QUANTA AGM...

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

There is a Quanta Magazine Archive at: https://quanta.org.uk/the-ql/magazine-archive-2/

Not complete.

I have download all the magazines.

I have all the hard copy magazines, and had thought of scanning them for my own enjoyment.

[afx]

In these days of online Forums and blogs, a Newsletter may seem a little redundant, but I personally like to read longer articles in a 'linear' form rather than the naturally fragmented way we get to read online posts. I also like the idea of a 'Forum Round-up' - highlights from the various QL related forums recorded in one place and in a way I can more easily find topics of interest.

Hello Martin, that is a very timely comment. I share the same opinion on this matter. In the QL community, we need a publication (preferably online) where the information is better organized for reference. QL Forum is great, but indeed the information is very scattered, and at times it's hard to search through long discussion threads. It would be great to have a regular publication in the style of Quanta or the beloved QLToday.


Greetings!

[bwinkel67]

I wonder if NP AI has progressed enough where such a round-up could be auto-generated by scraping monthly forum topics and winding it into a common, readable narrative. Not volunteering to do so, since my knowledge of ChatGPT is currently limited, but perhaps an intriguing project for someone more invested presently in that technology.

[M68008]

I wonder if NP AI has progressed enough where such a round-up could be auto-generated by scraping monthly forum topics and winding it into a common, readable narrative. Not volunteering to do so, since my knowledge of ChatGPT is currently limited, but perhaps an intriguing project for someone more invested presently in that technology.

I guess it would work ok if you had software to extract the various forum threads. However, the off-the-shelf models might probably struggle with the inline replies, some super-technical sections, very long threads and off topic replies.

As an experiment, I asked a web site that can create summaries (not sure what model it uses) to look at this thread:
https://www.theqlforum.com/viewtopic.php ... view=print

Here is a 137 word summary it produced (full results, including shorter and longer summaries: https://sloppyjoe.com/summarize/sum_6fMn70w2ATg):

Scott, a new member, shares his recent experiences with the Sinclair QL and other retro computing systems. He attended events where he found a QL setup with microdrives and external drives for a bargain price. Scott has a diverse collection of vintage and modern systems. The QL's external drives seem to have compatibility issues, as the 3 1/2" drive uses a parallel interface, which is unusual for a QL. The community provides helpful insights, suggesting the parallel-to-serial converter may not be sufficient. They also mention the keyboard ribbon cable and power supply appear to have been upgraded, indicating the previous owner's care. Scott plans to explore a QDOS emulator for the Amiga as a way to experiment with the QL's capabilities. The forum provides a supportive environment for QL enthusiasts to share knowledge and assist each other.

Here is a different summary from Copilot (I like the structure, but sounds too generic):

• Introduction and Purchase: ScottC2024 introduces himself and shares his recent purchase of a Sinclair QL with microdrives and external drives for £30, which he is very pleased with.

• Technical Queries: ScottC2024 seeks advice on using the drives, particularly the 3 1/2 inch white floppy drive, and mentions his attempts to format and access the disks.

• Community Responses: Members provide insights and suggestions, including the need for a disk interface and possible solutions for connecting and using the drives with the QL.

• Additional Information: Discussions include the technical specifics of the drives, potential need for drivers or ROMs, and links to useful resources.

[bwinkel67]

That's not bad.