rbm@unccvax.UUCP (02/06/86)
I have noticed advertisments for the Sinclair QL. A 68008 running at a little over 7MHz, with two micro-drives, a multitasking OS, and sowtware for $299. Does anyone know anything about the machine, or where I can obtain info? Can I get OS9 for it? The only info I have is from a Creative Computing article.
kool@vu44.UUCP (Marc H. Kool) (02/13/86)
Sender: Reply-To: kool@vu44.UUCP (Marc H. Kool) Followup-To: Distribution: net Organization: VU Informatica, Amsterdam Keywords: In article <436@unccvax.unccvax.UUCP> rbm@unccvax.UUCP writes: > > I have noticed advertisments for the Sinclair QL. A 68008 running at >a little over 7MHz, with two micro-drives, a multitasking OS, and sowtware >for $299. Does anyone know anything about the machine, or where I can obtain >info? Can I get OS9 for it? The only info I have is from a Creative >Computing article. Hi, I am the owner of a QL for 18 months and am pleased with it. The machine actually runs at 7.5MHz and the OS (called QDOS) is a true multitasking OS with priorities and stuff like that for the different kind of jobs. The computer comes with 128K of RAM standard, but since the video-memory is 32K big there is less than 90K user-RAM available. That's why I bought a 1/2 MByte RAM-expansion. OS9 is available from Cumana, but you must have a RAM-expansion and two disc-drives to run it. I can't remember the address of Cumana, but I know it's in England and if you want to order something I can look for the address. Don't expect too much from the 4 software packages : They are very nice, but too slow. -- Marc Kool, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam. UUCP: {seismo|decvax|philabs}!mcvax!vu44!kool
john@moncol.UUCP (John Ruschmeyer) (02/14/86)
In article <436@unccvax.unccvax.UUCP> rbm@unccvax.UUCP writes: > > I have noticed advertisments for the Sinclair QL. A 68008 running at >a little over 7MHz, with two micro-drives, a multitasking OS, and sowtware >for $299. Does anyone know anything about the machine, or where I can obtain >info? Can I get OS9 for it? The only info I have is from a Creative >Computing article. Being an old ZX-81 owner, I received a blurb from Sinclair about the QL. The basic machine is 128K (expandable to 640K). At the moment, it runs Qdos, a proprietary operating system. Mass storage is on microdrives, a "endless loop of high speed tape with all the attributes- including random access- of a more expensive floppy disk". Each drive holds 100K and two are built into the QL. (These are, I think, the same microtape drives used on the Spectrum in England.) The selling price seems to be $499. More info can be gotten from: Sinclair Research Ltd. One Sinclair Plaza Nashua NH 03061 800-227-1563 (NOTE: Insert standard disclaimer.) -- Name: John Ruschmeyer US Mail: Monmouth College, W. Long Branch, NJ 07764 Phone: (201) 571-3451 UUCP: ...!vax135!petsd!moncol!john ...!princeton!moncol!john ...!pesnta!moncol!john Give an ape control of its environment and it will fill the world with bananas.
jimomura@lsuc.UUCP (Jim Omura) (02/16/86)
I'm not sure what's going on with the QL regarding OS-9. I heard
there was a port, but having sent messages to people to check it out,
I have yet to get a reply from anyone I know.
As for the MicroDrives, I suggest you forget about them. All
reports I have about them are negative. One user said that to use them
reliably they had to be formatted over 100 times in succession. Formatting
takes time even to do it once. There are disk controllers available
though, so all isn't lost. The machine is, however, slow generally.
The screen is drawn completely by the CPU and this eats up so much time
that the QL is generally slower than an Apple II for most functions.
Having said all this, if the price drops much farther, I may just buy
one myself. I don't see it as a *practical* computer, but it's
facinating!
Cheers! -- Jim O.
--
James Omura, Barrister & Solicitor, Toronto
ihnp4!utzoo!lsuc!jimomura
Byte Information eXchange: jimomura
(416) 652-3880iwm@icdoc.UUCP (Ian Moor) (02/17/86)
In article <436@unccvax.unccvax.UUCP> rbm@unccvax.UUCP writes: > > I have noticed advertisments for the Sinclair QL. A 68008 running at >a little over 7MHz, with two micro-drives, a multitasking OS, and sowtware ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >for $299. Does anyone know anything about the machine, or where I can obtain >info? Can I get OS9 for it? The only info I have is from a Creative >Computing article. It is vital to note that these are NOT disk drives but cartridges which are annoyingly slow (minutes ?) and rather unreliable - there is a tape loop of video quality tape, the keyboard is cut-price and feels odd (remember the other Sinclair keyboards ? Timex in the US). There are add on disk units ( UK Pounds 250 for 3.5 in drive plus upgrade to 512K) When it was announced about 2 years ago at UK Pounds 500 it was quite attractive Unfortunately sinclair took peoples money and sat on it for months. I think an Atari looks a better bet now though. -- Ian W Moor UUCP: seismo!mcvax!ukc!icdoc!iwm ARPA: iwm%icdoc@ucl Department of Computing Whereat a great and far-off voice was heard, saying, Imperial College. Poop-poop-poopy, and it was even so; and the days 180 Queensgate of Poopy Panda were long in the land. London SW7 Uk.
schaefer@puff.UUCP (Matt Schaefer) (02/17/86)
In article <436@unccvax.unccvax.UUCP>, rbm@unccvax.UUCP writes: > > I have noticed advertisments for the Sinclair QL. A 68008 running at > a little over 7MHz, with two micro-drives, a multitasking OS, and sowtware > for $299. Does anyone know anything about the machine, or where I can obtain > info?... E. Arthur Brown Co. 3404 Pawnee Dr. Alexandria, MN 56308 (612)762-8847,763-6393 is selling the QL for $294.95. I'm sure they would be happy to give you all the info they have, and even sell you one or two or 64, because there are ports on the back for networking up to 64 of them. If I had any money, I'd probably buy one, but I don't, so I won't. Matt Schaefer, schaefer@puff.UUCP
peterc@ecr1.UUCP (Peter Curran) (02/18/86)
The QL is available in Canada from Gladstone Electronics, 1736 Avenue Rd., Toronto, Ont. M5M 3Y7, for $CAN 600. ($CAN 1 = $US 0.72, at last word). The standard package includes WP, Spreadsheet, Database and Graphics. Available packages include Assembler, Monitor, SuperBASIC Toolkit, BCPL, Lisp, Pascal, C, "The Programmer" Program Generator, QDOS BOSS (debugger for QDOS), Spelling checker, DBase Master, Sundial calendar system, learn to touch-type, home finance, gardener, math pack, q-cad, q-call modem package, q-font printer package, Canadian income tax guide, ql-chess, decision maker, project planner, entrepreneur. Most of these packages are well under $CAN 100. BCPL, Lisp, Pascal and C are between $150 and $230. All this is from reading the ad. I don't know a thing about the system (but I did read a review a while ago that was very positive). Gladstone has been in business for a long time, but that is all I know about them. -- Peter Curran Emerald City Research, Ltd. ...utzoo!ecrhub!ecr1!peterc
jgh@cstvax.UUCP (Gordon Hughes) (02/24/86)
You may be interested to know that the current QL price in the UK is 199 pounds which includes some software and a 80 column dot matrix serial printer.