PS. Ignore the Perl script. If there are no instructions, it's unlikely the code could be read and understood, even by the authour! Perl is a 'WORN' language. Write Once Read Never! :D Bah! That depends upon the programmer. Some write Perl which looks like line noise, others as a clear, structured ...

Yes, (M)ICE first appeared in 85 according to the copyright and was the first WIMP interface. I seem to remember the other systems turned up some years later. The interface is very rudumentary. There's no scrolling and no double-clicking, merely using different buttons. There are no windows as such ...

I know it's unlikely but can the Pointer Environment use the mouse connected to the Eidersoft M-ice dongle?

It would be dead handy if it did, given that's what I have.

Does anyone have a pointer to a source for a suitable replacement foam/felt for Microdrive cartridges? I'm using these https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-Track-Tape-Replacement-Felt-Pads/252762966703 - I've refelted over 60 cartridges now and so far they are holding up nicely. My only issue is the shipping...

It's well known that the QL played quite a big role in the development of the Commodore Amiga's operating system as Metacomco was contracted to create AmigaDOS 1.0 and did so on QLs using their BCPL compiler. (It was a recreation of Tripos, an OS written in BCPL which originated in Cambridge.) Howev...

Does anyone have a pointer to a source for a suitable replacement foam/felt for Microdrive cartridges?

Some time ago I obtained some 8 track self-adhesive felt but it wasn't dense enough so that when it was cut into the required 4mm x 2mm x 4mm block it just fell apart.

There once was a man called Tebby,
Who's OS was not at all heavy.
Its toolkit was weak,
So he gave it a tweek,
And made everyone quite happy.

On an Atari TT030 (30MHz 68030) it takes 127 seconds. Unfortunately SMSQ/E doesn't run in fast RAM so I can't test it with the uncontended EDO RAM only the slow RAM shared with the video sub-system. Hi Stephen, Are you using QVME in the TT030? No, just the Atari SMSQ/E downloaded from the developme...

On an Atari TT030 (30MHz 68030) it takes 127 seconds.

Unfortunately SMSQ/E doesn't run in fast RAM so I can't test it with the uncontended EDO RAM only the slow RAM shared with the video sub-system.

So, replacing the video completely should mean that there's no need to directly access the QL memory at all. Not memory as storage, but memory mapped I/O. The QL's address and data bus would still be there and access in the internal QL register area, so keyboard, speaker, network and microdrives ca...