Sinclair QL

Summary

With the Sinclair QL, the British company Sinclair is entering new territory after the great success in the home computer sector. The Sinclair QL is one of the first computers with 16/32-bit Motorola processor, with the Sinclair QDOS as the forerunner of today’s multitasking operating systems, network capabilities and two built-in microdrives.

Because of these excellent abilities Sinclair gave the computer the label “QL” which stands full-bodied for “Quantum Leap” (i.e. quantum leap). Installed programs such as word processing or spreadsheet positioned the Sinclair QL in the business segment, but only an estimated 100,000 machines find customers. This was also due to hardware and software problems (a small extra-ROM card was delivered at the beginning). When Amstrad took over Sinclair, the Sinclair QL was discontinued in 1986.

Interesting is the use of the MC68008, which has the same 32-bit command set as a 68000, but externally uses an 8-bit data bus (and 20-bit address bus).