QL User & QL World

The first “real” issue was the extensive “QL User Complete Dossier” in July 1984, priced £1.95! From there, QL User initially went bi-monthly from the August/September 1984 issue (now priced at 85pence!), and then monthly from the February 1985 issue. The editor was Paul Coster BSc.

The 'Dossier' issue and the first bi-monthly issue can be seen below.

Suddenly the QL was available in quantity, the user base was growing steadily and the demand for information about the QL grew and grew.

QL World

During 1985, Sinclair arranged for their QL Users Bureau members to receive six free issues of the new magazine called QL World with their QLUB newsletter. Edited by Geoff Wheelwright, this was an independent magazine, professionally produced (like QL User) and early in 1986 QL User merged with QL World, the latter being the surviving name. The last issue of QL User was cover-dated Jan/Feb 1986. By now, QL World was published by Focus Investments. From March 1986 we were back to just one monthly QL magazine at the newsagent! The merged issue like QL User had 64 pages, nearly twice as many as the original QL World.

The ‘QL User’ name disappeared from the cover with the February 1987 issue. The December 1987 issue was the first to be edited by Helen Armstrong, who was to remain as editor through changes of ownership until QL World’s eventual demise many years later. The May 1990 issue was the first under the new ownership of one of publisher Robert Maxwell’s companies, MCM Ltd, after Focus Magazines went into administrative receivership. A brief period with Headway Home And Law Publishing Ltd in mid 1992 was followed with ownership by Arcwind Ltd, a small company better known for its windsurfing magazines! The May/June 1992 issue was the first under publisher Mark Kasprowicz, still edited by Helen Armstrong. Then finally, just after Christmas 1993 it was announced in Volume 3 Issue 5 by Arcwind that this would be the last issue of QL World. Trivia: the last issue actually contained the wrong issue number!