be present. The beginning of a plug-in ROM should be in the following 
format:


00 $4AFB0001 (flag to indicate ROM is present)

04 pointer to list of BASIC procedures and functions

06 pointer to initialisation routine

08 string identifying the ROM

The pointers are relative to the base of the ROM. If the list pointer is 
zero then there will be no


attempt to link routines into SuperBASIC.



There are also a few tools, which do that for you. There is one from Jochen 
Merz, very good and easy to use (Thing & EPROM-Manager) and one from 
Liberation Software (RPM-Manager, not do delightful, but working)




Cheers...Ralf

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware question

2011-02-12 Thread Rich Mellor

On 12/02/2011 13:32, Lee Privett wrote:

I was just wondering what would be involved in burning my own EPROM with my own 
set of routines for plugging into the ROM port (like TK2), has anyone done 
this? what sort of kit is involved and how much are we talking about here. Also 
would I have to make my own pcb or can they be bought/manufactured. This is all 
for the original QL of course.

Lee Privett

¦¦
   Sent from my Laptop running XP
   but emulating the QL using QPC2
¦¦
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Hi Lee,

There is a special header for EPROM code, but I don't have it to hand...

I have plenty of spare PCBs however :-)

--
Rich Mellor
RWAP Services

http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk
http://www.rwapservices.co.uk

-- Try out our new site: http://sellmyretro.com


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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware problem - Pcb, components and battery (on CST Thor computers)

2010-04-27 Thread Tony Firshman

Urs Koenig (QL) wrote, on 27/Apr/10 18:22 | Apr27:

Hi all

While continue to work on the Sinclair QL Preservation Project (SQPP) I was
having a closer look at my Thor computers some weeks ago. I was surprised to
see that the electronics showed at least two optical problems.

1. The printed circuit board (pcb) and the soldered components show some
kind of "patina".

2. The batteries seam to leak or transpire some kind of "acid".

See those PIC's:
http://tinyurl.com/ql-pics/QLcomputers/CST

What should/can I do?

Clean it (how)?

Remove the battery (cut or solder)?

Any hint or help is highly appreciated!

   

The battery leak is pretty normal.
It seems you have removed it already from the photos.
If not then melt the solder one side at a time and pull out.
I usually clean off the corrosion (like on the oscillator and some caps) 
with a toothbrish and iso-propyl alcohol.
I also have a detergent based cleaner that is used with water.  I guess 
a little liquid detergent (non-foaming) again with a toothbrush and 
cleaning off with a little water (and drying with a kitchen towel, and 
then putting in a hot place overnight would be OK.


Maybe though what you are seeing is corrosion due to damp.  I have seen 
similar things on some of my old QL boards.


Tony

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware

2009-05-27 Thread Roy wood
Well I thought I should offer it to the community before I did that. I'd 
rather the stuff was used by someone who really wants it than have it in 
someone's computer museum.


In message <[email protected]>, 
[email protected] writes


Hi, to get the best price, put it on ebay. Black box QLs go for up to 
£90-150 depending on condition, and yesterday there was a Trump card 
for £50-00 but it is now gone, today. I have not seen an aurora card 
there yet but no doubt it could sell well.



Duncan








-Original Message-

From: Roy wood 
To: [email protected]
Sent: Mon, 25 May 2009 23:32
Subject: [Ql-Users] Hardware









Hi, 

    one of my ex customers has just asked me to sell his setup. I have
an Aurora Motherboard, a Qubide,  a full superHermes and a Super Gold
Card. Anyone interested, please email . 
 

Roy 

--
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Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB 

Tel/ Fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 NOTE NEW PHONE NUMBER! 

web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk   skype : royqbranch 
 

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--
Roy Wood
Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB
Tel/ Fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 NOTE NEW PHONE NUMBER!
web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk   skype : royqbranch

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware

2009-05-26 Thread matrassyl

 Hi, to get the best price, put it on ebay. Black box QLs go for up to £90-150 
depending on condition, and yesterday there was a Trump card for £50-00 but it 
is now gone, today. I have not seen an aurora card there yet but no doubt it 
could sell well.

Duncan


 

-Original Message-
From: Roy wood 
To: [email protected]
Sent: Mon, 25 May 2009 23:32
Subject: [Ql-Users] Hardware









Hi, 

    one of my ex customers has just asked me to sell his setup. I have 
an Aurora Motherboard, a Qubide,  a full superHermes and a Super Gold 
Card. Anyone interested, please email . 
 

Roy 

-- 
Roy Wood 

Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB 

Tel/ Fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 NOTE NEW PHONE NUMBER! 

web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk   skype : royqbranch 
 

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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware

2008-01-15 Thread alain . haoui
Hi Roy,

I would be interested by the Qubide.
Which GALs and ROM version ?
Your price ?

Private e-mail if necessary : [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Thanskfully.
AH

Selon Roy wood <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:

> I now have for sale :
> 1 x Super Gold Card,
> 1x Aurora,
> 1 x superHermes,
> 1 x Qubide,
> 1 x Mplane
> 1 x QXL
>
> Let me know if you want any of these items
> --
> Roy Wood
> Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB
> Tel/ Fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 NOTE NEW PHONE NUMBER!
> web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk   skype : royqbranch
>
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware

2008-01-14 Thread Vittorio Davinelli

Il giorno 14/gen/08, alle ore 01:16, Roy wood ha scritto:

> I now have for sale :
> 1 x Super Gold Card,
> 1x Aurora,
> 1 x superHermes,
> 1 x Qubide,
> 1 x Mplane
> 1 x QXL
>
> Let me know if you want any of these items
> -- 
> Roy Wood
> Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB
> Tel/ Fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 NOTE NEW PHONE NUMBER!
> web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk   skype : royqbranch
>
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Hallo Roy,
I'm interested to buy the Qubide. How much does ii cost?
Regards.

Vittorio
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Re: [Ql-Users] Hardware

2007-11-13 Thread Richard Kilpatrick

On 13 Nov 2007, at 18:36, Roy wood wrote:

> Sorry to use this list for a kind of advert but I have just come into
> possession of a Super Gold Card, a Gold Card, a QXL and two Miracle  
> dual
> DD disk drive units.
>
> Someone asked me about a QXL card at the Birmingham show but I cannot
> remember who - maybe they could get in touch again.

I did, and about Aurora, but I haven't had chance to chase up the  
other items I was asking about there, so I've probably lost them :(

Was nice seeing people at the show, though!

Richard

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-03-31 Thread Malcolm Cadman
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes

>[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
>> Umm ... not the "tick tock" ... :-)
>
>Strange. Maybe your message too the long way around :o)
>I suspect there's some data in the message headers we can use to find 
>out - but I'm not all that clued up on that part of emailing 

Yes, maybe I will have a look at the header.

>> CD's / DVD's / Downloads / Magazines, etc ... all add to the total cost
>> of ownership.  Although it may not seem so obvious to the user.
>
>Of course they do - you should see my QL software collection, and all 
>the magazines I have had or still do have (every issue of QL Toady). My 
>wife dearly wants me to 'get rid of that mess' - aspecially as we will 
>soon be moving house.

All perfectly normal ... we all have our collections ... :-)

>On the other hand, I work as an Oracle DBA in my 'real life' - you 
>should see how much 'stuff' I have for that !

It will probably fill a whole room .

>> Still, all a part of the fun !
>
>Of course :o)

-- 
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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-03-29 Thread Norman
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

> Umm ... not the "tick tock" ... :-)

Strange. Maybe your message too the long way around :o)
I suspect there's some data in the message headers we can use to find out - but 
I'm not all that clued up on that part of emailing 


> CD's / DVD's / Downloads / Magazines, etc ... all add to the total cost 
> of ownership.  Although it may not seem so obvious to the user.

Of course they do - you should see my QL software collection, and all the 
magazines I have had or still do have (every issue of QL Toady). My wife dearly 
wants me to 'get rid of that mess' - aspecially as we will soon be moving house.

On the other hand, I work as an Oracle DBA in my 'real life' - you should see 
how much 'stuff' I have for that !


> Still, all a part of the fun !

Of course :o)



Cheers,
Norman.

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-03-29 Thread Malcolm Cadman
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes

>[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
>> Where has Demon been hiding your email for the last month? It seems you
>> need a new ISP!
>
>Nothing wrong with Demon, I've been using them for years and years and 
>years. I suspect Malcolm's clock is wrong as a number of his posts have 
>ended up in the 'ages ago' category. I had a similar problem myself 
>when my laptop's clock was running about two years slow. I think it was 
>Geoff who pointed out the problem to me.

Umm ... not the "tick tock" ... :-)

Just one of those mysteries .

>> I use the Fedora distribution of Linux.



CD's / DVD's / Downloads / Magazines, etc ... all add to the total cost 
of ownership.  Although it may not seem so obvious to the user.

Still, all a part of the fun !

-- 
Malcolm Cadman
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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-03-28 Thread Norman
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

> Where has Demon been hiding your email for the last month? It seems you
> need a new ISP!

Nothing wrong with Demon, I've been using them for years and years and years. I 
suspect Malcolm's clock is wrong as a number of his posts have ended up in the 
'ages ago' category. I had a similar problem myself when my laptop's clock was 
running about two years slow. I think it was Geoff who pointed out the problem 
to me.


> I use the Fedora distribution of Linux. 

My business runs on SUSE 10.2 - the datbase server (Oracle and Firebird), 
version control system and so on live on 'the big box' upstairs in the office. 
We do our main work on laptops (if we can't be bothered to climb the stairs!) 
in the living room. That way, we can be easily distracted by something 
interesting on TV. (Or, in my wife's case, by coronation street aka mindless 
tedium !)

I did try Fedora 4 for a bit, but never really liked it much. I started with a 
demo SUSE years ago - it was a 'live' CD before they were as popul;ar as they 
are now. I triued to get UQLX to run on it, but the development tools were not 
included on the CD so I couldn't compile it. 

It was trying to get UQLX working that made me buy a bigger hard disc, install 
Mandrake to dual boot with Windows 98 (at the time) and get UQLX working - I 
never suceeded. It compiled etc, and ran, but the colours wouldn't change or 
anything. I was seriously disapointed.

I was also very pleased with Linux - how on earth, I thought, can the give away 
so much software for free.


> I buy a new version every year

I upgrade as and when I need to. For security more than anything. 


> on DVD at about £8 including postage: this contains about 9GB of
> software. 

You could check out the newsagenct for Linux Format (or Linux Magazine or Linux 
Developer & User) as they regularly carry the latest releases from all the big 
(and smaller) distros - at around £5.00 per copy, it's slightly cheaper. 
((Stereo-)Typical Scot !)


> On top of that, I've downloaded a specialised HTML editor,
> Basic, and a couple of utilities. The big programs come in a package
> which installs automatically and compiling the utilities is done in a
> couple of minutes. 

I think the 'fear' that Windows users have of compiling software is overblown. 
Installing is easy. Sure there are times when something won't work because some 
other library is required (aka DLL Hell from Windows - so it's nothing new) but 
in the main, there's very few problems.


> I've never bought a Linux magazine, but I have bought
> two books (less than I bought for the QL). I call that a bargain.

I'm afraid that I buy everything going :o)

I also contribute to the Firebird Database project, when I can, as does a 
certain Fred Toussi of Text 87 fame. 


Cheers,
Norm.

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-03-28 Thread Malcolm Cadman
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, David 
McCann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes

>On Mon, 2007-02-19 at 19:21 +, Malcolm Cadman wrote:
>> I am not sure how free Linux really is ... all those downloads from 
>the
>> internet, all the compiling time if you are in to that side of it, 
>all
>> the magazines to buy, all the applications to acquire ...

>Where has Demon been hiding your email for the last month? It seems you
>need a new ISP!

Umm ... yes, that "old" email just popped up from somewhere ... :-)

I use the Fedora distribution of Linux. I buy a new version every year
on DVD at about £8 including postage: this contains about 9GB of
software. On top of that, I've downloaded a specialised HTML editor,
Basic, and a couple of utilities. The big programs come in a package
which installs automatically and compiling the utilities is done in a
couple of minutes. I've never bought a Linux magazine, but I have bought
two books (less than I bought for the QL). I call that a bargain.

Indeed ... enjoy what you have .

-- 
Malcolm Cadman
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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-03-28 Thread David McCann
On Mon, 2007-02-19 at 19:21 +, Malcolm Cadman wrote:
> I am not sure how free Linux really is ... all those downloads from the 
> internet, all the compiling time if you are in to that side of it, all 
> the magazines to buy, all the applications to acquire ...

Where has Demon been hiding your email for the last month? It seems you
need a new ISP!

I use the Fedora distribution of Linux. I buy a new version every year
on DVD at about £8 including postage: this contains about 9GB of
software. On top of that, I've downloaded a specialised HTML editor,
Basic, and a couple of utilities. The big programs come in a package
which installs automatically and compiling the utilities is done in a
couple of minutes. I've never bought a Linux magazine, but I have bought
two books (less than I bought for the QL). I call that a bargain.
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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-03-27 Thread Richard Kilpatrick

On 19 Feb 2007, at 19:21, Malcolm Cadman wrote:

> In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, David
> McCann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
>
>> On Fri, 2007-02-16 at 17:47 +, Malcolm Cadman wrote:
>>> David, you should raise more issues about the Q60 on this list.
>>> No need to wait 2 years again ... :-(.
>>
>> I don't have any Q60 issues any more. When no one could tell me  
>> how to
>> get Text87 to run, I got a PC and ran OpenOffice instead. This
>> low-specification, home-built machine runs at 20 time the speed of  
>> the
>> Q60, and, apart from a few QL legacy programs, linux gives me  
>> everything
>> I want -- for free. As for the Q60, that lives in storage, since  
>> no one
>> wanted to buy it.

I don't recall seeing a Q60 for sale here, but I expect they're still  
worth more than the amount of use I'd get from one?

I'm very curious about them, though!

Richard

-- 
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Music for download - coming soon (RIP MP3.com)
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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-03-27 Thread Malcolm Cadman
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, David 
McCann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes

>On Fri, 2007-02-16 at 17:47 +, Malcolm Cadman wrote:
>> David, you should raise more issues about the Q60 on this list.
>> No need to wait 2 years again ... :-(.
>
>I don't have any Q60 issues any more. When no one could tell me how to
>get Text87 to run, I got a PC and ran OpenOffice instead. This
>low-specification, home-built machine runs at 20 time the speed of the
>Q60, and, apart from a few QL legacy programs, linux gives me everything
>I want -- for free. As for the Q60, that lives in storage, since no one
>wanted to buy it.

You mean getting Text87 to run on a Q60 ...

We have inherited a copy of Text87 at the London Quanta Group, and it 
works fine on a QL + Gold Card.

Sure, the PC hardware has sped along so speak.

I am not sure how free Linux really is ... all those downloads from the 
internet, all the compiling time if you are in to that side of it, all 
the magazines to buy, all the applications to acquire ...

I guess it all adds up to time is money too ... :-)

May be your Q60 will see the light of day again ?

-- 
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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-21 Thread Norman
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Norman at Dunbar-it.co.uk wrote:
> 
> > Steady Peter, steady :o)
> 
> Shouldn't your reminder better go to the one who started this "myriad 
> programmers", "personal note" and "talk is cheap" stuff? o:-)
> 

Actually, I meant to put 'steady everyone'. Apologies for 'picking' on you. 
That was not my intention, sorry. I was hopefully trying to steer the list 
clear of another 'discussion' of the kind endured some time back. 


> Shouldn't this question have been asked by Wolfgang before he tells the 
> public that I didn't do something?

Well, I wasn't aware that he has referring to you actually, I thought that 
someone else (Jon Dent perhaps, but if not, apologies in advance!) was 
developing the TCP stuff - that's the only one I knew about.





> Time to grow silent for a while. I hadn't planned to get drawn into 
> another debate anyway.

No worries, apologies again for referring to you personally. Thanks for the 
information.


Cheers,
Norman.




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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-21 Thread John Sadler
So when are you going to include George Gwilt's changes which enable SMSQE to 
be assembled with QMAC or Gwass?

This will open up SMQE to other improvements which are needed.

On Tuesday 20 February 2007 09:00, Wolfgang Lenerz wrote:
> On 20 Feb 2007 at 8:02, Roy wood wrote:
> > SMSQ/E is an open O/S. Anyone can have the code and anyone can make
> > changes to it so long as they
> > a) submit them to Wolfgang for vetting
> > b) ensure that the changes do not adversely affect other parts of the
> > O/S
> > c) can be made compatible with all other versions of SMSQ/E (if they are
> > hardware specific code must run on other systems to ensure that software
> > based on the changes will not completely crash just return a message
> > stating why it does not run)
>
> Actually, the licence is a bit different:
>
> In a nutshell, and without this affecting the licence at all:
>
> Liberties :
> You can get the source code, I mean, heck it's on the website...
> You may make ANY change you wish to it.
> You may distribute the source code with your changes to whom you want (with
> a restriction of how, physically, the distribution is made, i.e. only via
> direct email or via CDROM). You do not have to submit your code to me at
> all if you don't want to.
>
> Restrictions:
> ONLY I may distribute binaries, and I only give them to the resellers.
> The version I distribute is the official version, any other source code
> version is unofficial. If you want your code included in the official
> version, then, true, I do try to vet it, to weed out code that would be
> incompatible with all machines bar one (unless justified by the specific
> capailities of the machine), code that seems to be buggy etc.
>
> (As an aside - this has never happened, all code submitted to me has been
> accepted).
>
> I do recommend to the resellers that they only support official versions,
> but they do what they want.
>
> AFAIK since the time I became registrar, all resellers have made the
> updates available completely free of charge to all those who had bought a
> version of smsq/e!
>
> As for the rest, all those myriad programmers who would have done things if
> the licence were different and all those projects that would exist but for
> the licence, as a very personal note, all I can say it -  talk is cheap.
>
> On the other hand, SMSQ/E HAS progressed, thanks to Marcel, of course, but
> not only him:
>
> Bruno Coativy
> Fabrizio Diversi
> Phoebus Dokos
> George Gwilt
> Jerome Grimbert
> John Hall
> Marcel Kilgus
> Mark Swift
> Thierry Godefroy
> Per Witte
>
> have all contributed
>
> Wolfgang

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-21 Thread Daniele Terdina
> The 10 Euro fee to TT ended a while ago and we reduced the price

If that's the case, the licence on the official SMSQ/E web site should be
updated to current version.

Daniele

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-21 Thread Norman
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

> Quite informative to see the SMSQ/E "registrar" shed some light on his 
> attitude regarding the importance of native OS support for TCP/IP and 
> ethernet. And a confirmation that I'd only get reasonable opportunities 
> for major QL hardware again, if the slow and painful route of a free QL OS 
> is taken first.

Steady Peter, steady :o)

I didn't read it that way. Talking (typing?) from not a lot of experience on 
the matter, the way I see it is this :

There has been much talk of TCP running natively on the QL (of whichever 
variant) but after a flurry of initial development, silence! At present I have 
absolutely no idea what the current status of said project is - is it still 
viable, defunct, abandoned, or what - do you know ?

Now, before any accusations/flames come flying in about those comments, I am 
not starting any flame wars here. 

I've developed software, commercial and otherwise, for the QL for many years 
(ok, not as much recently) and written articles for QL Review, QL Toady and 
IQLR magazines for more years that I care to remember and I *know* how 
disheartening it can be when you either lose interest or motivation in a 
project, or worse, cannot find the time. 

I have a number of projects on my hard drive that have stalled - Printermaster 
2 (although Dilwyn has the source somewhere and I've given permission to 
distribute it if wanted) a PE version of Dilwyn's Printer Master software, ARSE 
(!) the ARchive Syntax Evaluator whihc was a 'compiler' project to read in 
Archive PRO and PRG(?) files, and screens, and convert them to something that 
DBAS could use (or it might have been Data Design - I forget!).

I've even got a blank repository on SourceForge for my cross platform QStripper 
app, I just have not had the time to upload the current version. Plus my QDOS 
Internals web site is way behind on updates - need I go on.

It's not easy enjoying writing software for a 'hobby' computer :o(


Cheers,
Norman.

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-21 Thread pgraf
Wolfgang Lenerz wrote:

> pgraf at q40.de wrote:
> > The "registrar" can at any time accept changes/additions/modifications
> > which are not distributed in source, but which may be essential. So
> > the SMSQ/E license does of course NOT provide this liberty. Instead, a
> > developer would depend on the mood of the registrar.
> >
> > [...]
> >
> >   
> Whch is, of course, true for ALL additions to the official version 
> since, as said earlier, I do vet them.
>
> With one exception, there is, if course, no example of a file not 
> distibuted as source.

"Of course"? So passages that keep SMSQ/E from being open-source compliant 
are persistently kept, even though there are not intended to be used.

> And that file is, ... wait for it one of the system sprites.

Which shows the "importance" of keeping SMSQ/E a proprietary OS.

> > Nobody talked about myriads. For one example, a practical offer was
> > even published on this list a few years ago:
> >
> > Working native TCP/IP plus native Ethernet plus graphical mail client
> > plus native webserver + browser.
> >
> > Waiting until developers have lost interest and then saying they
> > wouldn't have done anything anyway is even cheaper talk.
> >   
> Ok, so maybe there was "one" project where the author said that he could 
> do something (compared to all those that have really seen the light) - 
> but he didn't. Probably because he pretended the licence wouldn't let
> him?
>
> Talk is cheap, indeed.

Quite informative to see the SMSQ/E "registrar" shed some light on his 
attitude regarding the importance of native OS support for TCP/IP and 
ethernet. And a confirmation that I'd only get reasonable opportunities 
for major QL hardware again, if the slow and painful route of a free QL OS 
is taken first.

To those who asked: Small things like SD/MCC might be realistic, as long 
as no OS-level driver is expected, and folks can live with a user program 
to access the card. If there are news, they'll be posted here.

Peter

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-21 Thread Roy wood
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Daniele Terdina 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
>> It is, in this respect just the same as LINUX. Peter can be a reseller
>> and give it away for free if he wants. We will not stop hi,
>
>If I understand the licence correctly, resellers have to pay 10 euros to TT,
>and I'm not sure whether there's also a fee for GD2 or other components, so
>reseller can't give binaries away for free.

The 10 Euro fee to TT ended a while ago and we reduced the price 
accordingly. There are no other fees payable and the money we would 
charge, if we ever sold any, is purely costs of materials, 
administration of the manuals, postage costs and future support. No ever 
comes to SMSQ/E for the first time and does not get back in touch with a 
few questions. So, yes, if he abides by the rules of the licence, 
supplies a manual and a master disk,, is willing to offer support, only 
distributes the current authorised code, he can become a reseller and 
give it away for free. This is correct is it not Wolfgang?
-- 
Roy Wood
Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB
Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501  skype : royqbranch
web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-20 Thread Daniele Terdina
> It is, in this respect just the same as LINUX. Peter can be a reseller
> and give it away for free if he wants. We will not stop hi,

If I understand the licence correctly, resellers have to pay 10 euros to TT,
and I'm not sure whether there's also a fee for GD2 or other components, so
reseller can't give binaries away for free.

Daniele

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-20 Thread Wolfgang Lenerz
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> The "registrar" can at any time accept changes/additions/modifications 
> which are not distributed in source, but which may be essential. So the 
> SMSQ/E license does of course NOT provide this liberty. Instead, a 
> developer would depend on the mood of the registrar.
>
> [...]
>
>   
Whch is, of course, true for ALL additions to the official version 
since, as said earlier, I do vet them.

With one exception, there is, if course, no example of a file not 
distibuted as source.

And that file is, ... wait for it one of the system sprites.


> Nobody talked about myriads. For one example, a practical offer was even 
> published on this list a few years ago:
>
> Working native TCP/IP plus native Ethernet plus graphical mail client plus 
> native webserver + browser.
>
> Waiting until developers have lost interest and then saying they wouldn't 
> have done anything anyway is even cheaper talk.
>   
Ok, so maybe there was "one" project where the author said that he could 
do something (compared to all those that have really seen the light) - 
but he didn't. Probably because he pretended the licence wouldn't let him?

Talk is cheap, indeed.

Wolfgang


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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-20 Thread pgraf
Wolfgang Lenerz wrote:

> Actually, the licence is a bit different:
> 
> In a nutshell, and without this affecting the licence at all:
> 
> Liberties :
> You can get the source code, I mean, heck it's on the website...

The "registrar" can at any time accept changes/additions/modifications 
which are not distributed in source, but which may be essential. So the 
SMSQ/E license does of course NOT provide this liberty. Instead, a 
developer would depend on the mood of the registrar.

[...]

> As for the rest, all those myriad programmers who would have done things
> if the licence were different and all those projects that would exist
> but for the licence, as a very personal note, all I can say it -  talk
> is cheap.

Nobody talked about myriads. For one example, a practical offer was even 
published on this list a few years ago:

Working native TCP/IP plus native Ethernet plus graphical mail client plus 
native webserver + browser.

Waiting until developers have lost interest and then saying they wouldn't 
have done anything anyway is even cheaper talk.

Peter

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-20 Thread Wolfgang Lenerz
On 20 Feb 2007 at 9:19, Tony Firshman wrote:
> > Mark Swift
> That is interesting.  Isn't he the QDOS Classic man?

Idon't know - he gave persimsion to use his code to re/set the Qx0 
cachemodes in SMSQ/E

Wolfgang



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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-20 Thread Tony Firshman
-BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-
Hash: SHA1

Wolfgang Lenerz wrote:

> 
> On the other hand, SMSQ/E HAS progressed, thanks to Marcel, of course, but 
> not only him:
> 
> Bruno Coativy
> Fabrizio Diversi
> Phoebus Dokos
> George Gwilt
> Jerome Grimbert
> John Hall
> Marcel Kilgus
> Mark Swift
That is interesting.  Isn't he the QDOS Classic man?
> Thierry Godefroy
> Per Witte
> 
> have all contributed

Tony

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-20 Thread Wolfgang Lenerz
On 20 Feb 2007 at 8:02, Roy wood wrote:
> SMSQ/E is an open O/S. Anyone can have the code and anyone can make 
> changes to it so long as they
> a) submit them to Wolfgang for vetting
> b) ensure that the changes do not adversely affect other parts of the 
> O/S
> c) can be made compatible with all other versions of SMSQ/E (if they are 
> hardware specific code must run on other systems to ensure that software 
> based on the changes will not completely crash just return a message 
> stating why it does not run)

Actually, the licence is a bit different:

In a nutshell, and without this affecting the licence at all:

Liberties :
You can get the source code, I mean, heck it's on the website...
You may make ANY change you wish to it.
You may distribute the source code with your changes to whom you want (with a 
restriction
of how, physically, the distribution is made, i.e. only via direct email or via 
CDROM).
You do not have to submit your code to me at all if you don't want to.

Restrictions:
ONLY I may distribute binaries, and I only give them to the resellers.
The version I distribute is the official version, any other source code version 
is unofficial.
If you want your code included in the official version, then, true, I do try to 
vet it, to
weed out code that would be incompatible with all machines bar one (unless 
justified by
the specific capailities of the machine), code that seems to be buggy etc.

(As an aside - this has never happened, all code submitted to me has been 
accepted).

I do recommend to the resellers that they only support official versions, but 
they do what 
they want.

AFAIK since the time I became registrar, all resellers have made the updates 
available
completely free of charge to all those who had bought a version of smsq/e!

As for the rest, all those myriad programmers who would have done things if the 
licence 
were different and all those projects that would exist but for the licence, as 
a very personal 
note, all I can say it -  talk is cheap.

On the other hand, SMSQ/E HAS progressed, thanks to Marcel, of course, but not 
only him:

Bruno Coativy
Fabrizio Diversi
Phoebus Dokos
George Gwilt
Jerome Grimbert
John Hall
Marcel Kilgus
Mark Swift
Thierry Godefroy
Per Witte

have all contributed

Wolfgang
-- 
W. H. Lenerz
www.scp-paulet-lenerz.com
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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-20 Thread Roy wood
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes
>Duncan wrote:
>
>> Do you have any othe projects else up your sleeve?
>
>Not absolutely impossible. But nothing major can happen until there's a
>decent free QL OS. All reasonable ways I have to implement OS level code
>for new hardware involve re-using free software and getting help from
>persons that won't be motivated by a proprietary OS.
SMSQ/E is an open O/S. Anyone can have the code and anyone can make 
changes to it so long as they
a) submit them to Wolfgang for vetting
b) ensure that the changes do not adversely affect other parts of the 
O/S
c) can be made compatible with all other versions of SMSQ/E (if they are 
hardware specific code must run on other systems to ensure that software 
based on the changes will not completely crash just return a message 
stating why it does not run)

It is, in this respect just the same as LINUX. Peter can be a reseller 
and give it away for free if he wants. We will not stop hi,

I realise that he thinks Jochen and I have been raking in thousands for 
our sales of SMSQ/E.

There is a bus to the real world at the end of his street. (They do 
charge a fare though).

I saddens me that he rakes all this up again. Q Branch posted a 2000+ 
loss in the previous tax year and a 1000+ loss this year. We keep going 
and I devote hours of my time to writing for the magazine because we 
have a loyalty to the users that dates back over twelve years. All 
updates to SMSQ/E are free to anyone who has a copy and I have not sold 
a new copy in ages.

I do not want to start the argument up again but the licence exists to 
protect the end user from unsupervised tinkering and the only reason I 
write this now is that there are new users on this list and they need to 
know.
-- 
Roy Wood
Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB
Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501  skype : royqbranch
web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-19 Thread David Tubbs
At 23:01 18/02/2007 -0500, you wrote:

>David Tubbs wrote:

NO I DID NOT ! ! ! ! ! !




> > At 19:30 15/02/2007 +, you wrote:
> >
> >
> >>>Then there's the lack of USB and printer support.
> >>
> >>But just a provocative thought. Have you ever tried to connect a USB only
> >>laptop to a parallel printer? PC World don't know the answer to that one,
>
>EBAY can get you the answer to this problem :-)
>
>Had to go this route for the wife's new lappy,  it was cheep
>reminded me of the Miracle interface for the QL.
>
>
>--
>Paul Holmgren
>2 57 300-C's in Indy
>Hoosier Corps L#6


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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-19 Thread David McCann
On Sat, 2007-02-17 at 15:24 +0100, Bob Spelten wrote:
> When I searched for the latest version of DBAS I got version 2.13 from the  
> Quanta librarian (Dec 2002) who told me YOU were the one that last  
> tinkered with it.
> Does this mean you lost your own commented source code?

Not guilty! I never had the source-code and wouldn't be able to do much
with it if I had.

On Fri, 2007-02-16 at 17:47 +, Malcolm Cadman wrote: 
> David, you should raise more issues about the Q60 on this list.
> No need to wait 2 years again ... :-(.

I don't have any Q60 issues any more. When no one could tell me how to
get Text87 to run, I got a PC and ran OpenOffice instead. This
low-specification, home-built machine runs at 20 time the speed of the
Q60, and, apart from a few QL legacy programs, linux gives me everything
I want -- for free. As for the Q60, that lives in storage, since no one
wanted to buy it.
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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-19 Thread Neil Riley
Where do i sign ?

>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 16 February 2007 09:28 >>>
Neil Riley wrote:

> GoMMC, a RomDisq on steroids but with the opportunity to 
> remove the mem card, excellent.
>
> Once again, Id buy one if developed for the QL.

How would it sound if a SD/MMC device for SuperGoldCard, Q40 and Q60
had 
already been prototyped and a free software to access it was already 
written?

Peter

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-18 Thread Paul Holmgren
David Tubbs wrote:

> At 19:30 15/02/2007 +, you wrote:
> 
> 
>>>Then there's the lack of USB and printer support.
>>
>>But just a provocative thought. Have you ever tried to connect a USB only
>>laptop to a parallel printer? PC World don't know the answer to that one,

EBAY can get you the answer to this problem :-)

Had to go this route for the wife's new lappy,  it was cheep
reminded me of the Miracle interface for the QL.


-- 
Paul Holmgren
2 57 300-C's in Indy
Hoosier Corps L#6
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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-17 Thread Malcolm Cadman
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Dilwyn Jones 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes

>> I know that Dilwyn Jones has put most of the available documentation
>> on
>> his web site, which is easy to access.
>>
>> http://homepages.tersco.net/dilwyn.jones/index.html
>Errr, slight typo:
>http://homepages.tesco.net/dilwyn.jones/index.html
>
>The documentation is actually on the third of my 3 sites though :-)
>http://dilwynjones.topcities.com/index.htm
>
>The main site is www.dilwyn.uk6.net/index.html
>
>
>All 3 sites link to each other...one of these days I'll get the time
>to put the whole lot onto one site (the UK6 one, since that's the only
>one with space for everything,t hanks to those nice UK6 people at
>Freeola).
>
>And what didn't fit there is on the QL Documentation CD which you can
>get from Q-Celt Computing and other traders if you ask nicely enough.
>Little known fact: Quanta members can get it cheaply through Quanta
>too.
>
>Most of the Documentation CD was on a  QL Today cover CD not so long
>ago. It's been updated a few times since then, though.
>
>It's actually quite interesting to realise that people often ask if I
>have info on "xyz", not realising it's either on my website or my CDs.
>As Rich Mellor pointed out not so long ago, there's so much material
>that even I forget I have some files sometimes!

Yes, we all need reminding, every now and again ... :-)

I have just come across this quotation :

http://www.quotationsbook.com/quote/13336/


-- 
Malcolm Cadman
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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-17 Thread Dilwyn Jones
> I know that Dilwyn Jones has put most of the available documentation 
> on
> his web site, which is easy to access.
>
> http://homepages.tersco.net/dilwyn.jones/index.html
Errr, slight typo:
http://homepages.tesco.net/dilwyn.jones/index.html

The documentation is actually on the third of my 3 sites though :-)
http://dilwynjones.topcities.com/index.htm

The main site is www.dilwyn.uk6.net/index.html


All 3 sites link to each other...one of these days I'll get the time 
to put the whole lot onto one site (the UK6 one, since that's the only 
one with space for everything,t hanks to those nice UK6 people at 
Freeola).

And what didn't fit there is on the QL Documentation CD which you can 
get from Q-Celt Computing and other traders if you ask nicely enough. 
Little known fact: Quanta members can get it cheaply through Quanta 
too.

Most of the Documentation CD was on a  QL Today cover CD not so long 
ago. It's been updated a few times since then, though.

It's actually quite interesting to realise that people often ask if I 
have info on "xyz", not realising it's either on my website or my CDs. 
As Rich Mellor pointed out not so long ago, there's so much material 
that even I forget I have some files sometimes!

-- 
Dilwyn Jones

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-17 Thread Bob Spelten
Op Fri, 16 Feb 2007 17:58:22 +0100 schreef David McCann  
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:

> One of the many reasons I have for preferring SuperBasic to XBasic is
> the availability of dbas. But this is another project which got
> abandoned. I may be out of date, but the last time I looked the version
> supplied with the commercial front end for it (can't remember the name)
> was older than the one I'm using (2.13). Quanta had a copy of the
> commented source code, not for inclusion in the library (why?), but they
> lost it ...
>
I am a bit confused here.
When I searched for the latest version of DBAS I got version 2.13 from the  
Quanta librarian (Dec 2002) who told me YOU were the one that last  
tinkered with it.
Does this mean you lost your own commented source code?
I haven't seen any mention of a later version anywhere.

The only commercial DBAS front-end program I know of is "Suqcess" and I  
have included DBAS_sys 2.13 in the package since v1.15. In fact I have  
modified it to avoid a clash between its RESET command and the SMSQ/E  
RESET keyword.
But the current version 2.04 can work with v2.13 or v2.13mod and will not  
reset SMSQ/E!

Bob

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-16 Thread David Tubbs
At 19:30 15/02/2007 +, you wrote:

> > Then there's the lack of USB and printer support.
>
>But just a provocative thought. Have you ever tried to connect a USB only
>laptop to a parallel printer? PC World don't know the answer to that one,
>but I do mainly because of my QL experience of looking for solutions to
>problems,

The Incresing Loss Of Connectivity of laptops is a drag, but there is so 
much available for USB.

I have both a converter to parallel and serial  - about £10 each.


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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-16 Thread gwicks

- Original Message - 
From: "Roy wood" <>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2007 11:56 PM
Subject: Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons



>>But just a provocative thought. Have you ever tried to connect a USB only
>>laptop to a parallel printer? PC World don't know the answer to that one,
>>but I do mainly because of my QL experience of looking for solutions to
>>problems,
> That is easy - there is a specific bale to do it or a USB port
> replicator. I have both even though my laptop has a parallel port.
>

I mentioned this to raise the point that it is not only in the QL world that 
you sometimes have unusable hardware. The largest PC company in the country 
is not interested in solving problems like that as they would rather sell 
you a new printer. More usable products being dumped in landfill. At least 
we QL-ers have been good recyclers.

I just reasoned that if SH could produce a serial to parallel interface with 
all the electronics in the cable, then some bright spark could do something 
similar for a potentially bigger market.

On the specific point of USB to parallel interfaces, Maplin's are currently 
selling these as a special offer. They are obviously old stock as the 
installation information is for Windows98, but they work perfectly with XP 
once you have figured out how to install,

Best Wishes,

Geoff. 


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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-16 Thread Malcolm Cadman
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, David 
McCann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes

>On Thu, 2007-02-15 at 23:02 +0100, Peter Graf wrote:
>> I don't think Richard gave up UQLX. Some other QL wheels also need to be
>> turned, so there may be different priorities. Usually, if you email him,
>> he sends you more recent code.
>Then why is the old, uncompilable version still on his website, a site
>which hasn't been updated since 2002?
>
>This ties in with the problem that other people raised last night about
>the availability of documentation. There is too much work which has been
>done but which is inaccessible for others to build on.

I know that Dilwyn Jones has put most of the available documentation on 
his web site, which is easy to access.

http://homepages.tersco.net/dilwyn.jones/index.html

Copyright issues and source code are different, although they can be 
available is the author(s) can be tracked down for permission.

>One of the many reasons I have for preferring SuperBasic to XBasic is
>the availability of dbas. But this is another project which got
>abandoned. I may be out of date, but the last time I looked the version
>supplied with the commercial front end for it (can't remember the name)
>was older than the one I'm using (2.13). Quanta had a copy of the
>commented source code, not for inclusion in the library (why?), but they
>lost it ...
>
>I even bought a Q60 to stay in the QL world (a step further than most of
>those reading this rant!), but my experiences (recounted in QL Today)
>were hardly encouraging. Bad documentation and lack of help. For
>example, my query about how to run Text87 on it was circulated on the
>internet and in Quanta, yet it took two years to find the answer: by
>accident. By that time, I'd naturally switched to OpenOffice.
>
>I liked the QL and its operating system (rather Unix-like in a way), but
>I fear the QL community are their own worse enemies.

David, you should raise more issues about the Q60 on this list.

I don't own one myself, yet I know at least three users who are very 
knowledgeable - Derek Stewart, David Gilham and Chris Cave.

Of course, there will be many others too who are either very experienced 
or who can offer help.

No need to wait 2 years again ... :-(.

I will just listen in ... :-)

-- 
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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-16 Thread David McCann
On Thu, 2007-02-15 at 23:02 +0100, Peter Graf wrote:
> I don't think Richard gave up UQLX. Some other QL wheels also need to be
> turned, so there may be different priorities. Usually, if you email him,
> he sends you more recent code.
Then why is the old, uncompilable version still on his website, a site
which hasn't been updated since 2002?

This ties in with the problem that other people raised last night about
the availability of documentation. There is too much work which has been
done but which is inaccessible for others to build on.

One of the many reasons I have for preferring SuperBasic to XBasic is
the availability of dbas. But this is another project which got
abandoned. I may be out of date, but the last time I looked the version
supplied with the commercial front end for it (can't remember the name)
was older than the one I'm using (2.13). Quanta had a copy of the
commented source code, not for inclusion in the library (why?), but they
lost it ...

I even bought a Q60 to stay in the QL world (a step further than most of
those reading this rant!), but my experiences (recounted in QL Today)
were hardly encouraging. Bad documentation and lack of help. For
example, my query about how to run Text87 on it was circulated on the
internet and in Quanta, yet it took two years to find the answer: by
accident. By that time, I'd naturally switched to OpenOffice.

I liked the QL and its operating system (rather Unix-like in a way), but
I fear the QL community are their own worse enemies.
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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-16 Thread Malcolm Cadman
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Peter Graf <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes

>David McCann wrote:
>
>> The QL no longer has enough users to make commercial products viable,
>> nor to produce enough programmers to support open-source products.
>
>True, but why does nobody seem to see that it's possible to get help
>from friendly open source folks outside the QL scene? There is good,
>nearly QL style code out there, it just needs to be discovered and
>adapted. Open source doesn't necessarily mean *nix.
>
>Some time ago I had a good degree of success in a few QL software
>projects, that could mean a decade of sparetime work, if done without
>help. That I didn't release them, was mostly because there was no decent
>open source OS covering the major QL targets. (I mean "open source" in
>the definition of the real world, so it is possible to link code from
>the real world, and to involve persons who just can't be motivated by a
>proprietary system.)


Some collaborative and cross-over projects like that would be great to 
see on the QL.

Like you I remain optimistic.

-- 
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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-16 Thread Malcolm Cadman
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Roy wood 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes

>In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, gwicks
><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes

>>Those of us who went to the Sinclair show in Norwich a couple of years ago
>>had a very strong impression that the Spectrum has not moved on to the same
>>extent as the QL. We saw stall after stall selling Spectrum hardware and
>>software that we remembered using in our Spectrum days. The only QL stall
>>selling similar vintage QL software was Simon Goodwins.

>I was about to write the same thing. The Spectrum has not 'moved on' or
>got 'up to date'. The scene is only stronger than the QL because people
>like playing the retro games (maybe because, given the age of the users,
>the modern ones are too hard for them to take in). It was obvious at
>that show that the QL was light years ahead of the Spectrum and equally
>obvious that we had no software to offer. There is not one piece of
>software for the QL that would tempt someone to get into the QL scene.

Probably the only exception is QWord, which can be installed on a native 
QL system that has a QXL capacity, or a foreign system like a PC.

It is also well packaged on a CD, and is easy to install.

Not that I am a word game fan, really.

The QL has moved on much further than the Spectrum with hardware.

We have some exceptional QL emulators, and good range of technical 
utilities - like Launchpad and QDT.

Unfortunately the applications are not being newly written to take full 
advantage; and the updates to older software are only partial.  Usually 
done a good will basis.

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-16 Thread Malcolm Cadman
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes

>Neil Riley wrote:
>
>> GoMMC, a RomDisq on steroids but with the opportunity to
>> remove the mem card, excellent.
>>
>> Once again, Id buy one if developed for the QL.
>
>How would it sound if a SD/MMC device for SuperGoldCard, Q40 and Q60 had
>already been prototyped and a free software to access it was already
>written?
>
>Peter

I would say get it on the market !

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-16 Thread pgraf
Duncan wrote:

> Do you have any othe projects else up your sleeve?

Not absolutely impossible. But nothing major can happen until there's a 
decent free QL OS. All reasonable ways I have to implement OS level code 
for new hardware involve re-using free software and getting help from 
persons that won't be motivated by a proprietary OS.

For peace sake the SMS license issue must rest, so the only way forward 
can be to re-invent the wheel and work on a free QL OS. This is of course 
a quite unsatisfactory task and the work on it crawls slowly. Some of my 
own work was done years ago, e.g. on native TCP/IP, and on a major 
hardware project I gave up during the license war. I started to forget, so 
things become increasingly difficult and unlikely. But I still have a 
little interest in major QL projects.

All the best
Peter

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-16 Thread Matrassyl
 
In a message dated 16/02/2007 09:29:17 GMT Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED]  
writes:

> How  would it sound if a SD/MMC device for SuperGoldCard, Q40 and Q60 had 
>  already been prototyped and a free software to access it was already 
>  written?

> Peter




Do you have any othe projects else up your sleeve?
 
Duncan
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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-16 Thread Matrassyl
 
In a message dated 16/02/2007 09:49:30 GMT Standard Time,  
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

That  would sound brilliant - I for one would want to offer it for sale  !!





& I would want to buy one
 
Duncan
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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-16 Thread Rich Mellor
On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:28:51 -, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Neil Riley wrote:
>
>> GoMMC, a RomDisq on steroids but with the opportunity to
>> remove the mem card, excellent.
>>
>> Once again, Id buy one if developed for the QL.
>
> How would it sound if a SD/MMC device for SuperGoldCard, Q40 and Q60 had
> already been prototyped and a free software to access it was already
> written?
>

That would sound brilliant - I for one would want to offer it for sale !!


-- 
Rich Mellor
RWAP Services
URL:http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk
URL:http://www.rwapservices.co.uk

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-16 Thread pgraf
Neil Riley wrote:

> GoMMC, a RomDisq on steroids but with the opportunity to 
> remove the mem card, excellent.
>
> Once again, Id buy one if developed for the QL.

How would it sound if a SD/MMC device for SuperGoldCard, Q40 and Q60 had 
already been prototyped and a free software to access it was already 
written?

Peter

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-15 Thread Roy wood
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, gwicks 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
>Those of us who went to the Sinclair show in Norwich a couple of years ago
>had a very strong impression that the Spectrum has not moved on to the same
>extent as the QL. We saw stall after stall selling Spectrum hardware and
>software that we remembered using in our Spectrum days. The only QL stall
>selling similar vintage QL software was Simon Goodwins.
I was about to write the same thing. The Spectrum has not 'moved on' or 
got 'up to date'. The scene is only stronger than the QL because people 
like playing the retro games (maybe because, given the age of the users, 
the modern ones are too hard for them to take in). It was obvious at 
that show that the QL was light years ahead of the Spectrum and equally 
obvious that we had no software to offer. There is not one piece of 
software for the QL that would tempt someone to get into the QL scene.
>
>> The QL
>no longer has enough users to make commercial products viable,
>
>Just as Quanta has to change if it wants to survive, so too have the
>traders.
There is little a trader can do these days. Since I do not write 
software myself, and I am offered little new software, I am stuck. Take 
away the cash flow and I will have to fold at some point. I keep going 
because I still enjoy it and I want to support the people who have been 
my customers for 10 years or so.
>
>> Then there's the lack of USB and printer support.
>
>But just a provocative thought. Have you ever tried to connect a USB only
>laptop to a parallel printer? PC World don't know the answer to that one,
>but I do mainly because of my QL experience of looking for solutions to
>problems,
That is easy - there is a specific bale to do it or a USB port 
replicator. I have both even though my laptop has a parallel port.

-- 
Roy Wood
Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB
Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501  skype : royqbranch
web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk

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Re: [ql-users] Hardware and software - new horizons

2007-02-15 Thread Tony Firshman
-BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-
Hash: SHA1

gwicks wrote:

>> Then there's the lack of USB and printer support.
> 
> But just a provocative thought. Have you ever tried to connect a USB only 
> laptop to a parallel printer? PC World don't know the answer to that one, 
> but I do mainly because of my QL experience of looking for solutions to 
> problems,
USB to serial interface and one of the QL serial to parallel converters
- - with a QL to 9D converter.
... but there are commercial 9D serial to parallel converters as well.


Tony


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