For those who care, work is progressing nicely on the Internet
re-implementation of the Commodore(tm) QuantumLink service. The hope is
to re-introduce the basic service on the 20th Anniversary of the Q-Link
introduction: November 1, 2005. There is still plenty to implement, and
information to load, but the infrastructure looks to be in place. We've
secured the
quantum-link.org domain for information and the eventual web
portal.
As of this week, the service has been set up for continuous operation,
with new code drops loaded in the early mornings. the server can be
accessed at qlink.quantum-link.org:5190 by a real Commodore C64/128
using an RS232 interface cabled to the Internet via PC or
RS232-to-Ethernet adapter. The server can also be accessed via the VICE
and WinVICE C64 emulator. Details for both configurations are posted on
the
www.quantum-link.org home page.
As of 8-30-2005, People Connection and all main information areas are
functional, as is email, online messages, and message bases. File
transfers will be implemented soon, and then the basic People Connection
games. Re-implementing Club Caribe and the Habitat system are also
goals of the project, though more ambitious and will not be attempted
before the launch.
Although the server is still in pre-alpha stage, it regularly hosts a
lively chat in the PC Lobby with a dozen or so users. I encourage you to
join us for some fun alpha and beta testing.
The system will be demonstrated and a discussion on the methods for
re-implementing this complex service given at the SWRAP EXPO in Chicago,
IL on September 17th, 2005.
Although many folks have given support to the project, a few deserve
special mention. I want to thank the following individuals:
Keith Henrickson, who spent countless hours with the Q-Link client
runnng in the VICE monitor deciphering and reverse engineering large
portions of the Q-Link command structure and verb set. Keith has also
continued to oncover new portions of the verb set, including message
bases and file transfers
Keith Elkin, whose archived videotaped Q-Link sessions proved
instrumental in setting message layouts, response strings, and timing.
Raymond Day, who managed to archive a trace of 2 actual Q-Link user
sessions. One provided the key to fully implementing the information
areas, and allowed the extraction of 200+ menu items and 100+ files from
the original system, and the other held information crucial to
implementing message bases and provided insights on how the file areas
operated.
The VICE Emulator team. Without this tool, development would not have
progressed to this state.
Jim
--
Jim Brain, Brain Innovations
brain at
jbrain.com http://www.jbrain.com
Dabbling in WWW, Embedded Systems, Old CBM computers, and Good Times!