Re: [ql-users] Detecting GD2
On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 10:13:12 +, Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 at 03:22:54, P Witte wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) snip It's 10 Euros, not pounds. There might be an argument for a considerably reduced fee since the punter here wont have access to SMSQ/E only to a limited amount of its functionality. If there really were a market in the wider (PC) world for this, it would be better to sell 1000 at 2 euro than none at 10. Of course, all parties would have to give a little. I would think there is a wider market. In this wider market, there would actually be very few who would have bought SMSQ/E, so nothing lost I would have thought. Yes I agree and because it would be a wider market, the total cost of QWord could probably stay at around 20, including the runtime QPC2 emulator and SMSQ/e. Just depends on how much Marcel would want for a runtime (not on the list) and also what restrictions could be applied. The demo version of QPC2 would do, APART from two problems: a) We cannot update the high scores table - this could be overcome by allowing only one type of write to device on the QPC2 runtime - direct to DOS device. This would protect people from seeing this as a cheap way of getting QPC2, especially if you could only use DELETE, OPEN_xx and PRINT calls to the DOS device. However, I am not at all certain how easy this would be. b) Not certain how this could be done as shareware so that it can only be used for 30 days before registering anyone? There could be inbuilt SMSQ/E advertising. I have never got hooked on games (esp the shootup type) but this one I like and will buy it. Not only is it a good idea well done, but it looks good (and sounds good it seems). (and by golly it does you good (8-)# ) Why thankyou Tony - we are all going to have a lot of egg on our faces if everyone pans the game in the end !! Still I doubt that will happen -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services 26 Oak Road, Shelfield, Walsall, West Midlands WS4 1RQ http://www.rwapservices.co.uk/ ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Detecting GD2
Am Fri, 10 Dec 2004 11:50:36 - hat Rich Mellor [EMAIL PROTECTED] geschrieben: The demo version of QPC2 would do, APART from two problems: a) We cannot update the high scores table - this could be overcome by allowing only one type of write to device on the QPC2 runtime - direct to DOSdevice. There are more problems: You can't do without a small win-file to store the program and necessary extensions on. Then SMSQE has to be configured because you don't know where the user will install the package and which the DOS-device should be. For a normal PC-user this might be asked too much. Wolfgang U. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Detecting GD2
On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 at 13:27:27, Wolfgang Uhlig wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Am Fri, 10 Dec 2004 12:13:55 - hat Rich Mellor [EMAIL PROTECTED] geschrieben: - just like the demo does at the moment Sorry, I didn't follow the whole discussion and I didn't download the demo because as a German the game is of no interest for me. It is a very good way of exercising your English (8-)# Mind you I wouldn't be surprised if non-English versions appear, esp (on PC) if they can use the windows dictionary. Do you want to say that the demo is a QPC together with a win-file, which installs itself correctly on a PC, whereever a PC-user wants it to install? I would find that very interesting because I had to install such a constellation with a program of mine. So I had to copy QPC, SMSQE, Registerkey and win-file into one directory, then make a shortcut to QPC on the desktop, then start QPC for the first time, configure all necessary things, especially where to find win1_, then save the settings and go. Does your demo do all these things itself??? It certainly does. It worked fine on my XP system. It was all automatic and very slick. There is even an entry in 'add/remove programs'. Brilliant job. I reckon the average PC user would not even notice the environment they were using. Tony -- 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 Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Detecting GD2
On Thu, 9 Dec 2004 at 20:21:16, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Fri, 10 Dec 2004 00:31:49 +,() Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: On Thu, 9 Dec 2004 at 18:40:44, Malcolm Cadman wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) I am not particularly a 'word game' fan. Yet QWord is so good - in function, appearance, and sound - that I will buy it when it is available in completed form. Ditto. Where did you get sound? I thought the demo was without. Mine certainly is. Probably saw it demo'ed somewhere... Mind you if the Aurora has a Minerva I2C, then due to Simon's excellent driver it can also play sound via the I2C DAC module (or so Simon claims) It does. The quality is not brilliant, as there is only one output channel on a 100k bus. However I will be needing one to test it (I love I2C have I said that?) You have (8-)# (and I don't pay him to say that - honest guv). Tony -- 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 Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Trump Cards and FORMAT
On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 at 01:10:11, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) snip Well SGCs will never be produced again and that's that... they are way too expensive anyway to make any sense for a *brilliant admittedly* piece of hardware of the 90s Cost is not the real killer. One logic chip (urmm Mach EP1810 I think) was internally changed around 1995. It was still within spec, but Stuart was pushing the chip so hard, that the new chip failed. His timing requirements relied on a specific die. Roy found this out the hard way having bought a large batch. Fortunately I only programmed a few (they are OTP) and he got a refund. We all failed to find any old stock. Well, not quite true. Roy found some, but they were programmed! The wallies were selling them without realising they were OTP. I would never design again with OTP chips unless I had to. With sH I spent over £1000 replacing the PICs sold before we programmed around the PIC bug. RomDisq Lattice 2032 is reprogrammable on board. snip Tony -- 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 Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Detecting GD2
Am Fri, 10 Dec 2004 12:37:09 + hat Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] geschrieben: It is a very good way of exercising your English (8-)# Is this sort of hint, hint, hint ? ;-)) Does your demo do all these things itself??? It certainly does. It worked fine on my XP system. It was all automatic and very slick. There is even an entry in 'add/remove programs'. Brilliant job. Okay, then would you mind to send me the demo by e-mail attachment or give me the download address? Wolfgang ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Detecting GD2
On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 14:08:39 +0100, Wolfgang Uhlig [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Am Fri, 10 Dec 2004 12:37:09 + hat Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] geschrieben: It is a very good way of exercising your English (8-)# Is this sort of hint, hint, hint ? ;-)) Does your demo do all these things itself??? It certainly does. It worked fine on my XP system. It was all automatic and very slick. There is even an entry in 'add/remove programs'. Brilliant job. Okay, then would you mind to send me the demo by e-mail attachment or give me the download address? http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk/QWord.html BTW - QWord does cater for German in the release version - thanks to Geoff Wicks :-) -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services 26 Oak Road, Shelfield, Walsall, West Midlands WS4 1RQ http://www.rwapservices.co.uk/ ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Sbytes
At 09:42 10/12/2004 +, you wrote: Anybody know how I might do this on an XP PC. I want to save a chunk every 30 seconds to monitor changes. A chunk of what? CMOS ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: Re: [ql-users] Trump Cards and FORMAT
On 10/12/04 at 12:24 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: 1. Qubide II - definitely. Whether QL expansion is SGC or whatever, Qubide remains the only option for hard disk expansion via IDE from a QL or Aurora systems. This is doable, but requires a minor and/or major upgrade to the driver. The minor part is centered about keeping the driver and the disk format the same, just catering for minor differences in the hardware (line not needing to set any jumpers at all and the capability to work with romDisq). Possibly, the initialization sequence could be simplified. All of this assumes that the Qubide source (latest version) is available, and AFAIK, it is (Roy? What is the legal status of it?), and also assumes a person that can look into said source, understand the necessary bits, and change as needed. It may be prudent to start a repository of sources, perhaps best at the official SMSQ site? The major part is more radical. It is high time that hard drive partitions and formats be unified on QL platforms, and in fact, it is only Qubide that does not directly conform to the norm. It should be possible (indeed, it should not be much work) to convert the SMSQ/E win drivers for Qx0 to run on Qubide hardware. The problem here is the lack of utilities. Qubide's format and partition utilities are, to my knowledge, far more than is available to the Qx0 user. Still more radical, it should be possible to support both types of partitions as well, but that requires a lot of work on the driver(s). There are also issues associated with both drivers, namely use of slave blocks and keeping the disk map (FAT or derivatives) in memory... 2. Ethernet - no use for it myself, but people have said on this list they want it. The hardware here is almost trivial, but the software isn't, unless one limits oneself to a modified NET driver that can run on Ethernet hardware. One gets a quick QL network but nothing else... OTOH supporting TCP/IP could in due time expand the usefulness of such hardware imensely. 3. SGC-type expansion. Something is needed, whether you go down the traditionalist path for a plug in and go Miracle-style expansion, or a much more radical path... You have to decide if you wish to go the expansion route (i.e. plug into QL or Aurora) or go for some completely new hardware such as the one you said you are developing for your employer. Actually, it is likely that both will be made available. The 'low end' system would be ehat my employer wants: Very close to a fully kitted out black box QL and then some, as we can make it now. The difference is, that everything is integrated and it is very small - about the size of an Aurora. Functionality is not a quantum leap over that, but it is higher than what we already have - most notably RAM is increased to 32 or 64M, on-board 16M (with support for future 32M chip incuded) Flash for program and data storage is provided, up to 50% more speed than SGC (so still a far cry from Q40), built-in graphics that is similar in some respects and improved in others compared to the Aurora (eg, you can't have more than 512 pixels vertical but you can have 256 colors in all resolutions, and 16 bit color in some, including standard VGA 640x480). Varioous standard ports are included. New features are MMC flash cards, and USB (possibly also ethernet), sampled sound support (mono). CF card support has been seen before, the difference is that connecting a standard IDE drive involves a CF to IDE adapter is needed, not the other way around as would be traditional. It will probably also have a QL type expansion port for peripherals ONLY at least on prototypes - in order to connect a floppy interface or Qubide, to transfer data when setting up the system. It does NOT have a floppy interface - one can be added externally. The video output can also be used as an interface to a TFT LCD, including a touch-screen option. So, it's some of the old with some of the new, in a nice small package - usable as anything from an interesting toy to an industrial controller. Obviously, many features will need to be supported in the OS, either through modified existing drivers, or through completely new ones. The 'high end' is a version of GoldFire or a re-hash of that design using a top of the line ColdFire V4e CPU. In either case, the designs have radicalityt to them: GF design introduces dual processors (I have been going on about this for years now and lo and behold this is the next step the mainstream is taking, admittedly with dual core CPUs instead of dual CPUs, but the idea is similar if not equivalent), along with a full stack of new hardware features, which also involve additions to things like interrupts (by introducing dedicated interrupt levels for fast peripherals and having the ability to route them to either of the two CPUs). Lots of OS and driver work that should prove essential in the future (if there is to be one). This one has the disadvantage of using 68060, which is now officially obsolete, so
Re: Re: [ql-users] Trump Cards and FORMAT
Fri, 10 Dec 2004 16:45:38 +0100,() ZN [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: On 10/12/04 at 12:24 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: 1. Qubide II - definitely. Whether QL expansion is SGC or whatever, Qubide remains the only option for hard disk expansion via IDE from a QL or Aurora systems. This is doable, but requires a minor and/or major upgrade to the driver. The minor part is centered about keeping the driver and the disk format the same, just catering for minor differences in the hardware (line not needing to set any jumpers at all and the capability to work with romDisq). Possibly, the initialization sequence could be simplified. All of this assumes that the Qubide source (latest version) is available, and AFAIK, it is Yes it is :-) (Roy? What is the legal status of it?), and also assumes a person that can look into said source, understand the necessary bits, and change as needed. It may be prudent to start a repository of sources, perhaps best at the official SMSQ site? The latest QubIDE v.2.02 is already incorporated in QDOS Classic btw :-) The major part is more radical. It is high time that hard drive partitions and formats be unified on QL platforms, and in fact, it is only Qubide that does not directly conform to the norm. It should be possible (indeed, it should not be much work) to convert the SMSQ/E win drivers for Qx0 to run on Qubide hardware. The problem here is the lack of utilities. Qubide's format and partition utilities are, to my knowledge, far more than is available to the Qx0 user. Absolutely true... and when the QubIDE software is run on a Q40 or Q60 thanks to the wonderful work of Derek Stewart, many of the problems experienced with the regular QubIDE software (ie Not a QubIDE partition message appearing out of nowhere) are now gone. Plus format AND verification (which the SMSQ/e Mkpart doesn't do) is lightning fast... However in all truth, there is a GREAT SMSQ/e partition tools only it doesn't run under SMSQ/e... it runs under Linux (atari-fdisk) and it's worth to boot a ram-based linux only for atari-fdisk :-) Still more radical, it should be possible to support both types of partitions as well, but that requires a lot of work on the driver(s). I am not sure if it feasible without major changes in the QubIDE software There are also issues associated with both drivers, namely use of slave blocks and keeping the disk map (FAT or derivatives) in memory... 2. Ethernet - no use for it myself, but people have said on this list they want it. The hardware here is almost trivial, but the software isn't, unless one limits oneself to a modified NET driver that can run on Ethernet hardware. One gets a quick QL network but nothing else... OTOH supporting TCP/IP could in due time expand the usefulness of such hardware imensely. For that it is most likely that Peter's work on QlwIP will be almost trivial to adapt to a new EtherIDE (AFAIK Peter's hardware driver is for the Realtek chipset which is IIRC what you were going to use too) 3. SGC-type expansion. Something is needed, whether you go down the traditionalist path for a plug in and go Miracle-style expansion, or a much more radical path... You have to decide if you wish to go the expansion route (i.e. plug into QL or Aurora) or go for some completely new hardware such as the one you said you are developing for your employer. Actually, it is likely that both will be made available. When is the keyword here :-D The 'low end' system would be ehat my employer wants: Very close to a fully kitted out black box QL and then some, as we can make it now. The difference is, that everything is integrated and it is very small - about the size of an Aurora. Functionality is not a quantum leap over that, but it is higher than what we already have - most notably RAM is increased to 32 or 64M, on-board 16M (with support for future 32M chip incuded) Flash for program and data storage is provided, up to 50% more speed than SGC (so still a far cry from Q40), built-in graphics that is similar in some respects and improved in others compared to the Aurora (eg, you can't have more than 512 pixels vertical but you can have 256 colors in all resolutions, and 16 bit color in some, including standard VGA 640x480). Varioous standard ports are included. New features are MMC flash cards, and USB (possibly also ethernet), sampled sound support (mono). CF card support has been seen before, the difference is that connecting a standard IDE drive involves a CF to IDE adapter is needed, not the other way around as would be traditional. It will probably also have a QL type expansion port for peripherals ONLY at least on prototypes - in order to connect a floppy interface or Qubide, to transfer data when setting up the system. It does NOT have a floppy interface - one can be added externally. The video output can also be used as an interface to a TFT LCD, Without an inverter or is it a DVI output? including a touch-screen option.
Re: [ql-users] Detecting GD2
Fri, 10 Dec 2004 18:49:08 +,() Malcolm Cadman [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: snip It was all automatic and very slick. There is even an entry in 'add/remove programs'. Brilliant job. I reckon the average PC user would not even notice the environment they were using. Yes, I can concur with Tony on that. It does everything that the 'label says on the tin', so to speak. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to install ... even put it on an external Zip drive. Great I am glad that my PC installer was transparent enough for everyone... I did not cater for EVERY possible solution but the matter is greatly helped by the fact that QPC2 does accept relative paths for QXL.WIN files... Haven't that been the case it wouldn't be so pleasant I am sure :-) So equal Kudos go to Marcel's job with QPC2 What I am particularily proud of re the PC installer is the Icon and graphics which I spent considerable time making to look as professional and Windows-friendly as possible. I *wanted* it to be easy and transparent and thanks to Rich's greatly appreciated input I did achieve that as well :-) Phoebus -- Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/ ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Detecting GD2
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Rich Mellor [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Thu, 9 Dec 2004 18:40:44 +, Malcolm Cadman [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: cut Well ... from the Demo statistics it looks like over 200 copies have been downloaded. So actual sales of 100 to 200 would be likely. That remains to be seen - a lot of people may have downloaded it to try on a PC, not knowing what a QL is. They are not going to fork out for a copy of QPC2 just to play the game though... Marcel - we really need a runtime version of QPC2, then we can sell to the open PC market :-) Trouble is that we could not really charge more than £20 for the game including the runtime QPC2, so there is no way that we could still pay £10 per copy to Tony Tebby Have you given this any more thought? Yes, that would be a good answer. I am already alerting some PC-only users that I know of to download the Demo from your site. After all if the game is good enough to play the user is not concerned with how it got there :-) I am not particularly a 'word game' fan. Yet QWord is so good - in function, appearance, and sound - that I will buy it when it is available in completed form. Thankyou Malcolm - just hope that it lives up to the hype. Not really bothered about sales figures, so long as people enjoy the game and it helps to keep interest in the QL going :-) Yes ... I assumed that too. However, this is also a potential launchpad for a lot more things. Meanwhile I am enjoying the Demo. I am regularly getting a score of between 300 to 400 at the first ( easy ) level. It does start to become addictive ... I am finding that I need to 'play' every time I use the computer :-) You probably need to use one of the bigger dictionaries - its fairly easy to get a 1000+ score. It is just the 'minus' of the tiles that you don't end up using that reduces the score ... Also, just to say that QWord sets the display to high colour for its use, and then resets it back to whatever display was present when it was launched. Which is all very convenient and painless for the user. In other words ( excuse the pun ) it is a very well behaved piece of software. Thankyou - only problem with doing this is jobs that are outside of the screen area while QWord is playing get killed. But then with the session that you are doing on the computer this can be accepted. Personally, with Demo, this is not a problem. -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Detecting GD2
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Do you want to say that the demo is a QPC together with a win-file, which installs itself correctly on a PC, whereever a PC-user wants it to install? I would find that very interesting because I had to install such a constellation with a program of mine. So I had to copy QPC, SMSQE, Registerkey and win-file into one directory, then make a shortcut to QPC on the desktop, then start QPC for the first time, configure all necessary things, especially where to find win1_, then save the settings and go. Does your demo do all these things itself??? It certainly does. It worked fine on my XP system. It was all automatic and very slick. There is even an entry in 'add/remove programs'. Brilliant job. I reckon the average PC user would not even notice the environment they were using. Yes, I can concur with Tony on that. It does everything that the 'label says on the tin', so to speak. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to install ... even put it on an external Zip drive. -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Sbytes
On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 at 14:13:46, David Tubbs wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) At 09:42 10/12/2004 +, you wrote: Anybody know how I might do this on an XP PC. I want to save a chunk every 30 seconds to monitor changes. A chunk of what? CMOS This is getting silly. What cmos where? RAM? Tony -- 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 Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Detecting GD2
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Thu, 9 Dec 2004 at 18:40:44, Malcolm Cadman wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) I am not particularly a 'word game' fan. Yet QWord is so good - in function, appearance, and sound - that I will buy it when it is available in completed form. Ditto. Where did you get sound? I thought the demo was without. Mine certainly is. No sound on Demo, as you rightly say, and Rich has pointed out - which increases the size of the software anyway. Just recalling the full demonstration by Geoff at Byfleet :-) -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Sbytes
At 18:50 10/12/2004 +, you wrote: On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 at 14:13:46, David Tubbs wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) At 09:42 10/12/2004 +, you wrote: Anybody know how I might do this on an XP PC. I want to save a chunk every 30 seconds to monitor changes. A chunk of what? CMOS This is getting silly. Yes very, all I want to be able to do in an XP PC environment is sbytes address, length, file I cant find any facility in DOS or Windows, no QBASIC What cmos where? RAM? Tony -- 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 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] Trump Cards and FORMAT
On Fri, 10 Dec 2004, Tony Firshman wrote: I wonder what the demand for a replacement SGC is? I can't see that it would cost much more to do a complete replacement QL board than just a SGC3. 2.5 HD, 60MHz QL in the original case, anyone? I can't see that it would cost more to do something MUCH faster for a little extra cost, with lots of extra facilities... Dave, blabbering. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Trump Cards and FORMAT
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes SNIP Roy found this out the hard way having bought a large batch. Fortunately I only programmed a few (they are OTP) and he got a refund. Actually you couldn't program them at all and I had the supplier program the lot which all failed to work. It took a long while and a big battle with the supplier but they finally admitted that they could not say this was the same chip even though the numbers had changed. -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Trump Cards and FORMAT
Fri, 10 Dec 2004 22:00:39 +,() Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: Indeed, and QL Toady. *ribbit* ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Trump Cards and FORMAT
Nasta wrote: Someone said that there is a source of the GLUE20 logic floating around, I would certainly like to see it!!! As I mentioned last week, Keith gave me a copy at a semi-recent workshop (Hove, probably) which I can send if required... John ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Trump Cards and FORMAT or other OS's
Fri, 10 Dec 2004 10:51:35 -,() jms1 [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: That is not true... I have Windows XP-64bit here courtesy of the Uni... Take into account that newspapers can supply DVDs of recent films free. The more I learn about the application of copyright the more I have sympathy with those who use pirate copies. Actually it is absolutely legal :-) Microsoft has agreements with most universities to provide their software for free to students... as they are making future slaves for their products ;-) I have fallen into my usual trap of grouping all open source Unix types OS's as Linux. I see I had better consider using BSD. Which is practically the only one deserving to be called UNIX apart from the actual SCO Unix The only reason I use Windows 1.For the software I use which is not available elsewhere. 2.Machines I have bought have it installed. Finally the gains must exceed the pains. The only way to attract others to the QL, QDOS and its derivatives is to ensure that the gains exceed the pains for first time users! And that is what we were doing in Q-Word... (back to topic) ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[ql-users] Whither or Wither ?
At 16:19 10/12/2004 -0500, you wrote: Yes very, all I want to be able to do in an XP PC environment is sbytes address, length, file I cant find any facility in DOS or Windows, no QBASIC If you are only trying to see parameters stored upon the booting of your PC Thanks for the answer to a request not made. Above was stated what I needed to achieve. I did not wish to burden mailboxes with the full background. But it does highlight a fundamental issue in the current discussions on whither. There are a number of things so simple to perform on SuperBasic, I have felt the loss of QL facilities for years since having to migrate to the PC. We know that the M'Soft environment is hampered to a great extent by retaining backward compatibility, there seems to be heavy pressure to handicap QLetc developments similarly. You really have to let the QLuddites go. As a newcomer here, a longtime exQLer with a string nostalgia and hankering for some of that old facility, I feel I can comment as an outsider with no axe to grind. Use the results of the survey to get some measure of the user community. Run a supplementary one to see how many might be interested in upgrading to a variety of suggested options. A particular question was missing from the first, to ascertain what mainstream system may be used in conjunction with QLetc. Is a new board to be considered, plug into QL. Aurora or PC ? Quantity - QLuser base or wider ? Did not Miracle founder to a large extent on account of the costs of Brussel's approval ? So small quantity for private club members or a sufficiently large quantity to get the price down to a marketable level. My impression of some of Nasta's remark's was that he was working towards a versatile process or function controller with a familiar and friendly QDOS interface, would fit well in the former category. On the other hand a SuperQXL_PCI could bring the old benefits to the ubiquitous, ridiculously cheap machine we all love to hate. The market could be huge but investment also. If the latter were the option then it should have the facility to use any PC peripheral through the existing Windows drivers and use the same filing system as the host, yes a big break and no old software would carry over (Tho' I do remember a SOS Xchange). There is probably some bright spark out there that could create a buffer through which any prior SW's IO calls could be translated. Being like QXL it would run a 68x chip for all those programmers familiarity. And Superbasic for the lesser folk like self. A hell of a project, I wonder if it would give some ability to run any Macware ? But my own Xmas sticking would be well filled if S'Basic were implemented on a MS window, file system and IO access as above. No need for fancy graphics, but all the fundamental facilities eg. direct sector access, and the command line to tell the machine to perform without all the pretties of Visual Basic . DT ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Whither or Wither ?
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 at 04:11:37, David Tubbs wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) At 16:19 10/12/2004 -0500, you wrote: Yes very, all I want to be able to do in an XP PC environment is sbytes address, length, file I cant find any facility in DOS or Windows, no QBASIC If you are only trying to see parameters stored upon the booting of your PC Thanks for the answer to a request not made. Above was stated what I needed to achieve. I did not wish to burden mailboxes with the full background. Are you surprised? If you ask a vague question then you must expect to get irrelevant advice (8-)# But it does highlight a fundamental issue in the current discussions on whither. There are a number of things so simple to perform on SuperBasic, I have felt the loss of QL facilities for years since having to migrate to the PC. I am only guessing, but I suspect there is no such thing as a fixed memory location for general data, as on a QL. We know that the M'Soft environment is hampered to a great extent by retaining backward compatibility, there seems to be heavy pressure to handicap QLetc developments similarly. You really have to let the QLuddites go. snip Did not Miracle founder to a large extent on account of the costs of Brussel's approval ? No. The QXL failed. He overestimated the demand. There is no requirement to certify for Brussels. Self-certification is fine, for CE specifically. Tony -- 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 Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Trump Cards and FORMAT
On Thu, 9 Dec 2004 at 20:29:31, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Thu, 9 Dec 2004 12:39:52 -,() jms1 [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: Yes and Linux will use a 64 bit operating system, XP cannot. That is not true... I have Windows XP-64bit here courtesy of the Uni... Net conclusion Linux far superior to Microsoft Operating Systems. I wouldn't claim that... I would claim BSD far superior to Windows.. Linux still is problematic in some aspects... As for which OS is more rocksolid, the best evidence is at URL:http:/ /uptime.netcraft.com/up/today/top.avg.html See which webservers around the world have the best uptime :-) (Top 50 comprises of BSD, BSD, BSD, BSD, FreeBSD, FreeBSD, BSD, BSD etc... ) we're not talking little boys toys here :-) Even at 64bits Windows is still full of leaks, Linux is not as bad but it's still growing... Phoebus And of course I did this :-) -- OS, Web Server and Hosting History for firshman.co.uk http://firshman.co.uk was running Apache on Linux when last queried at 10-Dec-2004 01:28:47 GMT - refresh now FAQ OS Server Last changedIP address Netblock Owner Linux Apache/1.3.31 (Debian GNU/Linux) PHP/4.3.4 10-Dec-2004 81.2.98.66 DMZ netblock We have no uptime data for firshman.co.uk at present, and cannot plot a graph. The host firshman.co.uk has been added to the list of sites that we may monitor. We will start monitoring firshman.co.uk in the next daily monitoring cycle. We will continue to monitor this host for a few days, to get enough values to plot a graph. After this time the host will not be monitored again unless it's requested again, or it is one of the most frequently requested hosts. He he. I guess this means my system will crash tomorrow for the first time since 2003 (8-)# Interested to see the results. All my WN systems here (including the 2 ADSL routers, switches, Linux internet server, 2 Sky+ boxes and 6 windows PCs) are UPS supported. (and yes Roy, the UPSs do work (8-)# ) Tony -- 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 Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Trump Cards and FORMAT
At 06:36 10/12/2004 +0100, you wrote: Wolfgang Shouldn't we change the topic header here? Surely should, they are too often wildly inappropriate ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: Re: [ql-users] Trump Cards and FORMAT
On 10/12/04 at 10:46 Phoebus Dokos wrote: [Qubide driver changes] Possibly, the initialization sequence could be simplified. All of this assumes that the Qubide source (latest version) is available, and AFAIK, it is Yes it is :-) The latest QubIDE v.2.02 is already incorporated in QDOS Classic btw :-) Great, so we do have someone who knows how to poke around the source. In essence, the only truly important thing to do is change the IO addresses to a fixed value for GC/SGC systems. It uses a small area in the QL's IO block, which to the best of my knowledge doesn't interfere with anything. Also, the initial copying of the ROM to RAM is handled slightly differently, there is more space available and once the ROM is copied from it's initial address that switches off the ROM slot, it restores the ROM slot and whatever is in it should then be initialized as usual (the procedure is outlined in both the extended UM and the technical guide). The major part is more radical. It is high time that hard drive partitions and formats be unified on QL platforms... does not directly conform to the norm. It should be possible (indeed, it should not be much work) to convert the SMSQ/E win drivers for Qx0 to run on Qubide hardware. The problem here is the lack of utilities. Absolutely true... and when the QubIDE software is run on a Q40 or Q60 thanks to the wonderful work of Derek Stewart, many of the problems experienced with the regular QubIDE software (ie Not a QubIDE partition message appearing out of nowhere) are now gone. Same would be true for the new Qubide. Signal integrity is well taken care of. However in all truth, there is a GREAT SMSQ/e partition tools only it doesn't run under SMSQ/e... it runs under Linux (atari-fdisk) and it's worth to boot a ram-based linux only for atari-fdisk :-) Actually, if the driver was extended to support direct sector access (ah, shades of metadevices again!), porting that or even using modified Qubide tools would be possible. It strikes me as quite strange that no-one has done this yet for the Qx0... Still more radical, it should be possible to support both types of partitions as well, but that requires a lot of work on the driver(s). I am not sure if it feasible without major changes in the QubIDE software Not necessairly - internally, QubIDE partitions are stand alone just like Atari style ones - they could fairly easily be made conformant with the FAT16 style partition table, there are very few places in the Qubide driver where this is accessed (notably win_use, either explicit or implicit at initialization time). From there on, two drivers could exist, win and something else (qub?), with win_use and qub_use commands. The usual win_use parameters would apply to both, but each driver would only link in a partition if it was the required type (QLWA or QLW0 respectively). Even so, we really need to unify the format at some point... [Ethernet] The hardware here is almost trivial, but the software isn't, unless one limits oneself to a modified NET driver that can run on Ethernet hardware. For that it is most likely that Peter's work on QlwIP will be almost trivial to adapt to a new EtherIDE (AFAIK Peter's hardware driver is for the Realtek chipset which is IIRC what you were going to use too) Actually, I use the SMSC LAN91C96 which is similar but also different from the Realtek. The Realtek has turned out to be a dead end - they only have PCI versions now and they are not compatible with the ISA based one used on the Qx0. Also, this assumes that Peter would be willing to do the work, which I am not sure he would (and I hope I get to be proven wrong). SMSQ/E licencing issues are likely to rear their head again but this could be circumvented by supplying the module separately, though it should REALLY be a part of both OSs. 3. SGC-type expansion... a plug in and go Miracle-style expansion, or a much more radical path... Actually, it is likely that both will be made available. When is the keyword here :-D I'm looking at 10 68SZ328 chips right in front of me at the moment, SDRAM and Flash are scheduled to arrive in a few weeks. PCB design is still to be started once a definitive spec is drawn... The video output can also be used as an interface to a TFT LCD, Without an inverter or is it a DVI output? It's a raw digital output to connect directly to a TFT panel, and I do have a supplier for same plus inverters... in the USA... but I haven't as yet been able to find a nice small 640x480 color TFT with touch screen... As such, this digital output can be used to connect a DVI transmitter chip as well, so that option is also covered. GF design introduces dual processors (I have been going on about this for years now and lo and behold this is the next step the mainstream is taking, admittedly with dual core CPUs instead of dual CPUs... ...Lots of OS and driver work that should prove essential in the future... Stop it you make
Re: [ql-users] Trump Cards and FORMAT
At 18:54 10/12/2004 +, you wrote: I wonder what the demand for a replacement SGC is? The results of an enhanced survey would give a clue to the potential. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Trump Cards and FORMAT
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes I wonder what the demand for a replacement SGC is? Until recently the demand for SGCs was high but I have had a couple for a while now and no one seems to want one. A SGC with a fast chip and more RAM would sell though. -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Trump Cards and FORMAT or other OS's
A lot of useful information has come out of this thread - Original Message - From: Roy wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 8:46 PM Subject: Re: [ql-users] Trump Cards and FORMAT See original I have no axe to grind here either. Personally I don't care either way but I see a lot of systems and talk to a lot of people in the business (most of our clients are business not end users, gamers and overclockers) and I can only report what I have found. I have wasted far to much time and bandwidth on this silly discussion. I must finish my article for QL Today or you won't get it for Christmas. -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], jms1 [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Yes and Linux will use a 64 bit operating system, XP cannot. Net conclusion Linux far superior to Microsoft Operating Systems. Now I never said anything different. The system itself may be superior but it just does not have the applications yet. It is getting there. Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk Obviously experience in how to avoid problems counts more than anything else, no matter what hardware, OS, programming language, or application you use. Mike MacNamara Hmm.. Funny, John, this rig is running, Windows XP 64 bit Edition - can't see Linux machines in rear view morror. Mike Phoebus Dkus ??? Thu, 9 Dec 2004 12:39:52 -,?(?) jms1 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ??/wrote: Yes and Linux will use a 64 bit operating system, XP cannot. That is not true... I have Windows XP-64bit here courtesy of the Uni... Take into account that newspapers can supply DVDs of recent films free. The more I learn about the application of copyright the more I have sympathy with those who use pirate copies. Net conclusion Linux far superior to Microsoft Operating Systems. I wouldn't claim that... I would claim BSD far superior to Windows.. Linux still is problematic in some aspects... As for which OS is more rocksolid, the best evidence is at URL:http://uptime.netcraft.com/up/today/top.avg.html I have fallen into my usual trap of grouping all open source Unix types OS's as Linux. I see I had better consider using BSD. Wolfgang Lenerz An OS is just a platform for launching applications. The more apps, the better the OS. In that respect, Windows can't be beaten. Unfortunately... The only reason I use Windows 1.For the software I use which is not available elsewhere. 2.Machines I have bought have it installed. Finally the gains must exceed the pains. The only way to attract others to the QL, QDOS and its derivatives is to ensure that the gains exceed the pains for first time users! ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Trump Cards and FORMAT
On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 at 16:41:03, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Fri, 10 Dec 2004 21:30:56 +,() Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 at 19:59:39, Roy wood wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) for Sturat. Which is probably similar to Pheobus ;-) Indeed, and QL Toady. Tony -- 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 Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
