Fluffy Dice for your Sinclair QL

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QViewStu
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Fluffy Dice for your Sinclair QL

Post by QViewStu »

Jonathan Oakley came across this in his QView scrapbook and we thought it might be fun to share. This was from the local rag Cambridge Evening News which covered the QUANTA Papowrth meeting where Minerva was launched. Some questionable journalistic ideology from the day (women keeping the tea urns full) with hindsight. Some other folk can explain the fluffy dice reference...
Untitled.jpg


One third of the original QView Minerva crew.
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vanpeebles
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Re: Fluffy Dice for your Sinclair QL

Post by vanpeebles »

That’s great! :D


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QViewStu
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Re: Fluffy Dice for your Sinclair QL

Post by QViewStu »

As if there was any such thing as a "typical long haired computer freak" - tabloid journalism ;-)


One third of the original QView Minerva crew.
Derek_Stewart
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Re: Fluffy Dice for your Sinclair QL

Post by Derek_Stewart »

Hi,

Heady times ideed, I remember talking to Lau on his BBS: LAU's Place about the new Minerva project.

I coukd not beleive that we could have multasking Superbasic and graphics speed update to 98% of Lightning, without the ram usage.


Regards,

Derek
KINGCHEF
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Re: Fluffy Dice for your Sinclair QL

Post by KINGCHEF »

I was a founder member of Peter Rowells group and we started in Lolworth. I'm pretty sure the picture was taken in Lolworth Village Hall. A very busy group at one time. We were also at Coton for a while. PCs were moving in by then.
Numbers declined eventually until we were meeting at Peters house in Hardwick and numbered 6. After Peter died we tried to find somewhere to meet but it was impossible to hire anywhere at reasonable rates. We met a few times at the Cambridge Services on the A14 but realised after a couple of meetings that we could only stay for 2 hrs ( or pay a fine) which made it pretty pointless. Also we couldn't run a QL in the services eating area ;) . I came from Ely, a few from near Royston and one from Thetford.

Most amusing memory from Lolworth days. We were standing around a QL looking at a listing on the screen when it filled with zeros and kept going.
'Ah' says I, 'This is computing for you. A lot of people standing around watching nothing happen'

Good days. Insert wistful, tearful emoji here.


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QViewStu
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Re: Fluffy Dice for your Sinclair QL

Post by QViewStu »

KINGCHEF wrote:I was a founder member of Peter Rowells group and we started in Lolworth. I'm pretty sure the picture was taken in Lolworth Village Hall. A very busy group at one time. We were also at Coton for a while. PCs were moving in by then.
Numbers declined eventually until we were meeting at Peters house in Hardwick and numbered 6. After Peter died we tried to find somewhere to meet but it was impossible to hire anywhere at reasonable rates. We met a few times at the Cambridge Services on the A14 but realised after a couple of meetings that we could only stay for 2 hrs ( or pay a fine) which made it pretty pointless. Also we couldn't run a QL in the services eating area ;) . I came from Ely, a few from near Royston and one from Thetford.

Most amusing memory from Lolworth days. We were standing around a QL looking at a listing on the screen when it filled with zeros and kept going.
'Ah' says I, 'This is computing for you. A lot of people standing around watching nothing happen'

Good days. Insert wistful, tearful emoji here.
It is probably no exaggeration to say without the encouragement and support of fellow QMUG members like Peter, Minerva might never have escaped my kitchen table where Lau did much of his cogitating. I read Peters obituary and was pleased to see a photo of Peter wearing his Minerva T-shirt at a meeting. My girlfriend at the time called him grandpa twinkle. Definitely some good days which I am glad to have been part of.


One third of the original QView Minerva crew.
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Peter
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Re: Fluffy Dice for your Sinclair QL

Post by Peter »

Many thanks for sharing! Wish the QL had come with Minerva-level OS right away...


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