Sinclair QL
16 bit home computers.
Description
The QL was equipped with a network interface called QLAN. There were some
production problems with the
QL so it was not easy for everyone to get a QL. The price was one of
the main advantage: In 1987 the QL cost only 350 DM. Although the QL was
released a year before ST & Amiga, it couldn't make advantage of this
year. It became not a 'computer for the masses'.
Present
There seem to be still active QL enthusiats who develope faster QLs
(68040 extension), graphic cards and even QL clones.
What's the Sinclair QL?
The Quantum Leap computer was launched by Sir Clive Sinclair
in 1984 aimed mainly at the business market rather than the games
market which dominated Spectrum sales. From a current point of
view it has at least reached the latter goal. It seems like
if most current QL users are like the first `home computer'
users -- hardware and software tinkerers. Other prefer the
strict simplicity against the complexity of most computer
systems currently in use (e.g. MS Windows).
The QL was supplied complete with a suite put
together by PSION comprising of a fully functional wordprocessor,
spreadsheet, database and a business graphics programs (bar
charts, pie charts etc).
The concept of the QL is to plug in and go. The only extra
required to get started is a standard TV and 10-15 minutes time
(i.e. to start typing a letter).
There is a host of additional peripherals available for the QL
including printers, disk drives, monitors, interfaces and
specialist hardware and software. The QL has its own magazine -
"QL Today" which carries interesting articles and advertisements.
![[ A picture of the Sinclair QL]](https://www.angelfire.com/me/takis/images/Ql.gif)
| Computer: |
Sinclair QL |
| Release year: | 1984
|
| CPU/Clock speed: | 68008/7.5 MHz
|
| ROM: | 32 KByte
|
| RAM (expandable) | 128 (640) KByte
|
| Display: | TV/RGB
|
| Text display: | 85 *25
|
| Graphics display: | 512 * 256 4 colours
|
| 256 * 256 8 colours
|
| Colours: | 16 colours
|
| Sound: | ? channels mono
|
| Operating system: | own
|
| Size (in mm) | 472*138*46 |
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