Announcing the new "Gold Card" - QIMSI Gold

[Peter]

Maskenlos gave me the right syntax:
EW win1_proglogic;"win1_update_bit"

Not a syntax issue. Obviously you didn't have the data path at win1_ as I suspected. That's why the filename was needed.
It's all written in the manual!

Important note: The FPGA variant I sent you still keeps the external keyboard connector in PS/2 mode, in contrast to what I wrote earlier.

[guibrush]

I’m not sure to understand what do you mean with « the data path at win1_ ». The file was at the root of win1_. Or do you mean something else?

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

I think the problem with data path is setting the PROG and DATA defaults setup in the integrated Toolkit 2 in SMSQ/E.

If the DATA_USE and PROG_USE statements are not set, they default to FLP1_

DATA_USE sets the default data directory
PROG_USE sets the default program directory

The defaults can be set in the boot file as:

DATA_USE WIN1_
PROG_USE WIN1_

This sounds like the problem.

I tried to supply all the SMSQ/E manuals with the Q68, but every platform that runs SMSQ/E has its own manual. A little confusing.

[guibrush]

ha, ok! Well, I used the .win container given in the qimsi gold archive.
Good to know, thanks

[Peter]

I updated correctly the FPGA, and I'm happy to report that 4 USB mouses that I have work correctly

Thanks for the feedback. Did all your non-wireless USB mice work?

[guibrush]

Almost all wired USB mouses I have worked, yes:
Logilink ID0011 (two of them)
Logitech RX250 (two of them)
Logitech M-BJ58

The Apple A1152 don't work (not surprised). It is recognised at boot but the pointer don't move.


The Logitech M-BJ58 is somehow "stuck" when I let it still for one or two seconds. It need a big movement to wake it up again. A bit annoying. All three others don't show this behaviour.

To me, the compatibility looks very good.
Yesterday, we had our monthly club meeting and I showed the QIMISI in action, I will post some pictures later.

[Peter]

Thanks. The big question is whether future FPGA versions should come with USB or PS/2 mouse interface.
I think that the USB interface, although limited, will support a larger number of modern mice.

On the other hand, a lot of people now have their working mice already, some of them being PS/2 only.
And using USB for the mouse, while the keyboard remains PS/2, seems quite a mess.
(Unlike mouse, new keyboard drivers for USB would be required, which do not exist.)

[guibrush]

here some pics of my presentation yesterday at our local club.

The Qimsi Gold has generated a lot of interest, and one person even wants to order one! Congratulations on this development from the members of the Swiss French speaking old computers club!

[guibrush]

as 5 is the maximum possible for attachement, her two more pics:

[guibrush]

Thanks. The big question is whether future FPGA versions should come with USB or PS/2 mouse interface.
I think that the USB interface, although limited, will support a larger number of modern mice.

On the other hand, a lot of people now have their working mice already, some of them being PS/2 only.
And using USB for the mouse, while the keyboard remains PS/2, seems quite a mess.
(Unlike mouse, new keyboard drivers for USB would be required, which do not exist.)

Only my two cents:
for me, it was really difficult mostly because I didn't had the right adapter. The fact is that it's not the way we are used to have them by dozen, it's the other way around. So, if people have to order an adapter and have to find an old PS/2 mouse, I find much better to support USB wired mouses out of the box. It's something available everywhere. But I can totally understand that people already having the Qimsi don't want to change that, because they already got a working mouse. In reality, the problem is only with the actual user base. For new customers, you can tell in the manual that the mouse is USB and that the keyboard has to be PS/2 and call it a day.
Perhaps a poll to ask what actual users what is a good way to get an answer to this question?