Re: [ql-users] Dead QL - long live my QL!

2006-01-25 Thread Paul Holmgren
Derek Stewart wrote:

>The normal QL power supply is not enough to power the QL CPU - 68008 and the 
>Gold Card.
>
>Remove the CPU from the QL and plug the Gold card into the QL and this may 
>solve your problem, assuming there are no bent or damaged pins on the 
>expansion port.
>
Well,  that all depends,  I ran mine for years with the GoldCard, or 
trump card or the Super GoldCard
all with the standard QL powersupply.

All motherboard testing we ever did with or without accessories added, 
with or without the motherboard modifications we used to do, were all 
done with the standard powersupply.
( of cource these were all USA/Canada based machines and messed with in 
the USA with USA powersupplies )



-- 
Paul Holmgren
2 57 300-C's in Indy
Hoosier Corps L#6

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Re: [ql-users] Dead QL - long live my QL!

2006-01-25 Thread Tony Firshman
On  Wed, 25 Jan 2006 at 23:43:05, Roy wood wrote:
(ref: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>)

>I have a lot of working QLs if you need one.
US ones?
I thought Robert was USA based?
Ahha no - .co.uk
Sorry Robert, but you could still come to the US show (8-)#

Tony
>
>In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Robert Newson
><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes

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Re: [ql-users] Dead QL - long live my QL!

2006-01-25 Thread Tony Firshman
On  Wed, 25 Jan 2006 at 23:54:23, Derek Stewart wrote:
(ref: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>)

>The normal QL power supply is not enough to power the QL CPU - 68008 and the
>Gold Card.
I don't think that will be the problem.  GC takes much less power than
SGC - and I have no trouble with my QLs and SGC.
>
>Remove the CPU from the QL and plug the Gold card into the QL and this may
>solve your problem, assuming there are no bent or damaged pins on the
>expansion port.
Both good advice.  Certainly the 68008 is power hungry and not needed.
I remember getting a QL for 'repair' from Freddy Vaccha and the _only_
fault was a missing 68008!

>> Nostalgia isn't as good as it used to be.

Others:
I wish someone would teach me how to spell Dysslexiar.
I used to know what amnesia meant, but I have forgotten.

Tony
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Re: [ql-users] Dead QL - long live my QL!

2006-01-25 Thread Tony Firshman
On  Wed, 25 Jan 2006 at 22:54:19, Robert Newson wrote:
(ref: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>)

>Tony Firshman wrote:
>
>> On  Wed, 25 Jan 2006 at 21:01:56, Robert Newson wrote:
>> (ref: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>)
>>
>>>Mine's still sitting on my desk; however it isn't working at the moment (I
>>>suspect a ULA) :-(
>>>
>> What are the symptoms?
>
>Clears desk to get access to QL...
>
>It's been rather erratic when I last used it.  I was trying to do some
>programming when it just kept corrupting - name table did silly things, etc
>and it was impossible to list (etc) the program on which I was working.
>
>Prior to that I had changed my GC battery and on re-insertion of GC, QL
>wouldn't work.  I also had ICE ROM installed.
>
>Removed both GC & ICE and it seemed to work again.  So had GC checked and it
>came back AOK.
>
>Then QL kept crashing and not even booting WITHOUT any extra peripherals -
>ie just the QL itself (it has had one personal mod *years* ago in that I
>changed (upgraded) the voltage regulator - as per instrs in QL mag [poss QL
>World]).
>
>Having just switched it on for the first time in ages, it has booted up
>without problem and is currently playing Psion Chess against itself (demo)
>in 3D Mode.
>
>I've had to resort back to my hacked (personal mod [again]) Phillips TX B&W
>TV (hacked in a Video input to bypass the demodulator which doesn't work) as
>my colour monitor died when I tried to use the QL after a long break
I wonder whether it is related to my Ferguson colour TX TV circa 1985. 
The pcb was laid out to support RGB input - even with a modulator 
disable pad.  I zapped my RF modulator on this by dropping the disable 
wire on a high voltage.  It worked fine (and still is) with a 
replacement module.
> (having
>finally got a replacement GC battery); the QL started playing up at around
>the same time.
Systems areOK with no GQ battery.  You just lose the clock protection 
etc.
>
>I suspect the last colour monitor wasn't doing the QL any good as prior to
>that monitor I had a rebadged Phillips TTL monitor (an Archimedes monitor)
>which worked fine (until it died and my brother took it to be fixed, never
>to be seen again), even when I did a dual display with a TV as well to show
>the difference in quality - the last colour monitor caused the TV output to
>visibly degrade considerably if run at the same time.
>
>I did have an odd occurence years ago when I removed the dead battery from
>the GC; on reinsertion of GC the QL didn't work and I thought it was fried,
>but it just started working again.
>
>I have just tried to re-insert the GC and it crashes on boot.  Without it,
>it booted ok, so haven't tried to re-re-insert.  Have subsequently tried ICE
>ROM and it has booted ok.  Would poss suggest GC, but that *WAS* checked and
>found Ok - implying poss fault on expansion port of QL?
Yes indeed.  I bet it is that.
Slightly bent pins can cause poor contact.  It looks like GC and its 
connector are OK as you have had it checked.
It could even be a pin bent right out of the way.  That is very easy 
with ones near the end,  Typically they bend into an L shape. ie a bit 
flat and the rest still straight.  Often it can short against a 
neighbouring pin causing the QL to fail (or crash - as you found).
If a pin is bent, then take the board out of the QL, and bend and 
straighten the pin very very very very carefully - they are brittle and 
you will probably only get one chance to bend it.  Tweezers and 
jeweller's screwdrivers will help.

I have seen (and repaired) dozens of QLs with this fault.

Of course as well do the std things - like cleaning chip legs (with hard 
rubber) - 8302 is especially bad, and re-seat chips, heat sink compound 
under the 5v regulator, cable from regulator to ram 5V (this was on 
later boards) and mains filter.  Mind you if you have a std US QL then 
it will have loads of mods, including filtering components.
I think I say this and more in my QL troubleshooting guide on my web 
site.

You could even bring it to the next North American QL show.  Watch this 
space..

Tony
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Re: [ql-users] Dead QL - long live my QL!

2006-01-25 Thread Derek Stewart
The normal QL power supply is not enough to power the QL CPU - 68008 and the 
Gold Card.

Remove the CPU from the QL and plug the Gold card into the QL and this may 
solve your problem, assuming there are no bent or damaged pins on the 
expansion port.

Derek
- Original Message - 
From: "Stephen Usher" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 11:02 PM
Subject: Re: [ql-users] Dead QL - long live my QL!


> >I have just tried to re-insert the GC and it crashes on boot.  Without 
> >it,
>>it booted ok, so haven't tried to re-re-insert.  Have subsequently tried 
>>ICE
>>ROM and it has booted ok.  Would poss suggest GC, but that *WAS* checked 
>>and
>>found Ok - implying poss fault on expansion port of QL?
>
> Or a power supply fault.
>
> Steve
> -- 
> ---
> Nostalgia isn't as good as it used to be.
>
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> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
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Re: [ql-users] Dead QL - long live my QL!

2006-01-25 Thread Roy wood
I have a lot of working QLs if you need one.

In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Robert Newson 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
>Tony Firshman wrote:
>
>> On  Wed, 25 Jan 2006 at 21:01:56, Robert Newson wrote:
>> (ref: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>)
>>
>>>Mine's still sitting on my desk; however it isn't working at the moment (I
>>>suspect a ULA) :-(
>>>
>> What are the symptoms?
>
>Clears desk to get access to QL...

-- 
Roy Wood
Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB
Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501  skype : royqbranch
web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk

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Re: [ql-users] Dead QL - long live my QL!

2006-01-25 Thread Robert Newson
Paul Holmgren wrote:

> Robert Newson wrote:
> 
>><>Tony Firshman wrote:
>>
>>I have just tried to re-insert the GC and it crashes on boot. Without it,
>>it booted ok, so haven't tried to re-re-insert. Have subsequently 
>>tried ICE
>>ROM and it has booted ok. Would poss suggest GC, but that *WAS* 
>>checked and
>>found Ok - implying poss fault on expansion port of QL?
>
>><>Robert
> 
> Might peer into the expansion port with strong light and try and see if 
> you have any bent pins

I did (bend pin) years ago (and fixed that...don't remember the kind of 
crash now get).  Just checked, all pins ok.
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Re: [ql-users] Dead QL - long live my QL!

2006-01-25 Thread Robert Newson
Stephen Usher wrote:

>>I have just tried to re-insert the GC and it crashes on boot.  Without it, 
>>it booted ok, so haven't tried to re-re-insert.  Have subsequently tried ICE 
>>ROM and it has booted ok.  Would poss suggest GC, but that *WAS* checked and 
>>found Ok - implying poss fault on expansion port of QL?
> 
> Or a power supply fault.

What you doing up now {still idle for 1 mn+ pid 9** in slot 41 ^_^}?

Best to get whole rig tested mefinx?

Robert
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---
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Re: [ql-users] Dead QL - long live my QL!

2006-01-25 Thread Paul Holmgren
Robert Newson wrote:

> <>Tony Firshman wrote:
>
> I have just tried to re-insert the GC and it crashes on boot. Without it,
> it booted ok, so haven't tried to re-re-insert. Have subsequently 
> tried ICE
> ROM and it has booted ok. Would poss suggest GC, but that *WAS* 
> checked and
> found Ok - implying poss fault on expansion port of QL?

> <>Robert


Might peer into the expansion port with strong light and try and see if 
you have any bent pins

-- 
Paul Holmgren
2 57 300-C's in Indy
Hoosier Corps L#6

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Re: [ql-users] Dead QL - long live my QL!

2006-01-25 Thread Stephen Usher
>I have just tried to re-insert the GC and it crashes on boot.  Without it, 
>it booted ok, so haven't tried to re-re-insert.  Have subsequently tried ICE 
>ROM and it has booted ok.  Would poss suggest GC, but that *WAS* checked and 
>found Ok - implying poss fault on expansion port of QL?

Or a power supply fault.

Steve
-- 
---
Nostalgia isn't as good as it used to be.

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Re: [ql-users] Dead QL - long live my QL!

2006-01-25 Thread Robert Newson
Tony Firshman wrote:

> On  Wed, 25 Jan 2006 at 21:01:56, Robert Newson wrote:
> (ref: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>)
> 
>>Mine's still sitting on my desk; however it isn't working at the moment (I
>>suspect a ULA) :-(
>>
> What are the symptoms?

Clears desk to get access to QL...

It's been rather erratic when I last used it.  I was trying to do some 
programming when it just kept corrupting - name table did silly things, etc 
and it was impossible to list (etc) the program on which I was working.

Prior to that I had changed my GC battery and on re-insertion of GC, QL 
wouldn't work.  I also had ICE ROM installed.

Removed both GC & ICE and it seemed to work again.  So had GC checked and it 
came back AOK.

Then QL kept crashing and not even booting WITHOUT any extra peripherals - 
ie just the QL itself (it has had one personal mod *years* ago in that I 
changed (upgraded) the voltage regulator - as per instrs in QL mag [poss QL 
World]).

Having just switched it on for the first time in ages, it has booted up 
without problem and is currently playing Psion Chess against itself (demo) 
in 3D Mode.

I've had to resort back to my hacked (personal mod [again]) Phillips TX B&W 
TV (hacked in a Video input to bypass the demodulator which doesn't work) as 
my colour monitor died when I tried to use the QL after a long break (having 
finally got a replacement GC battery); the QL started playing up at around 
the same time.

I suspect the last colour monitor wasn't doing the QL any good as prior to 
that monitor I had a rebadged Phillips TTL monitor (an Archimedes monitor) 
which worked fine (until it died and my brother took it to be fixed, never 
to be seen again), even when I did a dual display with a TV as well to show 
the difference in quality - the last colour monitor caused the TV output to 
visibly degrade considerably if run at the same time.

I did have an odd occurence years ago when I removed the dead battery from 
the GC; on reinsertion of GC the QL didn't work and I thought it was fried, 
but it just started working again.

I have just tried to re-insert the GC and it crashes on boot.  Without it, 
it booted ok, so haven't tried to re-re-insert.  Have subsequently tried ICE 
ROM and it has booted ok.  Would poss suggest GC, but that *WAS* checked and 
found Ok - implying poss fault on expansion port of QL?


Robert
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---
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Re: [ql-users] Today 20 years ago...

2006-01-25 Thread Tony Firshman
On  Wed, 25 Jan 2006 at 21:01:56, Robert Newson wrote:
(ref: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>)


>Mine's still sitting on my desk; however it isn't working at the moment (I
>suspect a ULA) :-(
What are the symptoms?

Tony
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Re: [ql-users] Today 20 years ago...

2006-01-25 Thread Robert Newson
Stephen Usher wrote:

> Well, actually, it was 20 years ago tomorrow, but why wait..
> 
> I also got my QL then.
> 
> It allowed me to learn how to program in assembler, helped me with MSc project
> (the MSc course used a 68000 board for the robotics stuff and I used the QL as
> a development platform, writing a subset of the QDOS system calls for the
> 68000 board to ease the development) and was a lovely machine to program. I
> see that another subscriber to this list is Robert Newson. Do you still use my
> old terminal emulator program?

Would if the QL worked...handy for testing Bullet ^_^

> It still works, though it's up in my loft at the moment along with the Trump
> Card and the twin 3.5" DD drives.

Mine's still sitting on my desk; however it isn't working at the moment (I 
suspect a ULA) :-(

> Ah, the memories.

So much stuff on my 3.2M ED disks I want to get at (eg my year planner 
program, and my diary program - prints a weekly twin page diary starting on 
any day with 4 days on the left page and 3 on the right to a given size, 
complete with printing on both sides of the paper ready for cutting and 
binding...)...must get the QL fixed when I get a chance.
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Re: [ql-users] Today 20 years ago...

2006-01-25 Thread George Gwilt

On 25 Jan 2006, at 09:37, Stephen Usher wrote:

>
> It allowed me to learn how to program in assembler, helped me with  
> MSc project
> (the MSc course used a 68000 board for the robotics stuff and I  
> used the QL as
> a development platform, writing a subset of the QDOS system calls  
> for the
> 68000 board to ease the development) and was a lovely machine to  
> program. I
> see that another subscriber to this list is Robert Newson. Do you  
> still use my
> old terminal emulator program?

Yes. The 68020+ Motorola series is even nicer!!

George
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Re: [ql-users] Website problem

2006-01-25 Thread Phoebus R. Dokos
Την Wed, 25 Jan 2006 12:06:37 -0500,ο(η) Tony Firshman  
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> έγραψε:

> On  Wed, 25 Jan 2006 at 11:15:07, Phoebus R. Dokos wrote:
> (ref: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>)
>
>> Hi all,
>> unfortunately today my website was hijacked by (probably) Russian  
>> hackers
>> running a phishing scam. My provider had to completely delete the  
>> contents
>> of all my websites. Until further notice, there will be no
>> uqlx.dokos-gr.net, freeqdos.dokos-gr.net, ql-archive.dokos-gr.net and  
>> all
>> the files contained therein (so there go all the QL-INET files from the
>> articles) Sorry about any inconvenience.
> Hope you have good backups.
>
> Tony
>


I do :-) However on a mobile phone connection (hopefully for only 5 more  
days) I cannot upload anything.

Thanks,


Phoebus
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Re: [ql-users] Website problem

2006-01-25 Thread Tony Firshman
On  Wed, 25 Jan 2006 at 11:15:07, Phoebus R. Dokos wrote:
(ref: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>)

>Hi all,
>unfortunately today my website was hijacked by (probably) Russian hackers
>running a phishing scam. My provider had to completely delete the contents
>of all my websites. Until further notice, there will be no
>uqlx.dokos-gr.net, freeqdos.dokos-gr.net, ql-archive.dokos-gr.net and all
>the files contained therein (so there go all the QL-INET files from the
>articles) Sorry about any inconvenience.
Hope you have good backups.

Tony

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[ql-users] Website problem

2006-01-25 Thread Phoebus R. Dokos
Hi all,
unfortunately today my website was hijacked by (probably) Russian hackers  
running a phishing scam. My provider had to completely delete the contents  
of all my websites. Until further notice, there will be no  
uqlx.dokos-gr.net, freeqdos.dokos-gr.net, ql-archive.dokos-gr.net and all  
the files contained therein (so there go all the QL-INET files from the  
articles) Sorry about any inconvenience.


Phoebus
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[ql-users] Impressive: QL in Ghostscript 8.14 docs

2006-01-25 Thread extdgl42
I expect a number of QLers are aware of this already, but in downloading & 
installing Ghostscript 8.14 (a major product for viewing PostScript & PDF), for 
work, I happened through the ReadMe file, and there "in front of God & country" 
as they say, was:

"SMS/QDOS 
For information on a port to the SMS/QDOS operating system, contact 
Jonathan R. Hudson
+44-1703-867843 telephone and fax
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.jrhudson.demon.co.uk/ 
The Web site has precompiled binaries, and the port includes includes drivers 
for: 

pic:  native graphics format  (PIC, 1-, -2, 4-, 8-colour formats)  
qfax: fax files (1D, 2D normal and fine)

Plan 9 [etc.]"

The World knows of us, at least here and there.

Doug L. 37830 USA

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Re: [ql-users] Today 20 years ago...

2006-01-25 Thread Arnould
My QL was 20 in November 84. I don't remember the exact date, but I 
still have the invoice somewhere in the handbook. It was version JM 
imported to France by a non official reseller. It still works well. 
Including the microdrives.

Arnould


On Wed, 25 Jan 2006 09:37:17 + (GMT), Stephen Usher wrote
> Well, actually, it was 20 years ago tomorrow, but why wait..
> 
> I also got my QL then.

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Re: [ql-users] Today 20 years ago...

2006-01-25 Thread Tony Firshman
On  Wed, 25 Jan 2006 at 10:20:07, Stephen Usher wrote:
(ref: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>)

>Hello Tony,
>
>>>Well, actually, it was 20 years ago tomorrow, but why wait..
>>Sorry, you snipped the context.
>>What was 20 years tomorrow
>
>Sorry about that, it was a reply to a thread on the list about a person
>getting their QL 20 years ago. Hence...
>
>>>I also got my QL then.
Ah - I knew that "20 years ago"  subject was about getting one's first
QL.  I misread your sentence out of context, and read that as I got "X"
and also got my QL - sorry.

>>>Do you still use my
>>>old terminal emulator program?
>>Which one was that? I was heavily involved with Tony Price's QuaLsoft
>>Terminal in the 80s/90s.
>>This spawned my BBS which is still running (see below)!
>
>Oh, it was actually an emulator of an emulator I wrote that I think only
>Robert Newson ever used. I wrote it over the summer of '87 after finding that
>the previous version written in SuperBASIC couldn't even cope with 300baud.
>
>It emulated the University College London BBC Terminal Emulator which itself
>emulated a DEC VT52 and Tektronix T4010 with the addition of BBC *FX commands.
>
>Of course, the overworked keyboard/sound/serial receive chip in the QL was the
>biggest bane as there would be constant lost data at anything above about
>2400baud.
Indeed.  It was worse than that.  The 8049 receive buffer could easily
get out of step, and only cured by a power down.  Simple reset would not
cure. That was one of the reasons for QL Terminal, which coped much
better.
>The second biggest bane was that QDOS couldn't throw characters at
>the screen fast enough for anything more than about 600baud, which meant that
>I had to have a big receive buffer, which often filled (mostly 'cos I never
>got around to implementing a ring-buffer).
That was all solved with Gold and SuperGold card.
The supergoldcard QL can now cope with the superHermes 57,600 speeds to
screen pretty well.

Hermes was produced primarily to cope tidily with high input baud rates.
The QLs std 8049 simply did not handle in the input handshake line
correctly, especially when it was making sound.   sH was a superfast
follow-on.

The modern sH equipped black box is quite usable at high baud rates.
sH can do 115200, but the QL can only handle file transfers a bit below
80k - so 57600 is the maximum sensible standard baud rate.

Tony
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Re: [ql-users] Today 20 years ago...

2006-01-25 Thread Stephen Usher
Hello Tony,

>>Well, actually, it was 20 years ago tomorrow, but why wait..
>Sorry, you snipped the context.
>What was 20 years tomorrow

Sorry about that, it was a reply to a thread on the list about a person
getting their QL 20 years ago. Hence...

>>I also got my QL then.
>>
>>It allowed me to learn how to program in assembler, helped me with MSc project
>>(the MSc course used a 68000 board for the robotics stuff and I used the QL as
>>a development platform, writing a subset of the QDOS system calls for the
>>68000 board to ease the development) and was a lovely machine to program. I
>>see that another subscriber to this list is Robert Newson. Do you still use my
>>old terminal emulator program?
>Which one was that? I was heavily involved with Tony Price's QuaLsoft
>Terminal in the 80s/90s.
>This spawned my BBS which is still running (see below)!

Oh, it was actually an emulator of an emulator I wrote that I think only
Robert Newson ever used. I wrote it over the summer of '87 after finding that
the previous version written in SuperBASIC couldn't even cope with 300baud.

It emulated the University College London BBC Terminal Emulator which itself
emulated a DEC VT52 and Tektronix T4010 with the addition of BBC *FX commands.

Of course, the overworked keyboard/sound/serial receive chip in the QL was the
biggest bane as there would be constant lost data at anything above about
2400baud. The second biggest bane was that QDOS couldn't throw characters at
the screen fast enough for anything more than about 600baud, which meant that
I had to have a big receive buffer, which often filled (mostly 'cos I never
got around to implementing a ring-buffer).

Steve
-- 
---
Nostalgia isn't as good as it used to be.

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Re: [ql-users] Today 20 years ago...

2006-01-25 Thread Tony Firshman
On  Wed, 25 Jan 2006 at 09:37:17, you (Stephen Usher) wrote:
(ref: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>)

>Well, actually, it was 20 years ago tomorrow, but why wait..
Sorry, you snipped the context.
What was 20 years tomorrow
>
>I also got my QL then.
>
>It allowed me to learn how to program in assembler, helped me with MSc project
>(the MSc course used a 68000 board for the robotics stuff and I used the QL as
>a development platform, writing a subset of the QDOS system calls for the
>68000 board to ease the development) and was a lovely machine to program. I
>see that another subscriber to this list is Robert Newson. Do you still use my
>old terminal emulator program?
Which one was that? I was heavily involved with Tony Price's QuaLsoft
Terminal in the 80s/90s.
This spawned my BBS which is still running (see below)!
>
>It still works, though it's up in my loft at the moment along with the Trump
>Card and the twin 3.5" DD drives.
Tony

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[ql-users] Today 20 years ago...

2006-01-25 Thread Stephen Usher
Well, actually, it was 20 years ago tomorrow, but why wait..

I also got my QL then.

It allowed me to learn how to program in assembler, helped me with MSc project
(the MSc course used a 68000 board for the robotics stuff and I used the QL as
a development platform, writing a subset of the QDOS system calls for the
68000 board to ease the development) and was a lovely machine to program. I
see that another subscriber to this list is Robert Newson. Do you still use my
old terminal emulator program?

It still works, though it's up in my loft at the moment along with the Trump
Card and the twin 3.5" DD drives.

Ah, the memories.

Steve
-- 
---
Nostalgia isn't as good as it used to be.

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