On Wed, 2 Apr 2003 at 01:57:39, wrote:
(ref: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>)
>
>
>Oddly, given the problems that we have all experienced over the years
>with QL mdvs, using cartridges in the Spectrum drives on a Spectrum are
>very reliable, formatting to around 90Kb. I have hardly ever
>experienced the "bad medium" on the Spectrum, not so the QL ;-). I
>still have working cartridges for the Spectrum that were written getting
>on for 20 years ago.
>
>A friend who worked for Sinclair and ICL many years ago said that
>Sinclair reduced the speed of the drives in the QL to get to the magic
>100 Kb, 200 sectors required by the designers. His opinion was that
>the speed requirement was too close to the mechanical tolerances for
>reliability.
Exactly. They needed the 100k for the psion suite.
> When ICL built the Tonto, etc., the mechanical parts were
>re-vamped and so they became much more relaiable.
--
QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255
tony@<surname>.co.uk http://www.firshman.co.uk
Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255
TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
