Release notes for QTM v1.45            © Steve Harrison (Quantum), 1993-2013
----------------------------------------------------------------------------


          >>>>>> QTheMusic (QTM) v1.45, 27th December 2013 <<<<<<


Welcome to QTheMusic (QTM), the ProTracker / FastTracker / StarTrekker music
module player for RISC OS computers.

QTM will play music from any 4, 6 or 8 channel ProTracker/FastTracker
compatible music module, in the background, while you use Risc OS. To use,
simply load !QTMmini, or double click a ProTracker/StarTrekker file, such as
the supplied music 'exelrelax1' (written by exel of quantum).

QTM v1.45 introduces support for more music module formats including
FastTracker (thanks to Zarchos for bringing this popular PC format to my
attention!), as well as several new features (including '*QTMTransparent'
command), more SWIs and a number of bug fixes. Also included for the first
time with QTM v1.45 is a full featured tracker display programme
'!QTMDisply', just load some music into QTM, and run '!QTMDisply' to use.
Additionally, a much smaller, much simpler, BASIC display programme
'QTMviewer' is also included. For a full list of what's new in v1.45, see the
'History' file in 'Documents'.

See the file 'Links' for web links to sources of ProTracker/FastTrekker
compatible music tracks (often also called 'MODs' or 'modules' on the Amiga).
If you download from these sources, just make sure the music module has its
RISC OS 'FileType' set to 'STModule' (or &CB6) by selecting 'Set Type' from
the filer menu (or using "*Settype <filename> CB6" from the command line),
before double-clicking the music file to play in QTM.

For programmers, QTM contains a full API for use playing music and sound
effects in games/apps. See the file 'SWIs' in 'Documents' for more
information.


A brief reminder of where it all came from...
---------------------------------------------

QTM was originally written (in 1993) to faithfully reproduce Protracker 2.0
music (created on the Amiga) - under RISC OS. It succeeded in doing so, its
play routines accurately reproduced even the trickiest of effects
combinations used on the Amiga, which often confused other RISC OS Protracker
players (and even confused later Amiga players).

With this aim completed, QTM was repeatedly optimised - and succeeded in
becoming one of the fastest music play-routines for RISC OS computers. This
furthered its use in graphics demos, such as Quantum's own 'Liquid Dreams',
where it allowed the maximum possible processor time to be used by the demo
code.

But at the heart of QTM lies it's compatibility - it successfully runs on all
RISC OS-based computers ever built(!), from the first 512 kb, 8MHz, Arthur
0.30 A305, back in 1987, to the latest 1GB, 1.2GHz, RISC OS 5 PandaBoard.


How to contact us
-----------------

If you wish to contact the current maintainer for any reason, see the 'Contact'
help file supplied with this release of QTM.


Credits for QTM, Q The Music
----------------------------

Q The Music (QTM), was written by Steve Harrison, one-time known as Phoenix.

The QTM module (QTMTracker) and applications !QTMmini and !MiniVUBrs are
copyright © Steve Harrison, 1993-2013

QTM v1.41 and later are 32 bit RISC OS compatible thanks to the development
and work of Jeffrey Lee. Jeffrey is the current curator of QTM and hosts the
latest release on his website http://www.phlamethrower.co.uk/riscos/qtm.php

QTM was written in 279K of ARM assembler, which assembles down to 62K!

****************************************************************************
*** Thanks to everyone who has contacted me about QTM over the years,    ***
*** thanks especially to everyone who has taken time to test QTM, and to ***
*** everyone who has waited patiently while I have repeatedly missed     ***
*** release deadlines and failed to reply to emails!                     ***
***                                                                      ***
*** Special thanks goes to Paul Wheatley for originally forming Quantum  ***
*** and encouraging the first release of what then became Q The Music!   ***
****************************************************************************

...hope you like it, enjoy!                       Steve Harrison, 27/12/2013
                                                     Jeffrey Lee, 12/2013