Quest Automation Ltd

Quest Automation, also known as Quest International Computer Technology Ltd traded from School Lane, Chandler's Ford, Hampshire; as well as operating an office in Fleet, Hampshire.

Quest Automation released various hardware and software titles in the early days of the Sinclair QL, including:

Hardware

• OScard - Add-on to provide memory switch and RAM capacity for CPM 68K Operating System
• QL Expansion Console - A four way expansion bus
• Quest Floppy Disk Drive - An interface and dedicated floppy disk drive for the QL
• Quest Memory Expansion - A rather large memory card interface
• Quest Winchester Hard disk system (10MB winchester hard disk - 7.5MB formatted, costing £995)

They also sold an early 5.25" disk drive systems (1985) which offered a single 200K drive for £249, or an 800K dual disk drive for £800.

The news section of QL User (December 1984/January 1985 issue) states that Quest had exhibited a 'staggering 2 Gigabyte laser disk for the QL' - laser disks were the forerunners of CDs and this would have been an amazing technological revolution at the time. However, the price of 'less than £30,000' may have been a little off-putting for ordinary Sinclair QL users! Whilst there was a presentation held to announce this, it is unknown whether the interface was ever produced to link the QL to a laser disk.

Software

• CPM 68K Operating System (Alternative operating system)
• Blackjack by Quest (Classic card game)
• QL Cash Trader (Accounts package for small businesses)
• Quest the Adventure (a graphical adventure set on board a sailing ship)
• Tally (An accounting package)
• Zappit (A sprite editor)

The hardware, plus CP/M and Tally, were all sold as part of the 'Executive Series'.