OLuMSi/QL.using.M’cr~S~ft.inter face (yes, it’s pronounced “clumsy”) is a front-end program, an MS-DOS simulation, and a learning tool. QLuMSi is a TURBO-compiled program that can be EXEC(_W)’d on any QL which has TK2_EXTensions.
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
My wife was given a free IBM (that’s the right price). Not much later a young man, Mark, asked me the now favorite question of all those people sold on IBM, “Why do you prefer Sinclair over IBM?”. After struggling with the IBM for weeks, I knew why. Not being a patient man (you have…
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
Reprinted from the July-August-September Summer Mega Issue of LIST.
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
QLuMSi DOS, which stands for QL.using.MicroSoft.interface Disk Operating Simulation, has, as the version number might suggest, recently undergone a long awaited upgrade.
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
At the Milwaukee Fest during the SNUG meeting Saturday evening, it was suggested that we all get to work and get out documentation for all the software that was available for the Sinclair family of computers. If every person would submit just one document that was never available before, a lot of work could get…
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
This program converts a TS2068 BASIC program in memory to an MSCRIPT text file. When you have to generate a newsletter and need to get your BASIC program into a word processor to work on it’s appearance or upload it to another kind of computer for publication ‘BASIC to TEXT! does the job.
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
As you have just read in John Donaldson’s report, the PDP is down. Fortunately we have friends! We have migrated to a VAX but I will have to learn DCL to get the BBS fully Operational again. You may upload and read all the information in the DIRectory. You see the DIRectory by typing DIR,…
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
The SMUGFest was a success according to most of our members. Meeting people we’d only known by name but had never met before was a definite plus. Bob Swoger was very happy with it because just about everyone with a LarKen disc system for the TS2068 who saw LogiCall, his program, bought it. He knew…
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
After over six years of continuous operation the Club computer, a PDP 11/60, has gone down. This has caused the newsletters to get way behind. This is also the computer that ran the SNUG BBS. It is our hope to either get this computer up and running again or migrate to another machine. This work…
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
The Milwaukee Sinclair Fest which was called the 1990 SINCLAIR EXPOSITION FAMILY REUNION by SMUG, in the opinion of this club was another outstanding success by the Milwaukee chapter of the Sinclair community. To help you who were not present to get some idea of what went on we submit some of the paper collected…
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
One of the programs on those disks was Address Book (ADRS.BK) which has some interesting features:
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
HYBRIDIZATION AT ITS BEST DEPT The Commodore 1351 Mouse can be used with the LarKen system. Plug the mouse into the Kempston joystick, hold down the right button and power up the system. The mouse goes into a joystick mode and is eminently suitable for “mousing around” with Art Studio and the like! MEETING NOTICE…
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
Meeting was called to order at 2:12 PM. Members present: Brezina, Cooper, Donaldson, Feng, Majewski, Mills, Pashtoon, Sauter and Swoger. A motion was made to impeach our president because since taking delivery of a PC clone, he has been absent from two meetings. Our group consists of men with a great capacity for mercy, however,…
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
TAKE NOTE! We are on a new computer. We now have a 24 hour BBS and encourage you to exchange mail and contribute to the Download Section. Use it and have fun!
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
The SINCLAIR 1990 Family Reunion is now behind us and for both venders and users it was profltable. I myself bought many new programs, most for the SPECTRUM which I can emulate with my LarKen DSK-400 system. I also met many folks in person that I had only talked to on the phone, it was…
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
Our TS2068 library was increased with the purchase of many Spectrum tapes. Most were games some of which had great displays and interesting music. It will take maybe a year for Bob to get them all to LarKen disks.
article, orig pub: 02.12.26, updated: 02.12.26
article, orig pub: 02.11.26, updated: 02.11.26
article, orig pub: 02.11.26, updated: 02.11.26
The following MC will find the address of a variable given the code of it in the A register at the start. The address is returned in the BC register.
article, orig pub: 02.11.26, updated: 02.11.26
This month we have three new BBS to announce that support the efforts of the Timex/Sinclair community. The SINCLAIR AT NIGHT BBS in New York operates from 11:00 PM until 6:00 AM. Their telephone number is (718) 627-1293 and the logon parameters are: Word Length=8, Parity=NONE, Stop Bits=1. Mark Fendrick, Sinclair columnist for the Computer…
article, orig pub: 02.11.26, updated: 02.11.26
In early April, 1987 I got a phone call from Fred Nachbaur of Silicon Mountain Computers in Canada. He was looking for a 2050 modem and some modem expertise. During the course of our discussion Fred told me what he had in mind. He told me that he along with Harvey Taylor (author of MINI-XMOD)…
article, orig pub: 02.11.26, updated: 02.11.26
I have been communicating with sone British 2X81 users who feel “left-out” and are looking for software, publications and other information. I gave them what information I had and one sent me a copy of SIMDOS listing. This program allows several ZX81/TS1000 programs to be resident at the same time in memory.
article, orig pub: 02.11.26, updated: 02.11.26
With support for our 2068’s getting fewer and fewer, one bright spot is BYTE POWER. Each issue comes on a cassette, and after receiving six, 1 an VERY satisfied with all. The price is $5.59 for one issue, $29.99 for 6, or $49.99 for 12. It works out to less than 49 cents per program.…
article, orig pub: 02.11.26, updated: 02.11.26
Well, here I go again! I have received my SUPER TOOLKIT II only a few days ago), and I’ve found that it takes care of the following complaints that I have with my QL.
article, orig pub: 02.11.26, updated: 02.11.26
I recently had the pleasure of an hour long tour of American People Link or Plink as sone people call it. Plink is a pay-for-usage telecommunications service that has been in operation for about four years.
article, orig pub: 02.11.26, updated: 02.11.26
The other night, I vas thinking about how nice it was that there were dedicated newsletters for the Zebra FDD users and the Aerco FD-68 users. These provide an excellent forum for useful information to be exchanged by the users of these unique floppy disk systems. I couldn’t help wishing that somebody night create a…
article, orig pub: 02.11.26, updated: 02.11.26
My system consists of a TS-2068 with a JLO Disc Interface with a 5.25 inch drive and a pair of Amdek 3 inch drives. I have found that I cannot transfer the contents of the larger discs to the smaller drive or vice versa. This is because the JLO SAFE DOS will transfer files from…
article, orig pub: 09.13.22, updated: 02.11.26
Timachine may not work properly with the Zebra FDD systen. Depending on which version of the FDD you have, either the keyboard will lock up as soon as Timamachine runs or everything will work correctly until you use FDD I/O commands. It should be noted that if you choose to modify Timamachine for the FDD…
article, orig pub: 10.07.22, updated: 02.11.26
This program was developed when, a few years ago, I lost my voice for a rather extended period. This “board” literally became my voice for many weeks.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.11.26
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
This is a BIN/DEC/HEX conversion program.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
This program will produce different patterns on your Screen. Type it in I think you’ll like it.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
Input an equation containing – X or y or both and the computer will print a graph.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
This short program enables ZX-81 users to clear the screen when full during entry of long programs thus preventing the whole screen from being rewritten each time a new line is entered.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
This program was converted from Microsoft BASIC. It turns your computer into a secret writing machine, using a simple and ancient cryptographic technique known as the Caeser cipher. For example, with a key of 3, the message: THE APPLES ARE RIPE becomes the encoded message: WKH DSSOHV DUH ULSH.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
When I got my TS-2068 I thought one of the marvellous things about it was a Header program by which one could get the name of a program displayed on-screen a few seconds after it started loading. If only the ZX-81 had that feature it would be marvellous, I thought. Where have I been all…
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
Are you tired of BLANK screens at the end of your programs? This Little routine at the end of your program will give you a very PLEASANT and ATTRACTIVE SCREEN.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
Here is a program to draw a bar graph When it runs, you must enter 20 numbers, greater than 0 but less than 40. My goal in writing the program was to keep it as short as possible, thus it doesn’t offer fancy borders, variable range for numbers etc. The program illustrates a plotting technique…
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
Use this program in conjunction with your users manual. This is the way you begin to work with 64 characters on the screen. You need to shuffle everything around inside the computer’s RAM memory and that is exactly what this routine does. Follow the prompts in the REM statements and you should not have any…
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
Attach these lines to the end of a basic program. Enter GOTO 9991 in the immediate mode and the computer will renumber any basic program counting in intervals of 5. If you wish to change the numbering interval, change the value of N and the 5 in line 9995. Remember to change GOTOs and GOSUBs…
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
This program will print out the Binary Representation (and equal Decimal number) of Eight Consecutive Addresses, a GOOD use for this is to see how characters are held in the ROM, for example Input Address “8000” to see how the letter “С” is formed (as seen by the Decimal 1’s).
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
This program will make GOOD and BAD Anagrams of words you Input. It will fit in 1K.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
This program will allow you to use SMART II software with the AERCO interface and an Epson printer, Gemini printer, and Gorilla Banana printer.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
Letter from Pete Fischer and Steve Ishii about their book, “Guide to Timex/Sinclair Telecommunications.”
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
Reprint of a section of the Timex Sinclair 2000 Third Party Software Guide.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
In the previous issues of LIST you have seen the contributions of Bill Pedersen concerning Bankswitching on the TS2068. I had a long phone conversation with Bill, and asked him to provide LIST with a comprehensive culminating article to the series. Let us hope that he finds the time, and writes an article which will…
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
The last two months I called up various vendors and asked for their catalogs of QL products. The information supplied by these vendors is tabulated and cateogorized in the tables presented below.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
The following info. concerning possible failure modes of QL computers was gathered after talking with experienced users and QL dealers. The QL uses some custom CMOS chips which are static sensitive, and can be destroyed easily.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
In the paragraphs to follow we thought we will share our experience of the QL Kit with LIST readers. To begin, the use of the word ”kit” is misleading, because all you need is a Philips screw driver and may be a long nose plier to finish the assembly. In our case the assembly job…
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
Updated QL purchase information was presented by Nazir Pashtoon. Nazir stated that those members who had provided him with their names and addresses for a QL purchase would receive documentation from Doug Dewey shortly. Nazir stated that A+ does accept plastic and it probably be in the purchasers best Interest to make payment with either…
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
I would like to present some oL tips that I find useful when programming or probing about a QL for repair.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
This month I’d like to ramble on about printers. As you may recall, last month I had written about the QL Digitizer. Since had then I have a lot of use with my old Epson MX-80 printer, which I had purchased at a LIST swap fest.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
It seems that I had left out two important voltage readings pertaining to the QL Power Supply article last month. Both voltages supply AC voltage to a +12VDC and -12VDC Voltage regulators, which are used for the Serial ports and Microdrives.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
I would like to discuss an additional operation for printing documentation from within Quill. I have recently received requests from some of our corresponding LIST members; “How print large documents, say 10 pages or more, back-to-back”.
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
This summer I spent much of my time learning to use the many new features of XCHANGE and XCHANGE Quill. Some of us had expected an XCHANGE manual to surface somewhere so that we could use XCHANGE more efficiently. This never happened. I decided to look closely at the five HELP files (those ending with…
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
This months article has been inspired by Harvey Rait, President of the LIST Group. Harvey’s QL power supply failed and he asked me if I could repair the power supply for him. The only problem that I had was opening up the supply case. I was able to remove two out of the four, cross-slotted…
article, orig pub: 02.10.26, updated: 02.10.26
T have a PC with QXL-Card and SMSQ/E. But I still use a normal German QL with floppies, Trumpcard and a monochrome monitor. It makes no noise and is therefore good for thinking. But with my monochrome monitor (Philips) I had the problem, that the screen was not bright enough for many of my programms.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
g: The 7th Italian QL meeting was held in Reggio Emilia Italy. The meeting was attended by about 40 people. This is really a good result for various reasons. First of all the long awaited new hardware pieces were not available for the meeting – think about SuperHermes, the QL Graphic Card or the QXL…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
As the author of a number of QL programs, I recognise the need for a clear, concise and well laid out user manual. To produce my own manuals I (now) use a desk top publishing package on my PC which gives a very good quality manual indeed. There is one fly in the ointment, however,…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Ah mice. Little furry creatures running around and squeaking and women standing on chairs in early sixties sitcoms or little plastic objects that either aggravate or enhance the lot of computer users. Before you turn the page and read something else let me say that this article is not an attempt to get people to…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
I noticed in the article describing the use of LINEdesign to make greeting cards that the author had not found a ‘mirroring’ or ‘reflecting’ function within LINEdesign (J D Hunkins, IQLR, Vol 5, Issue 5, January/February 1996, p29).
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
The good people at PROGs Professional and Graphical Software are at it again. We all know them from programs such as Line Design and PFList. They developed the Proforma graphics engine which brought modem vectored graphics to the QL.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Have you ever needed to do something like flp3_use winl_temporary_directory (instead of the more restricting win_use)? Did it ever seem nice to you to be able to use existing drivers to access new devices? Have you ever wished file name length limits did not interfere with network routing? Have you, for that matter, ever wanted…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Many of you will have heard of the mainstream computers new madness, the World Wide Web. This little article is not intended to introduce you into the World Wide Web, but just give you a little overview of some of its possibilities. I’ll assume that you are connected to the ‘net’ and know how to…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
At the request of Bob Dyl, I have found myself reviewing another disk utility. However, I really didn’t know what I was getting into. You see, Disk Mate 5 operates under the Pointer Environment and I have had only limited experience with the Pointer Environment some six or seven years ago with QRAM! Last year…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Having read Zelijko Nastasic’s pizza challenge (how many windows can you open?) in Volume 5 issue 4, I set the same problem to my second year students, but with more stringent control (size of window, maximum delay for any window operation, etc.) leaving them a free choice of computer system.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
The font technology and test formatting capabilities of Windows and OS/2 word processors is, to be truthful, superior to Quill and Perfection (I have not tried TEXT 87). However, my (Tom) experience is that I get so distracted by these features that it seriously detracts from my ability to effectively compose a message – the…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
As the graphic to the left attests “Another Era Dawns” on the QL community, in fact referring to the QL community really only specifies one area, thus the graphic states QDOS and SMSQ/E. WHY ? The answer is simple, QDOS, SMS, SMSQ and SMSQ/E in one form or another are operating on a multitude of…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
I was pleased to see Di-Ren’s new ‘affordable’ keyboard interface on the front cover of the last issue of IQLR and the advert on the back was informative but with cover to cover coverage (if you’ll pardon the expression) I was disappointed to see no article within!
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Getting data to and from the QL and MS-DOS has been fairly easy for a while. There are a number of QL programs that will read and write an MS-DOS disk. Sometimes it’s more convenient to be able to have MS-DOS write to a QDOS disk, then there are computers which the QL does not…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
The following SBASIC program was inadvertantly not sent along with the text for the article “SMSQ Language Dependent Modules” printed in Volume 5 Issue 1. This listing should have been printed at the end of the text on page 12.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
intend to cover several subjects in this article starting with the EMC directive. The EMC directive has already generated a lot of discussion and there seems little point in me adding to the confusion that already exists. I have just one statement to make regarding the subject, and that is; Di-Ren products will continue to…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
As you all know there are not too many applications around in the QL scene. The question is: why? One reason might be, that potential programmers don’t see a market in the QL scene, which is probably true. You need to be an enthusiast. However, some excellent software like QTPI and QFAX, which are very…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
With interest in Black systems at a high level (even in the PC world), a number of readers have asked us where we obtained our own. Dilwyn Jones (who now has a Black system) supplied us with the Bytewise information. For additional sources, you can search the pages of Computer Shopper Magazine or attend PC…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Tariki is a 2nd generation ceramics studio that produces a wide range of stoneware art. We make everything from platters, bowls, garden tables, to large scale ceramic and steel sculptures. Tariki was created by my father in the mid fifties. He moved the studio to Meriden in 1961. The studio has a family tradition of…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
As you probably know SMSQ/E contains lots of various Things. Some of the useful ones are explained in the SMSQ/E manual, and wherever an SBASIC call to any Thing exists it is documented. However, programmer’s information to the various Things might be useful, as well as a bit more detailed explanation.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
While PC users have had different programs available that make it easy for them to create greeting cards, the QL world doesn’t have such convenient tools (yet?). Many of those people have found out just how fun and unique creating their own personal cards can be. In fact, some people create custom cards as a…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
After years of tolerating various components of my QL “system” and all of the interconnecting cables associated therewith, occupying most of the space on my desk, I decided it was time to take action.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
n the March 1995 issue of QREVIEW there appeared an article titled “BEYOND QUILL” that expressed the sentiment regarding whole disks full of Spellcheckers, whose only service to the user was to indicate how many spelling mistakes were printed in the document just produced is a logical one. In order to correct those mistakes, what…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
The text editing program, QD, has been undergoing constant revision by Jochen Merz over the last few years and has now arrived at version 8.03. Whilst this is certainly not the final version of the program we feel that the time has come to say a few words about how users can get the full…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
SMSQ/E is delivered as a single file which provides an operating system, a command line Processor / program interpreter (SBASIC), various language modules and a complete set of device drivers for the target system. SMSQ/E is, however, not a monolithic unit, but a collection of modules providing different functions. It is possible, for example, to…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
After a lot of deliberation, I finally succumbed to it’s allure and bought a QXL. Very strange for a QL user who does not own a PC. And a very strange QXL as well – one which originally came without a 68040 CPU.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
With the intention to develop a reliable and powerful QL compatible computer which could be used continuously in an industrial environment a modular computer system has been developed.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
First of all, this article describes my personal impressions – I’m not a fortune teller! Some people ask about the future, and it’s an important question. When I say QL. I mean everything which simulates the operating system of the QL (you all know by now that my main machines are ATARIs running QDOS or…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
(Tom) recently purchased an IOMEGA Zip Drive for US $200. It connects to the parallel port of the PC and, after loading appropriate software, functions as a 100 Megabyte removable medium hard drive. The disks ($15 each) are slightly larger than a standard 3.5 inch floppy and come preformatted in PC or Macintosh format.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Besides computers, board gaming is one of my other hobbies. My interest goes the full gamut of board games, from hex-based war games to the abstract games, such as Othello or Kensington.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
I’ve been around the world in 80 ways, all from the comfort of home, on my QL, all via a modem and local telephone calls. The only long distance phone call will be to put this article on QBOX-USA bulletin board system in Michigan (from my home in East Tennessee) for Bob Dy! to pick…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
If you are one of those people who have purchased QPAC2 but have never actually used it then this is for you QPAC2, Tony Tebby’s QL Pointer Accessories, is a marvellous piece of software giving the QL a powerful front end but there are 2 obstacles in the way of getting started with it and…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Before I explain my ideas on a possible successor to the QL, | will attempt to clarify a few points. | am NOT an expert. I definitely lack the skills, and I probably don’t have the talent, to devise any kind of QL replacement.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Do we need a next generation QL, or more accurately put, a new QDOS/SMSQ hardware platform?
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
After seeing details of the proposed 3rd North American QL Show in the March/April edition of IQLR, I started to make arrangements immediately; any delay would have ensured that some insuperable problem would arise or that time would slip by until it became too late to get organised.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
I was interested to read the discussion of tape backup and CD player control in volume 5 issue 2 of IQLR, on page 6, since I sorted this out on my 68040 based SuperQL in January, and all the necessary BASIC will appear in the next PD release of Amiga Qdos! At first I thought…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Before my life as a computer tech head started, I had a distrust of computers. Those things that could file everyones life into a Big Goverment data base. Then I was introduced to a TS1000 and I thought “How could this little black box be so evil? Look it even plays games.” Being a mechanic,…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
The Deskjet 320 is one of a line of low cost inkjet printers from Hewlett Packard. The printer is designed for mobile computing on the PC, but it can be used with a QL too (in fact, I only use it on the QL!).
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
As you can see by the size of this issue IQLR has had to cut back in the number of pages per issue. Not for the lack of material, but due to the 72% increase in the cost of paper since the turn of the year and the increased rate of postage both here and…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Those of you who have a PC with Windows installed may have noticed that switching between Windows programs and DOS programs can cause the PC to crash. This could hardly be called normal but is quite common. Part of the QXL software runs as a DOS program and so can suffer from this. The fix…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Amongst the QL fraternity there are a lot of users about with more than one QL or QXL who have never considered connecting them together. Why not? It really is very simple, I promise you.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
As you may have heard by now, we (PROGS) are working on a new windowing environment for the QL : ProWesS (which is short for “PROGS Windowing System’). A very early version has been shown to some people at the meeting in Eindhoven, and a slightly more recent version is currently distributed on the LINEdesign…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
I now have Qdos running 00 a 50 MHz 68060 system, with 10 Mb RAM. The processor came direct from Motorola, as part of their Alpha/Beta test program, and is fitted on a CyberStorm Amiga accelerator board, made by Phase Five in Germany; Escom have agreed to use this board on thousands of the new…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
My small commuter prop plane was swooping low over a lush, green region. Everywhere I looked I saw small hills covered with a thick growth of trees and shrubs. Rivers flowed, their water dark and sluggish. Scattered throughout this rich landscape were houses tucked between trees, roads winding through the land, and the fast approaching…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Users of SOLVIT-PLUS 2 who purchased the programme from Dilwyn Jones Computing are entitled to a free upgrade. If you wish to take advantage of this offer, send Master Disk 1 and one I.R.C. The Disk will be returned with the latest version.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
A human (as opposed to silicon) friend with a photo lab asked my assistance in solving a problem. The photo printer (original cost in the mid-$70K range), which is computer controlled, was on the blink due to a dead display – a single line flourescent dot-matrix readout. It was analogous to trying to use your…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Q-emuLator is a new software emulator for the QL that runs on Macintosh computers. It includes no hardware parts and it is not a QDOS compatible operating system like SMSQ.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
For a few weeks in the the Fall the prettiest place on earth is in the mountains of New England. The sugar maple leaves are ablazé with vibrant red leaves. Bill and Mary’s house is right in the middle of it, and NESQLUG is having a weekend of QL learning and fun there. Anyone who…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Jonathan Hudson’s QTPI program has been evolving for some time, beginning as a ‘simple’ terminal program under another name and evolving into a pointer environment, full featured communications package with drop down menus, multiple transfer protocols, etc. His latest version adds the powerful capabilities of scripting.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
The consortium of Zeljko Nastasic of Croatia and Ron Dunnett of the UK have launched their second product “QPLANE” a powered QL Back Plane. From personal experience, get the deepest tower case you can, usually 16″ or better (this can eliminate or reduce any cutting of the case’s frame that otherwise might be necessary). If…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Mention the wood “Spreadsheet” to the experienced computer user and he will immediately think of a programme for displaying, analysing and manipulating numbers. Indeed the name of the QL’s spreadsheet, ABACUS, indicates that it is a programme which involves calculations.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
My affection for the Ergon Floppy Disk Utility program first started when I received a PD diskette containing the Ergon Demo Disk from the IQLR Software Library, IQLR-022, US $2.50. I had no idea that this disk contained the FDU program. All files on the disk were archived and had to be unzipped and even…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
This QL Clip Art collection contains over 10,000 images converted and ported from the Public Domain and from commercial sources. You can use the images without any restrictions. All the images (screens) were converted using Carlos Delhaz (thanks Carlos) powerful “unGIF v0.73” and my own routines. Whenever possible pictures were converted in their original sizes…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Here is the saga of my recent activities in updating my QL to be really modern and have a HARD DISK! (An old QL with Super Gold Card, Hermes, Minerva, SMSQ/E, Sermouse). I write this because it shows how naive one can be. Hard disk? Easy – buy one.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Michael Simpson, Anthony Magnus, and March Renick.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
For many years I’ve read the various printed reports, seen the many pictures of smiling QL users and wished I could have been there. This year was different, I’m in some of those reports and pictures. Thanks to the urging of Stuart Honeyball of Miracle Systems, Quanta’s long-time treasurer John Taylor and many others, I…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Some nine years ago, I bought my QL, for one-sixth of the original price. I found the name: Quantum Leap hardware wise not appropriate, but from the software point of view the QL was, and is a revelation.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
It is 3.30pm on a blazing hot day in early May and I am driving along the Sussex coastline to interview John Wakefield of Wakefield Security Systems Limited. I came in contact with John through a letter I had published in the February ’95 Quanta magazine. I had just moved from Hamburg, in Germany, to…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
There is a new QXL logo printed on a small plastic square that can be pasted on your computer so that everyone will know that it is running the QXL and not the you know what. Bob Dyl, us, and others decided to use “QXL IN CHARGE” with some stylized lightning. Thus, the logo won’t…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
We recently discovered a number of problem solutions to various problems which arose when faulty programs were used in conjunction with SMSQ/E. These problems are not faults of SMSQ/E but become visible under it.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
To best serve the QL community, as of this issue , QReview is merging with IQLR. This means that I will still have an active outlet for reviews, news and articles but with less of the administration duties and the late nights.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
You sit down, switch on your QL and patiently wait for the start-up prompt to appear on the screen… how easily we take for granted that a computer can display pictures an a monitor. Would you ever think that a complex process is performed by about 30% of the hardware in your computer just to…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
One of the most interesting and useful utility programs which I have been using for some time is called DISKTIDY. This program allows you to catalog all of your many disks in an orderly manner and brings a definite means of maintaining useful data files.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
A program can be started in the QXL and it will continue computing when control is passed back to the PC by pressing CTRL SCROLL LOCK. This feature is handy when using a long number cruncher type of program. Of course, the program will pause when it tries to print to the screen, access a…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
DEV Manager is a software utility for setting up and controlling the ‘DEV’ device driver. While you can do these same things direct from SuperBASIC, DEV Manager makes it easier by using the Pointer Environment to make it a point and click operation.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Eros Forenzi’s article on operating speeds (IQLR 4-6) got me to thinking about timings other than those shown. For instance, only three of the four cache and second screen combinations are shown and SMSQ/E is not covered. The following constitutes my feeble efforts to date.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
For those who didn’t see the review of BlackKnight v1.01, BlackKnight is a chess-playing program by Francois Lanciault for QDOS and compatibles. V1.01 had 10 levels of play with time to respond to a move averaging from S seconds at Level 1 to 60 minutes at Level 10. To these 10 levels v1.4 adds a…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
A co-worker dropped a copy of an old PC World on my desk a few weeks ago, asking me if its date was about when the Sinclair QL was first introduced. The year on the magazine, 1984. Thumbing through the magazine, I found it interesting to compare where computer technology stood when the QL was…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Ah, the best laid plans of mice and QLers! With the best of altruistic motives I offered to transport three members of Quanta in my car to the Eindhoven meeting on the 4th March but my car had other ideas. A couple of days before the meeting it’s radiator decided to commit Hari Kari and…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Those of us who have an intense desire to understand the reasons and purpose of life, search, study and discuss what we can of the contents of many different records of the past, including the Sumarian Scripts, the Egyptian Cuneform writings and the Mayan Records. Many of these writings are to-day being studied by scholars…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Bob named it. After helping Don Walterman build and review the Falkenberg DIY kit to put a QL into a PC type mini tower case and seeing the system that Bob had built for his own QL that was all in black, it inspired me to want to do the same.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
DATAdesign was the first program I bought when I made the transition to Pointer Environment programs and I have been a PROGS fan ever since. Archive, for me at least, was a seriously annoying program to deal with but I think that is because I tend to use databases in a different way to a…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
The QL normally runs as we all know from 9 volts, which if you have transfered your QL to a PC case (with a switch mode power supply), causes a few problems. The solution to this problem is to run the whole system on 5 volts, but the backup clock on Gold Card will not…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
n order to be able to distribute versions of SMSQ which provide messages in more than one language and to support multiple keyboard layouts, SMSQ uses a uniform “language dependent module” structure.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Early in November, the latest SMSQ version 2.31 arrived. It corrected the earlier glitches and both Al and Tom believe that the QXL is now fully functional. A word of thanks is due to all those at Miracle Systems and any who helped with the testing. And now in January 2.47 has arrived!!
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
For the last several months, there has been a lot of press and discussion of SMSQ/E, Tony Tebby’s latest serving of QL software inspiration (and sweat). In case you haven’t had a chance to keep up with the news, SMSQ/E is a new operating system written by Tony Tebby to replace QDOS on any QL…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Those were interesting articles by Dennis Briggs and Don Walterman in the last issue of IQLR on QL repairs. Here are a few comments based on some 1300 QL repairs for customers.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Anybody who is into computers these days is bound to hear things like dynamic RAM, cache RAM, video RAM, static RAM, dual port RAM. Almost anyone knows about RAM, but what are these strange words in front? What do they all mean?
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
There are different kinds of computer architectures, operating systems and personal configurations, but all of them are intended to do the same thing: running your favorite software. When you find (or write) a program that is worth to you, you would like it to run on any computer, not just your QL, Mac or whatever…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
This article is intended as a user’s guide to the Pointer Environment. Some astute readers may already have noticed the words an idiot’s guide – please don’t be offended – the idiot is me!
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Diversity is a good word to use when talking about QL users. This has been well demonstrated by the series of articles run in IQLR describing how different QLers use their systems. To further illustrate this impression, and with the hopes that others will find similarities in their use of QL systems, I have agreed…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Below you will find the extensive results of recent tests using QSI Speed Index (available on most QL Bulletin Boards as public domain software). All but a few tests have been done by me using the English version of ARCHIVE 2.38 on an empty machine with just TK2 enabled.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
the beginning there was a little Casio calculator. Being a laboratory for food and water analysis, we needed many calculations. We did what everybody else did, used a calculator. Much of what was put into the calculator was the same every time. Our chemist, Ole Haukeland, bought a programmable Texas calculator to put formulas into.…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
1t is very nice to have the flexible Level 3 Device Drivers of SMSQ – you can read and write DOS and TOS disks as if they were QDOS disks. There is absolutely no problem in converting bitmap graphics images or vector graphics, fonts etc. However, if you transfer text which contains special characters (foreign…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
It’s with great anticipation that we end our fourth year of publication and begin work on our fifth. The number of International QL shows continues to grow, more and more high quality PD software is finding its way into users hands, more hardware developments than we’ve seen in years are about to break on the…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
This little article is about some things I’ve learned and observed while using my QL and its serial ports. This info may be common knowledge, especially to seasoned QL communications veterans but for the benefit of others, here it is. First of all, Hermes is highly recommended for anyone using a QL and its serial…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
More and more people are using SBASIC – the wonderful SuperBASIC compatible language which comes with any SMSQ for the GoldCard, SuperGoldCard, all ATARIs and the QXL. It offers far more facilies besides being very fast and able to be executed many times at the same time (we will make use of this feature in…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
It all started with a bit of leg pulling. I kept asking Bruce Nicholls when he was going to organise a QReview show now that Bob Dyl had organised his second Miracle In Newport. Bruce replied by challenging me to organise a QL show in the North West of England somewhere. Eventually, I gave in…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
QD is an unusual editor for the QL for two reasons; firstly because it uses the Pointer Environment, and secondly because it is mainly aimed at programmers rather than those writing text. The Pointer Environment is now becoming more popular, and QD is one of many programs being actively developed in the QL marketplace. Much…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
When I first got my QL the printer I had was a Brother M1009 – a nine pin dot matrix with both serial and parallel ports but only one font. This served me very well for many years but recent circumstances led me to look for a a better device to produce my documents. These…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
There is nothing like an invitation to write an article to get one to sit in front of the keyboard. So, what will I write about? I wrote in QUANTA about a near disaster with my QL which they published in their October issue – now the French QL Club (QLCF) have made a translation…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
This venue is developing into a regular international meeting place for Dutch, Belgians and German QL users living near the Dutch border. There was also representation from Britain, France and Switzerland. It is probably not very precise referring to “QL users” since Ataris running SMSQ/E and PCs enlivened by QXLs were very much in evidence…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Finally, the QL is to get a major revamp of it’s graphics capability – rumours of this piece of hardware started a while back, when the Super Goldcard was still in development, and Stuart Honeyball himself finally put a stop to them – by making public the specifications – at the Reggio Emillia “Garage meeting’…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
knew right from the start I should not do it, but so many people were asking for SMS to come out from under its covers that, in early 1992, I outlined a strategy (with Miracle Systems and Jochen Merz) to make a “QL compatible” version of SMS available.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Dennis has asked me to add some comments about my experiences repairing QL motherboards. I haven’t taken detailed notes while making individual repairs so this will just be some general observations. Dennis follows a more structured approach than I do. However, his description of his work area fits mine as well.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
The QL computer is a comparatively easy machine to repair as most it’s functions are controlled by specially designed ULA integrated circuits.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Your Document can consist of one part or be broken into parts called SECTIONS. LAYOUT(s) for your document PAGE(s) can have one or several FRAMES (rectangles) into which you wish to put the SECTION(s) of your document. Each PAGE of the final document can have the LAYOUT that you choose.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
This issue I’d like to discuss Sony ED drives. First though, a few updates to last issues firmware lists for disk interfaces. Update the Miracle Super Gold Card firmware to 2.49. Apparently there is a version 1.17 Cumana rom in existence. If anyone has access to one please let me know. Also add QUBIDE to…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
The QXL uses the PC’s hard disk by formatting a segment of it for its own use. The segment can be 1 up to 66 Mbytes in size. The QXL manual warns not to go higher then 63 but I (Al) have successfully formatted 66 Mbytes on several computers without any trouble – so far.…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Freedy Vachha of Digital Precision would like the readers of IQLR to know that as of the 10th of October 1994 DP. has NO orders, refunds due or correspondence outstanding. He would also like to thank the loyal DP customers who put up with delays caused by developments on the personal front.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
OK the title is a little play on words. Miracle’s new Super Gold Card is quick! Even if you already have the original Gold Card, the Super Gold Card improves on it in many ways including speed, cpu, memory and additional features.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
In correspondence with Ruth Fegley a member of the CATS group and IQLR subscriber, I stated that I would like to permanently change the default DATA drive from flp1_ to fip2_. Recently I received a note with a two line addition to the Xchange Boot program. Ruth stated that a member of CATS provided the…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
This column is intended to bring together new and/or changing developments within the QDOS community. The information contained here has been reported by individuals and suppliers who desire to keep you informed as to their recent activities.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
This column is intended to bring together new and/or changing developments within the QDOS community. The information contained here has been reported by individuals and suppliers who desire to keep you informed as to their recent activities.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Recently, I stumbled across an anomalous (actually, berserk might be more like it !) behavior of Quill during the attempted editing of a large (106060 bytes) imported file. Memory should have been no problem; I was operating with Super Gold Card 2.49, with the assistance of Minerva 1.97.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Q-Liberator, in my view, is one of the three most important QL programs in the current scene, with Turbo and C68 making up the other two. Much of the commercial QL software available is written in SuperBASIC, and compiled with one of the two major SuperBASIC compilers. While probably the bulk of non-Pointer Environment (PE)…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
QUBIDE is an IDE hard disk interface for the QL. Before describing it in detail, I’d like to explain how this interface ever came into existence. Months ago, one of the discussion threads on QBox was some wishful thinking about using IDE drives on the QL. IDE was discussed for some time when Zelijko Nastasic…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
The long awaited GRAPHICS CARD, now titled the “Masterpiece Enhanced Graphics Card” will soon see the light of day.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
This article illustrates my trials and tribulations with some workable ideas pertaining to renewing printer ribbons, including some pitfalls. With the realization that the new breed of laser and ink jet printers are becoming more commonplace, I feel that there are a large majority of computer users who stil] use dot matrix printers. Perhaps, sometime…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
To those who have had little or no training in accounting it should prove a boon as all the terms usually employed by the accounting fraternity are deliberately absent. Instead it relies on a good tutorial, common sense and a help facility.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Great News ! The enclosed disc contains SBASIC’ the letter from Miracle Systems began. The disc in question was release 2.16 of the QXL software and after backing up the disc and trying it out, it was indeed impressive.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
One area of programming that is especially well represented on the QL is file handling. This is hardly surprising really since all information held by a computer is in a file of some kind and the one thing you learn early on is that making backups stops headaches and large dents in the wall nearest…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
So the QL was ten years old this year. Well it looks more like it ’s growing like a new born babe.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Following on from the rather successful launch of XCHANGE onto the public domain by this group our own Simon Goodwin has had some feedback concerning problems and modifications, he has shown me some additions and alterations which have made some improvements! I won’t at the moment go into what the changes are, because I want…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
There seems to be a lot of confusion about the three systems listed above, understandable perhaps, as the initials on their own mean very little to the uninitiated. I will try to explain the differences without going into too much technical detail. If it is still not clear, let me know and I’ll try again!…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
In our attempt to continually improve our magazine, we pay a lot of attention to what our readers have to say. Many of you stated that the print style we used was too big, while others stated that we should use more of the page as we did in our last issue. Some of you…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Here is a small utility for snooping about in the Minerva II ram. There’s nothing sacred about the limits on i: i = 0 TO 255 will give you EVERYTHING. The given values exclude the control and clock area (0-15) and unassigned, reserved areas (33-34, 164-251, 255). The PAUSE is there just to keep the…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
I would like to add to Doug LaVernes test of Black Knight which appeared in volume 4 issue 2 of IQLR. The version tested was an early one and contained some oddities, these are now fixed. The same is true for C68 problems, which were mainly related to bad (or no) cache handling. This is…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
In the last issue of IQLR, I (Tom) gave some preliminary observations on the Miracle Systems QXL. AI Boehm sent several E-mail messages dealing with the QXL and finally suggested that what is needed is a continuing series of IQLR articles dealing with the QXL. Having had a little more time to evaluate the QXL,…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
This report comes from an American who had the fortunate coincidence to take a European vacation and be able to pass by the QL Workshop held at the Eurovolley Center in Brussels on June 18. What an exciting time it was for this foreigner to meet with such a wide range of QL enthusiasts who…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
Sometime ago, having been encouraged by John Impellizzeri’s review of SERMouse, I took the plunge and bought a serial mouse from MEI/Micro for the munificent sum of $7.87 (even better than John’s $10 minimum !).
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
PFlist is, to put it simply, a file listing program. But before you get too unexcited, check out just what it can really do. The program is of course able to produce program listings with the traditional footer including page number and your choice of text.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
PROforma itself is a Font and Raster Manager program from PROGS. What you get when you buy PROforma in this package is the actual PROforma program and access to PROforma through a library of functions. If the programmer is writing their code in either ‘C’ or assembly (not interpreted SuperBASIC), they can use the PROforma…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
I wish this was a review. Unfortunately it isn’t because this interface is no longer in production. What if we could convince the manufacturer to put it back into production? Thats what I thought when I ran across some articles on this board. This card was only advertised for a short time in QZX (a…
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
While checking the QL Anonymous FTP site, maya.dei.unipd.it, in Italy, I ran across a program called Mine Field. All I saw was a file name, so 1 downloaded it to my computer for further examination.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26
As we mentioned in our last issue, IQLR is in the process of building a library of FREEWARE, PUBLIC DOMAIN and SHAREWARE software. The purpose of the library, is to offer very good software to our readers who may not have access to them via the QL related Bulletin Boards at a modest fee.
article, orig pub: 02.08.26, updated: 02.08.26