In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Phoebus Dokos <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
<SNIP>For the most part minus some problems with older very early Qx0 machines, Qx0s are quite unproblematic and their hardware is quite well documented. So if the hardware is working properly (as it is) why should a hardware designer fix a problem that it is in software? For example it wasn't the hardware's problem that the Q60's couldn't work with SMSQ/e... it was the software that had the MOVEP instructions built in.Wrong again I am afraid. There were many problems with the hardware itself some of which were, I believe, corrected in 'stealth mode'.. Hence the 'Q40 is no longer' supported tag. Tony Firshman identified a number of problems which Peter would not acknowledge and the serial ports were a source of several problems for TT. Software was just a fraction of it.
Roy, please do not start this up all over again - there are bitter feelings on this on all sides and the Q40i is now a very stable platform. What caused the problems on the original batch of Q40s, should remain in the annuls of history. Unfortunately, the Q40i and Q60 continue to get a bad press despite the fact that the hardware itself is now very stable and provides an excellent QL replacement.
There are incompatabilities due to the different processors used and the fact that people can use the CACHE modes to improve performance. However, that will also be true if a Coldfire expansion board is produced by Nasta - the big difference, I feel, is that this ill feeling and constant slating, coupled with arguments over the licence has caused Peter Graf to abandon support for smsq/e.
Yes, Wolfgang has a Q60, but it is not up to Wolfgang to identify why software is incompatible and most certainly he cannot always verify reported problems with smsq/e on a Q40, Q40i, Q60, Gold Card and Super Gold Card - especially when very little detail is provided of the system make up, the version of smsq/e being used (and whether it is an official release or self-compiled) and also what versions of the programs are being used that show a problem. All that plus the problem of having access to all the various hardware makes it extremely difficult for operating system designers to identify potential problems without the actual hardware specs and co-operation of someone with in-depth knowledge of the hardware.
Put all this to one side it is now 2005, quite a few years since you Roy and Tony F produced the Q40s. SMSQ/e has also now continued to be developed quite successfully under the new licence for a couple of years (>) and those who produce the hardware should not be involved in arguments over the terms under which an operating system is released.
At the end of the day, PCs are so successful because if there is a problem with Windows running on the latest Intel or AMD processor, Intel / AMD do not tell Microsoft to go sort it out themselves cos "there is nothing wrong with our hardware - your operating system must be wrong, but because it's not released on our terms, we won't help you to find out why".
2005 should be a time for the QL community to join together once again - no-one has to work under the smsq/e licence if they don't want to, however, we should be able to expect the hardware designers to help the o/s designers (why do I feel that if Tony Tebby was still responsible for smsq/e that is exactly what would be happening).
SO HOW DO WE GO FORWARD FROM HERE ? ===================================
1) Phoebus - it appears that you have found instances where software running on the Q40 is unstable (no idea if this is a Q40 or a Q40i or even what the differences between the hardware are). Please check that you have the latest release versions of those software programs (such as Sysmon) and then if you are still experiencing problems, can you please list those problems in detail and what software is involved? It would also help if you could try earlier versions of smsq/e - possibly start with v2.98 (the last TT official release which Peter Graf still favours) unmodified, to see if those problems are still apparent. If not, then check an nitermediate version to try and find out which version these problems were introduced in.
Also, is it with or without copyback? If it is qliberated programs, then I believe that you have no option but to switch off the copyback cache.
2) Peter - please oh please, if there IS a problem wiht latest versions of smsq/e please come back into the QL community and try to help identify what may be causing these problems... We are not asking you to re-write the o/s just to help provide an indication of where the o/s may be failing on your hardware design.
3) Roy - bury your ill feelings and accept that what happened with the Q40 is over. People just want to move forward and resolve any problems they are having with software on those systems.
4) Can anyone with a Q40, Q40i or Q60 please see (AND REPORT) whether they can get the same problems to show themselves as Phoebus
5) If all the above is not feasible by all parties concerned, then maybe if there are indeed problems running the latest version of smsq/e on the Q40, then development of smsq/e for the Q40 should stop until it is resolved and the official release for that particular machine wound back to one that does not have these problems.
Woe betide that Nasta produces a Coldfire which has even more incompatability issues, if people are not willing to work together to try and resolve them.
-- Rich Mellor RWAP Services 26 Oak Road, Shelfield, Walsall, West Midlands WS4 1RQ
http://www.rwapservices.co.uk/
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