Editing Sinclair QL (section)

=== Launch ===
[[file:Ql dongle.png|thumb|Sinclair QL ROM "dongle" – needed to expand the internal 32&nbsp;KB ROM to 48&nbsp;KB in early QLs]]

At the time of the rushed launch, on 12 January 1984, the QL was far from being ready for production, with no complete [[Prototype|working prototype]]. Although Sinclair started taking orders immediately, promising delivery within 28 days, first customer deliveries only started, slowly, in April. This provoked criticism of the company and the attention of the [[Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom)|Advertising Standards Authority]].<ref name="sunrise" />

Because of its premature launch, the QL was plagued by a number of problems from the start. Early production QLs were shipped with preliminary versions of [[firmware]] containing numerous [[computer bug|bugs]], mainly in [[SuperBASIC]]. Part of the firmware was held on an external 16&nbsp;KiB ROM cartridge also known as the "[[kludge]]" or "[[dongle]]", until the QL was redesigned to accommodate the necessary 48&nbsp;KiB of ROM internally, instead of the 32&nbsp;KiB initially specified.<ref name="sunrise" />

The QL also suffered from reliability problems of its [[ZX Microdrive|Microdrives]]. These problems were later rectified, by Sinclair engineers, especially on [[Samsung]] produced models, as well as by [[Aftermarket (merchandise)|aftermarket]] firms such as Adman Services and TF Services, to the point where several QL users report the Samsung Microdrives in particular working perfectly even after almost 17 years of service; but in any case too late to redeem the negative image they had already created.{{citation needed | date=January 2024 | reason=Sounds like a very specific report, presumably appearing in a specific publication.}}