Psion chess is programmed by richard lang, a computer chess champion in the 80s and programmer of some of the most advanced dedicated chess computers of. Quill, easel, archive and abacus on the sinclair ql integrating the psion software. Psion software with gold card post by janbredenbeek wed feb 12, 2020 12. Psion software, which would go on to create the symbian mobile operating system, was hired early in 1983 to produce a set of. Qlpui is a prototype of a modern gui for qdos, running on a q60 video card. These applications quill, archive, abacus, and easel where created by psion, who also in 1984 released their psion organiser. Blog index and site links software for a sinclair ql. Sinclair has released version two of the ql bundled psion software, and is shipping it to qlub members as well as with new machines. Now that i have a working original gc attached to my ql ive just been playing around with my normal ql stuff. Several improvements have been made to it since it was first introduced, mainly to correct the original discrepancies in the operating system, etc. The sinclair ql is still strongly supported with a user group uk and bimonthly magazine, as well as the forums.
Cowo electronic was present selling its range of products. No matter how i tried, i could not get enthusiastic about the ql. The company developed games and other software for the zx81 and zx spectrum home computers, released under the sinclair psion brand. The sinclair ql for quantum leap, is a personal computer launched by sinclair research in.
The sinclair ql for quantum leap, is a personal computer launched by sinclair research in 1984, as an upperend counterpart to the sinclair zx spectrum. Sinclair ql update the latest word is that sinclair will take orders as early as november, with deliveries as early as january fcc permiting. Psion match point on sinclair ql real hardware youtube. The ql service manual was htmled by juanjo ruiz leo. Introduction to simulation techniques on the sinclair ql. Sinclair ql for sale in uk 16 secondhand sinclair qls. Twoscreens is a simple superbasic program that shows the ability of the.
Since i started a real preservation exertion for all the software produced during the 80s and 90s, in order to avoid the socalled digital oblivion, the colleague stefano guida interviewed me about the work being carried out. Sinclair was a name of varying association through the 60s, 70s and 90s. Psion xchange is much improved over the original versions of the four separate programs and a real benefit to the sinclair ql. The sinclair ql home computer was released in 1984 the successor to the earlier sinclair computers, the zx80, zx81 and zx spectrum. The chronology sinclair ql preservation project sqpp. So, at last, i can regularly use the real hardware to play some software buyed on ebay. Sinclair vintage computers and mainframes for sale ebay. Jan 12, 2012 sinclairs business machine, the ql came with a fourpack of productivity software from an upandcoming software company called psion abacus spreadsheet, archive database, easel business. For sinclair research, the ql is a major departure from the lowend zx computers and is the companys first attempt to enter the business market. Sinclair ql project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks.
Released 1984 platforms atari st, dos, macintosh, sinclair ql published by sinclair research ltd. Deutschsprachig sinclair ql psion microdrive software, restauriert, garantie. Mar 17, 2016 sinclair was a name of varying association through the 60s, 70s and 90s. Psion was established in 1980 as a software house with a close relationship with sinclair research. Timex sinclair business statistics computer software unopened package. Psion was initially awarded the contract to write the suite of office programs for the sinclair qls release and went on to produce some excellent games and programs for the ql. This site contains personal reflections on the sinclair ql.
The ql was launched as a business machine, complete with two built in sinclair zx microdrives, 128k, full sized keyboard and 4 business programs by psion quill wordprocessor, archive database program, easel business graphics and charts, abacus. Ql cash trader cash accounting package, rwap software ql cosmos astronomy program, talent available from rwap software programmer. A powerful beast for its day 1984 but hobbled by pennypinching design constraints. For collectors, here are copies of the original version 1 of the psion software supplied with very early qls. The superbasic programming language has support for networking and advanced graphics. Quill is the first wordprocessor package written by psion and packaged with the sinclair ql home computer. The responses warmed up a little when i read the descriptions of psions four programs. Perspective topdown genre strategytactics gameplay chess. Resurrected for the ql world in summer 20 by urs konig. On paper, i had a good collection of common ql programs including the psion range but almost none of them could now be read by the. The development team included the chairman david potter, technical director charles davies and software director colly myers.
Qemulator has an interpreter of the 68008s instructions, and emulates the basic ql s hardware, redirecting input and output to the macs or pcs video, keyboard, mouse, disks, sound hardware and. Qemulator has an interpreter of the 68008s instructions, and emulates the basic qls hardware, redirecting input and output to the macs or pcs video, keyboard, mouse, disks, sound hardware and serial ports to download qemulator, visit either the windows or os x page on this. New and improved psion software sinclair has released version two of the ql bundled psion software, and is shipping it to qlub members as well as with new machines. The mist board was designed to implement classic 16 bit computers like the amiga, atari ste or the apple macintosh and even early 32 bit computers like the acorn archimedes as a systemonachip using modern hardware. I just replaced mdv1 on my sinclair ql with a new one. Bundled psion application software on microdrive cartridges. Sinclair 26 psion 2 unbranded 2 escape software 1 qjump 1 ql enthusiast home build 1 sinclair research ltd 1 sinclair zx spectrum 1 sinclairpsion 1 transform 1 custom bundle no 3 yes 3. New and improved psion software sinclair user 37 ql news. They are not really intended for serious use, more for download by collectors, as they are after all very early versions. Sinclairs management decided to ship those first 89 machines without, he says, telling the software division. Thanks to rich mellor, ive added vdrive ql versions of the psion quartet for ql version 2.
Public domain programs for the sinclair ql rwap software. Qlpui provides a desktop, mouse pointer, window environment, window themes and scalable fonts select font load replace. The sinclair ql home computer was released by sinclair research limited in 1984 the successor to the earlier sinclair computers, the zx80, zx81 and zx spectrum. Qemulator sinclair ql emulator qemulator is a software emulator of the ql, running as an application in the windows and mac os environments. It also came complete with the bundled psion software package and some other programs. Psion was initially awarded the contract to write the suite of office programs for the sinclair ql s release and went on to produce some excellent games and programs for the ql. I also describe this machine in a youtube video lowcost sinclair research home computers such as the zx81 and zx spectrum had taken the british market by storm during 8183. Out of what was essentially a back yard shed, sinclair began to produce components for hifi and scientific instruments, gradually building up the. Pacing turnbased genre strategytactics gameplay board game, word construction perspective topdown visual fixed flipscreen interface point and select, text. Mistql is a sinclair ql implementation on the mist board system. Abacus v1 55k 7403 archive v1 57k 7403 easel v1 55k 7403. Sinclair 26 psion 2 unbranded 2 escape software 1 qjump 1 ql enthusiast home build 1 sinclair research ltd 1 sinclair zx spectrum 1 sinclair psion 1 transform 1 custom bundle no 3 yes 3.
Over the last few years many long lost items have been resurrected and several thousand files, may it be ql software, documentation or pictures became available again. This project has been launched as part of the ql is 25 activities way back in 2009. The ql service manual was ocred by andy dansby for the sinclair world. Sinclair ql games from rwap software qword a brand new game for the sinclair ql which will revolutionise leisure software this will make the most of the new graphics modes available on the latest versions of the sinclair ql, such as the aurora motherboard, the q40 and q60 computers and emulators such as qpc, whilst a version for original. As i understand the situation, psion have given permission for these programs to be freely copied for ql. The sinclair ql world magazine issue may 1990 is the first issue published by maxwell consumer magazines. We are however, able to supply microdrive versions of the latest psion software the four independent programs if you are you looking for this. Psion software with gold card page 2 the sinclair ql forum. Sinclairs business machine, the ql came with a fourpack of productivity software from an upandcoming software company called psion.
Sinclair ql softwarepsion software page dilwyn jones ql page. The company developed games and other software for the zx81 and zx spectrum home computers, released under the sinclairpsion brand. Psion software with gold card the sinclair ql forum. Psion software with gold card post by janbredenbeek. The programs, appearing months after the launch of the machine, are a sufficient improvement to make the ql a convincing option as an inexpensive business machine or word processor.
The ql was launched as a business machine, complete with two built in sinclair zx microdrives, 128k, full sized keyboard and 4 business programs by psion quill wordprocessor, archive database program, easel business graphics and charts, abacus spreadsheet and a powerful superbasic. Mar 17, 2017 after psion grew to 150 people, the innovation slowed so 3 psion employees including peter decided to start dip click link for highlights on achievements at dip tagged flight simulator, hungry horace, icl, oneperdesk, organiser, organizer, psion, sinclair ql, symbian. Software publishers were also reluctant to support the ql due to the necessity of. Ql software downloads most of the packages on this site are in zip file format ql zip and unzip packages are available from the archivers page on this site, and current versions can also be obtained from the website of the official maintainer of the qdos infozip package, jonathan hudson. Psion s games for the zx spectrum included chess, chequered flag, flight simulation and the horace series.
Some months ago in the sinclair ql italian mailing list we talked about microdrive cartridges imagingdumping. Psion was the shared winner of the wmccc 1984, and also won the software event of the wmccc 1987. A software suite consisting of quill wordprocessor, abacus spreadsheet, archive database and easel illustration was supplied on microdrive tapes by psion. King amongst these was the qls storage devices, the woeful microdrives. Psion was first marketed by sinclair research for sinclair ql and later under psions own label for 68000 based apple macintosh and atari st homecomputers, in late 1983 ported to 8086 based pcs running under the msdos operating system. The sinclair ql world magazine issue april 1990 is the last issue published by focus magazine ltd. Dec 27, 2012 i just replaced mdv1 on my sinclair ql with a new one.
On the other hand, the ql is like no other business computer. The ql was aimed at the serious home user and professional and executive users markets from small to large businesses and higher educational establishments, but failed to achieve commercial success. Qemulator is a software emulator of the ql, running as an application in the windows and mac os environments. Its worth recording however his belief that the delay was exclusively due to problems with the machinery itself, the apparent. Psions games for the zx spectrum included chess, chequered flag, flight simulation and the horace series. This is a list of software titles produced for the sinclair ql personal computer. Jan 10th 2014 this new website is the repository to host the files of the sinclair ql preservation project sqpp. He still takes a lively interest in the ql so lively that many ofhis opinions are unprintable. This core needs a ql rom image on sd card named ql. The repository sinclair ql preservation project sqpp.
Many thanks to clive sinclair for the concept of such a wonderful machine. Unfortunately, the ql was slow to market, while sinclair was fixing hardware and software bugs. Get the best deals on sinclair vintage computers and mainframes and find everything youll need to improve your home office setup at. The ql had a second life, providing the components for icls international computers limited one per desk or opd. Sinclair ql business software suite microdrive cartridge storage case 1980s. We have tested these various programs on a wide variety of sinclair ql. Psion was first marketed by sinclair research for sinclair ql and later under psion s own label for 68000 based apple macintosh and atari st homecomputers, in late 1983 ported to 8086 based pcs running under the msdos operating system. Starting in the 60s, sir clive, or just clive as he was known then, introduced the world to a series of breakthrough micro electronic devices through sinclair radionics ltd.
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