Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
On Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 4:43 PM, Dilwyn Jones wrote: > > Sad though that, as Tobias said, it seems that Jan has no plans to do any > further work on the 'new' Qubide. > > Dilwyn Jones > If I had a schematic and code, I would be happy to (re)design anything out there. I don't have any production ability - but that would change in about six months. I have always wanted to take the existing QL mainboard schematic and do an updated version with improved power, and on-board IDE, floppy and mouse, and a 680X0 and faster memory. Something like Peter Graf's work, but all on one replacement PCB. I understand it's not the most viable project, financially, and it would best be a team effort, but I have a little 80s and 90s experience to bring to bear (nothing CLOSE to Peter Graf's skills) and could do a modest QL PCB redesign... Dave ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality check and semantics
On 03/02/2011 16:48, ql-users-requ...@lists.q-v-d.com wrote: > Peter Baily wrote, on 3/Feb/11 13:11 | Feb3: >> > > > >> > However, we should not be surprised that most >> > people use PCs; after all this exchange of views, news, etc. would not >> > exist unless we were using PCs. > By PCs I take it you mean machines running Windows. > I access this group but don't use a PC. > Guess how. Forbidden fruit is a clue (8-)# > > Tony I did not mean to start a new thread by my imprecise terminology! By PC I meant 'personal computer as distinct from QL' (of course, the QL is a personal computer). I am aware of operating systems other than 'Windows' - the Apple computer was one of the early ones in our labs - and I have used Linux (Ubuntu flavour Norman, sorry!) quite successfully. The end of my contribution was a bit rushed as I had to grab a quick lunch before going to collect my youngest grandchildren from school but what I intended to include also was internet access as desirable for the QL. It is the whole modern communications environment in which the QL needs to be able to survive. I shall continue to use the QL notwithstanding its lack of internet access because, as I noted before, it enables me to devise routines to do what I need without the clutter of what someone else thinks I should have. Peter ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
Hi Geoff, > Thanks for participating in this discussion, Peter. Thank _you_ for your QUANTA work! > You have always been very loyal to Quanta after the help they gave > you over the Q60. Just for the records, the Q60 design and prototypes were all completed and financed by me, without any help... QUANTA supported D&D to start a series production. All the best Peter ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
On 03/02/2011 22:43, Dilwyn Jones wrote: - Original Message - From: "Lee Privett" To: Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 10:06 PM Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check This might help though, so Qubide still an option? http://www.amazon.co.uk/IDE-SATA-Bi-Directional-Adapter/dp/B000YSMBSW Lee Privett At just under £20, an interesting option to consider, certainly. Sad though that, as Tobias said, it seems that Jan has no plans to do any further work on the 'new' Qubide. Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Back when I still had an Aurora setup I tried an IDE to SATA adaptor in my Qubide but the it failed to recognise it. This was probably down to the firmware in the Qubide but that is another hurdle. since there are cheap 2Gb Compact flash cards and they are, basically IDE anyway. That would seem to be a useful route to take with little recoding to do. I will go back to just reading this now, -- Roy Wood ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
On 3 Feb 2011, at 23:25, Stephen wrote: > I'm afraid I'm one of the apathetic subscribers but will put my head above > the parapet to comment > > Having been a Quanta member since close to its inception I am happy to > continue to pay my sub. It's trivial enough to be hardly worth the bother of > cancelling the direct debit. However, I start up a QL emulator (QL2K) just a > handful of times a year for a trip down memory lane or to try out a bit of > code posted here, where my presence is mostly as a lurker. It's a long time > since I've contributed to the magazine and that is not going to change as my > interest in the QL is too small a part of my life nowadays. I have plenty of > other organisations calling on my time. > > Having contributed financially for so many years I am happy for the > accumulated funds to be used to subsidise membership or for useful capital > projects. Eventually Quanta will wind up and its remaining funds disbursed > to the Red Cross or whatever anyway. Its functions will continue thereafter, > as long as anyone is interested, in this list and the forum and the diversity > of websites. > > I will continue to hang around and occasionally interject if only to wind up > Tony. If the Quanta sub rises I may cancel my direct debit. (8-)# Well it seems I serve some small function! Tony (top quoting of course) -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:257/67) +44(1442)-828255 t...@firshman.co.uk http://firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 Skype: tonyfirshman TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, Tring, Herts, HP23 4DG ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
I'm afraid I'm one of the apathetic subscribers but will put my head above the parapet to comment Having been a Quanta member since close to its inception I am happy to continue to pay my sub. It's trivial enough to be hardly worth the bother of cancelling the direct debit. However, I start up a QL emulator (QL2K) just a handful of times a year for a trip down memory lane or to try out a bit of code posted here, where my presence is mostly as a lurker. It's a long time since I've contributed to the magazine and that is not going to change as my interest in the QL is too small a part of my life nowadays. I have plenty of other organisations calling on my time. Having contributed financially for so many years I am happy for the accumulated funds to be used to subsidise membership or for useful capital projects. Eventually Quanta will wind up and its remaining funds disbursed to the Red Cross or whatever anyway. Its functions will continue thereafter, as long as anyone is interested, in this list and the forum and the diversity of websites. I will continue to hang around and occasionally interject if only to wind up Tony. If the Quanta sub rises I may cancel my direct debit. -- Regards, Stephen ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
- Original Message - From: "Lee Privett" To: Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 10:06 PM Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check This might help though, so Qubide still an option? http://www.amazon.co.uk/IDE-SATA-Bi-Directional-Adapter/dp/B000YSMBSW Lee Privett At just under £20, an interesting option to consider, certainly. Sad though that, as Tobias said, it seems that Jan has no plans to do any further work on the 'new' Qubide. Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
This might help though, so Qubide still an option? http://www.amazon.co.uk/IDE-SATA-Bi-Directional-Adapter/dp/B000YSMBSW Lee Privett - Sent from my Laptop running XP but emulating the QL using QPC2 This would be fantastic if possible. We also need to contact Jan Polenicek (?) to see if anything came of his plans for the replacement Qubide (http://omega.webnode.com/ or http://omega.webnode.com/products/product-1/) - Anybody still in touch with him? And if he doesn't plan to do further work, whether he could publish the schematics in a similar way? Dilwyn Jones Oops, failed to spot that some schematics at least are already on his website (haven't looked at them in detail). Also, I didn't stop to think that not many IDE hard disks are available nowadays, they all seem to be e-SATA etc. So a new Qubide might not be as good an idea as I first thought. Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
Am 03.02.2011 21:09, schrieb Dilwyn Jones: - Original Message - From: "Dilwyn Jones" To: Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 8:04 PM Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check Are the Super Gold Card schematics available along with the CPLD equation file? With this info, designing a replacement using up to date components (apart from the CPU) would be fairly easy and I'd be happy to do it and make it open source. Cheers Malcolm This would be fantastic if possible. We also need to contact Jan Polenicek (?) to see if anything came of his plans for the replacement Qubide (http://omega.webnode.com/ or http://omega.webnode.com/products/product-1/) - Anybody still in touch with him? And if he doesn't plan to do further work, whether he could publish the schematics in a similar way? Dilwyn Jones Oops, failed to spot that some schematics at least are already on his website (haven't looked at them in detail). His web site says: "Hello readers, there are no news and no plans to develop it further at the moment. Sorry for that. (20/6/2010)" Which is quite a pity. Tobias ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
In the context of putting my own money where my mouth is, I would be happy to help in any project to rewrite the constitution. I am not a lawyer, but I have had some legal training in the UK plus Works Council training in the Netherlands and have had a lot of experience of constitutions. I once wrote a constitution from scratch in Dutch. We would need to have a lengthy discussion first, however, about what Quanta would want in a new constitution, Best Wishes, Geoff Of course, but the most important thing is sorting out the current situation as regards the wording (which has with the benefit of hindsight, proved to be, umm, not quite satisfactory) of the committee officers term of office. The rest of it isn't too bad as it stands in my opinion, but certainly if anyone has concerns about other areas and we can get a group to look at it, why not! While it's probably too late for this year, it does mean 12 months to put it to the vote in 2012. Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
On Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 2:09 PM, Dilwyn Jones wrote: > Oops, failed to spot that some schematics at least are already on his > website (haven't looked at them in detail). > > Also, I didn't stop to think that not many IDE hard disks are > available nowadays, they all seem to be e-SATA etc. So a new Qubide might > not be as good an idea as I first thought. I've gone IDE->CF on many of my other retros and have plans for others still. It's still a fantastic idea. I believe you can also go IDE->SD/MMC. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
In the context of putting my own money where my mouth is, I would be happy to help in any project to rewrite the constitution. I am not a lawyer, but I have had some legal training in the UK plus Works Council training in the Netherlands and have had a lot of experience of constitutions. I once wrote a constitution from scratch in Dutch. We would need to have a lengthy discussion first, however, about what Quanta would want in a new constitution, Best Wishes, Geoff ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
- Original Message - From: "Dilwyn Jones" To: Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 8:04 PM Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check Are the Super Gold Card schematics available along with the CPLD equation file? With this info, designing a replacement using up to date components (apart from the CPU) would be fairly easy and I'd be happy to do it and make it open source. Cheers Malcolm This would be fantastic if possible. We also need to contact Jan Polenicek (?) to see if anything came of his plans for the replacement Qubide (http://omega.webnode.com/ or http://omega.webnode.com/products/product-1/) - Anybody still in touch with him? And if he doesn't plan to do further work, whether he could publish the schematics in a similar way? Dilwyn Jones Oops, failed to spot that some schematics at least are already on his website (haven't looked at them in detail). Also, I didn't stop to think that not many IDE hard disks are available nowadays, they all seem to be e-SATA etc. So a new Qubide might not be as good an idea as I first thought. Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
Are the Super Gold Card schematics available along with the CPLD equation file? With this info, designing a replacement using up to date components (apart from the CPU) would be fairly easy and I'd be happy to do it and make it open source. Cheers Malcolm This would be fantastic if possible. We also need to contact Jan Polenicek (?) to see if anything came of his plans for the replacement Qubide (http://omega.webnode.com/ or http://omega.webnode.com/products/product-1/) - Anybody still in touch with him? And if he doesn't plan to do further work, whether he could publish the schematics in a similar way? Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
On Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 1:26 PM, Malcolm Lear wrote: > > >> I hate to disappoint some people but the idea of Quanta sponsoring a new >> Gold Card is a non-starter. As I understand it the components of the old >> Gold Cards are no longer available and the development of a new one would be >> a complicated and risky matter. Halfway through the last decade some of us >> looked at this problem with a view to helping a developer finance a gold >> card replacement through Quanta, but it had never been developed to the >> extent that we could formulate a business plan to put to Quanta. >> > Are the Super Gold Card schematics available along with the CPLD equation > file? > > With this info, designing a replacement using up to date components (apart > from the CPU) would be fairly easy and I'd be happy to do it and make it > open source. Where do I send money? ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
On 3 February 2011 19:29, Malcolm Lear wrote: > > PS, I'd be able to put on an SPI interface as well. This would allow the > Microdrive units to be replaced by SD FLASH slots. > > Malcolm > > That would be awesome!! Rob. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
PS, I'd be able to put on an SPI interface as well. This would allow the Microdrive units to be replaced by SD FLASH slots. Malcolm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
I hate to disappoint some people but the idea of Quanta sponsoring a new Gold Card is a non-starter. As I understand it the components of the old Gold Cards are no longer available and the development of a new one would be a complicated and risky matter. Halfway through the last decade some of us looked at this problem with a view to helping a developer finance a gold card replacement through Quanta, but it had never been developed to the extent that we could formulate a business plan to put to Quanta. Are the Super Gold Card schematics available along with the CPLD equation file? With this info, designing a replacement using up to date components (apart from the CPU) would be fairly easy and I'd be happy to do it and make it open source. Cheers Malcolm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
-- From: "Rich Mellor" Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 9:21 AM To: Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check Many thanks for the email and raising these points for discussion. Perhaps you would be so kind as to repeat the original email on the QL Forums, to attract a wider audience than this mailing list. Sorry I am too pushed for time at the moment as the copy deadline for QL Today is approaching and we have something of a copy shortage at the moment. However if you or someone else would like to post it, I would have no objection, Best Wishes, Geoff ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
-- From: "Peter Graf" Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 11:18 PM To: Subject: [Ql-Users] Reality Check I guess QUANTA members benefit more if my time goes into QL hardware and drivers, than into the other work you mentioned :-) It's absolutely okay to rise subscription. Thanks for participating in this discussion, Peter. You have always been very loyal to Quanta after the help they gave you over the Q60. As an overseas member you are limited in the work you can do for Quanta and I think you are right to say your priority should be hardware development, Best wishes, Geoff ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
Many thanks to all the people who have replied although we still need a lot more replies. I particularly like the positive content of many of the replies. Why can't we recreate this sort of enthusiasm right throughout Quanta? After all I did not say I wanted Quanta to close, I said the time had come to close Quanta and that is something different. I am also on record as saying I believe Quanta could still be a vibrant organisation should the members so wish. I was a bit surprised about the enthusiasm(?) for a £25 subscription as I wrote that with my tongue in cheek, thinking that, as Lee commented, it would separate the men from the boys. A subscription to cover costs would be somewhere between £20 and £25, but in practice could probably be lower. I hate to disappoint some people but the idea of Quanta sponsoring a new Gold Card is a non-starter. As I understand it the components of the old Gold Cards are no longer available and the development of a new one would be a complicated and risky matter. Halfway through the last decade some of us looked at this problem with a view to helping a developer finance a gold card replacement through Quanta, but it had never been developed to the extent that we could formulate a business plan to put to Quanta. Please keep the replies coming in, Best Wishes, Geoff ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
who have missed the whole move through Gold Card/Super Gold Card/Q40/Q60 phase and are unable to do anything with with their 128K QLs either. So my question is are there enough QL users out there to warrant additional hardware projects? and if not, what else can the QL be used for in its current format? Lee Privett Tinkering, what the QL has always been used for! Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
Any new hardware for th QL is always welcome especially if it enables people who have never upgraded to upgrade to something that extends the life of the QL or brings it up to date with current technology in some small way. For those of us that emulate through a variety of OS's, hardware upgrades have a minor interest but are of little use unless we have one or two dusty QLs waiting for some device to revitalise their interest. There are also those who have missed the whole move through Gold Card/Super Gold Card/Q40/Q60 phase and are unable to do anything with with their 128K QLs either. So my question is are there enough QL users out there to warrant additional hardware projects? and if not, what else can the QL be used for in its current format? Lee Privett - Sent from my Laptop running XP but emulating the QL using QPC2 - Original Message - From: "Geoff Wicks" To: "ql-users" Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 8:39 PM Subject: [Ql-Users] Reality Check Last weekend several people castigated me for suggesting that Quanta should be wound up. Now it's time to see if you are prepared to put your money where your mouths are. I am not asking you to to do anything drastic like joining the committee, but something more simple to show your support for Quanta and the Quanta committee. Unlike most of you I have frequent unofficial contact with members of the Quanta committee. In public they are frequently criticising the members for their apathy. In private their language and emotions are much stronger. I think it is fair to say they are bitter and disillusioned by the lack of support from the members. They are having to double or triple up committee duties to keep Quanta alive and feel a lack of concern and interest from the members. Over the last year they have continually warned that the future of Quanta was in jeopardy, but apparently no one was listening. At the moment committee morale is at a low ebb and has been made worse by two factors. For the first time a Quanta committee has had to be prepared for the real possibility of advising the closure of the organisation at the next AGM. They have also had to cope with a serious problem, the details of which I cannot go into, that has proved more difficult to solve than first thought. Some advanced plans for Quanta on which the committee have done hours of preparation have had to be put on hold. Inevitably this has led to some tension between members of the committee. So I am asking you all now to give the committee a good morale boost. Below is a list of the problems that face the committee. It is a little frightening in its length. Let's now give the committee some detailed help and feedback on these issues. 1: QUANTA MAGAZINE Quanta has been unable to find a permanent editor for its magazine for about 6 years. There is now an acute crisis with no editor or acting editor. Producing a magazine is a highly skilled task and the people on the committee with those skills are already overworked with other duties. I doubt if the committee now has the resources to produce a magazine. What should they do in these circumstances? 2: WEBSITE The Quanta website has not been updated for 6 months. Although Quanta has had websites for about 10 years it has never mastered the art of keeping a website up to date. How should they tackle this problem? 3: SHOWS Quanta can now manage only one show per year and the attendance is usually low. Quanta is legally obliged to hold an AGM each year. Although in recent years attendance has improved, three or four years ago attendance levels were dangerously near the quorum. How should Quanta organise its AGMs in future? 4: SOUTH EAST Apart from a small, and, in my opinion, somewhat secretive subgroup, Quanta has had no presence in the South East for almost 4 years. How do we re-establish contact with the South East? 5: FINANCE Some years ago I wrote a piece in QL Today about the falling membership and was accused of being anti-Quanta. When I wrote that item subscription income covered more than 80% of expenditure. Today that figure is more like 60%. Quanta has survived financially in recent years because Rich Mellor has traded in second hand hardware on their behalf, but this is a diminishing source of income. What would you do about the gap between subscription income and expenditure? Would you be prepared to accept increasing the subscription to a maximum of £25? (And just a warning for those people who suggest structurally using the capital. You would be condemning Quanta to a short term future. In the worst case scenario you could count the years left on the fingers of one hand.) 6: CONSTITUTION Several people suggested amending Quanta's constitution to save the organisation. What specific amendments are you proposing? There is no need for detailed proposals - that could be
Re: [Ql-Users] Extremely rare example of a Sinclair QL with Dongle
On 03/02/2011 17:16, Dilwyn Jones wrote: I'd always understood the order to be FB, PM, AH, JM, JS, MGx; I think I read that in an early edition of QL User. PM was supposedly never released. FB allegedly stood for "Full of Bugs", AH for "Angela's Holiday". Not sure about the others... JM apparently stood for John Mathieson, one of the Sinclair engineers at the time. According to Tony Tebby, there was also a version TB. But the sources for this went missing at Sinclair, so a development version of the ROM (JS) was adapted for the USA market, although JS contained a number of untested extensions to BASIC, minor bug fixes and what Tony called "fiddles" to microdrive routines. As we know now, TB machines never appeared (in any great quantity) at least, and the UK also got JS machine. The later MG ones were only meant to go abroad, I don't know if any ended up over here. There was a later MGUK, but that wasn't by Sinclair, it was written by (I think) John Alexander a bit later. It was fascinating to read in Tony Tebby's article that version JM was actually ready for launch in March 1984, but another magazine (can't remember which, probably QL User) said that 89 version FB ROM machines were shipped. Something to do with meeting 4 or 6 week delivery deadlines (something like that, though I can't find the original article to check that). Seems somewhat strange that somehow Sinclair contrived to deliver those very early QLs with an older operating system than they had available! Unless it was something to do with either the lead times for programming ROMs/EPROMs, or the fact that those early boards were scrapped upon return to Sinclair (up to version D05 of the boards, according to Tony Tebby). Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm It is odd in some ways and I am glad my email has sparked some comment and reminiscences about the early days of the QL - much as the Tony Tebby articles did in QL Today. I have had a magnifying glass to the article in the launch issue of QL User, and it appears that they had an issue 4 motherboard in the QL they used for the photo. Urs - what were the issue motherboards you got hold of - was it an issue 2 I sent to you which was missing the expansion connector? -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk http://www.rwapservices.co.uk -- Try out our new site: http://sellmyretro.com ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Extremely rare example of a Sinclair QL with Dongle
I'd always understood the order to be FB, PM, AH, JM, JS, MGx; I think I read that in an early edition of QL User. PM was supposedly never released. FB allegedly stood for "Full of Bugs", AH for "Angela's Holiday". Not sure about the others... JM apparently stood for John Mathieson, one of the Sinclair engineers at the time. According to Tony Tebby, there was also a version TB. But the sources for this went missing at Sinclair, so a development version of the ROM (JS) was adapted for the USA market, although JS contained a number of untested extensions to BASIC, minor bug fixes and what Tony called "fiddles" to microdrive routines. As we know now, TB machines never appeared (in any great quantity) at least, and the UK also got JS machine. The later MG ones were only meant to go abroad, I don't know if any ended up over here. There was a later MGUK, but that wasn't by Sinclair, it was written by (I think) John Alexander a bit later. It was fascinating to read in Tony Tebby's article that version JM was actually ready for launch in March 1984, but another magazine (can't remember which, probably QL User) said that 89 version FB ROM machines were shipped. Something to do with meeting 4 or 6 week delivery deadlines (something like that, though I can't find the original article to check that). Seems somewhat strange that somehow Sinclair contrived to deliver those very early QLs with an older operating system than they had available! Unless it was something to do with either the lead times for programming ROMs/EPROMs, or the fact that those early boards were scrapped upon return to Sinclair (up to version D05 of the boards, according to Tony Tebby). Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Extremely rare example of a Sinclair QL with Dongle
On 03/02/2011 16:34, Neil Riley wrote: *died not dids ! "Neil Riley" 03 February 2011 16:32>>> My first QL arrived after many months of waiting... as no doubt did everyone. No dongle as i recall but it dids within a few minutes of switching on, so was promptly retuned. A replacement arrived a week or two later with AH Roms, It at least was reliable for the time I owned it. No dids - died in digital sense Excuse me butting in All the best - Bill ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Extremely rare example of a Sinclair QL with Dongle
*died not dids ! >>> "Neil Riley" 03 February 2011 16:32 >>> My first QL arrived after many months of waiting... as no doubt did everyone. No dongle as i recall but it dids within a few minutes of switching on, so was promptly retuned. A replacement arrived a week or two later with AH Roms, It at least was reliable for the time I owned it. Seeing as I ordered my QL as soon as those fancy brochures appeared in PC World and other PC Mags, I do wonder how close I was to receiving a Dongled specimen. Neil >>> Rich Mellor 03 February 2011 13:08 >>> On 03/02/2011 12:49, Dilwyn Jones wrote: >> It was followed by FB which may never have left the factory - we know >> that Psion had to alter their boot programs to cope with the >> difference in the AT command in the FB ROM compared to later QL ROMs >> (they didn't bother checking for the earlier PM ROM). No-one else >> had to make this change or ever use it, so it looks as though by the >> time the public got their hands on the QL, the operating system was >> at least AH (which was soon followed by JM, JS and MG ROMs). > I'm pretty sure I had an FB machine when they came out, as I remember > the AT x,y problem quite clearly . > > Also, as I didn't find out about version PM until many years later (I > remember Simon explaining about it), I'm sure it must have been > version FB ROM which I had. That QL got returned within weeks for an > update, but I don't know if the machine which came back was the same > one as I first had, or a different computer. > > So, assuming that the old DJ memory chips are working correctly and > I'm correct, FB must have been issued to some early customers. > > Dilwyn Jones > > > ___ > QL-Users Mailing List > http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm > > I guess some customers did have the FB ROMs - (interesting) The odd thing is that only the main 4 Psion packages ever made allowance for the difference in the AT command - presumably no-one else ever raised this with an issue with software producers, as all the machines were returned to Sinclair. Turbo and Q-liberator would have fun compiling the AT command if it was written on the FB ROM ! -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk http://www.rwapservices.co.uk -- Try out our new site: http://sellmyretro.com ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm *** The contents of this email are confidential to the intended recipient. It may not be disclosed to or used by anyone other than the addressee, nor may it be copied in any way. If received in error, please contact the company on 01793-715380, then delete it from your system. Please note neither the company nor the sender accepts any responsibility for viruses and it is your responsibility to scan attachments (if any) for viruses. No contract may be concluded on behalf of the company by means of email communications. BC Services (UK) Limited (trading as Boxclever), Technology House, Ampthill Road, Bedford, MK42 9QQ. Registered No. 5290544 England www.boxclever.co.uk *** ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Extremely rare example of a Sinclair QL with Dongle
My first QL arrived after many months of waiting... as no doubt did everyone. No dongle as i recall but it dids within a few minutes of switching on, so was promptly retuned. A replacement arrived a week or two later with AH Roms, It at least was reliable for the time I owned it. Seeing as I ordered my QL as soon as those fancy brochures appeared in PC World and other PC Mags, I do wonder how close I was to receiving a Dongled specimen. Neil >>> Rich Mellor 03 February 2011 13:08 >>> On 03/02/2011 12:49, Dilwyn Jones wrote: >> It was followed by FB which may never have left the factory - we know >> that Psion had to alter their boot programs to cope with the >> difference in the AT command in the FB ROM compared to later QL ROMs >> (they didn't bother checking for the earlier PM ROM). No-one else >> had to make this change or ever use it, so it looks as though by the >> time the public got their hands on the QL, the operating system was >> at least AH (which was soon followed by JM, JS and MG ROMs). > I'm pretty sure I had an FB machine when they came out, as I remember > the AT x,y problem quite clearly . > > Also, as I didn't find out about version PM until many years later (I > remember Simon explaining about it), I'm sure it must have been > version FB ROM which I had. That QL got returned within weeks for an > update, but I don't know if the machine which came back was the same > one as I first had, or a different computer. > > So, assuming that the old DJ memory chips are working correctly and > I'm correct, FB must have been issued to some early customers. > > Dilwyn Jones > > > ___ > QL-Users Mailing List > http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm > > I guess some customers did have the FB ROMs - (interesting) The odd thing is that only the main 4 Psion packages ever made allowance for the difference in the AT command - presumably no-one else ever raised this with an issue with software producers, as all the machines were returned to Sinclair. Turbo and Q-liberator would have fun compiling the AT command if it was written on the FB ROM ! -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk http://www.rwapservices.co.uk -- Try out our new site: http://sellmyretro.com ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm *** The contents of this email are confidential to the intended recipient. It may not be disclosed to or used by anyone other than the addressee, nor may it be copied in any way. If received in error, please contact the company on 01793-715380, then delete it from your system. Please note neither the company nor the sender accepts any responsibility for viruses and it is your responsibility to scan attachments (if any) for viruses. No contract may be concluded on behalf of the company by means of email communications. BC Services (UK) Limited (trading as Boxclever), Technology House, Ampthill Road, Bedford, MK42 9QQ. Registered No. 5290544 England www.boxclever.co.uk *** ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Extremely rare example of a Sinclair QL with Dongle
On 3 Feb 2011, at 15:05, Ade Vickers wrote: > > I'd always understood the order to be FB, PM, AH, JM, JS, MGx; I think I > read that in an early edition of QL User. PM was supposedly never released. > FB allegedly stood for "Full of Bugs", AH for "Angela's Holiday". Not sure > about the others... > > I had an AH QL (s/n D06 IIRC) from new in about June or July 1984, if my > beer-addled memory serves me correctly. Sadly, one of the soldered-on chips > on the AH board has given up the ghost (which had some hand-soldered > modifications), but the AH chips live on in another, newer, board. I only have AH, JM and JS roms. But the QL was obsolescent when I started buying them. George ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Extremely rare example of a Sinclair QL with Dongle
On 3 Feb 2011, at 13:08, Rich Mellor wrote: > Turbo and Q-liberator would have fun compiling the AT command if it was > written on the FB ROM ! Since anything is possible Turbo could be adapted to cover this . . . BUT only if there is sufficient real demand. George ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality check
On 3 Feb 2011, at 14:24, Tony Firshman wrote: > Norman Dunbar wrote, on 3/Feb/11 14:19 | Feb3: >>> By PCs I take it you mean machines running Windows. >>> I access this group but don't use a PC. >> Likewise, given the definition above. But not the same as you. >> >>> Guess how. Forbidden fruit is a clue (8-)# >> Um, is a "pineapple"? >> >> :-) >> > > Not a 'pine' one but an aluminium one (8-)# What's an alapple? I prefer the fruit with a Scottish flavour. George ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Extremely rare example of a Sinclair QL with Dongle
Rich Mellor wrote: > > On 03/02/2011 12:49, Dilwyn Jones wrote: > >> It was followed by FB which may never have left the > factory - we know > >> that Psion had to alter their boot programs to cope with the > >> difference in the AT command in the FB ROM compared to > later QL ROMs > >> (they didn't bother checking for the earlier PM ROM). No-one else > >> had to make this change or ever use it, so it looks as > though by the > >> time the public got their hands on the QL, the operating > system was > >> at least AH (which was soon followed by JM, JS and MG ROMs). > > I'm pretty sure I had an FB machine when they came out, as > I remember > > the AT x,y problem quite clearly . > > > > Also, as I didn't find out about version PM until many > years later (I > > remember Simon explaining about it), I'm sure it must have been > > version FB ROM which I had. That QL got returned within > weeks for an > > update, but I don't know if the machine which came back was > the same > > one as I first had, or a different computer. > > > > So, assuming that the old DJ memory chips are working correctly and > > I'm correct, FB must have been issued to some early customers. > > > > > > I guess some customers did have the FB ROMs - (interesting) > > The odd thing is that only the main 4 Psion packages ever > made allowance for the difference in the AT command - > presumably no-one else ever raised this with an issue with > software producers, as all the machines were returned to Sinclair. > > Turbo and Q-liberator would have fun compiling the AT command > if it was written on the FB ROM ! > I'd always understood the order to be FB, PM, AH, JM, JS, MGx; I think I read that in an early edition of QL User. PM was supposedly never released. FB allegedly stood for "Full of Bugs", AH for "Angela's Holiday". Not sure about the others... I had an AH QL (s/n D06 IIRC) from new in about June or July 1984, if my beer-addled memory serves me correctly. Sadly, one of the soldered-on chips on the AH board has given up the ghost (which had some hand-soldered modifications), but the AH chips live on in another, newer, board. Cheers! Ade. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality check
Norman Dunbar wrote, on 3/Feb/11 14:19 | Feb3: By PCs I take it you mean machines running Windows. I access this group but don't use a PC. Likewise, given the definition above. But not the same as you. Guess how. Forbidden fruit is a clue (8-)# Um, is a "pineapple"? :-) Not a 'pine' one but an aluminium one (8-)# Tony -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:257/67) +44(0)1442-828255 t...@firshman.co.uk http://firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 Skype: tonyfirshman TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality check
> By PCs I take it you mean machines running Windows. > I access this group but don't use a PC. Likewise, given the definition above. But not the same as you. > Guess how. Forbidden fruit is a clue (8-)# Um, is a "pineapple"? :-) Cheers, Norman. -- Norman Dunbar Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd Registered address: Thorpe House 61 Richardshaw Lane Pudsey West Yorkshire United Kingdom LS28 7EL Company Number: 05132767 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Extremely rare example of a Sinclair QL with Dongle
It was followed by FB which may never have left the factory - we know that Psion had to alter their boot programs to cope with the difference in the AT command in the FB ROM compared to later QL ROMs (they didn't bother checking for the earlier PM ROM). No-one else had to make this change or ever use it, so it looks as though by the time the public got their hands on the QL, the operating system was at least AH (which was soon followed by JM, JS and MG ROMs). Yep, I can remember my first machine was FB. I never managed to keep it going more than 10 minutes before it crashed! Malcolm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality check
Peter Baily wrote, on 3/Feb/11 13:11 | Feb3: However, we should not be surprised that most people use PCs; after all this exchange of views, news, etc. would not exist unless we were using PCs. By PCs I take it you mean machines running Windows. I access this group but don't use a PC. Guess how. Forbidden fruit is a clue (8-)# Tony -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:257/67) +44(0)1442-828255 t...@firshman.co.uk http://firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 Skype: tonyfirshman TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Extremely rare example of a Sinclair QL with Dongle
Rich Mellor wrote, on 3/Feb/11 12:21 | Feb3: We have now managed to resurrect an early example of the Sinclair QL home computer as it was first unveiled to the expectant media, complete with the slow v1 Psion software and the infamous Dongle (or Kludge) which contained one third of the QL's operating system. In 26 years of being involved with the QL, this is the first example we have ever come across and we have managed to resurrect it, complete with early microdrive units and the AH operating system and very early First Edition manual (predates the First Edition dated 6/84). All of these machines were sent back to Sinclair for upgrades (to replace the operating system with one needing two ROM chips fitted internally, plus various hardware modifications to make the QL more reliable and even useable!). We even found one of the three EPROM chips required for the PM version of QDOS. Unfortunately, the other two chips (and their code) are missing. PM was one of the earliest versions of QDOS (pre-release). It was followed by FB which may never have left the factory - we know that Psion had to alter their boot programs to cope with the difference in the AT command in the FB ROM compared to later QL ROMs (they didn't bother checking for the earlier PM ROM). No-one else had to make this change or ever use it, so it looks as though by the time the public got their hands on the QL, the operating system was at least AH (which was soon followed by JM, JS and MG ROMs). I got mine in June 1984 and it wasn't AH. I think it may well have been FB. The post office lost it on its way back to Sinclair! Tony -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:257/67) +44(0)1442-828255 t...@firshman.co.uk http://firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 Skype: tonyfirshman TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality check
> Geoff wicks wrote: > Last weekend several people castigated me for suggesting that Quanta should > be wound up. > > Now it's time to see if you are prepared to put your money where your mouths > are. > > I am not asking you to to do anything drastic like joining the committee, but > something more simple to show your support for Quanta and the Quanta > committee. > > Unlike most of you I have frequent unofficial contact with members of the > Quanta committee. In public they are frequently criticising the members for > their apathy. In private their language and emotions are much stronger. I > think it is fair to say they are bitter and disillusioned by the lack of > support from the members. They are having to double or triple up committee > duties to keep Quanta alive and feel a lack of concern and interest from the > members. Over the last year they have continually warned that the future of > Quanta was in jeopardy, but apparently no one was listening. At the moment > committee morale is at a low ebb and has been made worse by two factors. For > the first time a Quanta committee has had to be prepared for the real > possibility of advising the closure of the organisation at the next AGM. They > have also had to cope with a serious problem, the details of which I cannot > go into, that has proved more difficult to solve than first thought. Some > advanced plans > for Quanta on which the committee have done hours of preparation have had to > be put on hold. Inevitably this has led to some tension between members of > the committee. > > So I am asking you all now to give the committee a good morale boost. Below > is a list of the problems that face the committee. It is a little frightening > in its length. Let's now give the committee some detailed help and feedback > on these issues. > > > 1: QUANTA MAGAZINE > > Quanta has been unable to find a permanent editor for its magazine for about > 6 years. There is now an acute crisis with no editor or acting editor. > Producing a magazine is a highly skilled task and the people on the committee > with those skills are already overworked with other duties. I doubt if the > committee now has the resources to produce a magazine. What should they do in > these circumstances? I look forward eagerly to each new (electronic) edition but could not edit it. Clearly, the problem is finding someone with, not only enthusiasm, but experience and time. If an editor can not be found among the aging QL enthusiasts then the magazine sadly must cease to be published. I also look forward to receiving each edition of QL Today. I have on rare occasions made minor contributions to both journals. > 2: WEBSITE > > The Quanta website has not been updated for 6 months. Although Quanta has had > websites for about 10 years it has never mastered the art of keeping a > website up to date. How should they tackle this problem? I suppose Webmasters need similar qualifications/availability magazine editors. > 3: SHOWS > > Quanta can now manage only one show per year and the attendance is usually > low. Quanta is legally obliged to hold an AGM each year. Although in recent > years attendance has improved, three or four years ago attendance levels were > dangerously near the quorum. How should Quanta organise its AGMs in future? I have tried to attend every year - sadly that has not always been possible.That the AGM has been held in the middle of the UK seems very sensible. For me, shows have become largely places to meet other enthusiasts and to listen to presentations on what others are doing with their QLs (or emulators). There has been very little new software or hardware in recent years, though news in recent contributions here suggest that may change soon. > 4: SOUTH EAST > > Apart from a small, and, in my opinion, somewhat secretive subgroup, Quanta > has had no presence in the South East for almost 4 years. How do we > re-establish contact with the South East? > As a member of a group in the South-East of England, I am not aware of secrecy, just small size and, in my case, clashes of other engagements making my attendance at meetings infrequent. > 5: FINANCE > > Some years ago I wrote a piece in QL Today about the falling membership and > was accused of being anti-Quanta. When I wrote that item subscription income > covered more than 80% of expenditure. Today that figure is more like 60%. > Quanta has survived financially in recent years because Rich Mellor has > traded in second hand hardware on their behalf, but this is a diminishing > source of income. What would you do about the gap between subscription income > and expenditure? Would you be prepared to accept increasing the subscription > to a maximum of ?25? (And just a warning for those people who suggest > structurally using the capital. You would be condemning Quanta to a short > term future. In the worst case scenario you could count the years left on the > fingers
Re: [Ql-Users] Extremely rare example of a Sinclair QL with Dongle
On 03/02/2011 12:49, Dilwyn Jones wrote: It was followed by FB which may never have left the factory - we know that Psion had to alter their boot programs to cope with the difference in the AT command in the FB ROM compared to later QL ROMs (they didn't bother checking for the earlier PM ROM). No-one else had to make this change or ever use it, so it looks as though by the time the public got their hands on the QL, the operating system was at least AH (which was soon followed by JM, JS and MG ROMs). I'm pretty sure I had an FB machine when they came out, as I remember the AT x,y problem quite clearly . Also, as I didn't find out about version PM until many years later (I remember Simon explaining about it), I'm sure it must have been version FB ROM which I had. That QL got returned within weeks for an update, but I don't know if the machine which came back was the same one as I first had, or a different computer. So, assuming that the old DJ memory chips are working correctly and I'm correct, FB must have been issued to some early customers. Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm I guess some customers did have the FB ROMs - (interesting) The odd thing is that only the main 4 Psion packages ever made allowance for the difference in the AT command - presumably no-one else ever raised this with an issue with software producers, as all the machines were returned to Sinclair. Turbo and Q-liberator would have fun compiling the AT command if it was written on the FB ROM ! -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk http://www.rwapservices.co.uk -- Try out our new site: http://sellmyretro.com ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Extremely rare example of a Sinclair QL with Dongle
It was followed by FB which may never have left the factory - we know that Psion had to alter their boot programs to cope with the difference in the AT command in the FB ROM compared to later QL ROMs (they didn't bother checking for the earlier PM ROM). No-one else had to make this change or ever use it, so it looks as though by the time the public got their hands on the QL, the operating system was at least AH (which was soon followed by JM, JS and MG ROMs). I'm pretty sure I had an FB machine when they came out, as I remember the AT x,y problem quite clearly . Also, as I didn't find out about version PM until many years later (I remember Simon explaining about it), I'm sure it must have been version FB ROM which I had. That QL got returned within weeks for an update, but I don't know if the machine which came back was the same one as I first had, or a different computer. So, assuming that the old DJ memory chips are working correctly and I'm correct, FB must have been issued to some early customers. Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Extremely rare example of a Sinclair QL with Dongle
We have now managed to resurrect an early example of the Sinclair QL home computer as it was first unveiled to the expectant media, complete with the slow v1 Psion software and the infamous Dongle (or Kludge) which contained one third of the QL's operating system. In 26 years of being involved with the QL, this is the first example we have ever come across and we have managed to resurrect it, complete with early microdrive units and the AH operating system and very early First Edition manual (predates the First Edition dated 6/84). All of these machines were sent back to Sinclair for upgrades (to replace the operating system with one needing two ROM chips fitted internally, plus various hardware modifications to make the QL more reliable and even useable!). We even found one of the three EPROM chips required for the PM version of QDOS. Unfortunately, the other two chips (and their code) are missing. PM was one of the earliest versions of QDOS (pre-release). It was followed by FB which may never have left the factory - we know that Psion had to alter their boot programs to cope with the difference in the AT command in the FB ROM compared to later QL ROMs (they didn't bother checking for the earlier PM ROM). No-one else had to make this change or ever use it, so it looks as though by the time the public got their hands on the QL, the operating system was at least AH (which was soon followed by JM, JS and MG ROMs). The biggest surprise to us when putting this machine back together, was the fact that it seems to work quite well, despite the Kludge and lack of modifications to the motherboard / ZX8302 chip etc. The microdrive units both seem reliable, and if anything, they are much quicker at formatting microdrive cartridges than the later models, although they only seem to be able to format in the region of 210/212 sectors (compared to later ones which could do 222/225 on average, up to 229/231 sectors on one QL we have here). This could be a unique QL and it is unlikely any other Sinclair collector will have one like it in their collection (we would love to find other examples of this and maybe find the missing PM ROM code at some stage). We have therefore decided to list it on www.sellmyretro.com - http://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/1367 -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk http://www.rwapservices.co.uk -- Try out our new site: http://sellmyretro.com ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
Now that we finally seem close to new QL hardware, I wonder if it's the right time to ask for another decline in QUANTA activities. I rarely attend an AGM, but I consider to come this year. If I find the time, I would demonstate some of the QL projects I had started but abandoned due to the operating system situation. This would include - Prototype of a new QL hardware - Native ethernet drivers - QL internet applications - Cool looking GUI without need for pointer environment - Parallel port SD card interface Sorry that I can not commit myself. I'll try to let someone else show the hardware prototype if I can not attend. All the best Peter Hi Peter, A visit would be great (it would be nice to meet you - and maybe Claus - again after several years). I could probably arrange for you to do a talk or demonstration at the Quanta meeting - speakers are always welcome. Please contact me privately if you would like to arrange this. Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
Rich Mellor wrote: > However, this year, as I am no longer able to subsidise my business > through full time employment, I am seriously having to look at the > cost of staying overnight in Manchester and with current attendance > levels, wonder whether a 2 day show is justifiable, or whether Quanta > would be better holding a one day show and AGM, and then another one > day show later in the year? Now that we finally seem close to new QL hardware, I wonder if it's the right time to ask for another decline in QUANTA activities. I rarely attend an AGM, but I consider to come this year. If I find the time, I would demonstate some of the QL projects I had started but abandoned due to the operating system situation. This would include - Prototype of a new QL hardware - Native ethernet drivers - QL internet applications - Cool looking GUI without need for pointer environment - Parallel port SD card interface Sorry that I can not commit myself. I'll try to let someone else show the hardware prototype if I can not attend. All the best Peter ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
On 03/02/2011 10:33, Dilwyn Jones wrote: The Quanta website should not be too difficult, as it is built around a content management system, so updating the content should be a matter of just editing the text. -- Rich Mellor If only it were that simple! I've used CMS'es in work over the years and they generally are, when they work. I haven't been able to update the Quanta site's news page for months now, for example. Problems of some sort between the CMS and servers on which Quanta's site runs. I don't know what the problems are (I'm not webmaster!), but they must be serious for the site to be partially in limbo for this long. Great to hear, BTW, that Lee has volunteered! Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm I didn't realise that there was a problem there between the CMS and servers - if the webmasters would like to discuss this with me, I am sure I could help out on the software side... -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk http://www.rwapservices.co.uk -- Try out our new site: http://sellmyretro.com ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
The Quanta website should not be too difficult, as it is built around a content management system, so updating the content should be a matter of just editing the text. -- Rich Mellor If only it were that simple! I've used CMS'es in work over the years and they generally are, when they work. I haven't been able to update the Quanta site's news page for months now, for example. Problems of some sort between the CMS and servers on which Quanta's site runs. I don't know what the problems are (I'm not webmaster!), but they must be serious for the site to be partially in limbo for this long. Great to hear, BTW, that Lee has volunteered! Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
On 02/02/2011 22:25, Lee Privett wrote: Taking what has been said at face value and as a returning member of Quanta and living in the south east I am both excited and saddened by the current state of affairs, my response to each point is as follows: 1: QUANTA MAGAZINE - I would volanteer for editor but have very little experience in this matter, however I have volanteered 2: WEBSITE - same answer as above, I can certainly construct web pages so could help with that, however I do not have the experience of web site construction only content 3: SHOWS - whilst viable they should continue to be as is, but does the constitution allow for video conferencing and could it be set-up as such? 4: SOUTH EAST - I have no idea about the secretive group, but I used to quite enjoy the Essex meetings held in a pub somewhere near a forest if memory serves, I will have a go at arranging a one off in a church hall near me and see how many turn up (help anyone - Southend area?) 5: FINANCE the subscription is ridiculously low and I was surprised when paying my first one last year of how inexpensive it is, raising it to £25 seems reasaonable to me and if people stop subscribing because of it and less moneu comes in I dont see what difference it would really make in the long run, so atleast raising the subs would sort the men from the boys so to speak. 6: CONSTITUTION - I feel it should be simplified and reflect todays climate and practice. 7: SUBGROUPS - see point 4 8: KEYBOARD MEMBRANES - there are already some good ideas for projects already going on in this email/forum and should be supported, by raising the subscription then the focus can be made towards that and supporting the shortfall. Lee Privett - Sent from my Laptop running XP but emulating the QL using QPC2 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Geoff. Many thanks for the email and raising these points for discussion. Perhaps you would be so kind as to repeat the original email on the QL Forums, to attract a wider audience than this mailing list. Lee, I like your enthusiasm - it is good that new (or returning) users, such as yourself, Peter Scott and Rob Heaton have this in abundance. You should have all received an email I circulated a couple of days ago with news, and also a special offer which Quanta have agreed for new members subscribing for 3 years - this has been sent to all of my QL customers and hopefully this may see a boost in membership and help with the financial issues. I do what I can to promote the QL, and things like the QL Forums and the QL Wiki are key to this, alongside the Quanta website which should be more of a hub - maybe showing an RSS feed of topics on the QL Forum and (maybe) even on this list. I have always enjoyed attending Quanta shows - although I turn up as a trader, the sales are never that great, but then the chats with other QLers are invaluable. However, this year, as I am no longer able to subsidise my business through full time employment, I am seriously having to look at the cost of staying overnight in Manchester and with current attendance levels, wonder whether a 2 day show is justifiable, or whether Quanta would be better holding a one day show and AGM, and then another one day show later in the year? The Quanta website should not be too difficult, as it is built around a content management system, so updating the content should be a matter of just editing the text. -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk http://www.rwapservices.co.uk -- Try out our new site: http://sellmyretro.com ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
On 02/02/2011 23:18, Peter Graf wrote: Hi Geoff, Last weekend several people castigated me for suggesting that Quanta should be wound up. Now it's time to see if you are prepared to put your money where your mouths are. I guess QUANTA members benefit more if my time goes into QL hardware and drivers, than into the other work you mentioned :-) It's absolutely okay to rise subscription. All the best Peter ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Peter - yes, most definitely, if your time is put into QL hardware, that is for the benefit of all, including Quanta :-) -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk http://www.rwapservices.co.uk -- Try out our new site: http://sellmyretro.com ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Reality Check
--- On Wed, 2/2/11, Geoff Wicks wrote: > From: Geoff Wicks > Subject: [Ql-Users] Reality Check > To: "ql-users" > Date: Wednesday, 2 February, 2011, 20:39 > Last weekend several people > castigated me for suggesting that Quanta should be wound > up. > > > 8: KEYBOARD MEMBRANES > > Not really a problem, but something for Quanta to boast > about. Without Quanta there would have been no new keyboard > membranes. Any ideas for other good uses for the capital? > But don't forget you can't use the capital for both projects > and to make up shortfalls in the subscription > income/expenditure balance. > > > Best Wishes, > > > Geoff > > > > > ___ > QL-Users Mailing List > http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm > A new gold card project would be lovely for new users and people wanting a spare. The last one on ebay sold untested for over £190! As for the lack of users, the QL scene needs to organise a PR group to advertise the QL this would attract new users which would improve the scene for everyone. Peter. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
