SparkFS

The best archive filing system for RISC OS. Will read and write ZIP, ARC, TAR, ARJ, LZH, PacDir, Zoo and McStuffit files. As it's a proper image filing system you can load or run data and programs direct from the archive without the need to de-arc them first.
There are various freeware programs that will read and write ZIP files but if you're using the internet to download programs you can't afford to be without SparkFS. Price is just £22 inclusive.
Please add £1 carriage outside UK

    ArcFax

If you've got a fax-modem (and if you're reading this you've probably got an internet connection so you almost certainly have) then this will let you send and receive faxes from your desktop. Behaves rather like a printer driver, so it's very easy to use, in fact, you send a fax just like printing a file.
Price is just £31 inclusive.
Please add £1 carriage outside UK

Fed up waiting for your printer to finish so you can get back to using your computer? Then you need Spooler.
Spooler intercepts all printing from desktop applications and stores it temporarily on disc, then prints the document in the background, so you can continue working in the desktop. Spooler starts printing whilst the application is still sending the data, so you get control of your computer much faster than you would normally.
Spooler can also produce extra copies of documents without the application doing any more work. It will also queue documents so you can send many documents to the spooler and leave the printer to print them as fast as it can whilst you carry on working.
Spooler will work quite happily with any type of printer (except direct-drive Laser printers) eg dot matrix, ink jet, laser, Postscript. Used in its simplest form, Spooler need just be loaded for it to work. No setting up is required. Spooler will install on the icon bar.

• Easy to use - just load and go
• Uses hard disc, floppy disc or RAM disc
• Produces multiple copies if required
• A fraction of the price of hardware alternatives

  Ergane

Ergane is a Freeware translating dictionary program written by David O'Shea. It uses the dictionary files from the web site of Travlang Ltd. who specialise in language teaching. Go download it yourself if you like - but there's over 50Mb of data on this CD and all the files have to be converted, so. . . . . . .
Over 50 languages are supported, although some have only a couple of hundred words.
As well as the Ergane program there is a lexicon collection consisting of lists of words. These include foreign languages, technical and proper names. Ideal for adding to spelling checkers so you can use them with foreign languages etc.
Price is just £6.90 inclusive

TypeStudio is a complete text manipulation package which can convert outline fonts to draw files, flow text along paths, mould text to shapes and apply special effects. Use it to produce professional quality adverts, posters, banners, logos, letterheads etc. Built-in tools allow lines and curves to be drawn along which text can be flowed to follow any shape. Pairs of lines may be linked to create shapes into which text (and Draw files!) may be moulded. The resulting object can then be scaled, rotated etc. or have a special effect applied to it.
A wide range of effects can be applied to text. Three types of shadow, slanted or mirrored in any direction, 3D, plinth and column. Effects may be combined giving endless possibilities. TypeStudio is intuitive to use, especially to users familiar with Draw. TypeStudio provides line/curve drawing tools, and options to group/ungroup, scale, rotate, and copy objects.
Designs produced on TypeStudio may be exported as Draw files, or they may be saved in TypeStudio format so that paths, moulds and style attributes are maintained for future editing.
TypeStudio is supplied on CD with a 64-page user guide with and worked examples with step-by-step instructions plus 7 outline fonts.
TyprStudio costs just £9.90 inclusive..
Please add £1 airmail outside UK.


   

Phabulous Phantasm. Lets you manipulate ArtWorks colour tables. That doesn't sound too exciting, but using Phantasm you can (amongst lots of other things) create opaque and metalic efects that would be extremely difficult or nearly impossible by other means.
Price is only £9.90 including UK post
Please add £1 carriage outside UK