Productivity in the QL

A place to discuss general QL issues.
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badaman
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Productivity in the QL

Post by badaman »

Those of you who use your QL daily, are you productive with them?

Apart from the nostalgia and fun of using this computer again, I have always wanted to give it a practical utility, but of course, today, on any PC or Mac we have everything necessary, and it is difficult that in a retro environment there is a killerApp to return the QL to my desk.

Text editing? Databases or spreadsheet? Exporting and converting files is inconvenient. Graphics? Resolution and color depth are not enough today. Programming? Maybe, but just for leisure.

So, what use do you give or would you like to give to your retro computers?

Although the retro hobby is not measured in these terms, I am very curious.
Last edited by badaman on Wed Jan 29, 2020 12:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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badaman
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Re: Productivity in the QL

Post by badaman »

To open the round, I tell you my concern these days. In my QL I would like to have something similar to a wiki with searches, where to store notes that could connect to each other through links, such as the Tomboy or Gnote applications. If this application could also manage a calendar to include events, which are nothing more than notes associated with a date, it would be a great excuse to return the QL to my desk.


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Giorgio Garabello
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Re: Productivity in the QL

Post by Giorgio Garabello »

I use QPC2 for my accounting using programs written by me that rely on different databases.


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Chr$
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Re: Productivity in the QL

Post by Chr$ »

I use my BBQL to restore and check data from QL related collections that I've bought (find some interesting stuff sometimes on cart and disk and still have a lot to go through) and I also use it to format/prepare my NOS Microdrive cartridges for sale. I also use my Sinclair QL printer to print things for that retro-feel, in connection with the odd sale of related stuff.


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SinclairSociety
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Re: Productivity in the QL

Post by SinclairSociety »

badaman wrote:Those of you who use your QL daily, are you productive with them?

Apart from the nostalgia and fun of using this computer again, I have always wanted to give it a practical utility, but of course, today, on any PC or Mac we have everything necessary, and it is difficult that in a retro environment there is a killerApp to return the QL to my desk.

Text editing? Databases or spreadsheet? Exporting and converting files is inconvenient. Graphics? Resolution and color depth are not enough today. Programming? Maybe, but just for leisure.

So, what use do you give or would you like to give to your retro computers?

Although the retro hobby is not measured in these terms, I am very curious.
You sound like me... put every computer you own with at least 1 duty so they get used. Better than sitting in a box and doing nothing.

I only just have my QL and have not used much... was in need of a few things to get going but should have that sorted soon.

Off the top of my head, in Game of Thrones fashion of GRR Martin, I will one day use Quill or some other word processing app to create my own book or masterpiece on keeping it from prying eyes on the Internet, since QL still appears to not be too Internet savvy. :D

I may find some other use for it too.

TJ


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Re: Productivity in the QL

Post by RWAP »

I tend to use my QL as a quick means of testing and reverse engineering printer codes for the Retro-Printer.

One customer was amazed that when they sent me some captured output from an unknown (non-standard) printer, I could write something in SuperBASIC to convert the codes to get a graphical display of the printed data in a couple of hours!


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badaman
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Re: Productivity in the QL

Post by badaman »

Giorgio Garabello wrote:I use QPC2 for my accounting using programs written by me that rely on different databases.
I have looked at your website and I have seen things I did not know. Very interesting.
Chr$ wrote:I use my BBQL to restore and check data from QL related collections that I've bought (find some interesting stuff sometimes on cart and disk and still have a lot to go through) and I also use it to format/prepare my NOS Microdrive cartridges for sale. I also use my Sinclair QL printer to print things for that retro-feel, in connection with the odd sale of related stuff.
Sorry for my ignorance. What is "NOS" Microdrive cartridges?
SinclairSociety wrote:You sound like me... put every computer you own with at least 1 duty so they get used. Better than sitting in a box and doing nothing.
Hahaha. So is. It is also a matter of will and of doing it by custom.
RWAP wrote:I tend to use my QL as a quick means of testing and reverse engineering printer codes for the Retro-Printer.
Very interesting. I've taken a look at your "Second Hand Printers & Consumables" section.


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Chr$
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Re: Productivity in the QL

Post by Chr$ »

badaman wrote: Sorry for my ignorance. What is "NOS" Microdrive cartridges?
New old stock, well virtually. I have some that were written to once when new, but then never sold or used (or even labelled), just stored until now. I re-felt them, then check them properly and sell the ones that pass the tests.


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badaman
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Re: Productivity in the QL

Post by badaman »

Chr$ wrote:
badaman wrote: Sorry for my ignorance. What is "NOS" Microdrive cartridges?
New old stock, well virtually. I have some that were written to once when new, but then never sold or used (or even labelled), just stored until now. I re-felt them, then check them properly and sell the ones that pass the tests.
Thanks for the explanation. I'm learning new terminology ... like BBQL;) (Black Box QL)


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Re: Productivity in the QL

Post by Derek_Stewart »

badaman wrote:To open the round, I tell you my concern these days. In my QL I would like to have something similar to a wiki with searches, where to store notes that could connect to each other through links, such as the Tomboy or Gnote applications. If this application could also manage a calendar to include events, which are nothing more than notes associated with a date, it would be a great excuse to return the QL to my desk.
Hi,

I been thinking about this problem of having notes attached a calendar, most the modern applications like detailed above work in GUI environment.

Would you be using the QL Extended Environment and some like Qpac2, Prowess or QDT?

Or would a simple calendar with a note facility built-in be okay.


Regards,

Derek
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