In message <011c01c2131e$92e84f40$9e6d893e@macnamarxmjd3y>, Mike
MacNamara <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
<SNIP>
>However nobody ever accused me of being sensible. So, from a user
>point of view, Peter Graf seems to be the one with most at stake,
>his is the biggest commitment, he is, apart from Nasta, the only
>one developing the 'QL' ( of whatever flavour) and therefore his
>views are most important.
Not necessarily. In fact, if he is still extracting a 'licence fee' of
100 pounds per machine as he did with the Q 40 he has the most to gain.
I agree that he will have problems with development if Richard will not
write the code for him under this licence but that is not the main
problem. It really lies with the polarisation of those who will only
work for the 'open source - free for all' scene and those who will want
to see some reward for their work. Unfortunately this is what is tearing
the discussion apart. Unfortunately also that only the ones who will
only work for free are doing the most bleating.
>His is the financial investment, and
>D&D and Richard share his ambitions. Good luck to them, without
>them the QL is dead, and anything that puts obstacles in their
>way is not condusive to furthering SMSQ to the benfit of the
>user.
Again this is not at all true. In the short period in which the Grafs
have operated they have managed to alienate most of the QL Traders to
the extent that the only people who wanted to talk to them at the
Manchester show were a few customers. If it was just me I would
understand but it was unanimous.
>After all all the buyers of Q40/60 are QL users who are
>simply upgrading as we have constantly done since the first black
>box. This whole topic reminds me of Alan Sugar of Amstrad trying
>to block QL development for his own reasons.
No one is blocking any development. Marcel as been working for free to
implement the colour drivers into the Window manager and this will, when
it is ready, become part of the kernel available for all versions of
SMSQ/E. The difference here is he is not standing on a pedestal showing
off his stigmata.
>
>I am completely neutral in this debate, I feel sorry for
>Wolfgang, who is showing signs of wear. As a user, as I see it,
>the Q40/60 'lobby' were not involved in drawing up the Eindhoven
>license,. WHY NOT.
Because, in spite of the fact they knew it was happening and had
announced they would be there they did not turn up. The reason they gave
was they did not want to meet up with Marcel (is he that frightening?)
strange it is now 'a cold' isn't it ?
>Why are their views less important than those
>who sat at a 'round table' and cobbled together a license that
>suited them, why were Quanta not at this meeting, why not other
>meeting in UK and US, to get the input of the bulk of people who
>are affected?
It was announced. No one else came. The meeting was not binding but was,
at TT's behest, convened to take into account the people who had been
involved in the SMSQ/E project from the start. In fact Wolfgang had no
reason to tell anyone else about it but he did. Quanta have not
attended an Eindhoven meeting in ages but Robin Barker was there too.
> It is no wonder 'conspiracy' is banded about.
Only by people who do not know what they are talking about.
>Wolfgang, if you don't listen to those who do not share your
>opinion, you will kill the patient that you are trying to save.
In an email direct from TT he said it all. Jochen Merz has been the
person who has done the most to hold the QL community together for the
last twelve years. He has run the bulk of QL Today for the last seven
years at much personal cost in time, worry and frustration. (Not to
belittle Dilwyn Jones' staunch support and duty as editor but it is
Jochen who gets the magazine in shape, to the printer and to the
customer) Where would we have been without his taking over when IQLR
folded ? He has done all of this without complaint, demands for special
attention or accusations of any kind. He has also pushed through
developments of SMSQ/E from the beginning. It is my understanding that
there would be no SMSQ/E if it were not for him because he got TT to
develop the work he did for the QXL into a better shape and released for
all platforms. He has never accused people of conspiring against him or
had a bad word for anyone. Now put that against what you have above. I
hope you feel ashamed. We have been friend for a long time Mike and you
were a strong supporter of the QL for a long time. I am very sorry if
the above offends you but you are wrong in almost every sentence.
--
Roy Wood
Q Branch, 20 Locks Hill Portslade. Sussex. BN41 2LB. UK
Tel : +44 (0)1273 386030 Fax : +44 (0)1273 430501 (New number!)
Mobile +44(0)7836 745501
Web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk
