In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Peter
Fox <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
<BIG SNIP>
>I have also enjoyed the thread. However, is there any news, yet, of
>Text87 in full colour? That would fill my cup completely.
I have been negotiating with Fred Toussi about this and he needs TT to
write a section of code (don't ask for details I barely understood it)
which will allow him to re-write some of T87 to provide a version which
works under the colour drivers. It does still work under QPC 2 v2 if you
fire up in QL colour mode and things would have been easier on the Q 40
had mode 4 been retained instead of mode 8.
I have avoided any comment on this thread but I think that many of the
participants miss one essential point. The majority of 'QL Users' out
there want a system which runs 100% of their programs with as much
efficiency as possible. Most of them do not care if it is a black box
with the word 'Sinclair' on it or a biscuit tin full of silicon chips.
they also do not care about or understand benchmarks. For them the point
is ; will it run 'x'? can I use my existing data? can I print it out?
To that end the Q 40 and the host of emulators have served them as well
as each other and the decision on which direction to go in has been
dictated by the expediency of having a Windoze machine to run programs
and share data with other people who use Windoze or the cost of the
hardware needed to have just a 'native platform'. If you concentrate too
much on which is the more 'electronically correct' you run the risk of
fragmenting the user base even more.
The real problem that faces us is a lack of any really new software for
the QL in general and the longer that situation persists the more people
we will lose to other computers. If you base your ideas on the things
which are said on this list then you are missing out on the larger part
of the QL Community. I know this because I deal with QL Users on a daily
basis and many of them do not read this list. there are a lot of people
still using a QL with a Gold, Super Gold or even a Trump Card and these
people get overlooked all too often. Without a thriving commercial base
for the QL you will lose the driving force behind it and eventually lose
everything.
The Goldfire is now long overdue and should be in production as soon as
possible to retain those, and I know of many, who have put off decisions
on what way to go until it arrives. (OK Nasta I am ready - fire away)
Oh and Marcel, beware of adding a MMU facility to QPC 2 until we have
found out why the Q 40 has so many problems with some Qliberated code.
Jochen and TT seem to think the answer lies somewhere in there.
--
Roy Wood
Q Branch
20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex BN41 2LB
Tel : +44(0)1273-386030 / Mobile : +44 (0) 7836-745501
Fax +44 (0)1273-381577
web site : http://www.qbranch.demon.co.uk/
