Crazy Ideas

I discovered today that with GWASS you need to have a version of smsq/e running before you can compile a more up to date version of smsq/e. In other words smsq/e is not freeware for self compilers! Is this what was intended in the licence? Shades of the microsoft world! This reminds me of a situation when I wanted to upgrade an older PC to an internet workstation by adding a PCI wireless card to connect to my broadband modem router. The PC from "PC world" was installed with release 1 of Windows XP. I had service pack 2 on CD from a magazine to upgrade the XP installation. Could I get the software for the wireless card to install and work. No way, until in frustration I connected the PC via an ethernet cable to the modem. Suddenly a raft of further windows upgrades down loaded and installed. Card now worked. Catch 22 - when upgrading a PC to add a wireless network card you need to have the latest version of windows installed. To have the latest version of windows installed you need an internet connection. To have an internet connection you need a wireless network card installed. To get the installed card to work you need the latest version of windows etc.

Anyway it seems smsq/e is now up with the big boys.

Finally here are some crazy ideas ; lets connect a microdrive to a Qx0 through a serial port. Why? Don't you have old software on mdv cartridges still. Or is there anyway to put SBASIC asleep on a key without a button being visible in the button frame?

Absolutely finally, what is the single most influential program in QL Heaven that has transformed the QL World? Answers on a postcard for discussion next post.