[ql-users] QLer ages - Membership numbers
There appears to be two age camps here ( & Marcel ). I actually lied about my age, im not 40, well not for another three months but 39.751 is close enough i guess - has anyone spotted the small bug in my arithmetic routine, sounds familiar :-) Moving on and I'm asking purely out of interest, does anyone know the number of paid up QUANTA members and number of subscribers to QL Today. I'm trying to guage the scale of the QL community. >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 14 September 2006 00:07 >>> On 13/9/06 23:44, "Ade Vickers" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Well... I just turned 33, so I guess that lowers the average a little :) Lurker time is it? :) I'm not yet 40, (9 months to go) and missed the QL revolution at the time because I'd gone all Amiga 500 thanks to work-based cheap deals. Of course I've made up for that these days but still haven't moved out of the 'stock' QL arena purely because I don't have room to set up and use any more machines on a daily basis. > Unlike all of my mid-90s PC floppies, which are thoroughly dead. That (Sir) > Clive Sinclair, he knew a thing or two... despite being panned at the time. Must admit, I don't get many unreadable microdrive carts, though thanks to Tony F I've got several working 3.5" floppy interfaces and drives to keep me going.. -- Adrian/Witchy Binary Dinosaurs creator/curator www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - the UK's biggest private home computer collection? ___ 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. www.boxclever.co.uk *** ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QLer ages
Hi Tony, > Often motherboard faults can be repairable, especially ram. > What do you see on screen when it tries to boot? When I get Random coloured snow, various screeches and whistles from the speaker, both microdrives spinning up & down randomly, all constantly changing. The "click-click" when you push the reset button can still be heard (over the cacophany), but the net effect is nothing whatsoever changes. I've tried replacing all of the pluggable chips (not sure, but I may have dislodged the flying resistor which is parked somewhere near the roms, which was obviously a hardware patch), to no avail.- all chips work fine in another motherboard. > a motherboard that is not simple to repair, I (like you) > simply use a working m/b. Agreed, it is far simpler; but I would love to be able (one day) to say "THAT is 100% my original computer (ok, barring whatever components needed replacing to make it work again!)" [microdrives] > The usual problem is the roller riding up. Never suffered that ever - and I was using nothing but microdrives until at least the early '90s (A 128k basic QL was my only machine from 1984 to 1992, when I expanded to 512k + a single 5.25" floppy drive - running on some weird interface which prefixed the drives "fdk" - so I had to mess around with *every* piece of software to make it use fdk rather than flp; until I found the command on my interface which allowed me to substitute "flp" in; then I had to alter all of my software *again* to make it use flp Happy days. Cheers, Ade. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.3/447 - Release Date: 13/09/2006 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QLer ages - Membership numbers
Neil Riley wrote: > Moving on and I'm asking purely out of interest, does anyone > know the number of paid up QUANTA members and number of > subscribers to QL Today. I used to be a QUANTA member, but it lapsed several years ago due to inaction on my part (oops). I've never subscribed to QL Toady (am I allowed to call it that, as a non-subscriber?), although I occasionally think I really ought to... Being the lazy (very very lazy) sort, combined with a memory comprised entirely of the holes you find in swiss cheese, I am forever not getting around to subscribing for these things. What would be really nice is if I could buy 5 years worth of membership/subs upfront, and have a dead easy website to go to if I need to change address, etc. Then I'd be more likely to join, as I'd only have to remember once every 5 years... > > I'm trying to guage the scale of the QL community. > Pretty damn big for a computer that was considered to be a commercial failure, it seems to me. Cheers, Ade. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.3/447 - Release Date: 13/09/2006 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QLer ages
Adrian (good name)/ Witchy wrote: > Lurker time is it? :) Well, it's about time I had another shot at being involved... I just seem to run out of space/time just as my interest is rekindled. This time, I have a half-decent sized (for me) office, and some actual spare desk space! So I shall be getting a QL out to play with from time to time, just as soon as I've got the 3rd desk in here. Cheers, Ade. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.3/447 - Release Date: 13/09/2006 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QLer ages - Membership numbers
Referring to Quanta Membership numbers, these were reported in my annual report to the Quanta AGM in April 2006 as being 161 (as at the 31st January). This figure excludes any renewals received after that date. This report was included in the Quanta AGM reports published in the QUANTA Magazine Volume 23 Issue. 1 Feb/Mar 2006. Ade Vickers is one of very few QLers who (perhaps unknowingly) has added to the QUANTA Web Site "Wish list". It is still hoped to completely re-vamp this web site by the end of this year and your comments on it's content and features would be most warmly received. Come on - give us a challenge. Regards John Gilpin. Quanta Treasurer & Membership Secretary. - Original Message - From: "Ade Vickers" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2006 11:25 AM Subject: Re: [ql-users] QLer ages - Membership numbers > Neil Riley wrote: > >> Moving on and I'm asking purely out of interest, does anyone >> know the number of paid up QUANTA members and number of >> subscribers to QL Today. > > I used to be a QUANTA member, but it lapsed several years ago due to > inaction on my part (oops). I've never subscribed to QL Toady (am I > allowed > to call it that, as a non-subscriber?), although I occasionally think I > really ought to... > > Being the lazy (very very lazy) sort, combined with a memory comprised > entirely of the holes you find in swiss cheese, I am forever not getting > around to subscribing for these things. What would be really nice is if I > could buy 5 years worth of membership/subs upfront, and have a dead easy > website to go to if I need to change address, etc. Then I'd be more likely > to join, as I'd only have to remember once every 5 years... > >> >> I'm trying to guage the scale of the QL community. >> > > Pretty damn big for a computer that was considered to be a commercial > failure, it seems to me. > > > Cheers, > Ade. > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.3/447 - Release Date: 13/09/2006 > > > ___ > 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] QLer ages - Membership numbers
- Original Message - From: "John Gilpin" To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2006 1:17 PM Subject: Re: [ql-users] QLer ages - Membership numbers > Referring to Quanta Membership numbers, these were reported in my annual > report to the Quanta AGM in April 2006 as being 161 (as at the 31st > January). This figure excludes any renewals received after that date. This > report was included in the Quanta AGM reports published in the QUANTA > Magazine Volume 23 Issue. 1 Feb/Mar 2006. > Naughty! Naughty! John. If you remember I queried this figure at the AGM as it showed there had been a 45% decline in membership in 12 months. A later figure you published in the magazine is 219. Can we have some consistency please? In the past the membership figure quoted at the AGM was always that on 31st December, which probably gives the most accurate indication of the true size of Quanta. I now have a little exercise for the committee. Look up the membership for the last ten years, plot this on a graph and then extrapolate it to determine membership at the end of the 3 year term of the current officers. You are in for a nasty shock!, Best wishes, Geoff ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[ql-users] QL clock
Can anyone tell me if the QL clock always uses English month names, or does it vary with national ROM versions? (I don't recall seeing it mentioned anywhere). -- Dilwyn Jones -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.3/446 - Release Date: 12/09/2006 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QL clock
Dilwyn Jones wrote: > Can anyone tell me if the QL clock always uses English month names, or > does it vary with national ROM versions? The strings are localised (type "LANG_USE it" to check it out yourself). Marcel ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[ql-users] Native TCP/IP (was Tandata Modem Q Con + Q Mod)
Marcel wrote: > There are some open source light-weight TCP/IP stacks available which > could potentially be ported to SMSQ/E, lwIP for example, but I > currently have neither the time nor much inclination to do so. Would > have been an excellent job for Jonathan Hudson, the master of all C > ports. Obviously you find the OS the right place for TCP/IP support. Which makes me wonder how you'd want to link code from Jonathan Hudson. He used to use free software licenses, so his code gets locked out of SMSQ/E by legal obstacle. Or is the ice melting and open source (http://www.opensource.org) has become an option for SMSQ/E if major features are offered? Native TCP/IP (and more) was done by me years ago. I had offered it for free. Like Jonathan I won't use a proprietary license for it. But unlike Jonathan I still work for the QL and I can be reached if ice is melting. All the best Peter ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QLer ages
nearly 41 8-( Ade Vickers wrote: ... > Agreed, it is far simpler; but I would love to be able (one day) to say > "THAT is 100% my original computer (ok, barring whatever components needed > replacing to make it work again!)" Replacing m/b to get it working?... This broom of mine is the same one I bought 30 years ago; since then it's had 10 new heads and 5 new handles, but it's the same broom... ^_^ ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QLer ages - Membership numbers
You are quite correct (as usual) Geoff. Volume 23 Issue 2 April/May 2006 page 15 shows the updated total figure as 219. I knew I'd done an update but couldn't find the notes I made at the time. However the Magazine shows the result. Thanks for the memory jogger, Geoff. John G. - Original Message - From: "gwicks" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2006 7:33 PM Subject: Re: [ql-users] QLer ages - Membership numbers > > - Original Message - > From: "John Gilpin" > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2006 1:17 PM > Subject: Re: [ql-users] QLer ages - Membership numbers > > >> Referring to Quanta Membership numbers, these were reported in my annual >> report to the Quanta AGM in April 2006 as being 161 (as at the 31st >> January). This figure excludes any renewals received after that date. >> This >> report was included in the Quanta AGM reports published in the QUANTA >> Magazine Volume 23 Issue. 1 Feb/Mar 2006. >> > > Naughty! Naughty! John. > > If you remember I queried this figure at the AGM as it showed there had > been > a 45% decline in membership in 12 months. A later figure you published in > the magazine is 219. > > Can we have some consistency please? In the past the membership figure > quoted at the AGM was always that on 31st December, which probably gives > the > most accurate indication of the true size of Quanta. > > I now have a little exercise for the committee. Look up the membership for > the last ten years, plot this on a graph and then extrapolate it to > determine membership at the end of the 3 year term of the current > officers. > You are in for a nasty shock!, > > Best wishes, > > Geoff > > > ___ > 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] QLer ages
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, James Hunkins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes >I have been 38 for well over a decade. So if you add each time I was >38 up as individual entries and divide, does that kind of force the >average age towards 38? > >Marcel - don't even think about commenting here... > >jim > >On 13-Sep-06, at 1:54 PM, Tony Firshman wrote: > >Neil Riley wrote: > >> On a similar subject, whats the average age of you guys... Don't >> lie, I've seen the pictures :-) >> as a starter for ten, I was born the year we last won the world cup so >> the average currently stands >> at 40, any advance ! :-p >60 >Tony Another one approaching the big 60 ... now the new 50 ... :-) -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QLer ages
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Tony Firshman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes >Ade Vickers wrote: > >> I've still got that first QL (cue dewey eyes) - although the mainboard has >> sadly packed up, as has the original 8032 coprocessor chip. She's had 2 or 3 >> new membranes too. I've replaced the board & co-pro with one from a newer >> QL, but retained the original microdrives (still working perfectly) & AH >> roms. It would be nice to have the original motherboard repaired (regardless >> of the cost), partly for sentimental reasons, and partly because I suspect >> an original early '84 machine has a reasonably good (and always improving) >> collectibility value. The serial no. starts D06; I guess there are others on >> this list with even older machines though. >Indeed yes (8-)# >Often motherboard faults can be repairable, especially ram. What do you >see on screen when it tries to boot? When I get a motherboard that is >not simple to repair, I (like you) simply use a working m/b. Yes, Tony is your man for any QL repair diagnostics ... Ade, can you get to the forthcoming Quanta Show at Byfleet, Surrey, on 5th November 2006 ? -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QLer ages - Membership numbers
On Thursday 14 September 2006 20:43, John Gilpin wrote: > You are quite correct (as usual) Geoff. > > Volume 23 Issue 2 April/May 2006 page 15 shows the updated total figure as > 219. Hi John, I am delighted you are not letting G Wickes rattle you. AND There is no justification in extrapolations, or nasty shocks. More members would still be good, however! Regards, Alex. PS If I was a bean-counter, I might claim my average age today is 32. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QLer ages - Membership numbers
It doesn't matter what your age is Alex, YOU are an active QLer AND a QUANTA Member. - That's what counts, not beans!! Welcome back. John G (LHT - still) - Original Message - From: "Alex Wells" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2006 11:16 PM Subject: Re: [ql-users] QLer ages - Membership numbers > On Thursday 14 September 2006 20:43, John Gilpin wrote: >> You are quite correct (as usual) Geoff. >> >> Volume 23 Issue 2 April/May 2006 page 15 shows the updated total figure >> as >> 219. > > Hi John, > > I am delighted you are not letting G Wickes rattle you. > > AND > > There is no justification in extrapolations, or nasty shocks. > More members would still be good, however! > > Regards, Alex. > > PS If I was a bean-counter, I might claim my average age today is 32. > ___ > 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] QLer ages
Ade Vickers wrote: > Hi Tony, > >> Often motherboard faults can be repairable, especially ram. >> What do you see on screen when it tries to boot? > > Random coloured snow, various screeches and whistles from the speaker, both > microdrives spinning up & down randomly, all constantly changing. The > "click-click" when you push the reset button can still be heard (over the > cacophany), but the net effect is nothing whatsoever changes. > > I've tried replacing all of the pluggable chips (not sure, but I may have > dislodged the flying resistor which is parked somewhere near the roms, which > was obviously a hardware patch), to no avail.- all chips work fine in > another motherboard. Not relevant. Hrmm - not the usual stuff. Check that there are no bent (shorting) pins on the expansion connector. Could be a dodgy connection on the 68008 I suppose. That socket was very sub-standard. It had the sort of weak spring connectors that were on *all* the sockets of my UK101! Tony -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 Skype: tonyfirshman TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, 800TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QLer ages
Malcolm Cadman wrote: > Another one approaching the big 60 ... now the new 50 ... :-) 43, going on 21 :-) Looking forward to Byfleet... John ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QLer ages - Membership numbers
At 19:33 14/09/2006 +0100, you wrote: >I now have a little exercise for the committee. Look up the membership for >the last ten years, plot this on a graph and then extrapolate it to >determine membership at the end of the 3 year term of the current officers. >You are in for a nasty shock!, I had very similar thoughts. Two tears ago I was wondering what the QL world consisted of and suggested a survey. Was later informed that 100 out of 300 had responded. On seeing current figure I make a similar supposition regarding extrapolation But I didn't see a problem, more a bonus. By the time membership is down to committee size there will be a nice fat pot to share out. PS I wont throw the age into the pot, suffice to say that cynicism of this order needs to be well matured. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.3/446 - Release Date: 12/09/2006 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QLer ages
Robert Newson wrote: > Ade Vickers wrote: > > ... > > > Agreed, it is far simpler; but I would love to be able (one day) to > > say "THAT is 100% my original computer (ok, barring whatever > > components needed replacing to make it work again!)" > > Replacing m/b to get it working?... > > This broom of mine is the same one I bought 30 years ago; > since then it's had 10 new heads and 5 new handles, but it's > the same broom... ^_^ I 100% agree - this is why I'd like my original motherboard *repaired* rather than replaced... Otherwise, the only /truly/ original bits are the keytops, the bottom of the case and the ROM chips... Not the same thing at all. Mind you, my original does have a ceramic 68008, wheras all of the subsequent QLs I've picked up have the plastic cased version. Cheers, Ade. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.4/448 - Release Date: 14/09/2006 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QLer ages
Malcolm Cadman wrote: > Yes, Tony is your man for any QL repair diagnostics ... Ade, > can you get to the forthcoming Quanta Show at Byfleet, > Surrey, on 5th November 2006 ? The truest answer is "I don't know". I am due to be going Newbury-way to see a Jaguar C-Type (not for me, sadly) sometime in early-mid November, but it's a long way from Merseyside to Surrey. If I can combine the trips, I'll be there. If I can't, I probably won't :( The last show I attended was in Chester, some time in the '90s. I recall briefly meeting some of my all-time heroes (e.g. Dilwyn Jones) there... Cheers, Ade. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.4/448 - Release Date: 14/09/2006 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QLer ages
Tony wrote: > > Hrmm - not the usual stuff. Check that there are no bent > (shorting) pins on the expansion connector. Definitely not - the plastic cover was still in place when it died. > Could be a dodgy connection on the 68008 I suppose. That > socket was very sub-standard. It had the sort of weak spring > connectors that were on *all* the sockets of my UK101! Possibly - but would a connector give up when the chip had been undisturbed for ~10 years? Cheers, Ade. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.4/448 - Release Date: 14/09/2006 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[ql-users] Q-emuLator version 2.4
A new version of Q-emuLator for Windows is available. The main new feature is emulation of the Q60 video modes and some of the Aurora video modes. RAM available to unregistered copies has also been increased to 384KB to allow users to run unzip_exe to expand archives of QL software downloaded from the Internet. You can download Q-emuLator 2.4 from http://users.infoconex.com/~daniele/winql.html Daniele ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
