Roy Wood wrote:
>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.
Yes, this is the biggest problem. I didn't mention it directly, but I think
good native hardware leads to much more progress on the native software
side than emulators. Emulators are often just an add-on for users who
mainly use the host operating system (mostly Windows). If you own a good
native hardware you have a strong interest in improving the software you
run on your own platform. Instead of turning more and more toward the other
OS which the emulator is based on.
I think, the Q40 as a native hardware has initiated some siginificant
progress on the software side. Just to mention a few developments: The
SMSQ/E color drivers, the QDOS+SMSQ sound system, completely new graphics
programs, completely new sound programs. It also made software usable that
wasn't really usable before, for example ghostscript.
>[snip] 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.
A very important fact! This list is not the best forum in this respect. I
often promised myself to write more for QUANTA, for example, but somehow I
never find the time.
>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)
The Q40 was also meant for the more traditional QL users. I've got the
impression that the Goldfire will in mosts respects not be nearer to an
original QL than the Q40. The Q40 with bigger caches, FPU, MMU, by far
faster graphics, more colours, existing QDOS + SMSQ, existing drivers,
might be a strong competitor ;-)
>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.
This is certainly not the fault of the 68040 MMU.
Peter
