It would be a real shame to see all that hard work wasted. Is there any
possibility that the
complete design (Gerber files, PLD equations, schematics, etc.) could be
put on a web site
so anybody could get the PCB made up and buy in all the components.
Obviously this
would be an expensive route for the individual, but at least the Q60
would be available.
An open hardware design could also lead to production by small companies
in places like
Russia and promote further development.
Peter Graf wrote:
> Marcel, Fabrizio, Thierry, Wolfgang, Jerome:
>
> Thank you very much for your encouraging comments!!! If you look back to
> the GoldCard or the QXL you find that QL folks were willing to pay DM 1400
> just for an addon-card. When the Q40 came out it was already difficult to
> find QL folks willing to pay DM 1000 for a complete motherboard.
>
> It has become almost impossible: Many QL folks (there are exceptions and I
> am thankful !!!) are willing to pay less and less while the cost for
> producing highend QL style hardware rises and rises.
>
> Still Q40 and Q60 have very competitive price/performance compared to other
> 68K machines, although the produced quantity is smaller. Of course Q40 and
> Q60 don't stand an apples-to-oranges comparison to a Windows machine.
>
> Once some non-technical problems have been solved, I will try to supply the
> most eagerly waiting persons with Q60 boards. I can only do that in a very
> small scale.
>
> The only other solution would be to find a person or company that is
> capable and willing to produce the Q60 *without* my involvement. *Maybe*
> the Q60 might be interesting for other 68k markets. But I definitely have
> no time for:
> - Looking for new markets/marketing
> - Support more software development
> - Support users outside the QL scene
> - More features / another hardware redesign
> - Support the hardware production
>
> So it seems not very realistic such a person or company will appear.
>
> Peter
>
>
