hclase@kean.ucs.mun.ca (Howard Clase, Chemistry, MUN) (03/15/90)
Due to problems with our news software the following followups to requests for info about the QL did not get out of our local cluster. I am told I can now try again, so response would be appreciated. I am thinking of starting a moderated QL news group if there are not too many users out there. (If there are, we should be able to make a regular group!) If anyone is interested please MAIL me your interests and address. Has anyone worked out how to get files directly into the net from a QL (I can only do it via another micro, which is clumsy!) Howard Clase hclase@kean.ucs.mun.ca.bitnet ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- In article <1352@awdprime.UUCP>, dcampbel@dcampbel.austin.ibm.com (David L. Campbell) writes: > Through the net, I recently purchased a Sinclair QL computer to hack > around on -- maybe you saw the for-sale ad. > > The thing is kind of interesting and has been a source of amusement. It > uses these funky little continuous-loop tape drives called "Microdrives". > Well, it would be really nice to buy a large supply of these tapes as > the computer only came with about 8 or so, and the computer has been > discontinued in the US, I believe. Microdrive tapes are still available in the U.K. although, at #2 (#=Pound) for 1 kB, they are an expensive storage medium - handy for mailing though! The cheapest on offer in the Jan 1990 issue of QL World is 10 for #18 plus postage from: EEC Ltd. 18-21 Misbourne House, Chiltern Hill Chalfont St Peter Bucks U.K. SL9 9UE Tel (01144) 753 888866 Visa/Mastercard Sometimes "once used" cartridges are available more cheaply, but I haven't seen an ad for those lately. There is a real likelyhood that the supply will dry up altogether since the manufacturers claim that suitable tape (VCR tape) is no longer available. Most serious QLers have upgraded to disks (3.5" generally, but most formats are supported by most interfaces), and 640 kB of RAM. Support is dwindling, but there is a suprising amount left - a testimony to the philosophy behind the machine, if not to Sinclair himself, who rather let us down in the end. The best things to do are: a. join Quanta, a user group based in the U.K., but with a N American sub-librarian, and get access to their extensive library (30+ disks, or over 200 tapes) plus the monthly magazine/newsletter. There are quite a lot of US and Canadian members - #17 p.a. (Sorry mailing address not to hand.) b. Get hold of a recent issue of QL World, (or subscribe) for addresses of suppliers etc. US subs $45 p.a. TIL, PO Box 74 Paddock, Tonbridge Kent UK TN12 6DW c. Mail a known user, they are generally pretty helpful! There is some prospect of a new N AM user group arising from the ashes of a couple of others. I'll post if anything comes of it. Finally, a Dutch user has ported a version of MINIX to the QL, see the MINIX news group, he claims there was quite a response, so there must be several QLers out there! Howard Clase A couple more addresses:- Quanta user group secretary, Phil Borman 15 Grosvenor Crescent GRIMSBY South Humberside U.K. DN32 0QJ Possible source of microdrive tapes in the USA, Sharp's Inc Rt 10, Box 459 Mechanicsville VA 23111 (804) 746-1664 & 730-967 Howard Clase In article <494.25c71491@ccvax.ucd.ie>, h235_057@ccvax.ucd.ie writes: > I have just got a hold of a spectrum QL which is useful enough but not > for my purposes.Downstairs ,there exists an ericcsson pc with a harddisk with > an awful lot of important work on it. > Now,is there a way of inter connecting the two,so that two people can > use it ,one on QL the other on the PC. > Any ideas on what is needed and what do do? I think you mean a Sinclair QL, the 68008 machine with the microdrives? If so I don't think you can network them, although you can sent files back and forth via the RS232. The networking built into the QL doesn't work properly even with another QL, although you can buy software that fixes it it still wouldn't work with an IBM clone. The problem with the RS232 is that the input buffer on the QL is small, and you must use hard wire handshaking, or you lose characters going into the QL. There's less trouble the other way. I haven't tried with an IBM clone, but I've done it with an Acorn BBC. If there was KERMIT available for the QL it would help, does anyone know if there is? If you do try to wire up the RS232s the pin numbering is the same as given in the manual, despite the fact that it refers to a DIN plug, and you have a D9. Except that the 12V D.C. is on pin 9 not pin 6. Howard Clase Ablex(?) who made the mini-tapes for the Sinclair QL have announced that supplies of suitable tape have dried up. (Odd, I thought it was VCR tape they used!) This means no more tapes beyond the ones presently with retailers. Info from the Feb 1990 issue of QL World which has just reached me. If as a consequence of this anyone is thinking of throwing their QL away, please let me know, I'm looking for a replacement backup for the one that got lost in the mail. I might even pay a few $ for it! JSU (North AMerican) models preferred. Any other offers of QL hardware also might be of interest. Howard Clase hclase@kean.ucs.mun.