QUANTA

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Simon_Carr
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QUANTA

Post by Simon_Carr »

Dear All,

Sorry I have been quiet recently: work has been all consuming recently...

I'm just writing to ask the forum what the value of QUANTA membership is? I know that some of the regular people on this forum are committee members or proponents of QUANTA, but I have looked at their website on a few occasions, and each time I have come away wondering what the benefits of membership really are?

£19 for annual membership (or more depending on what you want) isn't something that bothers me too much, but I would really like to hear from some of the forum posters what I could gain from membership of QUANTA that is different, better or more useful than this forum (which I think is ace, btw).

When I look at the QUANTA website, I don't see anything to suggest that this is something I should be signing up for, but I am very willing to be persuaded! The website looks rather moribund, and doesn't appear to be updated very much, but am I missing something really important here?

Any responses gratefully received!


Unpacking a JS-ROM QL, with a QL-SD and SuperQBoard, and busily refelting millions of microdrives
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vanpeebles
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Re: QUANTA

Post by vanpeebles »

I'm in QUANTA. You get a nice little magazine which is now sadly the last paper publication for the QL since QL Today closed. You also get access to a massive library of software which would be very handy for a beginner. I think it's worth it and they would love a new member :)


RWAP
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Re: QUANTA

Post by RWAP »

In reality, as a long time Quanta member - I think it is worthwhile - they have magnificently failed to embrace the power of the internet - and have had at least 3 attempts at doing the website - but it has never taken off or been in a position where it can be updated by committee members on a regular basis (in fact poor Dilwyn ended up being pretty much the only person to put anything on the site).

Apart from the magazine and library (which has lots of useful programs and routines not in the public domain), they do run a yearly workshop, and offer finance to help fund QL related projects.

I have twice made use of their funding to help finance new QL membranes for example.

As for the library - the Quanta library does contain routines for example, to allow you to split the QL screen between mode 8 and mode 4 - there are a couple of adventures I did something on (forget what) which use mode 8 for the top half of the screen for graphics and mode 4 for the text below!

They can be infuriating at times, but are useful for beginners and those with the black box QLs more than anything else.


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dilwyn
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Re: QUANTA

Post by dilwyn »

Simon_Carr wrote: I'm just writing to ask the forum what the value of QUANTA membership is? I know that some of the regular people on this forum are committee members or proponents of QUANTA, but I have looked at their website on a few occasions, and each time I have come away wondering what the benefits of membership really are?
Even as a committee member I don't exactly think our websites at Quanta have been exactly our biggest successes. Some might even put it less kindly than that.

Although Quanta has been encouraged to have forums and the like, our mixed fortunes with websites have meant that this aspect of QLing is best left to those like Rob and van Peebles who've made such a success of this one, and lists like Bruce's ql-users email mailing list.

There is a large software library, most of it from the first decade of the QL, some of it quite unique, plenty of BASIC programs to study and modify (and occasionally correct when the odd something only runs on one version of the QL ROM!). The library is closed to new submissions, because most new QL stuff goes on websites nowadays, but the library is still there. Contact Quanta Librarian David Buckley if you are a member and want a copy of the CD.

I suspect most people have joined for the regular magazine and the possibilities of sharing experience - helpline and so on.

The helpline is free for members - you an ask questions which we try to solve. Sometimes we can't solve the queries and try to find someone else who can. As members probably know, these helpline questions often end up as articles in the magazine (anonymously, unless permission is given to include a name) and in recent years have helped us fill the magazine. I'd like to think of it as one of my achievements while on the committee, managing to include a regular helpline column.

Another benefit of membership will be the news columns I suppose. Although news tends to filter out by way of the forums and mailing list, people might like to have a regular news summary to read.

The main benefit I think will be that feeling that you are still part of a community. Since QL Today, Quanta will probably be the only QL community of any size that is not all electronic.

At this point I'm going to pay tribute to Quanta's magazine editor, Lee Privett (who goes by the name Mr Navigator on here). How he manages to fill the magazine every month I'll never know. Between us, he and I write most of the magazine. Easy on my part, I love writing and have 30 years of QL experience to draw on. Mr Navigator returned to the QL scene after many years and was to some extent arm-twisted by me into the role of editor (well, not arm-twisted, but I did suggest him for the role), so it's not been so easy for him.

These last couple of issues have been even harder for him thanks to upheavals where he works and because I've been taking a bit of a back seat in QL matters due to Ann's illness. A bit frustrating for me because of being so close to finishing a project like Q-Dock.

The main thing is that people continue to support Quanta, as the last major QL organisation apart from the forums. One way of doing this would be for members to volunteer to stand for committee. You have to be a member, but where you live is not an issue these days thanks to the likes of Skype. You don't have to be an expert, indeed I'd suggest that sometimes new blood is more important than experience. Some of the recent and present committee have been long serving and faithful to Quanta - people like John and Sarah Gilpin, and John Mason before that. Experience is great, a good mix of experience and new blood is even better.

So, Simon, I'd very much say that you should join Quanta despite the impression you got from the website. Try it for a year and I'm sure you'll like it enough to carry on with your membership.


Simon_Carr
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Re: QUANTA

Post by Simon_Carr »

Thanks for the responses, which, reading between the lines, are leading me towards being just on the positive side of a bit neutral! I'll look at joining Quanta at the end of the month, once the monthly bills are paid. I do think that perhaps doing something about the website, even just a static front page, would be a big improvement on things: if I was basing my choice on that alone, there is NO way I would even consider joining!


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Dave
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Re: QUANTA

Post by Dave »

You're a lot better off being in the UK - us foreign members really don't get much benefit, since the website is truly awful, and most of the services benefit from, you know, being in a nearby country.


Derek_Stewart
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Re: QUANTA

Post by Derek_Stewart »

Hi,

Quanta is the only remaining QL Support magazine, which can be delivered in paper or in PDF format sent by email.

The Software Library is a very good resource, which is worth having.

The Magazine, is like this forum, where all QL Users can read and contribute to.

It is worth subcribing, as for the web site, it is only as good as the work that is put in, maybe this is something that remote QL users could develop, as it would allow remote access to QL resources.

I used run a BBS in 1990s, but stopped due the Internet, but most BBS SYSOPs (Systems Operators) went on to develop web site.

I have altely being looking at the old PBOX BBS files, which do look like a Web Site. The BBS ran on a QL, so maybe worth developing.


Derek


Regards,

Derek
bobmc
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Re: QUANTA

Post by bobmc »

Hi all,

I too had a look at the website and I was left with the impression that the group was no longer active. Judging by the responses in this thread it looks as though I was mistaken (happily) and will now head over there to sign-up.

Thanks to all the respondents.

Regards
Bob


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vanpeebles
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Re: QUANTA

Post by vanpeebles »

Something really needs to be done about that website if it's nearly turning away new members :(

Just had a look, switching to wordpress has made it miles better. Could do with a little tidy and a tweak.

Still no link to the forum though! :o


RWAP
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Re: QUANTA

Post by RWAP »

I have again been speaking with Quanta about their website. The reality is that none of their members are willing to come forward and help set up and maintain the website and I get the feeling that the committee is losing heart - with low attendance at the AGM and workshop, and no-one standing to help out on the committee.

Dilwyn and Lee have done a sterling job since they joined the committee but Dilwyn's time has been sadly curtailed this year (wishing you all the best Ann).

In my opinion, the Quanta website should be seen as the hub of all things QL.

The committee should basically come to the conclusion that they are better off forgetting the dedicated Quanta website and talk with the admins of the QL Forum, and myself and probably Dilwyn and Urs, so that we could create one website which would encompass:

a) Quanta - about the user group and encouraging membership
b) The Full history of the QL
c) The QL Wiki
d) The QL Forum
e) The Sinclair QL Homepage - ie. all the downloads etc

All within one site. Quanta could pay towards the maintenance and upkeep of the site (instead of their own hosting fees) and leave the administration to others.

I still think that there should be a dedicated section on the forum for Quanta members - I know there was talk about this and worry about data protection implications - but they should have asked me about this rather than just saying no because they were worried

Basically, to access the Quanta section, all that needs happen is for the user to complete a simple form, with the user's name, address, email address and a tick box to say that they agree to the information being shared with Quanta for the purposes of verifying their membership.

Simple - then the form can be sent to Quanta, and if membership is confirmed, then rights given to the user to access that section of the forum.

No implications whatsoever for data protection as the user has given their full consent!


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