QL Commercial Software Preservation

[Dave]

On a more positive note: is there more that you could do to document the operation of the software?

"Wibbly's Big Adventure! - Talentless Software (C)1983, microdrive and dongle, mode 4, commercial
In this game you play the part of Wibbly. It's a tower defense strategy game with lots of levels (I did 72 before it got too hard!) It can be played with arrow keys or a joystick. Gameplay is intelligent, but screen updates are jerky.

[screenshot]

[screenshot]

[maybe a video]

I contacted the author and it's now available for the princely sum of £5 "

Are you a business, or are you a DBA? Incorporating isn't as scary as it sounds, and offers you and your assets a LOT of protection against frivolous lawsuits. Liability protection was the sole reason I incorporated - I have little desire to make a huge profit, and like you my work benefits the community greatly.

I think people forget that without you, we'd basically have eBay, and no keyboard membranes as our last QLs withered and died.

Thank you, Rich.

[Dave]

Oh wait, people, he ALREADY DOES THAT!

[RWAP]

On a more positive note: is there more that you could do to document the operation of the software?

"Wibbly's Big Adventure! - Talentless Software (C)1983, microdrive and dongle, mode 4, commercial
In this game you play the part of Wibbly. It's a tower defense strategy game with lots of levels (I did 72 before it got too hard!) It can be played with arrow keys or a joystick. Gameplay is intelligent, but screen updates are jerky.

[screenshot]

[screenshot]

[maybe a video]

I contacted the author and it's now available for the princely sum of £5 "

Ermm- have you seen the QL Wiki - incidentally if the software has later been released as public domain, that includes a link to the download

Are you a business, or are you a DBA? Incorporating isn't as scary as it sounds, and offers you and your assets a LOT of protection against frivolous lawsuits. Liability protection was the sole reason I incorporated - I have little desire to make a huge profit, and like you my work benefits the community greatly.

[/quote]

I am a sole trader - running it as a limited company is a possibility, but then that would increase costs, as there would be accountancy fees, as well as the different tax regime.

[swensont]

Ok, my two cents....

First, let's get away from the term Public Domain. When it comes to free software there are four main types:

1. Public Domain - means that author has released copyright.
2. Freeware - Copyright retained by author, but free to download and use.
3. Shareware - Copyright retained, limited download and use.
4. Open Source - Copy right retained, free to use, source code available.

Now, what I do find useful about this project is that there is a case where the software author has given permission to freely distribute his software, but so far, no one has a copy of the software. This is "Concept-3D" by Robert Fingerle. I e-mailed him a few years ago (he has since passed away) and he sent me a copy of the manual, but he did not have the software available.

The majority of free QL software is probably available via Dilwyn's site or the Quanta Library.

In a town nearby is the Niles Essennay Silent Film Museum. They preserve silent films from the Essenay Film Company. Because of non-preservation of these films, a lot of the films are no longer available in any form. Had they been preserved in some fashion, they would be available, esp. after the copyright had expired. I think it is better to have the software preserved, because one day the copyright will expire and someone might find the software interesting to have.

Tim

[RWAP]

Ok, my two cents....

First, let's get away from the term Public Domain. When it comes to free software there are four main types:

1. Public Domain - means that author has released copyright.
2. Freeware - Copyright retained by author, but free to download and use.
3. Shareware - Copyright retained, limited download and use.
4. Open Source - Copy right retained, free to use, source code available.

Now, what I do find useful about this project is that there is a case where the software author has given permission to freely distribute his software, but so far, no one has a copy of the software. This is "Concept-3D" by Robert Fingerle. I e-mailed him a few years ago (he has since passed away) and he sent me a copy of the manual, but he did not have the software available.

The majority of free QL software is probably available via Dilwyn's site or the Quanta Library.

The only problem with the Quanta library is that it is not available to non-members, due to restrictions placed on some of the software when it was donated to the library.

If you can email me a copy of the front page of the manual for Concept 3D I think that I have preserved this already - it may be a different version (or similar title) - who published it?

[RWAP]

Oops - found it - http://www.rwapadventures.com/ql_wiki/i ... 3D&lang=en

Tesseract Software - I shall have another look ....

[1024MAK]

Software preservation is always a really good idea .
Leaving all copyright issues for debate at another time/date/thread...

Is there an existing list of all known QL software (or in this case, QL commercial software)?
I suspect not, so is there even a partial list (or more than one)?

In the Acorn BBC micro world, Lee has been busy putting together a list (still a work in progress, see here, just look at the downloadable file, don't worry too much about the content of the posting).

Is one of the aims in the QL world, to make a similar type index / list?

The Acorn community is also scanning cassette inlays and instructions. I think it would be an idea to scan instructions and any other relevant items for the QL as well.

Mark

[Dave]

I offer to collate and host this information in an updated, well presented format at sinclairql.com - which is now almost ready to go live.

[XorA]

I fully support preservation of retro software. If we don't do it no-one will

All other retro platforms have a preservation project, its sad to lose things to time!

I doubt I can be much help being such a newbie, but a maintained MIA list would be good so if people happen to stumbled on stashes at car boots etc they can quickly check the MIA list!

[RWAP]

Is there an existing list of all known QL software (or in this case, QL commercial software)?
I suspect not, so is there even a partial list (or more than one)?

There is an extremely curtailed list on wikipedia - I did try editing it once, but got thrown off as they said I was not a disinterested party, as I was adding links for each title to my own website (ie. the QL Wiki !!)

The most complete list is basically hosted on the QL Wiki - for example for Software, go to:
http://www.rwapadventures.com/ql_wiki/i ... re&lang=en

Then click on each sub-category - you will get a list of all of the various software titles under that category - if you want an export of the SQL database, then give me a shout.

swensont has offered to start compiling lists in a database and that can then be exported to Archive format - so maybe you could work on this with him Mark.