|-------------------------- Acorn News Service --------------------------|
| http://www.acornusers.org/ans/ |
| ISSUE 49 23 January 2000 |
| |
| An independent fortnightly newsletter for the Acorn world. |
| Send your news items or comments to ans@acornusers.org. |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Featured site this issue: http://www.acornsearch.com/ |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Contents
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1) Editorial
2) General News
3) Commercial News
4) PD/Shareware News
5) ANS information
Editorial
---------
The periodic release of patches by RISCOS Limited is a reassuring reminder
that someone is continuing to work on the operating system.
Even though there was a fault with one early release of the latest patch,
because of the advantages of a ROM based system, restarting the computer
without loading any of the disk boot sequence gave me a usable system, and
I could use the Internet as well as remove the faulty patch.
There were only two problems with a ROM only start up - PatchApp, which
allows old applications to run on the StrongARM, and the correct monitor
configuration file, were not present and had to be loaded manually.
Although patches are unlikely to cause problems, it is worth remembering
that any change could result in failure due to an odd interaction, and so
unless there is a specific problem you need to correct it is often wiser
to stick with a setup that you know works.
James Sears, Editor
james@ans.acornusers.org
General News
------------
1) New official RISC OS 4 ROM patch
An updated ROMPatch 4 is available on the RISCOS Ltd web site at
http://www.riscos.com/devsupport/public/.
The previous release caused problems for some people so it is important
to ensure you have ROMPatch 4, release 2.
2) Compo Clues website
"Compo Clues" is a new website to provide information for users of the
Compo graphics application. The home page of the site is at
http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/Compo/clues.html.
The site's main purpose is to help users to customise and exploit the many
features of Compo, not to provide information on art or graphic design
skills.
In due course, the site will also outline some of the application's
features, so it will also be useful for anyone considering buying a copy.
3) ROX mailing list
The ROX desktop aims to provide a RISC OS style GUI on Unix/Linux
machines. There is now a mailing list for people to discuss ROX and
receive future announcements.
To subscribe send an email to: rox-request@ecs.soton.ac.uk with the
single line 'subscribe' as the body.
The list is not just for developers but for anyone who wants help
installing or using ROX, suggestions for new features, announcements of
new releases or for people who are thinking of trying it one day.
http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~tal197/rox.php3
4) Acorns re-seeded in Romania
D Walder dwalder@mineheadms.somerset.sch.uk wrote:
"I recently took a load of Beebs to a school in Romania and set up
their first computer room. This means that they can now use computers
in their 'Infotech' lessons rather than simply writing about them.
I thought that this trip was to be a 'one-off' but on my return to
England I've been given a number of A3000s, 4000s and various bits
and bobs.
I can make up a small network with what I've got, but if I'm going
to take them over I might as well try and get as many as possible.
Basically I need more network cards, RAM Upgrades, cables, mice etc.
If you can help, or know a man who can, please contact me with your
possible donations."
D Walder, Minehead Middle School (01643 704191)
5) Videodesk user mailing list
The Videodesk mailing list exists as an independent self-help discussion
forum for those using or considering using Irlam Instrument's Videodesk
application.
The mailing list is now back online. E-mail vdesk-user@fillin.co.uk with
the subject SIGNON vdesk-user to subscribe, or SIGNOFF vdesk-users to
leave the group.
Commercial News
---------------
1) Professional Typography EFF CD 2
Electronic Font Foundry has released their latest Professional Typography
EFF CD 2 disc. It contains 800 standard fonts and 5 bonus symbolic fonts.
All the fonts are in RISC OS 3/4 format, Publisher format, and TrueType
and PostScript formats for Microsoft Windows.
On the RISC OS side there is:
* a comprehensive on-line catalogue, EFFcat2000, with samples of all
the EFF fonts and
* the font viewer/installer, EFF2cd.
The prices for private users are:
GBP99 + P&P + VAT (GBP118.09 inc.)
GBP49 + P&P + VAT (GBP59.34 inc.) upgrade from EFF CD 1
For details, including school and business license prices, see
http://www.eff.co.uk/EFF2Cd.htm.
2) Werewolf Software closing down sale
Werewolf Software is having a closing down sale. The following are
available for GBP7 each:
* TANKS - multi-player game
* Shuggy - adventure game
* RAMplify - freeze programs to disc
* ChildPlay - Desktop menu system
For details about each product, including screenshots and downloadable
demos, visit http://www.werewlf.demon.co.uk/wws/.
3) iSV Products sale
The iSV Products sale is still on with savings on a range of products,
including:
* ArtLesson - GBP11.50
* DeskLock - GBP16.50
* DrawWorks Millennium - GBP31.50 (half price)
* Dr Fonty - GBP16.50
* EasyFontPRO - GBP16.50
* Mr Clippy - GBP11.50
* PublishART - GBP16.50
* Typography 2100 - GBP16.50
* SerialNET - GBP16.50
* Cross Stitch Sovereign - GBP16.50
Details at http://www.isvproducts.co.uk/. Only valid while stocks last.
4) HardCash Payroll System
RaspSoft are pleased to announce the latest version of HardCash (2.16).
HardCash is a payroll system for RISC OS, simple to use yet very
powerful, giving the user fast results with the minimum of effort.
A feature list, demo and more details are available from the RaspSoft
web site http://www.argonet.co.uk/business/s.dine/hardcash.html.
5) Interesting facts about Acorn User distribution
"There's no demand" -- the recent promotion of additional copies in
WHSmith resulted in a jump of 30% sales for the December issue.
Acorn User is currently at Distribution Tier 4 for WHSmith which means
that it is a mandatory publication in a selection of WHSmith shops. Tau
Press will be doing promotions that increase the Distribution Tier to get
it into even more shops.
COMAG will no longer be distributor for Acorn User (February was the last
issue), from March it will be COMAG Specialist division who have a team of
representatives that ensure their titles continue to get distributed
properly.
Acorn User subscriptions have risen by 10% in the last two months. There
is a demand for RISC OS and RISC OS products.
http://www.acornuser.com/
6) Slayer 0.63 released
Kiwi Software has released version 0.63 of Slayer, a fast and efficient
anti-virus program for all RISC OS 3 and 4 machines.
Slayer is a free program for single-computer personal use. For multiple
personal use, or for the use in a educational or commercial environment,
please refer to http://www.page-designer.co.uk/slayer/cost.html.
http://www.kiwisoft.co.uk/news/20002301a.html
PD/Shareware News
-----------------
1) Visions Of The Impossible site additions
Following VOTI's acquisition of the unfinished GEK Programs games, some
of their free games on the VOTI web-site. The latest addition is SpeeC,
a nice easy going space invaders game.
The VOTI site contains information and downloads to both VOTI and GEK's
games. Currently the following games are available:
* GEK: AstroSmash, Balloon Invaders, No Windows, Joop, SpeeC
* VOTI: Bomb, Super Foul Egg, TDT, SunBurst Demo, Battle Tanks
http://www.stormloader.com/wrath/
2) LAME, AMPEG encoder, for RISC OS
Stefan Bellon has compiled the recent LAME 3.51 on RISC OS. LAME stands
for "LAME Ain't an MP3 Encoder", and is an audio MPEG encoder with support
for variable bit rate encoding.
Due to licensing problems a binary or full source is not available,
however a patch and information required is available from
http://rupert.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/~bellonsn/software/.
3) Jochen Lueg programs updated for RO4
All the programs below have been fixed so that they now work with
RISC OS 4. Most of them simply needed a new help file reader.
Most of the programs are shareware, and the new versions are all on
Jochen Lueg's web site http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/tudor/.
* Analyser2 a front end for the Black Star logic analyser
* FSI_Batch batch processor and front end for ChangeFSI
* LED_Board educational binary
* MoveIt makes movies from Olympus camera multi shots.
* MoveSite converts an Acorn website to DOS format
* NumberFix allows you to manipulate files with numeric names
* Planets planetary animation and experimentation
* PlayAnton sound CD player
* SearchCD allows you to search a CD for various files
* ShowPic slide show program
* WimpFetch educational sequence control program
4) RODATE: Synchronize PC card date and time with RISC OS
RODATE is a small utility to synchronize the (DOS/Windows) date and time
on a PC card with RISC OS.
It can be used with old versions of PC/PCx86/PCpro, that do not pass the
date correctly after 1 Jan 2000, for those people that do not want or
cannot update PCxxx.
It can also be used at any time in a DOS/Windows session to resynchronize
the time if you think it is drifting too far apart from the RISC OS time.
An added feature is that it can set the DOS/Windows date and time to RISC
OS's UTC time, irrespective of RISC OS territory, timezone and daylight
saving time/summertime. This is useful if you want to use Microsoft
Windows 9x's own time management.
RODATE requires ARMEDIT by Alexander Thoukydides.
Download ARMEDIT and RODATE from
http://www.btinternet.com/~thouky/software/armedit/.
5) Rozilla - RISC OS port of Mozilla
The home page for the Rozilla, a new attempt at a RISC OS port of Mozilla,
it at: http://www.wellytop.com/Rozilla/. Currently there is a threads
library available for download. People who can help with programming
should get in touch.
6) Updated software summary
* BladeEnc v0.82
A free audio MPEG encoder. New version includes sources and manual.
http://www.acornusers.org/cbsa/Audio.html
* Buttons v1.04b
A button bar maker for web site designers, is now available as a beta.
http://www.software.solutionsweb.co.uk/buttons/
* FTPc v1.23
FTPc is a freeware internet File Transfer Protocol Client. FTPcBasLib
has been modified so that it can be used from an application, and a bug
has been fixed.
http://www.c-granville.freeserve.co.uk/
* Journal
Diary program, geared to accept regular or irregular entries, which can
then be compiled into a text file covering a length of time. Millennium
bug fix.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/rjseago/pdsoft.htm
* NetLM v0.33
NetLM is a front-end to the LanManFS/LanMan98 module for logging onto a
users workspace on a LanManager file server. The new version supports
long user names and includes bug fixes.
http://www.teletec.u-net.com/networking/riscos/
* SiteMatch v1.05
SiteMatch is a utility to synchronise your uploaded website with you
local filing system. The new version includes a choices file and the
ability to use FTPc instead of sFTP.
http://www.dave-edwards.com/riscos/software.html
* Tidy (13-Jan-2000)
Tidy is a port of an HTML tidier by Dave Raggett.
http://lightning.prohosting.com/~alexandm/programs/tidy.html
* Toolkit v1.02
A simple program which gives you the window or icon flag values for
the WIMP. Requires the WimpBASIC2 runtime modules. Bug fix.
http://www.acornusers.org/cbsa/Program.html#Toolkit
* WheelMouse v4.12
Wheel is a RISC OS driver from the Microsoft WheelMouse. The new version
adds the function of scrolling with the wheel. Shareware.
http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~jjrs101/
Club News
---------
1) Upcoming meetings
* Vicbug (Australia), 26th January - RiscStation showing R7500Lite
http://www.possumpages.com.au/vicbug/
* Derbyshire Acorn Risc Club (DARC), 14th February - RISC OS 4 Roadshow
http://homepages.enterprise.net/julianp/darc/
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
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