----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, October 13, 2002 7:06
PM
Subject: RE: [ql-users] Keyboard
membranes
Hello all,
Thanks for your responses to my message so far - hopefully I'll be back
in the 'QL Zone' pretty soon since I've had some very helpful replies already,
and a couple of promising possibilities to explore.
I
don't know if the estimates by Voyager are accurate or not, although I imagine
they're probably about right, or maybe a little on the low side. My technical
skills are somewhat limited, but I don't mind doing everyday running-repairs
and simple upgrades myself. I generally avoid it unless really necessary since
I'd hate to damage an otherwise great machine by sticking a curious finger in
the wrong hole - I'd much rather leave it to the professionals; i.e. those
that already know which holes not to stick their fingers in
:)
I'd
be very keen to see replacement membranes made, even if it could only be in a
fairly small quantity - I'm sure there aren't millions of $ out there waiting
to be made, but it could be quite a profitable enterprise over time, and would
be a *great* service to the QL community.
Callum Davidson
-----Original Message-----
From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of
Voyager
Sent: Sunday, October 13, 2002 4:40 AM
To:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [ql-users] Keyboard
membranes
Thanks for the messages and the interest. My
point of view, is purelly the "retro-computing" as I collect systems for
display/demonstration as near as the original state as possible. All
the hardware development effort since the days of the mid-80's is really
great, but I know, that there are many more users/owners like myself, that
do not want to hack their systems (at least all of them) to add extra
keyboards, motherboards etc. In Greece only, I have more than a dozen
such users.
I was planning on building a high quality
alternative but 100% compatible membrane, in order to replace all the old
and very fragile membranes, on several systems. I cannot evaluate the total
volume yet, nor the future demand, but I expect it to be aprox 1K ~ 5K in
the next 10 years. And I have the money and the resources to invest
on that venture starting today. My estimate is that from the 100K
systems sold, only 10K are around nowdays, most of them thrown in closets,
attics etc, having a purelly collector's value, and only 0.1K ~ 0.5K systems
are active, used by QL power users / fans like you guys. Am I totally
wrong?
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, October 13, 2002 11:44
AM
Subject: Re: [ql-users] Keyboard
membranes
In a message dated 13/10/02 09:39:47 GMT Daylight Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
writes:
I believe that there are many potential clients.
I am one of them.
Greetings.
Badaman
There are certainly a lot of
people out there with QLs who need a new keyboard membrane (I have several
ones here for a start which I could sell on the second hand market very
easily).
Please don't forget however, that Dave Park is working on
the QeYboard replacement (not too sure how long this will take to get to
market) and you can always attach a full size PC keyboard with SuperHermes
or SuperHermes lite from Tony Firshman (I know he would not mention this
himself - he would not dare to use this list to publicise
himself!!).
SuperHermes is also packed with other features which
every QL user should consider essential in any event :-)
--
Rich
Mellor
RWAP Software
35 Chantry Croft, Kinsley, Pontefract, West
Yorkshire, WF9 5JH
TEL: 01977
610509
http://hometown.aol.co.uk/rwapsoftware
