----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, August 06, 2004 10:17 AM Subject: Re: [ql-users] there must be a fashion lable...
>If yes it should (besides the hardware/software aspect) definitely alsogive>some credit to the creator of the QL design. It is still amazing for mewhen>I put a QL and SONY's PS2 together on a table - from a design aspect they >fit perfectly as if they were from the same collection.
Actually, very true. My 9 year old has a PS2, and yes - it is very similar to the QL.
another amazing design aspect: the shape of the QL keys. Although it does not feel very good typing on a QL's keyboard (I know at Sinclair they had to design hardware economically rather than ergonomically...) it is of acceptable quality ... The shape of the the keys is unique ... well, almost unique: In the early times of IBM compatible PCs the german manufacturer Siemens produced Computer with a fairly distinct keyboard design (compared to the bulk of IBM compatibles). Very similiar to QL (or spectrum+) keyboards.
The question is: did Siemens steal the Sincair key design or was it just the other way around... or did both parties have the same idea accidentally. Probably it is impossible to tell the truth about that after all those years.
AFAIK the distinct Siemens keybords are not being produced anymore. Today the PC branch of Siemens is Fujitsu-Siemens, and they just sell the same mess as other PC manufacturers.
The keyboard used on the QL was a step up from the ZX81 - touch membrane - and the Spectrum - rubber with membrane.
The keyboard came from a range of a specialist manufacturer, as I remember seeing their catalogue at the time. Although I have forgotten the name of the manufacturer.
The Sinclair version was a 'custom' design of the type which has low height moveable keys which press on to a membrane. A lower cost per unit than other moving key specifications then available.
Owing to the market that Sinclair was aiming at, cost was always a critical part of the design make-up.
You have to remember, also, that Sinclair was only a relatively small company. Which didn't have any development resources of its own. Everything was outsourced.
The QL was manufactured in Scotland, at the Timex plant. In terms of assembly line production. Although, the injection moulded casing may have been produced elsewhere in England.
-- Malcolm Cadman _______________________________________________ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.quanta.org.uk/mailing.htm
