[ql-users] Re: [ql-users] Re: [ql-users] Re: Re: Re: [ql-users] £ 0.00 to spend! (1s t attempt)
I used one at uni ( Reading 1977-80) - We had a network of sorts An ICL mainframe over at one side of the campus in the Computer Science Block , and a Modular One (or some similar name) over the other side in the Cybernetics Dept - with a nature reserve and a lake between them. So, the connection was via phone line and 300 baud accoustic coupler - The telephone handset was placed into a foam padded box which contained speaker and microphone and was connected to the computer - it worked very well, and was not at all sensitive to noise. This made us cyberneticists feel very superior. While the computer science people had to submit their jobs on punched cards, we could use the teletypes and even tectronix green graphics terminals in our dept and use the M1 as a front-end computer to work interactively on the ICL mainframe. Back then home computing was a bit pricy. A Commodore Pet with a black and white display capable of 40X20 graphics, and 4K Ram cost several thousand pounds. The along came Uncle Clive, and the rest is history (more or less back on track). Jeremy Taffel - Original Message - From: Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 6:21 PM Subject: [ql-users] Re: [ql-users] Re: Re: Re: [ql-users] £ 0.00 to spend! (1s t attempt) Mind you the 300bps acoustic coupler modem is a bit limiting (8-)# It was Z88 like, but with a great keyboard, but poor screen. Acoustic coupler? Is that a modem that plays the sound through the telephone handset rather than plug into the phone line? I remember reading about that kind of thing many, many years ago, but never used one and didn't really believe they would work anyway...surely a TV on in the background or something would make it not work? (Back to my flat earth books...) -- Dilwyn Jones
[ql-users] Re: Re: Re: [ql-users] £ 0.00 to spend! (1s t attempt)
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 at 18:31:04, wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Personally, the lack of Internet access for the QL/Q40 is not an issue for me. I have a PC for most of my Internet use (dial up) and use the system at work for larger downloads (T-1). I look at the QL as a nice hobbiest computer. I find it fun to use and to work on. I find learning more about the QL interesting and useful towards learning other computers. The QL can't compete with a full blown PC for capabilites, but it really should not. How many other computers can you still use today that you've been using for almost 20 years. Tandy 100 - which is over 20 years old. Mind you the 300bps acoustic coupler modem is a bit limiting (8-)# It was Z88 like, but with a great keyboard, but poor screen. Fabulous machine in its day, when 300bps was state of the art. I used it to access my QL BBS remotely. Sadly this is no longer possible as my modem won't get slower than 9600. -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname.co.uk http://www.firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
[ql-users] Re: [ql-users] Re: Re: Re: [ql-users] £ 0.00 to spend! (1s t attempt)
Mind you the 300bps acoustic coupler modem is a bit limiting (8-)# It was Z88 like, but with a great keyboard, but poor screen. Acoustic coupler? Is that a modem that plays the sound through the telephone handset rather than plug into the phone line? I remember reading about that kind of thing many, many years ago, but never used one and didn't really believe they would work anyway...surely a TV on in the background or something would make it not work? (Back to my flat earth books...) -- Dilwyn Jones
[ql-users] Re: [ql-users] Re: [ql-users] Re: Re: Re: [ql-users] £ 0.00 to spend! (1s t attempt)
On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 at 18:21:03, Dilwyn Jones wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Mind you the 300bps acoustic coupler modem is a bit limiting (8-)# It was Z88 like, but with a great keyboard, but poor screen. Acoustic coupler? Is that a modem that plays the sound through the telephone handset rather than plug into the phone line? I remember reading about that kind of thing many, many years ago, but never used one and didn't really believe they would work anyway...surely a TV on in the background or something would make it not work? They fitted very tightly over the phone and worked very well. The phones had to be old style - but they all ere then! This was the standard way for the old teletype links (IBM call 360 and the like). There were no modems as such in the 70s. You had to dial manually, listen for the tones, and fit the coupler. ... and the 'monitor' was a wide carriage IBM golfball printer. Those were the days (8-)# -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname.co.uk http://www.firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG
