Gourt > Computers > Systems > Commodore > Quantum Link
Quantum Link (or Q-Link) was a U.S.online service for Commodore 64 and 128 personal computers that operated from November 5, 1985 to November 1, 1994. It was operated by Quantum Computer Services of Vienna, Virginia, which in October 1991 changed its name to America Online, and continues to operate its AOL service for the IBM PC and Apple Macintosh today. Q-Link was a modified version of the PlayNET system, which Control Video Corporation (CVC, later renamed Quantum Computer Services) licensed.
Just as later services would, Q-Link featured electronic mail, online chat (in its People Connection department), public domain file sharing libraries, online news, and instant messaging (using On Line Messages, or OLMs). Other noteworthy features included online multiplayer games like checkers, chess, backgammon, and hangman; casino games such as bingo, slot machines, and poker in RabbitJack's Casino; and an interactive graphical resort island called Habitat while in beta-testing and later renamed to Club Caribe.
Club Caribe was developed with Lucasfilm Games and was designed using software that would later form the basis of Lucasfilm's Maniac Mansion SCUMM story system. Users controlled on-screen avatars that could chat with other users, carry and use objects and money (called tokens), and travel around the island one screenful at a time. It was a predecessor to today's MMOGs.
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Projector Tricks: More than Home Theater of the Office
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:48:55 -0400
Rear projection, front projection, short throw, ultrashort throw, touch-screen whiteboards, and LCD screens. Business projectors are more than just the home theater of the office and conference room. A little know-how and a few tricks enable more than presentations and make the projector a business tool. Knowing your options can prove valuable the next time someone asks you to review or recommend a projector or large-screen display. - Think of a business projector and you probably picture a typical front-projection setup in a conference room, with the projector mounted on the ceiling, or perhaps sitting on a table or desk, projecting the image from a spot somewhere in front of the screen. There are other options, however. It's we...
Facebook Introduces Connect, No Payment System
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:31:19 -0400
Facebook announces its Connect external socialization service, a new developer Web site, international translation of the Platform and other programs. Not announced: The mythical Facebook payment processing platform. - SAN FRANCISCO -- Facebook officials announced a number of news nuggets at the Facebook F8 Conference, but the event will be remembered for what the company didn't unveil: the oft-speculated on Facebook payment processing platform. During a questiona and answer session with reporters, TechCrunch M...
EMC Modernizes Documentum
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:31:13 -0400
New Web 2.0 features give it more gumption to compete with Microsoft SharePoint. - Storage infrastructure vendor EMC came out with a major update to its Documentum collaboration suite on July 23, and analysts believe it is now better equipped to compete with Microsoft SharePoint in the marketplace because it will appeal to younger, Web 2.0-type users. Enterprise Content Managem...
AMD Denies Fab Sell-Off
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:37:30 -0400
AMD is denying reports that it will sell off its fabrication plants, or fabs, in Germany as part of a plan to cut expenses and refocus the chip makers energy of processors and graphics. - Advanced Micro Devices is planning to keep its fabs for now. AMD is denying a report that appeared in the Austin American-Statesman that contains an interview with new CEO Dirk Meyer that seemed to indicate that the chip maker was preparing to spin off its manufacturing facilities in Germany an...
Oracle Makes Secure Web Access Management Push
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:33:24 -0400
The Oracle identity and access management bundle is a shot at securing Web-based cloud environments better than Oracle rivals Sun, CA, IBM and Novell. - Oracle has bundled together a suite of access management products in a bid to help enterprises secure their Web-based environments and to challenge its main rivals in the space. The new offering is called Oracle Access Management Suite, and combines Oracle Access Manager, Adaptive Access Manage...
Cisco to Buy Pure Networks
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:29:18 -0400
Cisco Systems says it will acquire Pure Networks, a privately held provider of home networking-management software and tools, for $120 million. Cisco says Pure Networks' home networking-management solution allows users to set up and manage a home network and connect a range of devices, applications and services within the home. - NEW YORK, July 23 (Reuters) Cisco Systems Inc. said on Wednesday it would acquire Pure Networks, a privately held provider of home networking-management software and tools, for $120 million. Cisco said Seattle-based Pure Networks' home networking-management solution allows users to set up and...
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology
Amazon beats expectations as profit doubles
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:47:01 -0700
Amazon.com said today that its second-quarter profit more than doubled and surpassed Wall Street's expectations. Sales were strong in several...
Boeing's 2Q profit falls 19 percent on charge
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:29:35 -0700
Boeing Co., the world's second-largest commercial airplane maker, on Wednesday said second-quarter earnings fell 19 percent due to a previously disclosed $248 million charge for delays in fulfilling a defense contract.
Costco sees 4Q below estimates
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:55:23 -0700
Costco Wholesale Corp. said Wednesday that its earnings for the current quarter will be lower than expected as it delays raising prices on items from food to patio sets amid soaring energy costs that have accelerated in recent weeks.
NYT > Technology
Strong Quarter for Sales at Amazon
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:34:37 -0000
The online retailer Amazon.com reported that net income for the second quarter more than doubled on strong sales.
Earnings Rose at AT&T, but Revenue Misses Forecast
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:17:20 -0000
AT&T said its second-quarter earnings rose 30 percent, but its revenue missed analysts’ estimates.
Head of Microsoft’s Online Efforts Departs
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:27:22 -0000
Kevin Johnson’s exit comes as Steven A. Ballmer, Microsoft’s chief executive, is shaking up top-level staff in a bid to improve Microsoft’s Internet search and ad business.
CNN.com - Technology
Rivals embracing wireless hi-def video
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:47:18 -0400
Read full story for latest details.
Cancer expert warns on cell phones
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:29:15 -0400
Read full story for latest details.
The 6 sins of 'greenwashing'
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:02:23 -0400
You might want to go green, but how do you know what you're buying is truly ethical? Greenwash -- the ignoble art of misleading consumers about a product's true green worth -- is on the rise. But thanks to the work of increasingly vigilant regulators, some of the more curious and downright spurious claims are being weeded out.
NPR Topics: Technology
Can You Believe Your Eyes In An Age Of Photoshop?
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:47:00 -0400
As it gets ever easier to doctor images, will the photograph lose its credibility? A digitally manipulated photo of an Iranian missile launch recently made its way onto major news Web sites, raising concerns about whether images can be trusted. Guests discuss the long history of altered images.
Plug In, Drive On: The Promise of Next-Gen Hybrids
Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:32:00 -0400
General Motors is partnering with more than 30 North American utility companies to create technology and energy interfaces for the introduction of plug-in hybrid vehicles. Here's a look at the impact that plug-in hybrids might have on consumers' pocketbooks and the environment.
Cities Gone Wireless: Safety Or Surveillance?
Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:01:00 -0400
While some U.S. cities have seen their dreams of wireless Internet access for all fade, others are creating wireless networks for a different purpose: surveillance. Vast networks of cameras on city streets and buses are aimed at public safety but have raised privacy concerns.
BBC News | Technology | UK Edition
Net firms in music pirates deal
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:57:58 -0000
Six of the UK's biggest net providers have signed up to a government plan to tackle illegal file-sharing.
Manned spaceship design unveiled
Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:56:31 -0000
The first official image of a proposed joint Russian and European manned spacecraft is unveiled.
MySpace signs up to OpenID scheme
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:27:05 -0000
Members of the social networking site could soon be using their login details to access lots of other sites.
Reuters Video: Technology
Electric cars get a huge plug
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:54:57 -0400
Jul 23 - In the drive to create carbon neutral economies, makers of electric vehicles believe their time has finally come.
Olympic robots welcome you
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:25:02 -0400
Jul 23 - Olympic robots, styled as the games' mascots, will roam Beijing's new international airport welcoming visitors to the sporting spectacle.
Your doorway to the next internet?
Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:04:39 -0400
Jul 21 - A new product from the U.S.-based Organic Motion aims to bring special effects to the consumer market, potentially reshaping the internet.
AP Top Technology News At 9:26 p.m. EDT
Nokia, Qualcomm settle long-running dispute
By ELLIOT SPAGAT Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:41:51 -0000
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Nokia Corp. and Qualcomm Inc. said Wednesday they agreed to settle a high-stakes licensing dispute and end a bitter legal battle that has lasted nearly three years and spanned several continents....
Microsoft exec who led Yahoo buyout team to leave
By JESSICA MINTZ Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:26:24 -0000
SEATTLE (AP) -- Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday said Kevin Johnson, the executive in charge of its Windows and Web operations and an instrumental player in the company's failed $47.5 billion bid to buy Yahoo Inc., is leaving the company....
Pittsburgh cancer center warns of cell phone risks
By JENNIFER C. YATES and SETH BORENSTEIN Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:11:17 -0000
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The head of a prominent cancer research institute issued an unprecedented warning to his faculty and staff Wednesday: Limit cell phone use because of the possible risk of cancer....
CNET News.com
Marquiss Wind Power snaps up Cirrus Technologies
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:00:00 -0700
A pair of start-ups specializing in small-scale wind turbines merged Tuesday.
Click fraud harder to detect, but rate stays flat
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:38:35 -0700
Bogus clicks on ads, which can make money for Web sites but cost advertisers, were no more common in the second quarter. But click fraud is getting more sophisticated.
Pairing your cell with Bluetooth? Buyer beware
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:15:00 -0700
If a new hands-free driving law has forced you to buy a Bluetooth mobile phone headset, this advice from the U.S. government can help protect against getting "bluesnarfed."
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Projector Tricks: More than Home Theater of the Office
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:48:55 -0400
Rear projection, front projection, short throw, ultrashort throw, touch-screen whiteboards, and LCD screens. Business projectors are more than just the home theater of the office and conference room. A little know-how and a few tricks enable more than presentations and make the projector a business tool. Knowing your options can prove valuable the next time someone asks you to review or recommend a projector or large-screen display. - Think of a business projector and you probably picture a typical front-projection setup in a conference room, with the projector mounted on the ceiling, or perhaps sitting on a table or desk, projecting the image from a spot somewhere in front of the screen. There are other options, however. It's we...
Facebook Introduces Connect, No Payment System
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:31:19 -0400
Facebook announces its Connect external socialization service, a new developer Web site, international translation of the Platform and other programs. Not announced: The mythical Facebook payment processing platform. - SAN FRANCISCO -- Facebook officials announced a number of news nuggets at the Facebook F8 Conference, but the event will be remembered for what the company didn't unveil: the oft-speculated on Facebook payment processing platform. During a questiona and answer session with reporters, TechCrunch M...
EMC Modernizes Documentum
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:31:13 -0400
New Web 2.0 features give it more gumption to compete with Microsoft SharePoint. - Storage infrastructure vendor EMC came out with a major update to its Documentum collaboration suite on July 23, and analysts believe it is now better equipped to compete with Microsoft SharePoint in the marketplace because it will appeal to younger, Web 2.0-type users. Enterprise Content Managem...
AMD Denies Fab Sell-Off
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:37:30 -0400
AMD is denying reports that it will sell off its fabrication plants, or fabs, in Germany as part of a plan to cut expenses and refocus the chip makers energy of processors and graphics. - Advanced Micro Devices is planning to keep its fabs for now. AMD is denying a report that appeared in the Austin American-Statesman that contains an interview with new CEO Dirk Meyer that seemed to indicate that the chip maker was preparing to spin off its manufacturing facilities in Germany an...
Oracle Makes Secure Web Access Management Push
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:33:24 -0400
The Oracle identity and access management bundle is a shot at securing Web-based cloud environments better than Oracle rivals Sun, CA, IBM and Novell. - Oracle has bundled together a suite of access management products in a bid to help enterprises secure their Web-based environments and to challenge its main rivals in the space. The new offering is called Oracle Access Management Suite, and combines Oracle Access Manager, Adaptive Access Manage...
Cisco to Buy Pure Networks
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:29:18 -0400
Cisco Systems says it will acquire Pure Networks, a privately held provider of home networking-management software and tools, for $120 million. Cisco says Pure Networks' home networking-management solution allows users to set up and manage a home network and connect a range of devices, applications and services within the home. - NEW YORK, July 23 (Reuters) Cisco Systems Inc. said on Wednesday it would acquire Pure Networks, a privately held provider of home networking-management software and tools, for $120 million. Cisco said Seattle-based Pure Networks' home networking-management solution allows users to set up and...
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology
Amazon beats expectations as profit doubles
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:47:01 -0700
Amazon.com said today that its second-quarter profit more than doubled and surpassed Wall Street's expectations. Sales were strong in several...
Boeing's 2Q profit falls 19 percent on charge
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:29:35 -0700
Boeing Co., the world's second-largest commercial airplane maker, on Wednesday said second-quarter earnings fell 19 percent due to a previously disclosed $248 million charge for delays in fulfilling a defense contract.
Costco sees 4Q below estimates
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:55:23 -0700
Costco Wholesale Corp. said Wednesday that its earnings for the current quarter will be lower than expected as it delays raising prices on items from food to patio sets amid soaring energy costs that have accelerated in recent weeks.
NYT > Technology
Strong Quarter for Sales at Amazon
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:34:37 -0000
The online retailer Amazon.com reported that net income for the second quarter more than doubled on strong sales.
Earnings Rose at AT&T, but Revenue Misses Forecast
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:17:20 -0000
AT&T said its second-quarter earnings rose 30 percent, but its revenue missed analysts’ estimates.
Head of Microsoft’s Online Efforts Departs
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:27:22 -0000
Kevin Johnson’s exit comes as Steven A. Ballmer, Microsoft’s chief executive, is shaking up top-level staff in a bid to improve Microsoft’s Internet search and ad business.
CNN.com - Technology
Rivals embracing wireless hi-def video
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:47:18 -0400
Read full story for latest details.
Cancer expert warns on cell phones
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:29:15 -0400
Read full story for latest details.
The 6 sins of 'greenwashing'
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:02:23 -0400
You might want to go green, but how do you know what you're buying is truly ethical? Greenwash -- the ignoble art of misleading consumers about a product's true green worth -- is on the rise. But thanks to the work of increasingly vigilant regulators, some of the more curious and downright spurious claims are being weeded out.
NPR Topics: Technology
Can You Believe Your Eyes In An Age Of Photoshop?
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:47:00 -0400
As it gets ever easier to doctor images, will the photograph lose its credibility? A digitally manipulated photo of an Iranian missile launch recently made its way onto major news Web sites, raising concerns about whether images can be trusted. Guests discuss the long history of altered images.
Plug In, Drive On: The Promise of Next-Gen Hybrids
Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:32:00 -0400
General Motors is partnering with more than 30 North American utility companies to create technology and energy interfaces for the introduction of plug-in hybrid vehicles. Here's a look at the impact that plug-in hybrids might have on consumers' pocketbooks and the environment.
Cities Gone Wireless: Safety Or Surveillance?
Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:01:00 -0400
While some U.S. cities have seen their dreams of wireless Internet access for all fade, others are creating wireless networks for a different purpose: surveillance. Vast networks of cameras on city streets and buses are aimed at public safety but have raised privacy concerns.
BBC News | Technology | UK Edition
Net firms in music pirates deal
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:57:58 -0000
Six of the UK's biggest net providers have signed up to a government plan to tackle illegal file-sharing.
Manned spaceship design unveiled
Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:56:31 -0000
The first official image of a proposed joint Russian and European manned spacecraft is unveiled.
MySpace signs up to OpenID scheme
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:27:05 -0000
Members of the social networking site could soon be using their login details to access lots of other sites.
Reuters Video: Technology
Electric cars get a huge plug
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:54:57 -0400
Jul 23 - In the drive to create carbon neutral economies, makers of electric vehicles believe their time has finally come.
Olympic robots welcome you
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:25:02 -0400
Jul 23 - Olympic robots, styled as the games' mascots, will roam Beijing's new international airport welcoming visitors to the sporting spectacle.
Your doorway to the next internet?
Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:04:39 -0400
Jul 21 - A new product from the U.S.-based Organic Motion aims to bring special effects to the consumer market, potentially reshaping the internet.
AP Top Technology News At 9:26 p.m. EDT
Nokia, Qualcomm settle long-running dispute
By ELLIOT SPAGAT Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:41:51 -0000
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Nokia Corp. and Qualcomm Inc. said Wednesday they agreed to settle a high-stakes licensing dispute and end a bitter legal battle that has lasted nearly three years and spanned several continents....
Microsoft exec who led Yahoo buyout team to leave
By JESSICA MINTZ Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:26:24 -0000
SEATTLE (AP) -- Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday said Kevin Johnson, the executive in charge of its Windows and Web operations and an instrumental player in the company's failed $47.5 billion bid to buy Yahoo Inc., is leaving the company....
Pittsburgh cancer center warns of cell phone risks
By JENNIFER C. YATES and SETH BORENSTEIN Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:11:17 -0000
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The head of a prominent cancer research institute issued an unprecedented warning to his faculty and staff Wednesday: Limit cell phone use because of the possible risk of cancer....
CNET News.com
Marquiss Wind Power snaps up Cirrus Technologies
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:00:00 -0700
A pair of start-ups specializing in small-scale wind turbines merged Tuesday.
Click fraud harder to detect, but rate stays flat
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:38:35 -0700
Bogus clicks on ads, which can make money for Web sites but cost advertisers, were no more common in the second quarter. But click fraud is getting more sophisticated.
Pairing your cell with Bluetooth? Buyer beware
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:15:00 -0700
If a new hands-free driving law has forced you to buy a Bluetooth mobile phone headset, this advice from the U.S. government can help protect against getting "bluesnarfed."
JohnD39's QLink Page - Pictures of Q-Link alumni and an internet contact list.
Quantum Link Members Guide - Includes a command reference chart and function key overlays for the 64 and 128.
Quantum Link Reloaded - Project to resurrect Quantum Link. There's a forum and instructions for connecting with a C64/128 or VICE emulator.
Remember Q-Link! - Memories and screenshots of Quantum Link, the popular Commodore 64/128 ancestor of America Online.
Meta Description: [ Here's a memorial to two much-missed pieces of computing history: Q-Link and the Commodore 64 personal computer. Includes personal screen shots and other photos, plus links to other Commodore 64/Q-Link pages. Newly expanded with many more pictures than before. ]
| curious about your particular tool for doing this time acceleration issue. Sounds like a quantum mechanics nightmare ... | |
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