|-------------------------- Acorn News Service --------------------------|
| http://www.acornusers.org/ans/ |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| The Acorn News Service is an independent service. |
| It is in no way connected with, or supported by Acorn Group PLC. |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| ISSUE 35 14 June 1999 |
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| To send in your news items or comments, use the ANS website, |
| or e-mail them to ans@acornusers.org. |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Featured site this issue: http://www.riscstation.co.uk/ |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Contents
--------
1) Editorial
2) General News
3) Commercial News
4) PD/Shareware News
5) Club News
6) ANS information
Editorial
---------
Here is the latest issue of the ANS newsletter. Nothing else to say this
time, except as always feel free to forward a copy to other Acorn users
who may be interested.
James Sears, Editor
james@ans.acornusers.org
General News
------------
1) German news at ArcSite
German language Acorn news pages will soon be available at ArcSite
(http://www.arcsite.de/). ArcSite provides free RISC OS homepages, web
based discussion, many links, and a search engine for some FTP servers.
Most pages are available in English as well as German.
2) TechWriter/EasiWriter Pro Plus web pages
A set of web pages, covering the new features of the 'Pro+' versions of
TechWriter and EasiWriter, are now online. The pages are intended to help
users understand how to get the best results from Java, animations,
keyboard extensions, etc. They should also be of interest to anyone
considering purchasing (or upgrading to) Pro+.
The pages can be found at:
http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/TechWrite/proplus/
3) Kosovo CDs
Acorn software CDs, being sold to raise money for Kosovan refugees, are
still available from Clares, Archive, and APDL.
The CDROM contains all the Archimedes World cover discs, exclusive demos
(including Clares' Rhapsody 4), several full commercial software packages
(Rhapsody 2, MacFSLite, AudioWorks, CFS, Mad Professor Moriarty), and
much more.
The CD costs GBP6.25 (UK only, overseas rates different). For details see
http://www.acornusers.org/charitysite/Kosovo/.
4) Acorn users Open Directory
The Open Directory Project (http://dmoz.org/) is a Yahoo style web site
directory with a difference - it is edited by hundreds of users, not
employees of one company, so new sites are quickly added and categorised.
Anyone with an Acorn related site should add it to the Computers/
Operating Systems/RISCOS/Software section of the directory. Also support
the ODP by adding any other sites you have developed or like, and use
dmoz.org as your search engine of preference.
5) New Psion machine expected tomorrow
Psion are expected to launch their latest handheld computer tomorrow, the
Psion Series 5MX. Like the Series 5, the 5MX will feature an ARM7 based
processor, clocked twice as fast in the new model, as well as extra RAM,
and an enhanced browser and Java support in ROM.
For speculation see:
http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB19990607S0012
http://www.theregister.co.uk/990611-000015.html
On Tuesday full details should be available from:
http://www.psion.com/
http://5alive.psionking.com/
Commercial News
---------------
1) RiscStation 7500 specification upgraded
Due to customer feedback from the Wakefield show, and to increased
competition from other RISC OS computer manufacturers, RiscStation Ltd.
(otherwise known as CTA) has decided to redesign their soon to be launched
computer. The ISA expansion slots have gone, to be replaced by four 32bit,
33MHz PCI slots, to allow for much faster and complex third party addons
to be used.
One of these is to be a StrongARM PCI card that can hold up to eight
233MHz StrongARMs. With 4 PCI cards, you could in theory have thirty-two
StrongARMs working away in the RiscStation, although software support
would be required, and uses of such a setup seem limited.
Read the full article on Acorn Cybervillage at
http://www.cybervillage.co.uk/acorn/hotnet/riscos/riscos_1.stm.
2) PEP Associates to cease trading
PEP Associates has announced it will cease trading on 30th June 1999.
Products have included: the first commercial software speech synthesizer
for RISC OS machines; the first product to migrate an existing PC CD-ROM
natively to the RISC OS platform; and the award-winning CD-Net product -
unbeaten in its ability to share CD-ROMs to Acorn computers
PEP Associates will take orders from customers up until the end of June,
but will not be able to provide support after that time.
http://www.pep-assoc.co.uk/
3) Aleph One price cuts
Aleph One Ltd. has announced lower prices than ever before on their range
of x86 second processor cards.
Prices start at GBP225, including VAT and postage, for 100MHz Cyrix 5x86
cards. For details see:
http://www.aleph1.co.uk/AcornProd/Hardware/PCCardsNow.html
4) New Acorn User subscription rates
Tau Press are pleased to announce the availability of four and eight issue
subscriptions, in addition to the standard annual subscription.
Here are the new subscription rates in full, for UK, EU and World
subscribers. Prices are in UK Pounds Sterling, and include postage and
packing:
UK EU Other
4 issues 15.99 17.99 20.99
8 issues 29.99 34.99 40.99
Annual 45.99 51.99 63.99
You can subscribe through the following methods:
* Phone: +44 (0)870 6060424
* Fax: +44 (0)1625 859808
* Web: http://www.acornuser.com/issues/subs.html
* Mail: Subscriptions, Tau Press, Media House, Adlington Park,
Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 4NP, UK.
5) WebChange 2 now available
WebChange v1.00 is now available from Soft Rock Software, at a price of
GBP10 until 30th June 1999. For details and a limited function version of
WebChange 2, see http://www.softrock.co.uk/webchange/.
WebChange 2 is an application designed to help HTML writers - those who
like to produce their HTML 'by hand' in particular - by helping remove
some of the more tedious and repetitive tasks.
6) MicroDigital Spring Clean and USB Development Board
MicroDigital are clearing out to make space for work being carried out
on the new 'Mico' desktop computer. Many bargains can be had by visiting
http://www.microdigital.co.uk/.
Also Microdigital are making a USB development board and software
available to developers. For more information, see the MicroDigital
News pages at http://www.microdigital.co.uk/.
PD/Shareware News
-----------------
1) NumberFix 1.3
NumberFix allows you to manipulate files with numeric names, as produced
by many digital cameras. You can change 1,2,3 to 01,02,03 - so that the
filer displays them correctly. You can renumber from any given number,
allowing you to merge two directories, and you can add prefixes and
postfixes.
The new version offers an unlock button rather than just dying when a file
is locked. It will also warn you when this occurs.
The program supports interactive help and is shareware. It is available
from http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/tudor/.
2) Carriage application updated
Carriage allows you to munge text files from RISC OS/DOS/BBC Micro
carriage return and/or line feed standards - they all use different
sets of character 13 and 10 to mark the end of a line.
The newer version allows for easier internationalisation and also takes
a copy of the original in the scrap directory to allow you to write back
to the source file.
Available from http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~rps102/bbc/riscos.htm.
3) New home for RegEx module
The RegEx module implements the GNU 'regex' Regular-Expression matching
routines within a module, with SWIs replacing the normal calls.
Main advantages:
* The code is over 40KB, so every app. requiring regex that uses the
module instead of hard-wiring the code saves memory.
* An extended expression compilation SWI allows the use of Perl-like
expression short-cuts (eg "\S" for non-white-space) and easier case
insensitive searches.
* A 'favourite syntax' may be set up once and thus shared amongst all
applications, so you only need remember the one.
Version 1.00 is currently available is 1.00. V1.01 has been produced, but
and will be uploaded soon when the StrongHelp SWI docs and C veneers are
complete.
The *new* home is: http://home.onet.co.uk/~fnx/software.html.
4) FTPc 1.15
FTPc v1.15, a freeware Internet File Transfer Protocol client, is now
available from http://www.c-granville.freeserve.co.uk/. Improvements
include:
* Reconnect/New connection added to main menu.
* Tabs allowed in status log.
* Menu now works over status bar.
* 77 file limit no longer crashes download.
* Demon bug fixed - uploads no longer fail with MKD.
5) Icon Change available now
Icon Change, a program to change the look of your desktop, is available
for download at http://www.malpasroad.freeserve.co.uk/acorn/sw/icons/.
6) Beta Testers required for JvScript
JvScript is the first JavaScript authoring package for RISC OS computers.
Its features include:
* No knowledge of JavaScript required.
* Easy intuitive interface.
* Script based design allows countless possibilities for functions.
* Over 20 scripts, with many more to come.
* It is Freeware.
JvScript is available from http://www.dyoungs.clara.net/jvscript/.
Please note:
* This is an early beta release, many improvements are already scheduled.
* It requires JFShared v2.54.
* It is script based - there are no 'hard wired' functions.
* Not all the scripts have been tested.
More details available from the above address.
7) lharc - new version
A new version lharc, a port of the Unix LHa compression/decompression
utility, is now available.
The new version is a port of LHa v1.14, which includes a new compression
method (lh6), as well as fixing a couple of minor bugs.
lharc 0.28, and a desktop frontend, are available from the miscellaneous
section of http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/tigger/programs/progrs.html.
8) PsiFS 1.10 released
The second release of PsiFS is now available for free download from
http://homepages.tcp.co.uk/~thouky/tcfp.html.
Changes from version 1.00 include:
* A virtual drive has been added that represents each of the real
drives as subdirectories, reducing iconbar clutter.
* Filer windows can be configured to open or close automatically when
a link is established or broken.
* Automatic baud rate identification added.
* The printer mirror icon shows the number of bytes received.
* The destination of the printer mirror can be changed easily.
* MimeMap module can be used to provide additional filetype mappings.
* The documentation has been substantially improved, including new
step-by-step tutorials.
PsiFS is a freeware RISC OS file system that communicates with a remote
SIBO or EPOC device via the Psion Link Protocol (PLP). Files can be
manipulated as if they were on a local disc, so copying is simply a
matter of dragging icons between filer windows.
9) New version of ArcLink5
The latest version (v0.13) of ArcLink5, a shareware Psion 5-RISC OS
transfer application.
This latest version includes a number of bugs fixes, as well as adding
the ability to convert RISC OS text files into Psion Word files and vice
versa, and allowing recursive directory copying from the Acorn to the
Psion.
A full list of changes is available at
http://www.matrix.clara.net/Acorn/ref/arclink5.html.
ArcLink5 is available to download from
http://www.matrix.clara.net/Acorn/psion.html.
10) BASCalc
BASCalc, a PD arithmetic expression evaluator for performing quick
calculations and binary/hex/decimal conversions, is available from
http://www.matrix.clara.net/Acorn/utils.html.
Club News
---------
1) June meeting dates from AAUG
The following user group meetings are planned for June. Always check the
AAUG web site (http://www.aaug.net/) to confirm details.
June 1999
=========
14th - DARC meeting - Weather Imaging
14th - Southampton meeting
14th - SASAUG meeting
25th - Blackpool meeting
29th - Acorn Club NorthEast meeting
30th - Bristol Acorn User Group meeting
The AAUG website provides details of all the user groups worldwide, and
how you can benefit from becoming a member. For more information, visit
http://www.aaug.net/.
2) RiscStation at Manchester Acorn User Group
RiscStation Ltd. will be showing their new RISC OS clones at MAUG's
meeting on Friday 25th June. The event is intended to involve, for the
first time, the chance for users to try out RiscStation 7500 machines as
they will be available in the genuine production systems launched in July.
The meeting will be held at St. Anne's Club, Stretford, Manchester. Full
details from the club's web site (http://www.acorn.manchester.ac.uk/).
ANS Information
---------------
1) Contact ANS
Editor - James Sears - james@ans.acornusers.org
Webmaster - Stephen Courtney - stephen@ans.acornusers.org
Founder - Eytan Abrahams - eytan@ans.acornusers.org
Life-Webmaster - Richard Hesketh - richard@ans.acornusers.org
ADL Moderator - Paul Johnson - paul@ans.acornusers.org
Translator - Michael Gerbracht - michael@ans.acornusers.org
2) How to send in news
To send in your news items simply e-mail ans@acornusers.org, or use the
form on the ANS website (http://www.acornusers.org/ans/newsdesk.html).
Also if you have an Acorn related announcements mailing list, feel free
to subscribe ans@acornusers.org.
3) How to subscribe to ANS
If you are reading this on the ANS web site, or have received a forwarded
copy of ANS and would like to subscribe to the mailing list, simply send
any e-mail to ans-subscribe@ans.acornusers.org. Alternatively use the form
on the ANS web site at http://www.acornusers.org/ans/subscribe.html.
For details of other commands e-mail ans-help@ans.acornusers.org.
4) Fetching web pages via e-mail
If you do not have web access you can fetch any URL referenced in ANS by
using the KFS web by e-mail service. To use this free service send an
e-mail to www@kfs.org with the subject header "send ". For example to
fetch the web by e-mail service information page send an e-mail like this:
From: youraddress@example.com
To: www@kfs.org
Subject: send http://www.kfs.org/web-by-mail.html
------------ Acorn News Service, http://www.acornusers.org/ans/ ------------