Re: [ql-users] Eindhoven workshop (launchpad)
Jonathan Dent wrote: Dilwyn wrote: I keep getting extra ideas for it, especially since Darrenm suggested the 'more than one user' options. What started as a fairly simple point, click and exec program has (like QDT I suspect) turned into quite a project! Darren wrote: Yes, I suggested to Dil the ability to load different user log-ons, ie. entering different names and passwords would load each users preferences, ie. favourite games/utilitities on the desktop, as well as wallpaper or whatever. He went off scratching his head, and had a basic working example in a hour or so - quite amazing. Darren must be easily impressed, it was only a token effort which only just worked (in fact he didn't see the disaster I had with a bit later). It was my good luck he asked for something which needed so little change to existing code. In fact, the menu redesigns etc in Easyptr was harder than the extra code to write! I'm looking forward to a working version to see how good it is, even some of the icons Dil has designed are fabulous. By mode 4 standards perhaps, even then, they're just standard Easyptr sprites. Sounds interesting. I wonder if you have come up with a method of storing passwords securely, that could be applicable to other applications such as email etc. looking forward to seeing the finished thing No, passwords are stored coded so that you couldn't view them just by copying them to the screen, although anyone with a rudimentary programming knowledge could very easily decode it - after all, you only need rename a BOOT file or bootup from a floppy and Launchpad wouldn't load to start with (instant access to all the machine!)! It was meant to be a method of allowing different setups for different users rather than security as such, I only put passwords onto the logins since Darren had mentioned them and it needed only a little extra code to implement. The only slight snag as yet is that if you forget your password nobody can recover it for you, although I am working on an 'administrator' type login which would have access to passwords etc. It does seem a bit overkill for what started as a simple 'click on an icon to exec' program, though! To be honest, since anyone with a files menu can access all the hard disk anyway, there doesn't seem much point attempting secure passwords. -- Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.soft.net.uk/dj/index.html
Re: [ql-users] Eindhoven workshop
Dilwyn wrote:- Would be happy to send you a copy when it is in a compiled form, which it isn't yet. Have only done test compilations, nothing really runable so far. Darren Branagh and Claus Graf (and a few others at the Manchester Quanta AGM) saw it running. Oh, Claus, it's working on Q60 now too! launchpad is looking good. Very different in some respects yet similar to QDT, I see it as its younger brother, and it will run on QDOS systems unlike QDT which will require SMSQ/E (for obvious reasons, its altogether a more ambitious product). I keep getting extra ideas for it, especially since Darrenm suggested the 'more than one user' options. What started as a fairly simple point, click and exec program has (like QDT I suspect) turned into quite a project! Yes, I suggested to Dil the ability to load different user log-ons, ie. entering different names and passwords would load each users preferences, ie. favourite games/utilitities on the desktop, as well as wallpaper or whatever. He went off scratching his head, and had a basic working example in a hour or so - quite amazing. I'm looking forward to a working version to see how good it is, even some of the icons Dil has designed are fabulous. Darren Branagh Director, Wicklow Web Centre Limited Computer Training, Web Design, Repairs sales Upgrades. Email : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.wwc.ie -- Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.soft.net.uk/dj/index.html - Original Message - From: James Hunkins [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 23 June 2002 20:33 Subject: Re: [ql-users] Eindhoven workshop By the way, I am looking forward to seeing LaunchPad! I suspect that I will get some inspiration from it too. After all, most of 'my' good ideas were originally someone else's or a derivative of something that I had seen earlier :) Jim On Sunday, June 23, 2002, at 01:58 AM, Dilwyn Jones wrote: Tony Firshman wrote: 6) Seeing a pretty functional QDT alpha. It is going to be a very essential addon to the QL. Pity Jim Hunkins is only coding for SMSQ. This is why Launchpad is continuing to be written despite the obvious (to me) superiority of QDT. Launchpad will provide a GUI for QDOS systems too. I'm sure there's room for both. I think Jim is a little bit ahead of me if he has an alpha release going though. -- Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.soft.net.uk/dj/index.html
Re: [ql-users] Eindhoven workshop
On Sun, 23 Jun 2002 at 09:58:29, Dilwyn Jones wrote: (ref: 004401c21a9a$e157ab20$28075cc3@default) Tony Firshman wrote: 6) Seeing a pretty functional QDT alpha. It is going to be a very essential addon to the QL. Pity Jim Hunkins is only coding for SMSQ. This is why Launchpad is continuing to be written despite the obvious (to me) superiority of QDT. Launchpad will provide a GUI for QDOS systems too. I'm sure there's room for both. I think Jim is a little bit ahead of me if he has an alpha release going though. Well it certainly looked like an Alpha. There seemed to be an awful lot working, and not many 'not implemented yet' messages. Even Jim's sprite editor was there, although I guess that was one of the very early utilities. It was nice to see it looking more like QPAC2 than Windows - even in hires mode. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname.demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Eindhoven workshop
Would be happy to send you a copy when it is in a compiled form, which it isn't yet. Have only done test compilations, nothing really runable so far. Darren Branagh and Claus Graf (and a few others at the Manchester Quanta AGM) saw it running. Oh, Claus, it's working on Q60 now too! I keep getting extra ideas for it, especially since Darrenm suggested the 'more than one user' options. What started as a fairly simple point, click and exec program has (like QDT I suspect) turned into quite a project! -- Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.soft.net.uk/dj/index.html - Original Message - From: James Hunkins [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 23 June 2002 20:33 Subject: Re: [ql-users] Eindhoven workshop By the way, I am looking forward to seeing LaunchPad! I suspect that I will get some inspiration from it too. After all, most of 'my' good ideas were originally someone else's or a derivative of something that I had seen earlier :) Jim On Sunday, June 23, 2002, at 01:58 AM, Dilwyn Jones wrote: Tony Firshman wrote: 6) Seeing a pretty functional QDT alpha. It is going to be a very essential addon to the QL. Pity Jim Hunkins is only coding for SMSQ. This is why Launchpad is continuing to be written despite the obvious (to me) superiority of QDT. Launchpad will provide a GUI for QDOS systems too. I'm sure there's room for both. I think Jim is a little bit ahead of me if he has an alpha release going though. -- Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.soft.net.uk/dj/index.html
[ql-users] Eindhoven workshop
Another Eindhoven workshop has come and gone. It seems a lifetime away though from the launch day for Hermes, where I had a turnover of getting on for £2000! I always enjoy these trips in one way or other. This one was memorable for: 1) Finding that the QL monitor that I kept discovering was 'not working' was simply a wrongly wired Scart (Peritel) lead. So often only one sync is wired up - it requires QL Csync to Scart 16 then connected via low value resistor to 20. I had no resistors, but yet again the QL pcb came to the rescue - the 330 ohm network pulldown was ideal. The most memorable cobble from the QL pcb was rescuing a Honeywell CH timer with a QL microdrive power transistor years ago! 2) Free coffee on the boat because they had 'closed the till' 3) A ride in Roy's new (to him) car. It is great - the only the problem is the steering. Car looks very nice though - as we seesaw up the motorway carriageway (8-)# Nice uneventful journey though. Despite what seems like hundreds of journeys on the same route, we still manage a minor wrong turning (roadworks to blame this time). Took the scenic route in Eindhoven to the show. It is a cycle lane No it isn't, why have they got a 30 KpH limit? I reply. 4) Finding that a non-working returned Mplane was probably due to the owner drilling holes through the pcb. This is a mite silly with multi-layer boards (8-)# 5) Soldering an SMD 1206 (tiny) capacitor on Bob Spelten's sH with what seemed like a spade (I only had my 25w iron). 6) Seeing a pretty functional QDT alpha. It is going to be a very essential addon to the QL. Pity Jim Hunkins is only coding for SMSQ. 7) Severely testing a Super Gold Card. I have from time to time connected expansions cobbled for 5v supply to a std QL, but only briefly. The last thing I did in the UK before the trip was to test Mplane. I powered up the QL, but then went for a cup of coffee (as always supplied free, courtesy of Sjef) and got waylaid in a 90 minute chat in a trader's huddle before anyone else arrived. Got back to my table, and sniff - that is a funny smell. The SGC was too hot to touch - well the 1810. Jumpered for 5V! OK - see if the QL is OK. It wasn't - but it was only the 8301. Ah well - I still have another SGC. OK - plug it in and swap chips - may only be the 1810. What a pity it is unobtainable. I couldn't believe my eyes - the SGC was fine, and worked crash free for the whole day. Unbelievable. I measured the '9v' line and it was about 10.5 volts. All I can think is that the 8301 had latched (where signal lines are higher than power rail) and it had successfully kept the SGC power rail much lower than 10.5 volts. but for 90 minutes? Amazing. What think you Nasta? BTW what on earth have you been doing in the US - eating Cow Pie (UK Dandy readers will get the reference). I gather you are all muscle (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tonysurname.demon.co.uk http://www.firshman.demon.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
Re: [ql-users] Eindhoven workshop
6) Seeing a pretty functional QDT alpha. It is going to be a very essential addon to the QL. Pity Jim Hunkins is only coding for SMSQ. Glad you got to see it (thanks guys for taking the time to show it over there!). And yes it is a pity, but something about being a one man team doing a 100 man team job :) Actually, it is going to be hard enough to support the range of systems that I am planning on as it is. The problem with a reasonably powerful/useful GUI type desktop is that it does take resources! (you got to love a challenge though) Jim
