Archive Magazine CD 1995/Archive Magazine CD 1995.iso/text/magazine/volume_08/issue_06

Text File | 1995-06-25 | 293KB | 5,988 lines

An up-hill battle for Acorn
8.6
Anyone who thinks that life is going to be easy in this next couple of
years for Acorn (and any companies, like NCS, who depend entirely on
Acorn for their livelihood) is living in cloud cuckoo land. If the PC
card had been available in 1994, things would have been very different −
but you can’t live on if’s.
8.6
We have the technology...
8.6
As I’m sure you are aware, Acorn have the leading edge technology that
will take us into the 21st century. No other manufacturer can produce
RISC chips of such high processing power, low physical power and low
cost. The potential is tremendous... set-top boxes, multi-processor
computers, etc.
8.6
...and we have the prejudice
8.6
It’s the education market that has kept Acorn going for years, but being
linked with education has been Acorn’s undoing when trying to sell into
the ‘real world’. Read the Comment Column (page 15) to see some of the
prejudice we face... but read there also about how I think we can help
to overcome that prejudice. If Archive readers take my suggestions
seriously, I believe that we can make the difference.
8.6
Go for it!
8.6
Products Available
8.6
•  Advance upgrade − Acorn Advance has been upgraded: It is no longer
copy-protected so that installation is quicker, the spreadsheet size has
been increased from 5,000 to 10,000 and it is now fully Risc PC-
compatible. The upgrade is done through Acorn Direct  and costs £29.95
(single user), £39.95 (primary site licence), £49.95 (secondary) − all
prices inc VAT. Send cheque or credit card information to Acorn Direct
along with proof of purchase. For the single user, this means sending
your program disc (not the data discs) and for site licence owners,
sending your licence agreement. The upgrade offer lasts only until 30th
June 1995.
8.6
We have two copies of the current version of Advance in stock (drat!),
so if anyone wants to buy one, they are available at £50 each. If you
upgraded them through Acorn Direct, you would only pay a total of £79.95
instead of the normal Archive price of £105.
8.6
•  Aleph One PC podules – The PC cards for pre-Risc PC have benefited
from the price cuts in the PC market. A bare 50MHz card costs £399 +VAT
from Aleph One and a 25MHz version costs £339 +VAT. The cards then need
standard SIMM memory to be added.
8.6
•  All New Talking Animated Alphabet − Sherston’s BBC Micro product, The
Animated Alphabet, has been updated for the Archimedes and Risc PC.
Using the same speech technology as the Talking Stories, the pack
features three activities dealing with visual and aural letter
discrimination and letter recognition. Children can see a letter
changing into an object which starts with the same sound, whilst hearing
the letter’s sound. All New Talking Animated Alphabet costs £29.95 +VAT
from Sherston or £33 through Archive.
8.6
•  Arcturus – a new game from Oregan Software involving piloting a
spinning craft across numerous landscapes, avoiding nasties and
collecting goodies. The cost is £24.95 from Oregan or £24 through
Archive. See the review on page 49.
8.6
•  Canon BJC4000 – Computer Concepts have released the Canon BJC4000
colour inkjet printer, bundled with a special version of their latest
Version 4 TurboDriver software. Unlike the BJC600 the printer has two
cartridges, a high speed mono, approximately twice as fast as the BJ200,
and offers resolutions of up to 720dpi using interpolation. A colour
cartridge allows 360dpi colour output. The price is £445.32 inclusive
from CC.
8.6
•  CD-Net2 − Cumana have upgraded their CD-ROM server for Acorn
networks. New features include predefined settings for most CD-ROM
titles, which can be reconfigured if desired. Changes to the discs
loaded in the server will be reflected by the clients so the users know
which are available. PC discs for DOS and Windows are also now
supported, which can be run via the PC Emulator or PC second processor
card. The performance has improved since the original version and Acorn
AUN/Access, SJ Research Nexus, Oak ClassNet and TCP/IP are all
supported. CD-Net 2 costs £175 +VAT from Cumana, registered users of CD-
Net 1.50 or later qualify for the free upgrade path.
8.6
•  CD-ROM drives − Two new CD-ROM drives are now available from Eesox.
The Silver 2 is a 2.4 speed drive which, say Eesox, is in some tests
almost as fast as some quad speed drives (360Kb/s) because of the fast
(220ms) access time and the 256Kb internal cache. The main thing about
it is the very keen price − £195 inclusive through Archive for the
Risc PC internal version and £280 for the external version. If you want
a quad speed drive, their Gold drive (600Kb/s + 225ms access time) is a
caddy-loading drive at £360 for an internal (Risc PC) drive and £440 for
an external drive through Archive.
8.6
These are SCSI devices, so you need a computer with a SCSI interface.
(We suggest the Morley uncached card at £160, or the cached version at
£220 or the Cumana SCSI II at £235 plus £27 for a SCSI II cable if using
it with an external drive.)
8.6
•  Chair prices rising − If you are thinking of buying a Wing chair, now
is the time because, apparently, the prices are increasing in March. The
Stokke Wing chair (see Archive 8.3 p4) is currently £320 inc VAT and
carriage through Archive.
8.6
•  Clicker Plus − The updated version of Crick Computing’s Clicker
package can now handle colour graphics and symbols as well as sound and
text. An on-screen keyboard displays a number of cells. when a cell is
clicked, the word or picture is inserted into the word processor in use.
Speech can also be used so children can hear their choice. An upgrade
from Clicker is £20 +VAT, the full Clicker Plus package is £55 +VAT from
Crick Computing.
8.6
•  Concept Keyboard Support Pack − A collection of datafiles and
overlays for use with the Concept Keyboard, based on ideas from teachers
of Key Stages 1 and 2. Topics include Myself, Weather, Direction Giving,
Sequencing, Alphabet, Keyboard, Colours, Shapes, Sizes, Seed Growth,
Number Bonds and Coins. A number of blank A3 and A4 overlays are also
supplied. The price is £20 +VAT from Hampshire Micro Technology Centre.
8.6
•  Conjuguez − The Conjuguez package from Creative Curriculum Software
has been revised and there are now three versions. Conjuguez! comes with
800 verbs in seven levels from beginner to GCSE level and costs £16.98
+VAT. Conjuguez Plus covers from beginner to A-level with 3500 verbs and
costs £25.49 +VAT. Owners can upgrade from Conjuguez to Conjuguez Plus
at a later date. Conjuguez Education has all the features of Conjuguez
Plus, with an additional facility to add more verbs to those supplied,
allowing the student to progress beyond A-level. The price is £39 +VAT
for a single user version, or £89 +VAT for a site/network licence from
Creative Curriculum Software.
8.6
•  Easy C++ − Beebug have released Easy C++ the first native RISC OS C++
compiler. Using a similar interface to Easy C, the complexities of
compiling and linking are reduced, although there is a command line
interface if you need the additional control. The software is supplied
with the standard C and C++ (iostream) libraries. Easy C++ is £99 +VAT
(£110 through Archive), the upgrade from Easy C is £49 +VAT. Easy C is
still available for £59 +VAT (£67 through Archive).
8.6
•  HeartBeat − This is a package of heart monitoring hardware and
software produced by VTI and Health Care Technology as part of the
CardioSport range. A receiver plugs into the serial port and a
transmitter is strapped onto the chest. The software allows heart
information to be recorded and can analyse the calorific burn rate,
maximum and minimum heart rate and so on. Results can be displayed in
graph or table forms. The cost is £99 +VAT from VTI.
8.6
• Heavy mouse balls – Weighing in at four times heavier than the
standard mouse ball, these fit neatly into the Acorn mouse, giving it a
more positive response. They are available from Oak Consultants for £3
including postage, packing and VAT. (I have put this entry in again
because we now have the address of Oak Consultants. Ed.)
8.6
•  Holy Bible − ExpLAN are just finalising the licence agreements on
their Holy Bible software, a multimedia package using electronic texts
from around the world. High quality graphics, multiple versions, fast
searches, read-only commentaries, user-created notes, cross-referencing.
The base pack comprises Authorised Version and Strong’s Concordance at
£70 +VAT for the single user version, and £199 +VAT for a site licence.
Additional full modules are: NRSV with study notes (CUP), REB with
educational resources (CUP), Russian with Cryllic fonts (Licht in
Ostern). These are available for an additional £45 +VAT each and the NIV
Anglicised (Hodder) is an additional £25 +VAT. Carriage is also extra.
(Archive prices are £80, £225, £52 and £28 respectively through
Archive.)
8.6
•  Junior Insight – This is a new data-logging application from Longman
Logotron to assist in experiments for Key Stages 2 and 3. It is capable
of display and capture of analogue or digital data at a user-specified
sample rate. Results can be displayed as tables or graphs, and the
graphs may be overlaid so comparisons can be made. Analysis options can
calculate the gradient of a slope or the area under a curve. It is
compatible with interfaces such as Unilab, Sense and Control, LogIT,
SenseIT and the Philip Harris hardware. A single user version costs £29
+VAT.
8.6
•  Lots More Fun & Games − HS Software have produced a set of three
games aimed at 5 to 9 year olds. Dataday teaches the days of the week
and months of the year in sequence. Spot the Blot involves visual
perception and discrimination skills and Gwyn’s World involves shape
recognition and fractions. Lots More Fun & Games costs £22.95 from HS,
or £22 through Archive.
8.6
•  MathMania − In this educational game from Topologika Software,
children have to help the teacher escape from a maze, answering
questions on Number, Time, Measurement, Angles, Shape & Space. Questions
can be at four difficulty levels, the first two corresponding to Key
Stage 2, and levels 3 and 4 to Key Stages 3 and 4. There are also five
puzzles which occur at the end of a maze before the player can move on
to the next, more difficult, maze. The price is £25 +VAT (£28 through
Archive), site licences are an additional £25 for primary and £40 for
secondary (£28 and £45 through Archive).
8.6
•  Meteosat RISC consists of a CD-ROM and Acorn software to run it. The
CD is produced by the European Space Agency and contains 23000 images
from the geostationary Meteosat satellite. There is an infra red image
of the whole Earth taken each day from 1986 to 1991. In addition, there
is one image per month in visible light and assorted extra images of
water vapour and snow storms. The software supplied includes !Meteosat
to access the pictures in date order, !Palmake to edit the displayed
colours, and !SpMovie to create an animation showing weather
development. The package is available from Musbury Consultants for £30
inclusive. Note that you must specify if you are using a Risc PC because
an enhanced set of applications are supplied.
8.6
•  Non-Designer’s Design Book − This book by Robin Williams has
absolutely nothing to do with Acorn computers! However, it is really an
excellent guide showing how to make the best use of those DTP facilities
that most of us possess yet few of us (including me) have been trained
to handle. It explains the basic principles of page layout, using fonts,
etc, in such a way that (a) it is easy to understand and (b) it is
memorable. This means that you actually put into practice the things
that you have read. (See Mark Howe’s review, on page 23) The price is
£13 inc p&p.
8.6
•  Oak Recorder Update − Both versions of the Oak Recorder sound
sampler, supplied by Solent Computer Products, are now being shipped
with the latest version of the SoundLab software, which features a
button bar for ease of use, amplifying, fading, echo, filtering and can
convert between a number of different formats. Oak Recorder 2 for
earlier systems costs £39.95 + £3 p&p +VAT, Oak Recorder 3 for machines
with a bidirectional parallel port (i.e. A5000 or later) costs £44.95 +
£3 +VAT.
8.6
•  OMR Supplement − A new extension to the Iota DataPower database
allows the database to read Optical Mark Reader forms. It will read DRS
SOS files, which describe where to look on the OMR form for data, and
from it creates a DataPower database ready for use. The completed forms
can then be read directly from the completed forms into the Database
ready for analysis, assuming you have the necessary reader. Possible
uses include assessment, end of year reports, attendance reports and
multiple choice examinations. The supplement costs £99 +VAT from Iota
Software, and you will need a copy of DataPower if you do not already
have it. Optical Mark Readers start at £2000 from DRS.
8.6
•  Picture Point – This package, aimed at Key Stage 1 pupils, to
introduce them to data handling. Children can perform surveys with a
simple point-and-click interface. The survey can then be displayed
graphically as a bar chart, pie chart or a pictogram. When clicked on,
the graphs will actually speak to explain the relationship between the
numbers on the graph. The data can be exported into Junior pinpoint or
spreadsheets. The single user version costs £29 +VAT from Longman
Logotron or £32 through Archive.
8.6
•  Printer Port Sampler − VTI have released a new version of their
printer port sound sampler, capable of sampling simultaneously from line
as well as mic inputs for mixing sound sources. A microphone is supplied
with the package, along with the Sonor sample editing software. The
price is £44.95 +VAT.
8.6
•  PublishArt − Smart DTP have produced a clipart resource pack
featuring designs for use in DTP packages rather than drawings or
pictures. Included are QuickPapers, highlights, page layout, patters,
stencils symbols and backdrops. The price is £29.95 inclusive.
8.6
•  Rainbow Multimedia – This is a new picture-based multimedia package
from Longman Logotron. It is designed to assist development of a child’s
writing, language and object recognition skills and enables pictures,
animation, video, text, speech, music and sounds to be combined to
produce interactive books. Rainbow Multimedia costs £29 +VAT +p&p from
Longman Logotron or £33 through Archive.
8.6
•  Report Writer − After the review last month (8.5 p70), Creative
Curriculum Software’s report-writing software is proving particularly
popular amongst teachers and lecturers, so we have decided to stock it
at £56 inclusive.
8.6
•  ReSound − NW Semerc have produced a printer port sound sampler which
can sample from the supplied microphone or from other sources via the
line input. It is supplied with software to allow editing of the
captured samples. The price is £42 +VAT from NW Semerc.
8.6
•  RISC OS 3.1 Style Guide − This product has been available and then
not available... but now it is available again − £10 inc p&p through
Archive.
8.6
•  Speech II − Superior Software have upgraded their speech synthesizer.
It now has an extra 3,500 words, improved speech quality, improved word
editing facility for special words, interactive help support, is hard
disc installable, has accented characters, foreign language support – a
German extension is available − and the new Speech module can be used
directly with Talking PenDown and Full Phases to give much improved
speech. The upgrade from Speech costs £10 inclusive, £15 if you want
German Speech. Single user copies are £29.95 inc VAT or 34.95 for German
Speech and site licences are available from Superior Software.
8.6
•  Spelling Book − This is designed to assist pupils (aged 4+) with
their writing when using a word processor and to help them learn
spellings. The software allows words to be input into any multitasking
word processor or DTP package, dictionary maintenance is simple, and a
wide selection are supplied. These include basic words, and sets for the
common National Curriculum topic areas. A quiz section is also provided
which allows the dictionaries to be used in missing letter type games.
The price is £39 +VAT for a single user version, or £89 +VAT for a site
licence, from Creative Curriculum Software.
8.6
•  TableCalc − This spreadsheet, for RISC OS 3.1 or later, supports
interactive help, point and click expression definitions and full OLE
support for Impression Publisher. It can export Draw and CSV files,
supports 24-bit colour and multiple text styles. The price is £30 +
£1.50 from iSV Products.
8.6
•  Talking Clocks − Any user with RISC OS 2 or later can use this
package which encourages children to examine clocks, learning to read
and set them. Clocks can have hand or digital faces and speak the time
when clicked on. There are four parts ‘Say the time’ allows the player
to build up a sentence to speak the time shown on the clock, ‘Set the
Clock’ teaches children to set the clock to a time given in words,
‘Match the Clocks’ requires a clock to be set to the same time as a
second clock and for ‘How much Time?’, the child needs to calculate the
time difference between two clocks. The package records children’s work
which can then be printed out and most tools are configurable. It is
available from Topologika Software for £35 +VAT (or £39 through Archive)
for a single user licence. A primary site licence costs £60 +VAT or a
secondary licence costs £75 +VAT from Topologika.
8.6
•  Talking Stories − Sherston have released a third set of their Talking
Stories, based on popular stories from the Oxford University Press
‘Oxford Reading Tree’ scheme, as used in many schools. The stories, read
by actor Richard Briers, are Floppy’s Bath, The Baby-sitter, The Water
Fight, Kipper’s Balloon, Spots! and Kipper’s Birthday. The price is
£39.95 +VAT (£45 through Archive) for the single user version − site
licences are also available.
8.6
•  Treasure Chest − Thousands of pictures, symbols and sound effects in
!Draw, !Paint and Photo sequences for use in the National Curriculum.
Sections include food, history, languages, natural world, objects,
people, places and symbols. The price is £69 +VAT from Northwest SEMERC.
8.6
•  Trees − This CD-ROM resource contains pictures and descriptions of
the native trees of the British Isle. Produced with the assistance of
the British Tree Council, the disc also includes photographs, diagrams
of twigs, details of the ecology of trees, and the uses to which trees
are put. A single user version costs £40 +VAT from Hampshire Micro-
Technology Centre.
8.6
•  Trip − This admin package simplifies the organisation of school
trips, including the tracking of pupil payments. The price is £14.95
+VAT from Creative Curriculum Software.
8.6
•  Vision 24 − The Vision and HiVision colour digitisers from HCCS have
been replaced by the Vision 24 range of 24-bit digitisers. 254-line
version is £99 +VAT, the 508-line version is £139 +VAT and a later
upgrade from 254 to 508-lines is £49 +VAT.
8.6
•  Werewolf Utility Discs − Werewolf Software have produced two utility
discs for the Acorn range. Disc 1 contains ArmCache, CacheOff, CacheOn,
NewIcons, NewTools, ResetMem, ResetMode, ResetPal, ResetScr+, ResetSnd+,
ResetSysF, Runner+, UnRunner+, WWSHelp and costs £6. Disc 2 contains
Counter, MakeHelp, PasteUp, Rubbish, Shutter, SpriteUtils, STPlayer,
VATCalc, WWSHelp and costs £7. If you purchase both discs the price is
£12, or a compilation disc, featuring the best applications from both
discs costs £10, Prices include VAT, but postage is 50p extra.
8.6
•  Woodland Birds CD − This is a large reference database from Creative
Curriculum Software containing photographs, bird songs and calls, along
with text, maps and other data. Aimed at Key Stages 2, 3 and 4, it costs
£49 +VAT (single user) or £99 (site licence). It is a dual format CD and
can be used on RISC OS or a Windows-based machine.
8.6
Product not going to be available!
8.6
•  Ion Camera − Atomwide have asked us to point out that while they have
been using, and recommending a still video camera, contrary to popular
belief, they do not, and will not be, selling it as a product since it
is only compatible with NTSC television formats.
8.6
Review software received...
8.6
We have received review copies of the following: •BasicAOF (utility),
•Landmarks Microworlds: The War Years (education).
8.6
If you would like to review any of these products, please contact the
Archive office. Potential reviewers will need to show that they would
use the product in a professional capacity or that they have some
knowledge of the particular field.  A
8.6
At Christopher Jarman’s suggestion, we are going to have a font creation
competition. Here are the rules:
8.6
1.  The competition is open to anyone, provided they do not design fonts
professionally. It is strictly a competition for amateurs and new
enthusiasts for font design.
8.6
2.  Entries should consist of one original outline font for the Acorn
platform in RISC OS 3 format.
8.6
3.  The font must be drawn by the competitor and not scanned or traced
or copied from any other font from any other platform or publication.
Entries will be checked for this.
8.6
4. The entry font shall consist of all the numerals, capitals,
minuscules, and at least the following 22 punctuation marks: ! “ £ $ % &
* ( ) _  [ ]  ; : , . < > ? /
8.6
5.  The font shall be presented in a font directory ready to load into
an Acorn machine and to work in all usual WP programs.
8.6
6.  The closing date is Friday 7th April 1995.
8.6
7.  There will be at least two prizes: One set of Gothic and Medieval
Fonts presented by Datafile and the Font Designer’s Toolkit presented by
iSV Products. The winner may select which prize, and the runner up will
have the other. (I’m working on getting some more prizes! Ed.)
8.6
8.  The judges’ decision is final.
8.6
We would hope to put the best fonts on the Archive program disc in a few
months’ time.  A
8.6
P.B.
8.6
Fact-File
8.6
(The numbers in italic are fax numbers)
8.6
4th Dimension   1 Percy Street, Sheffield, S3 8AU. (0114-270-0661)
(0114-278-1091)
8.6
4Mation    14 Castle Park Road, Whiddon Valley, Barnstaple, Devon, EX32
8PA. (01271-25353) (01271-22974)
8.6
Abacus Training    29 Okus Grove, Upper Stratton, Swindon, Wilts, SN2
6QA.
8.6
ABC Art   Tideways, South Road, Brean, Somerset, TA8 2SE. (01278-751317)
8.6
Acorn Direct   FREEPOST, 13 Dennington Road, Wellingborough, Northants,
NN8 2BR.
8.6
  (01933-279300)
8.6
Acorn Computers Ltd    Acorn House, Vision Park, Histon, Cambridge, CB4
4AE. (01223-254254)
8.6
  (01223-254262)
8.6
Aleph One Ltd   The Old Courthouse, Bottisham, Cambridge, CB5 9BA.
(01223-811679) (01223-812713)
8.6
Alternative Publishing   Suite 91, 9A Pentagon House, 36 Washington
Street, Glasgow, G3 8AZ. (0141-248-2322) (0141-248-3638)
8.6
Angelsoft Educational   35 Heol Nant, Swiss Valley, Llanelli, Dyfed,
SA14 8EN. (01554-776845)
8.6
APDL    39 Knighton Park Road, Sydenham, London, SE26 5RN.
8.6
Atomwide Ltd   7 The Metro Centre, Bridge Road, Orpington, Kent, BR5
2BE. (01689-838852)
8.6
  (01689-896088)
8.6
Avie Electronics (p13)  7 Overbury Road, Norwich. (01603-416863) (01603-
788640)
8.6
Beebug Ltd (p7)  117 Hatfield Road, St Albans, Herts, AL1 4JS. (01727-
840303) (01727-860263)
8.6
Circle Software   33 Restrop View, Purton, Swindon, Wilts, SN5 9DG.
(01793-770021)
8.6
Computer Concepts (pp8/14)   Gaddesden Place, Hemel Hempstead, Herts,
HP2 6EX. (01442-63933) (01442-231632)
8.6
Creative Curriculum Software   5 Clover Hill Road, Savile Park, Halifax,
HX1 2YG. (01422-340524) (01422-346388)
8.6
Crick Computing   123 The Drive, Northampton, NN1 4SW. (01604-713686)
(01604-713686)
8.6
Cumana Ltd   Pines Trading Estate, Broad Street, Guilford, GU3 3BH.
(01483-503121) (01483-503326)
8.6
Dalriada Data Technology (p41)   145 Albion Street, Kenilworth,
Warkwickshire, CV8 2FY. (01926-53901)
8.6
Datafile   71 Anson Road, Locking, Weston-super-Mare, Avon, BS24 7DQ.
(01934-823005)
8.6
Digital Services   9 Wayte Street, Cosham, Portsmouth PO6 3BS. (01705-
210600) (01705-210709)
8.6
DRS   Sunrise Parkway, Linford Wood, Milton Keynes, MK14 6LR. (01908-
666088)
8.6
EESOX   5 Hillfield Road, Comberton, Cambridge, CB3 7DB. (01223-264242)
8.6
ExpLAN   St Catherine’s House, Plymouth Road, Tavistock, Devon, PL19
8AY. (01822-613868) (01822-610868)
8.6
Hampshire Microtechnology Centre    Connaught Lane, Paulsgrove,
Portsmouth, Hants, PO6 4SJ. (01705-378266) (01705-379443)
8.6
HCCS Ltd   575-583 Durham Road, Gateshead, NE9 5JJ. (0191-487-0760)
(0191-491-0431)
8.6
Hodge Electronic Services    16 Mold Road, Mynydd Isa, Clwyd, CH7 6TD.
(01244-550803)
8.6
HS Software   56 Hendrefolian Avenue, Sketty, Swansea, SA2 7NB. (01792-
204519) (01792-298283)
8.6
Iota Software Ltd   Iota House, Wellington Court, Cambridge, CB1 1HZ.
(01223-566789) (01223-566788)
8.6
iSV Products   86, Turnberry, Home Farm, Bracknell, Berks, RG11 8ZH.
(01344-55769)
8.6
Kudlian Soft (’til 8.12)  8 Barrow Road, Kenilworth, Warwickshire,
CV8 1EH. (01926-851147)
8.6
Longman Logotron   124 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge
CB4 4ZS. (01223-425558)
8.6
  (01223-425349)
8.6
LOOKsystems   47 Goodhale Road, Bowthorpe, Norwich, NR5 9AY. (01603-
748253) (01603-740203)
8.6
Musbury Consultants   5 Helmshore Road, Haslingden, Rossendale, Lancs,
BB4 4BG. (01706-216701)
8.6
Northwest SEMERC   1 Broadbent Road, Watersheddings, Oldham, OL1 4LB.
(0161-627-4469)
8.6
Oak Solutions (p21)   Dial House, 12 Chapel Street, Halton, Leeds, LS15
7RN (0113-232-6992)
8.6
  (0113-232-6993)
8.6
Oak Consultants   Sun Cottage, High Street, Hatfield Broad Oak, Bishops
Stortford, CM22 7HE.
8.6
  (01279-718596) (01279-718767)
8.6
Octopus Systems   9 Randwell Close, Ipswich, IP4 5ES. (01473-728943)
(01473-270643)
8.6
Oregan Developments   36 Grosvenor Avenue, Streetly, Sutton Coldfield,
B74 3PE. (0121-353-6044)
8.6
Quantum Software   35 Pinewood Park, Deans, Livingston, EH54 8NN.
(01506-411162 after 6)
8.6
Sherston Software   Angel House, Sherston, Malmesbury, Wilts. SN16 0LH.
(01666-840433) (01666-840048)
8.6
Sibelius Software   75 Burleigh Street, Cambridge, CB1 1DJ. (01223-
302765) (01223-351947)
8.6
Silicon Vision Ltd   Signal House, Lyon Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1
2AG. (0181-422-3556)
8.6
  (0181-248-3589)
8.6
Smart DTP   36 Park Road, Duffield, Belper, DE56 4GR. (01332-842803)
8.6
Solent Computer Products Ltd   2 Mills Lane, Longstanton, Cambridge, CB4
5DG. (01954-789701) (01954-782186)
8.6
Superior Software   P.O. Box 6, Brigg, S Humberside, DN20 9NH. (01652-
658585) (01652-657807)
8.6
The ARM Club   Freepost ND6573, London, N12 0BR. (0171-624-9918) (0181-
446-3020)
8.6
The Really Good Software Company   39 Carisbrooke Road, Harpenden,
Herts., AL5 5QS.
8.6
Topologika   Islington Wharf, Church Hill, Penryn, Falmouth, Cornwall,
TR10 8AT. (01326-377771) (01326-377771)
8.6
VTI (Vertical Twist)   Unit 1, The Shopwhyke Centre, Shopwhyke Road,
Chichester, PO20 6GD.
8.6
  (01243-531194) (01243-531196)
8.6
Werewolf Software   23 The Spinneys, Bromley, Kent, BR1 2NT. (0181-467-
1138) (0181-464-7510)
8.6
Archive Monthly Program Disc Contents
8.6
•  Files from Gerald Fitton’s Column − p34.
8.6
•  David Holden’s hard disc test program − p12.
8.6
•  Pangrams from Christopher Jarman − p77.
8.6
•  Files from Paul Hooper’s Multimedia Column − p57.
8.6
•  Files from Keith Hodge’s Risc PC Column − p67.
8.6
Paul Beverley
8.6
Norwich Computer Services       96a Vauxhall Street, Norwich, NR2 2SD.
(01603-766592) (01603-764011)
8.6
Font Creation Competition
8.6
The Composer and his Computer
8.6
John Rutter
8.6
John Rutter spoke at the meeting we held in October about the effect
that the computer had had on his work as a composer. We all found it so
fascinating that I thought it would be great to share with Archive
readers some of the things he told us. So this article, written by Vera
Cooke, is based on a taped interview I had with John at his home in
Cambridge at the end of last year. I hope that non-musicians and
musicians alike will enjoy reading it... Paul Beverley.
8.6
Exit the quill pen...
8.6
For musicians, the progression from quill pen to the computer has been
slow in coming... but when it did come, it happened incredibly quickly!
When you think of the mechanisation of printing words, it happened in
stages: printing in the 15th century, the typewriter in the 19th
century, the word processor in the 20th century. But in the last decade,
music printing has moved straight from the quill pen to the computer
with no stops in between.
8.6
I say “quill” pen, because many modern-day composers, arrangers and
copyists don’t really like the fountain pen, or ball point pen − dip-
pens definitely give the most satisfying results. The nibs used by
myself and others for many years were made by George W. Hughes in
Birmingham, whose ‘Time is Money’ nibs were legendary. They had a good
reservoir, meaning you could work faster. So until photocopying came
into being in the 1960s, if you had a whole orchestra with 8 desks of
first violins, you had to write out a copy for each one by hand − just
imagine the amount of labour involved. As a penniless young student, I
did some copying for the BBC and acquired my own private supply of these
lovely nibs from the BBC’s head copyist. When Hughes retired in 1962,
the BBC and others bought up all the ‘Time is Money’ nibs they could
find. By the time we reached the 1980s, I estimated that I had enough
nibs left for the next five or six years, so unless I stopped composing
or some new advance came along, I was going to be in trouble sooner or
later!
8.6
Looking for alternatives
8.6
In the next few years, I tried a range of computer programs. None of
them were for me. Either they were too technical and ‘user-un-friendly’
or the music produced by the simple-to-use ones looked ugly. Most of us
who put music on paper care about the physical appearance of the final
result. There’s no satisfaction in producing music if it looks lumpy,
ill-spaced and its visual proportions are not elegant. I felt I could
only buy something that was a match for the best engraved manuscript.
8.6
Enter ‘Sibelius’
8.6
When I received a mailshot about Sibelius, it seemed that this software
had solved a lot of the problems found in earlier packages. I visited
the Finn brothers to take a look at the package and was impressed with
its simplicity and ease of use. (I must mention that computers were not
completely foreign to me − my son and wife have been using Acorn
computers for some years.) I took, at random, a page from Carols for
Choirs − a collection that I had edited some years before − and I input
and printed it out in an afternoon. It was more or less
indistinguishable from the original. Sibelius obviously had tremendous
potential and I was enormously enthusiastic.
8.6
As I began to use Sibelius more and more, I started pushing the Finn
brothers to take the program further. With suggestions from myself and
others, they began to see that the program had more possibilities than
even they had envisaged. As composers, they themselves saw Sibelius as a
means of self-publication, allowing composers to present their music to
others and get them interested in it. It was obvious that, with only a
few changes, Sibelius was capable of matching what’s done by the great
publishing houses such as Oxford University Press, which has been in
operation for 500 years. There began a fascinating dialogue between the
Finns and Sibelius users. The product development and improvements made
between August 1993, when I started to use it, and now − just over a
year − have been terrific.
8.6
The art of music engraving
8.6
Engraving is a very complex and secret art. There are rules governing
the spacing of notes, the angle of the beams, the placing of sharps and
flats, the height of note stems − it’s not just done by eye. It’s an
esoteric art carried to a high degree of perfection. Many of these rules
have not been written down but passed on from father to son within a
family business. Until recently, if a medieval monk had walked into my
room, he would have recognised what I was doing when writing a
manuscript. If you look at the beautiful illuminated manuscripts, they
were done in much the same way. But he wouldn’t recognise what I’m doing
now! There has been this giant leap in the last ten years since the use
of computers for music manuscript began in the 1980s. Now musicians can
themselves achieve the same results as the professional engraver,
without the necessity of knowing all the rules or going through years of
training.
8.6
Computerisation speeds up my work and saves duplication of effort, for
example with orchestral works and the extraction of individual
instrument parts from full scores. This is, in fact, highly skilled work
and it must be immensely accurate. For example, you must ensure that
page turns come at a convenient place where the instrumentalist is not
playing. This is so much easier with computer-extracted parts and with a
minimum amount of fiddling around, you can adjust positions of bars to
make this work. You can imagine that when a copyist does this by hand,
he may misjudge where the end of the page would come and would have to
recopy the whole page or stick bits of paper onto it to make a fold-out.
It can be very messy. Using Sibelius makes the editorial role much
easier and the composer can make changes very quickly on the computer.
8.6
New horizons
8.6
The computer has changed my relationship with my publisher, too, and
opened up possibilities to do my own DTP. I had never envisaged that I’d
be the first composer to deliver a computer disc rather than a
manuscript to HQ in Oxford. This has actually been an historic first for
OUP. Impression and Artworks have also been surprisingly useful. My
editor at OUP asked me to set the text pages at the beginning of a
volume I’d edited − I’m not skilled at book design and yet, with a
little help from others, I’ve set the index, preface and contents!
8.6
With my choir − the Cambridge Singers − I’ve unearthed some obscure
pieces from the music library and we’ve recorded some musical gems,
previously hidden for centuries. Having transcribed them myself, I’ve
been able to provide copies for others to perform, where once they
couldn’t possibly have found them printed anywhere. To my surprise, I am
now in the music publishing business with a partner in Nebraska, USA!
8.6
Playback or graphics or both?
8.6
The side of music packages which I haven’t got into yet is the playback.
Sibelius can now play back the music you’ve written and you can do
sophisticated things like use ‘fake’ instrument sounds for various
strands of your score. This is really useful for those experimenting
with composing, to help them get their creative thoughts clear. It’s
also an immense boon for young people taking the first steps, who are
not yet in a position to get together a group of players to try out the
music for them and hear how it sounds. There is, however, one
limitation: it cannot sing the words of vocal music... well, not yet!
8.6
Sibelius was not started with playback in mind, but as a graphics-based
program. There are basically two sorts of computer music program: those
that begin as graphics-based/music-on-paper programs and those that
begin as sound-based programs, starting from the idea of hearing music
that you’ve played in. They’ve tended to meet in the middle as the
graphics packages have developed better sound facilities and the sound
packages better notation facilities. But, for me, the point of Sibelius
is high-quality graphics − the music it puts on the page is
extraordinarily good.
8.6
The creative side of composing
8.6
My only reservation about using the computer is that it can take away
time from composing. Composing is a simple but frightening activity,
performed with those low-tech tools of pencil and paper. The younger
generation may start composing directly into the computer but I find
that the music I write is not conducive to composing at the computer.
Certainly, Sibelius has transformed my working habits far beyond what
I’d thought possible and it is ideal for incorporating improvements. But
the creative part is the most mysterious element of being a composer or
writer and none of us can control the flow of ideas or predict when they
will come, what will be a good day or when a breakthrough will come.
8.6
Some composers get almost superstitious about it. For example, Haydn
believed he could only compose well if he was dressed in his finest silk
attire and put on his signet ring. Leonard Bernstein needed to stretch
out on a hard floor, shut his eyes and almost sleep. (I was heartened
that another composer besides myself does this − I too find that things
will sometimes sort themselves out when you’re not trying!) Ravel never
let anyone within earshot when he was composing and the house had to be
empty so that no-one could hear even a distant tinkle. But anyone could
come and go when he was orchestrating. I know exactly how he feels!
Wagner actually described the writing-out stage as a kind of peaceful
‘Nachwerk’ or ‘after labour’. With scores the size of his, such as The
Ring, I can’t help thinking that he could have done with Sibelius!
8.6
We composers like our routines when it comes to the central act of
thinking up ideas, but all the peripheral activities of putting music on
paper are much less unchangeable. I am excited at the way computers have
changed my working practices and removed the chore of writing it out.
But although computers have got almost to the heart of what I do, they
will never go to the heart of composing itself.
8.6
There’s scarcely a day goes by without me using Sibelius and I’ve hardly
touched my pen with its ‘Time is Money’ nibs in over a year. This is the
way that composers and musicians in general are going. For me, the day
of the computer did not come when they appeared as the great machine
that hummed away in the office basement − it was when the computer came
home to sit comfortably in my 15th-century cottage, the old and the new
side by side − but not the unfriendly new.
8.6
I predict that the Finns will receive very widespread recognition for
Sibelius in the next five years, if they maintain their innovative lead,
their motivation and dedication. I and many others appreciate the
trouble they take to do things absolutely right. Musicians are used to
high level precision and accuracy in music and feel a strong bond with
someone in another field who’s trying to get things right. The success
of Sibelius is well-deserved.  A
8.6
Beebug
8.6
New Artwork
8.6
CC
8.6
New Artwork
8.6
PD Column
8.6
David Holden
8.6
The re-issue of the first Datafile PDCD is now available. I understand
that it is now largely Risc PC compatible and the material which some
people found offensive has been removed. It also has a new ‘front end’
which makes it easier to find what you want, plus a 70 page booklet
similar to the one issued with the second CD.
8.6
The price is £30 from Datafile and probably less from either APDL or NCS
(£29 through Archive). I understand that you can ‘upgrade’ your original
PDCD 1 for only a few pounds, but you will need to contact Datafile for
details.
8.6
!HDspeed
8.6
A lot of people have shown interest in the rather crude hard disc speed
testing program that I wrote for my own use and which was on Program
Disc 7.1, accompanying my article about SyQuest drives. I was rather
surprised to receive so many letters, often accompanied by lists of
results. As it appears to be so popular, I have completely re-written it
and turned it into a ‘proper’ Wimp program. So far, it is not RISC OS 2
compatible but if anyone does want to use it on a RO2 machine, please
tell me and I’ll modify it. I’ll try to squash a copy onto this month’s
‘special offer’ disc if there’s room.
8.6
Programming tools
8.6
One area in which PD authors are incredibly prolific is producing
programming tools. This is, of course, hardly surprising since most of
these start out being written for their own use. There are also many
programming languages available.
8.6
The much heralded ‘first’ C++ compiler for the Archimedes is due to
appear about two years after the GNU C++ compiler. Admittedly, the GNU
compiler is not particularly ‘user friendly’, (it’s CLI driven),
requires a lot of RAM and has a few bugs, but it’s free.
8.6
Many of these tools are as good as, or superior to, more expensive
commercial offerings. Some are, of course, not just of interest to
programmers. Dominic Symes’ Zap text editor, is an essential item for
every Archimedes owner, whether a programmer or not. Similarly, anyone
who likes to modify the appearance of applications should have a Dick
Alstein’s TemplEd. Unless you are an experienced Wimp programmer, you
cannot afford to be without Paul Hobbs’ Event Shell, which I have
featured before, and all Basic programmers should have Ian Palmer’s
‘basic linker’ BLib. All of these are not just good PD programs, they
are (probably) the best available.
8.6
This is not as silly as it would seem. After all, good programmers like
good tools, and are hardly likely to produce a tool for their own use
which is inferior to something that they could obtain elsewhere.
8.6
As well as major applications like these, there are lots of smaller,
utilities which make life easier for Wimpprogrammers. These rarely get
mentioned in the PD sections of magazines. I presume that this is
because these columns are normally written by people who are not
programmers, and so may not realise how valuable they can be.
8.6
Risc PC users should also be aware that the latest version of Zap (1.2)
is fully Risc PC compatible (I’ve been using it for some months with no
problems) and supports 24bpp colour. There are lots of other new
features so if you have a version before 1.2, it really is worth
upgrading.
8.6
This month’s ‘special offer’ disc will therefore be a disc full of these
utilities. At the time of writing, I don’t know exactly what will be on
it, but it will certainly contain Zap and Templed, and as many more
programs as I can cram onto it.
8.6
As usual, to obtain a copy send £1 (cheque or stamps preferred) to me at
the APDL address and please tell me if you can use HD (1.6Mb) discs.  A
8.6
Picture of John Rutter
8.6
Comment Column
8.6
•  Apple just will not give up − The latest “we did it first” adverts
say, “Power Macintosh is the first mainstream personal computer to be
powered by a RISC chip. RISC technology has previously been available
primarily in highly specialized, very complex, very expensive
engineering workstations” (my italics). It makes my blood boil to see
the way they can steal Acorn’s thunder.
8.6
I was advised by one very helpful reader that it was no good asking the
ASA to do anything as they have no real “teeth” − witness the fact that
it took them some months to stop the original advert which was so
blatantly untrue. They suggested trying the Trading Standards Authority,
which I did. They said that unless the advert was “misleading to a
material degree” then they could not do anything. I have no doubt that
Apple’s legal department (which is probably bigger than Acorn’s
Marketing Department!) have worked out what they can get away with, so
there’s probably no mileage in that direction, I fear.
8.6
Is there anything we can do? Well, I don’t know if it will do any good,
but I have written to Michael Hessletine as President of the Board of
Trade saying that I think it is unfair trading and emphasising that it
is a big US company against a small British one(!) so we’ll see if he
can do anything.
8.6
Surely there must be something we can do! Apple obviously realise just
how important RISC is and just how important it is to get it into
people’s minds that “Apple is RISC”. If Acorn had lots of advertising
budget, they could leapfrog Apple’s advertising and capitalise on it −
dream on!
8.6
But I think there is something we can do. We can write articles in
magazines, newsletters, professional journals, in-house company
magazines etc, using the RISC-awareness that Apple have created to draw
attention to the Risc PC. I have done one such article for the Church
Computer User Group − OK, I know it’s not a world-changing organisation
(even though the church itself is supposed to be!!) but it’s one more
way of increasing Risc PC-awareness and every little helps.
8.6
OK, so this is what we do. First of all, I’ll publish the CCUG article
in this magazine (see page 39) so that you can see the sort of things
you might say. Then if you know of a magazine in which you would like to
get an article (especially if Apple have advertised in it) and you can
write the article yourself, great! If you want to use any or all of my
article, that’s fine − no need to ask me about copyright although I’d
like to see a copy before it gets in print if possible. If you want the
text on disc to save re-typing, send me a blank disc and/or I’ll put it
on this month’s program disc.
8.6
(If you want to offer your readers a free copy of the Archive booklet
about the Risc PC, please feel free to give our name and/or phone number
and/or email address. Blatant advertising? Me?)
8.6
If you don’t feel able to write an appropriate article, or if you don’t
feel you can modify mine sufficiently, let me know what the magazine is,
who the editor is, what its main readership is etc, and I’ll see what we
can do. If there are any Archive readers who don’t have a magazine for
which to write but would like to write, let me know your area of
interest and I’ll see if I can match it up with any requests.
8.6
Also, if anyone can think of particular areas, like the bible software
and like Sibelius, where the software (or hardware) clearly sells the
virtues of the Risc PC as the only machine on which it will run, do let
me know and I’ll publicise the fact as much as possible.
8.6
One possibly useful recommendation, which I didn’t use in the CCUG
article, is that Acorn hardware and software won six of the nine
education awards in 1994 including the Gold Award in the Secondary
category for the Risc PC itself. The reason I did not use that for CCUG
is that it reinforces people’s prejudice that, “Oh, Acorn? Yes, they are
the educational computers − not the sort of computers we use in the real
world”.
8.6
Crusading? Me? Yes, I jolly well am! Why should Apple get away with
stealing Acorn’s thunder? Let’s get an armada of small articles going so
that we can show people in “the real world” that where Acorn leads,
others, like Apple, will follow. Ed.
8.6
•  Clan Acorn − An ode...
8.6
I’m a member of the Clan,
8.6
Aren’t I a lucky man?
8.6
All these goodies I will get,
8.6
But I haven’t seen anything yet!
8.6

8.6
The naff T-shirt has fallen apart,
8.6
But the sweat shirt still looks quite smart,
8.6
The literature was way beyond me,
8.6
I only understood one word in three!
8.6

8.6
The disc was useful, I think,
8.6
It must be on the blink,
8.6
Then I saw the magic ‘HD’,
8.6
And realised it wasn’t for me.
8.6

8.6
The mouse mat was quite nice
8.6
But it was slippery as ice,
8.6
It now serves as a coffee mat,
8.6
I wonder what Acorn would think of that?
8.6

8.6
Yet the thing that puzzles me most,
8.6
And I’m not ignorant, I boast,
8.6
Is what is that logo meant to be?
8.6
It looks like a radio valve to me.
8.6

8.6
So can anyone suggest
8.6
Why Acorn should make such a jest?
8.6
Or have you got another idea?
8.6
I’m just longing to hear!
8.6
 Paul Hooper, Martham, Norfolk.
8.6
•  Clan Acorn, the boss speaks − Clan Acorn members will be please to
hear that Acorn have appointed a marketing manager for Clan Acorn −
Chris Cox. Chris has given us the following statement about where things
are at with Clan Acorn.
8.6
“I’m very pleased to be working with Acorn and trying to develop things
for the faithful band of Acorn enthusiasts now brought together under
the name of ‘Clan Acorn’.
8.6
“In particular, I want to use the Clan to set up a dialogue with
enthusiasts, so that we can keep them informed about where Acorn is
going and listen to the sorts of products they want. I will then be
working with Peter Bondar and the Product Marketing group, to make sure
that the requirements of this market sector are met. This is where
dialogue is so important because it will give me the basis for the
specification of products aimed at that sector.
8.6
“In many cases, the requirements will not be met directly by Acorn, but
by one of the associated hardware and software developers. Examples of
this are new products like the development board which Simtec are
currently building, which will allow multiple processors to run
simultaneously in a Risc PC.
8.6
“One question that I will keep asking the Clan members is what they want
out of it. The results of the initial survey on the application form
show that they mainly want information as early as possible − even
before discounts on products!
8.6
“If any enthusiast wants to join Clan Acorn, they can write to me at
Acorn House and I’ll send them an application form, or send me an email
to [e-mail] or call Acorn Direct on 01933-279300.”  Chris Cox,
Acorn.
8.6
(By the way, with reference to Paul Hooper’s poem, Chris doesn’t know
what the logo is either − it was just something dreamt up by Acorn’s
graphic designers! Ed.)
8.6
• Font Directory − (Let’s all learn from these very honest
confessions... Ed.) For some time, I have been seeking a solution to the
fraught problem of font management. And, at Acorn World 94, I found what
seemed like a perfect solution in the shape of LOOKsystems’ Font
Directory. This was reviewed in Archive (6.12 p13), so I will just share
my experiences of installing and using the product.
8.6
My hardware is an ageing, and possibly ailing, A310 with 2Mb RAM and a
VGA display adaptor plus a full 40Mb hard disc. My fonts used to be in
two separate Font Manager applications, one in my root directory for
normal use and a larger collection in my DTP directory.
8.6
Because the hard disc is so full, it means that whenever there are major
changes, these have to be preceded by periods of housekeeping. At such
times, existing files are either copied to floppies or squeezed using
ArcFS. This was my first mistake − I archived the fonts, freeing more
than 1Mb.
8.6
Installing Font Directory required me to specify a Font Partition size.
Subsequent experience suggests this should be as large as the hard disc
surface would allow but, lacking this insight, I made my second mistake
and entered a value which proved inadequate for the number of fonts
involved.
8.6
When my guestimated figure had been entered, installed itself onto the
hard disc and tried to search through my existing font folders as a
preliminary to offering fonts for installation into the Font partition.
Of course, it did not find any because they were all locked up inside
archives.
8.6
I deleted the incomplete application and reinstated the smallest of the
archived font folders in order to give !FontMgr something with which to
work. Even then, I failed to notice this was larger than my specified
font partition. Two things went wrong. Firstly, when extracting files
from the archive, some font data got corrupted. Secondly during
installation, when the partition ran out of space, some fonts were only
half-copied. There was no immediate indication of either of these
problems.
8.6
Eventually, I seemed to have a working Font Directory application, so I
decided to experiment with an application to see how well !FontDir
functioned. I chose Ovation and immediately received a message that no
fonts had been loaded. Fortunately, this was easy to rectify. I had
overlooked an entry in the manual which specified that, following
installation, the user has to set up defaults or otherwise you have to
make selections each time fonts are used. Also, to have the default
selection automatically available every time, you have to add a
statement in the computer’s !Boot file. Very simple to implement but
(and this is where I made my biggest mistake) something to be avoided
before Font Directory has been properly installed and tested.
8.6
Using Ovation also led to the discovery that some fonts would not work.
Ultimately, I discovered the Font Partition functioned as an extension
to the filing system and could be accessed as such. I copied the
remaining fonts from their archives and also discovered how to enlarge
the partition sufficiently to accommodate all of these.
8.6
At this point, a random event occurred − occasionally the machine seizes
up and, Murphy’s law dictates, it happens at the worst time. Pressing
<reset> was the prelude to an hour of frustration. Because of the VGA
adaptor, various modules have to be loaded by the !boot file before the
machine can be used but this file also now contained the instruction to
load the default selection of fonts. Unhappily, some of these were the
corrupted ones, and they were preventing !FontDir from loading cleanly.
For what seemed like an age, I kept getting “Bad Command” messages on
screen as the machine tried repeatedly to load modules and fonts which
were corrupted or missing.
8.6
Eventually, the desktop returned. To be on the safe side, I deleted the
files yet again and reinstalled − this time without incident except for
the corrupted files. When using the filer to copy files into the font
partition, they have to be registered by the Font Manager compiling data
about each font in the partition. This is available as a menu option
within the application and, incidentally, has to be done each time new
fonts are added or old ones removed. The first time I did this was
without hitch, even with bad data. The second time, compilation was
still apparently running after five minutes, which seemed far too long,
so I pressed <reset>. I had visions of another lost hour but, luckily,
there were no further problems. Quite why the compilation process
occasionally goes to sleep I do not know, but it happened on at least
two subsequent occasions.
8.6
Because of my problems, I telephoned LOOKsystems to ask for both help
and further information. Adrian Look suggested file corruption might
have occurred but, if this was not the case, was prepared to examine the
relevant fonts with a view to diagnosing the problem. In the event, his
guess was correct and the problem was solved by copying clean fonts from
original floppies.
8.6
Here then is the moral of the story:
8.6
1) Do not resort to file compression. LOOKsystems actually warn against
using their product with CC’s Compression, and although !FontMgr is not
incompatible with ArcFS, it might give rise to problems.
8.6
2) LOOKsystems recommend adding a line to the !Boot file in order to be
sure of having a default selection of fonts loaded. I would add the
caveat that, where applications like a VGA adaptor are present, the boot
file alteration should not be made until the installation has been
properly completed and tested.
8.6
3) One thing which most of us realise, but do not always implement, is
that it makes a lot of sense whether installing a new font manager, or
something much grander, to read the manual properly. There are two good
reasons for doing this. It avoids the “Egg on face” feeling when
speaking to the vendor and it also helps if you can indicate to them
what other details could or should be added to the manual if and when
revisions are made.  G.T.Swain, Edgware.
8.6
•  Guardian’s ‘independent’ comments − Liz Roberts’ comments in the
International Guardian obviously drew a few complaints because on 18th
December, they carried a reply − but not from Liz herself. Uncle Jack
(Schofield) had to be wheeled in to protect her from the rabid Acorn-
maniacs snapping at her ankles.
8.6
Jack admits that Liz could have been “kinder to the Archimedes”. (Why
refer to “Archimedes”? Hasn’t Jack heard of the Risc PC yet?) But he
says that, although you can buy an Action Pack for £299, it doesn’t
include a monitor and has no hard drive (implied: so it is useless).
Just because PC’s cannot function without a hard drive, he shouldn’t tar
Acorn with the same brush.
8.6
The rest of Jack’s riposte boils down to “Acorn is tiny compared with PC
and can’t possibly hope to win the battle”. What an attitude from a
supposedly thinking newspaper! What he is saying is, he’s not interested
in whether Acorn machines are good because 150 million people have PCs
and 150 million people can’t be wrong. The only thing that PCs have is a
massive user base and all that stems from that: big money, big inertia,
big arrogance, big you name it...  (these are Ed’s comments based on a
letter from...)  Bernard Maugoust, France. (Don’t worry, Bernard, I’ll
take on the law suit! Ed.)
8.6
Jim Nottingham sent me a clipping from the UK Guardian of 7th January in
which Liz was allowed to make her own response. “my postbag has been
bulging with messages from satisfied Acorn users complaining about my
oversight.” I should think so too! What’s more, Liz actually mentions
the Risc PC and says that it has “addressed the problem” of the
“difficulties of running industry standard software at the GCSE / A-
level end”. But don’t get too excited − she also says “buying an Acorn
is like deciding to join the Shaker community instead of the real world”
but claims that it was a quote from “an education software supplier”!
8.6
Listen, hasn’t anyone considered arguments such as upgradability? If a
school wants to be “industry standard”, is it going to be prepared to go
down the industry standard route of throwing its computers away and
buying new ones every couple of years − oh, and buying new software and
new operating systems every eighteen months because, if it doesn’t, it
will soon fail to be “standard”... (Yes, I know I’m preaching to the
converted but I get so angry when faced with this sort of prejudice.)
Ed.
8.6
• Help files − I recently bought PDCD 1 from Datafile and wanted to
explore the disc but, at the same time, I did not want to waste time
loading programs which were not likely to be of interest.
8.6
Because of this, I spent quite a lot of time looking for the !Help files
of many applications. In many cases, they were not there and many of
those that existed were not at all useful. Some of them referred me to a
documentation file within the application, some contained a mini-manual
and one just contained the update history of the program.
8.6
I then looked at the Acorn Style Guide to find what was recommended, but
found that there was only a description of how the operating system used
the !Help system.
8.6
To counter these problems, I would like to suggest an amendment to the
Style Guide which should make !Help files more useful.
8.6
Firstly, they should be a standard part of every application, not an
optional extra.
8.6
Secondly, there should be a standard set of contents at the start of the
file:-
8.6
1) The name and purpose of the program. This need not be elaborate −
something like: “Desk Top Publishing” is enough. For perfectly good
reasons program names are not enough. What do !Ovation, !Hearsay or !Zap
do? Given the limit of nine characters after the exclamation mark, and
the reasonable wish that the name should be a recognisable word, there
is not much that programmers can do to improve things.
8.6
2) The date of the current version, with its version number.
8.6
3) The name of the author and/or the company responsible for the
program, with addresses and telephone numbers. Whilst it is good if the
programmer gets credit, it is more important to have the publisher’s
address.
8.6
4) Are there any special requirements: RISC OS version, Minimum memory,
Colour Card, Risc PC, MIDI card, etc?
8.6
Included in this section could be a note that the program is not
necessary if you are running certain versions of the OS. This is the
case with some programs that give OS3 facilities under OS2. I don’t
think that there is any need to mention the fact that parts of the
program may be capable of using extra facilities if most of it will run
in a basic machine.
8.6
5) The program status. Is it public domain, shareware, fully copyright
or any other status that may apply?
8.6
6) Will the program run from a CD or other write-protected disc, or does
it need to be transferred to another medium?
8.6
Any other information can follow these six items, but I believe that
these are the things you need to know to run the program, as opposed to
use it.
8.6
There will not be much work in preparing a !Help file for most programs,
so it is not as bureaucratic as it sounds. The contents of the help file
do not depend on the complexity of the program, but on its set-up needs.
The information in items 1 to 6 above will usually all appear in the
window which comes up when you ask for help, and can be looked at
quickly − and often ignored! If you have any views on this, perhaps you
would write with any further suggestions.  David Wild, Hemel Hempstead.
8.6
•  Quote of the month − Jack Schofield of the Guardian, in his report on
BETT ’95, says that Acorn is losing its grip on the education market and
notes that “the BBC B has all but disappeared”. What? Already? Has the
BBC B nearly died? Good gracious... and it’s only been around for 13
years!!!
8.6
I wonder how many 386 computers Jack saw at BETT? Not too many, I guess
− let alone 286 or 186 or the 8086 which, if memory serves me correctly,
appeared around the time of the BBC Micro with its 6502 8-bit
processor?  Ed.
8.6
• Squirrel comment − Entering Data − In a recent issue of Archive (8.4
p51), I noticed that someone was complaining about having to use the
mouse on a dialogue box when entering records into Squirrel. In fact,
this isn’t necessary. Press <f3> when you have finished entering the
date, and when the dialogue box appears, just press <return> to say that
you do want to write the record or, if you realise that the record isn’t
complete, just press the <N> key to return you to the editing mode.
David Wild, Hemel Hempstead.
8.6
•  Squirrel import bug − In my Squirrel Booklist file, I have the field
for the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) defined as “unique” as
there should never be two books with the same number. If a second one
appears, it is either a data entry error or an attempt to enter the same
book twice. When I came to import the file from the Psion, using the
Squirrel import program, I did a test with four records which I knew
already existed in the file. The first one was rejected, as it should
have been, but the other three were accepted into the file without
comment. I rang Digital Services who agreed that there was a bug in the
Import program and sent me a copy of Version 2.08 of Squirrel which
appears to work correctly.
8.6
A minor quirk of the import program is that it assumes that the first
line of the CSV file contains the headings for the data, and ignores it,
unless you make sure that you have removed the tick from the dialogue
box. It isn’t really a bug because, if you read the dialogue box
correctly, you will change it but if you are in a hurry, it is very easy
to lose a record without realising it. I hope that a later version will
let you change the default because files from the Psion never contain
the headings.  David Wild, Hemel Hempstead.
8.6
•  Zap Corrections − I was a bit sloppy when I sent Paul my bit about
the !Zap text editor (Archive 8.5 p26). Firstly, I have only just
noticed that Zap also puts about 170Kb worth of modules into the RMA, so
my argument about Zap using very little RAM doesn’t hold (I think,
though, that Zap is so good that this doesn’t matter at all). Secondly,
when creating my literary masterpiece, I wavered between calling myself
an “occasional” or a “haphazard” programmer but the version I sent to
Paul contained neither adjective, thus simply making me a “programmer” −
something of an over-statement, I fear! I’m sorry about that!  Jochen
Konietzko, Köln.  A
8.6
CC
8.6
From 8.5 page 20
8.6
Avie
8.6
New Artwork
8.6
Letraset and URW Fonts
8.6
Christopher Jarman
8.6
In my view, font choice has now got quite out of hand. Three years ago,
when all I used was an Amstrad PCW, I was delighted to have three
different type faces and I think, three different sizes for each.
8.6
I have been looking up my old reference books on type design, and names
such as William Caslon almost bring tears to your eyes. Caslon, in 1734
published his list of 38 fonts, all cut by hand on the ends of steel
punches, the work took fourteen years! Later John Baskerville and
Giambattiste Bodoni designed typefaces now seen as classics, yet I
suppose most school pupils don’t even know that those names are the
names of people.
8.6
I had already been very pleased with Datafile’s Gothic and Medieval
fonts. I also have the 200 Artworks fonts and a collection of around 100
Skyfall fonts. With a small number of my own design alphabets, I suppose
I have almost 350 fonts to play around with. Now along come 35 Letraset
and 75 URW typefaces!
8.6
But how does one review fonts? The aesthetic styles and their uses are a
matter of opinion and personal taste. What one person finds attractive
and useful, another finds thoroughly ghastly. Well, within all this
choice, at least someone should be happy. Perhaps we should concentrate
upon quality of production and skill of workmanship like the old type
designers.
8.6
To begin with, the two sets come in attractive plastic wallets and are
supported by very tastefully produced reference booklets. In fact, I am
extremely impressed and grateful for the booklets as they show only
three font examples per page with the headings in approx 56pt size which
is very useful indeed. You therefore have a crisp and readable catalogue
of the fonts.
8.6
There is an installation disc which works quite easily on the RiscPC.
These fonts won’t install without it. Both packs have concentrated on
fairly conventional and traditional styles, and within these have
provided a good span of variation. For example, there are 16 versions of
Antiqua in the URW pack, ranging from Condensed to Super Italic. For
users who do not have the means to play about with outline fonts, this
is extremely valuable. However, with the Font Designer’s Toolkit (iSV
Software) which is also reviewed in this issue, I have to say that the
days of selling varieties of the same font may be numbered; the Toolkit
will do this for you, and more!
8.6
These fonts are high quality in themselves too. It is not just the
booklets that have a superior look about them; the fonts when enlarged
and taken apart for scrutiny have the full scaffolding and hinting which
we have come to expect from this source. I compared Letraset Brushscript
with my Skyfall Brushscrip Oblique, (the same design) and the Letraset
is considerably better and stronger. The same goes for Algerian and
Baskerville. Scaffolding is not even present in the Skyfall fonts, and
the detail is much better drawn in the Letraset.
8.6
Both packs are of the highest quality and have some excellent upmarket
and tasteful typefaces especially appealing to the person wanting to
produce good looking cards, invitations and letterheads in DTP. Some
examples are shown opposite.
8.6
The font packs are: Letraset Pack £35 and URW Pack £75 both inclusive of
VAT and postage (£34 and £72 respectively through Archive). Excellent
value for money.  A
8.6
The Non-Designer’s Design Book
8.6
Mark Howe
8.6
The Non-Designers Design Book by Robin Williams: Archive price £13 inc
p&p.
8.6
This is not the kind of book to lose easily on your desk, unless your
favourite colours are yellow and purple. The 144 pages are slightly
smaller than A4 and printed on art paper.
8.6
Unlike a lot of books about DTP, this one looks as if it has been
designed by someone knowing something about DTP! The pages have a very
light feel, with lots of white space and illustrations. Whilst looking
attractive, the layout is not so flashy that it gets in the way of
reading the book.
8.6
Design guidelines
8.6
The first half of the book deals with four design guidelines (Contrast,
Repetition, Alignment and Proximity). In each case, the author explains
the theory and illustrates it with copious examples.
8.6
The guidelines are all quite simple and, at first glance, they appear
rather obvious. The strength of this book is the way it applies the
guidelines to real typesetting problems. Everyone knows, for example,
that items on a page should line up, but it is not always clear what
this means in a given situation.
8.6
The illustrations are an integral part of the book and reinforce the
message quite effectively. The ‘before’ examples are uncontrived, and
the ‘after’ examples are actually an improvement. One of the ‘before’
examples looked just like a letter I received the same day! The emphasis
throughout the book is on getting to grips with a few simple ideas and
putting them into practice.
8.6
Choosing and using fonts
8.6
The second half of the book deals with choosing and using fonts. The
author proposes a system for categorising fonts and then uses it to show
how to introduce contrast and repetition through well-chosen font
combinations.
8.6
It goes without saying that some of the fonts used are not available on
the Acorn platform, or have different names. (One of the fonts was
designed by the author’s daughter!) However, this is not really a
problem, because the specific fonts are only used to illustrate basic
principles. Again, I found the majority of the examples convincing.
8.6
Using colour
8.6
There is a very short section on colour, which is less satisfying than
the rest of the book. It is difficult to illustrate this kind of
material in black ink, and on one occasion the author suggests that the
reader colour in the pages himself!
8.6
Style
8.6
The book is written in a style which manages to be chatty without being
patronising or irritating. Jargon is kept to a minimum and the few
technical words which the author uses are explained and included in a
short glossary. Some readers will skip the quizzes that appear
throughout, but I forced myself to work through them and found that they
did help to drive home the design guidelines.
8.6
Conclusion
8.6
This book is not in the ‘1,001 Arcane Typesetting Rules’ category, and
the author admits that it will never replace a four-year design course.
It would also be a bad choice to take onto a desert island. (I read it
the first time in an afternoon.)
8.6
It would be ideal for a WP user who has graduated into DTP and wants to
produce better page layouts. I read it twice, and learned quite a few
things in the process. I then redesigned a leaflet I was working on,
consciously using the principles taught in this book, and the customer
was delighted.  A
8.6
Oak
8.6
From 8.5 page 14
8.6
E-Type 2
8.6
Andrew Rawnsley
8.6
Several years ago, when RISC OS machines were still in their infancy,
Gordon Key developed E-Type and released it under the 4th Dimension
label. The game was fairly simple in concept − race your classic car as
many times round a long and winding road course until your time ran out.
Successfully completing a track resulted in promotion to a more complex
one.
8.6
E-Type received great critical acclaim, since at the time it was a
ground breaking product − 256 colour graphics; fast, smooth arcade-style
gameplay; lashings of humour and a real sense of speed. The game still
has followers, being a landmark product in Acorn gaming history.
8.6
E-Type 2
8.6
Now, about five years later, Mr Key has produced a sequel, originally
titled E-Type 2. The main enhancements include several two-player
options, new courses, weather, a few new power-ups, Risc PC
compatibility and a simple course designer.
8.6
Unfortunately, the main game engine doesn’t appear to have advanced much
more than a year beyond the original. We now have tunnels and more
rolling hills but nothing that might make the game stand out from the
crowd.
8.6
Loading
8.6
E-Type 2 can be played from floppy or hard disc. Copy protection takes
the form of the standard 4th Dimension key disc approach. Double-
clicking on the filer icon loads the game onto the iconbar, from where
various game options can be turned on.
8.6
You can define keys, select which of the six tracks you want to play and
choose whether or not to race against the computer, a friend or on your
own. Sound levels can also be adjusted but anyone with the almost
compulsory external speakers will have this anyway.
8.6
Playing the game
8.6
Once in the game, the screen appeared very narrow on a Risc PC, be it in
one or two-player mode. It reminded me of Matt Black’s Blood Sport game,
which only used a third of the screen vertically. This fault may be Risc
PC specific, but since the game is hailed as being designed with this
machine in mind, I would expect full compatibility. I couldn’t get 4th
Dimension to send me the non-Risc PC version, so I was unable to test it
on any other machine.
8.6
When driving along, carnival-style banners often hang across the road.
Driving under specific points of these can yield upgrades to your car,
such as lasers to blast any hazards in your way (including oil slicks
and trees), oil which is only useful in two-player mode, extra time,
radar blocks to avoid police speed traps and a variety of others. Some,
including the lasers and the time, were useful but I got the impression
that many other things had been included in an attempt to give the game
something more than its predecessor.
8.6
Successfully completing a track is rewarded by your inclusion on its
high score table, including your average speed and total time. You are
also ‘rewarded’ with the same jingle that accompanied the original − how
about a proper soundtrack rather than just using the StringLib voices
supplied in the machine?
8.6
Two-player mode
8.6
This can take the form of computer vs human or human vs human. The
standard way of playing is simply to race each other to the finish line,
but you can also play in Pursuit mode, where the finish is removed, and
the players race for as long as possible before that final fatal
accident. The player travelling furthest when both cars collapse wins.
8.6
Unfortunately, there appeared to be no network or serial link game
options, resulting in the traditional squash on the keyboard.
8.6
The track designer
8.6
To complement the package, a track designer is included. However, unlike
the one available for E-Type 1, there is no graphical front end − you
have to type in the details into a text editor such as !Edit and then
compile the result with the supplied utility. It’s crude but it works.
8.6
Conclusions
8.6
I find it hard to be positive about E-Type 2 but, if you absolutely
adored the original, the new version might satisfy, but don’t play
against a PC or Amiga owning friend, as there are far better racing
games on those platforms.
8.6
I would much rather play Stunt Racer 2000, either in one or two-player
mode, the latter over a serial link (£32 through Archive + Extra Tracks
£19) especially when you compare the price with E-Type 2 at £34.95 (£33
through Archive)  A
8.6
Help!!!!
8.6
•  Apollonius PDT − I’m having problems with this drawing package from
Oak Solutions. Am I alone? Would anyone like to compare notes with me?
Brian Cocksedge, West Sussex.
8.6
• ArtWorks modules − Two which I would like are: (1) Fancy lines which
never make shapes for filling. This is for tramway and railway maps
which use their own conventional symbols which are not the same as the
dotted and dashed lines in Artworks.
8.6
(2) The ability to enter real dimensions for a drawing and have them
scaled automatically. There are, for instance, many railway drawings
available which show dimensions in feet and inches, and it would be
useful to have the system do the scale calculation. I don’t mind doing
the feet and inches to inches in my head but the main scaling can be
open to calculation error. I know that I could do it with a calculator,
but the computer ought to be able to take that work from me.  David
Wild, Hemel Hempstead.
8.6
•  BBC Computers − Has anyone got any old BBC Computers in reasonable
working order? If so, we have more than one ‘good home’ to which they
can go. The latest is a Down’s Syndrome group who loan them out to
parents who can use them with their down’s syndrome children.  Ed.
8.6
•  Bezier curves in Draw − Is there a PD program which will convert
freehand lines in Draw to smooth bezier curves as can be done in
Artworks? Add Campbell, Chuddleigh.
8.6
•  MacFS review − I have boobed over the MacFS/MacFS Lite/AppleFS
review. I have had copies of Mac reading software going in and out to
reviewers and am now totally confused. Has anyone got a copy of any/all
of these bits of software and does anyone think they are the ones who
are doing the review for Archive? If not, would anyone like to do the
review?  Ed.
8.6
• Patience silly − Sometimes it seems that the cursor doesn’t want to
let go of the cards when you have moved them to a new pile, and you have
to move it back to where you started and try again. I haven’t had any
problem with other programs, so is there a bug in !Patience? It is
obviously trivial, but it would be interesting to know.  David Wild,
Hemel Hempstead.
8.6
•  Phone exchange locator − Has anyone come across the excellent
!Exchange phone exchange locator? I have v0.82, written by M.S. Bright
in 1991 and I’d very much like an update − it’s really useful. The
problem is that Mr Bright has omitted to put any contact details in the
files accompanying my PD copy. Has anyone seen a more recent version
and, if so, where can I get it? Also, is it PhoneDay-ready yet i.e. does
it support the new STD codes? Any help you can offer would be much
appreciated... Richard Hesketh, Lampeter.
8.6
•  Polish font − Does anybody know where I can obtain a font to enable a
Polish child to use the characters of their own language? !Chars does
not have Polish characters. Charlie Alford 0116-266-7566 (day) or 0116-
266-0123 (eves).
8.6
•  Printers 1.22 problems − Has anyone experienced problems printing
‘Grey 1’ using !Printers 1.22 set to small halftoning? On my HP500C, I
find the printed result is white (although printing using large
halftoning works). To get round this, I have to swap between Printers
1.22 and 0.33 which involves resetting the machine. Does anyone have a
more elegant solution? Contact via NCS office please.
8.6
• Sprite files − Does anyone know of a program for sorting the sprites
in a sprite file into alphabetical order? This would be especially
useful with Almanac which uses sprite files to keep its lists of
categories. At present you have to search the lists and can easily miss
one entry.  David Wild, Hemel Hempstead.
8.6
•  Time added on? − Does anyone have a multitasking application for
totalling a column of hours, minutes and seconds?   Roger King,
Guernsey.
8.6
Help Offered
8.6
• National Curriculum information − I have Key Stages 1 to 5 for all
subjects on disc. If anyone wants a copy, they can send me a formatted
DD disc and an SAE or £1.  Robert Lytton, 7 Helmsley Drive, West Park,
Leeds, LS16 5HY.  A
8.6
Risc DOS Column
8.6
Simon Coulthurst
8.6
A few days ago, we installed one of the first PC486 cards in Simon’s
Risc PC! He hasn’t had much time working on it, but here are his first
thoughts...
8.6
Risc PC-PC486 card
8.6
The first 500 cards are being loaned to the Acorn press and ‘key
dealers’ in order to get as much coverage as possible before the general
widespread release some time in April. The packaging of the cards states
that this is a pre-production version and some of the documentation
still requires finishing. This is, to all intents and purposes, the same
card and software that you will receive if you paid the extra £99 at the
time you purchased your Risc PC.
8.6
It arrives in the standard IBM PCDOS software box. Inside, an extra
plastic moulding holds the PC486 card and its software as well as the
PCDOS discs themselves. A rather neat outer sleeve, that blends in with
the design on the IBM box, tells you that this is the Risc PC 486 card.
8.6
Installation of the card itself is straight forward. The Risc PC
motherboard has two sockets for processor cards, one contains the ARM
chip. If your ARM chip is in the back slot, it should be moved to the
front (it works in either) because the PC card generates a certain
amount of heat so you want the 486 chip furthest away from the ARM chip.
The card itself is remarkably simple in construction containing just the
486 itself (marked as a SXL-40), the ASIC chip that’s taken so long to
finish, five smaller support chips and a handful of capacitors. That’s
it − neat, compact and effective.
8.6
The software
8.6
The software itself is slightly more complex. You need to be careful to
follow the instructions given in the User Guide. First of all, you need
to install the latest version of DOSFS, which ensures that the contents
of the DOS partition can be viewed from within RISC OS. Then the PC486
card software needs to be copied into a directory on your hard disc.
This consists of !PC486, the application that lets you use the PC card,
!PCConfig, for configuring the way the card operates and a ReadMe file
detailing the latest information on the card and its software. There are
also some Windows and DOS drivers in a separate directory. Windows
itself does not come with the PC486 card, so you will need to budget for
this if you wish to run the world’s most ‘popular’ GUI.
8.6
Once the card and software are installed and the Risc PC has been
rebooted, it is necessary to create a DOS partition on the hard disc.
The card software takes care of this, creating a large file on the Risc
PC that looks like drive C: (and D: if you have chosen to have two
discs) when using the PC486 card. The installation of DOS takes place
within the PC environment itself. Of course, your dealer may well do all
this for you, if you ask nicely.
8.6
The PC486 card can operate in either single- or multi-tasking mode. In
single-tasking mode, the RISC OS desktop is suspended and the full speed
of the card is available. In multi-tasking mode, the PC environment is
run in a window on the RISC OS desktop. This means that the card has to
share resources with the ARM chip and consequently runs more slowly.
Multi-tasking mode does provide a few extra features, like a menu within
the window (selected by pressing <menu>) which allows the screen to be
saved in sprite or text format.
8.6
Performance
8.6
First of all, I will give a purely subjective appraisal of performance.
I have, within my company, several PCs running DOS and Windows. These
range from a 386 at 33MHz up to a Pentium at 60MHz with several speeds
of 486 in between. I have installed on the Risc PC PC486 card some of
the software that we use on a daily basis in our business and used it as
much as possible over the last couple of days. Whilst this is certainly
not an exhaustive test, it has given me a feel for how the PC486 card
performs relative to our other computers.
8.6
Loading software from floppy was slightly slower than our 486s and
slightly faster than the 386. In use, the software felt reasonably fast
and responsive, certainly better than the 386 and on a level with a Dell
486 33MHz that I use fairly frequently. The screen display was fast and
accurate. It did have a slight problem when using the floppy disc drive
− the mouse pointer would freeze momentarily whilst the disc was being
accessing. This was hardly a major problem but it was noticeable.
However, once I had become accustomed to it, it ceased to matter.
8.6
Secondly, I have shown some ‘objective’ benchmark results in the table
below. In both tests, the higher the number, the better the performance,
except in the last column total time taken, where a lower number is
better. Of particular interest was the results for the Power PC / Soft
Windows combination. If you were just to read the final result of the
Windows User Benchmarks of 7.7 and 8.2, you would conclude that the
Power PC / Soft Windows combination was faster than the Risc PC 486PC
card. However in reality, as the last column shows, it was significantly
slower. I believe the reason for this strange result is to do with the
way that the Soft Windows emulation is designed. It is emulating
everything in software, including the PC’s clock tick, so there is
nothing to stop it from slowing down the PC’s internal clock thereby
giving the illusion of a faster result than that actually obtained. When
a stop watch is used to time the benchmarks, the truth is revealed,
hence the final column results!
8.6
In use, the PC486 card actually feels faster than these results might
indicate. Others who have used the card have said that it feels as
though it is running at something like 75 to 80 percent of the speed of
a comparable PC. I would go along with this. The second set of
benchmarks, WinTach, uses a more real-world approach and its results
show that the Risc PC 486PC card is only marginally slower than the real
thing (again using the total time taken as the more reliable indicator
of performance) as its total time is 1.56 minutes as opposed to 1.27
minutes for the PC. This is 77% of the PC result. By the way, the PC
used was not some no name slowpoke clone, it was a fairly rapid Dell PC.
8.6
Compatibility
8.6
The 486PC card has been tested with Windows 3.1 and Windows for
Workgroups 3.1 and 3.11. A beta version of Windows ’95 has also been
tested and runs. The software used during the development of the product
to test compatibility is listed in the table opposite. Whilst this table
is not exhaustive, it does cover some of the major packages available
under Windows. As it is a particular favourite, I was also pleased to
see that Doom features. I can also confirm that Idealist for Windows,
Monarch for Windows, MicroHelp Uninstaller 2 (a useful package if you
are using Windows software), Doom 2 and PlugIn (desktop enhancement
utility) all run well on the 486PC card.
8.6
As suspected, you will need a large amount of memory in order to run the
486PC card at speed on your Risc PC. Whilst it is possible to run
Windows and DOS using a 5Mb Risc PC, remember that the Risc PC still
needs some of that memory and so the amount left to the 486PC card will
result in a slow Windows environment. A 9Mb Risc PC is a much better
prospect, with 6Mb allocated to the 486 environment, the remainder to
RISC OS. My Risc PC has 26Mb which allowed me to allocate 12Mb to the
486PC card and still keep all my RISC OS software running on the desktop
happily. The !PCConfig program is used to allocate the memory between
the two systems as well as specifying the screen memory for the 486PC
card. The more screen memory you allocate to the 486PC card, the higher
the Windows resolution you can use, up to a maximum of 1024×768×256,
although it is expected that this may be increased in future by a
software upgrade.
8.6
The only compatibility blackspot is likely to be PC games. Whilst
Windows games should run without problems, any DOS games, particularly
older ones, that try to circumvent the normal PC graphic routines in
order to gain extra speed, are likely to fail on the 486PC card.
Fortunately, more recent games, such as Doom, are less likely to do this
as PC’s have become fast enough without these tricks.
8.6
Limitations
8.6
At the present time, OS/2 apparently does not work on the 486PC card
although Acorn are working on this as well as ensuring full Windows ’95
support.
8.6
Sound support is only available via a parallel port Soundblaster adaptor
at present. When the Risc PC 16-bit sound card upgrade is available, it
should be possible to load a software Soundblaster emulator that will
allow the use of PC software that provides Soundblaster support. At the
moment, only the PC beep is supported.
8.6
Although CD-ROM support is already provided, PhotoCD is not supported on
the current software.
8.6
The ARMDRV.drv driver within Windows, that provides much of the speed of
the Windows system, has a fault that causes GPF’s with certain software.
I have experienced this myself with the Microsoft Encarta ’95 CD-ROM.
Acorn are aware of this and have produced a new driver that cures the
problem. They are sending me a copy to try out. At the moment, this is
only an alpha release but it is to be hoped that, by the time the cards
are generally available, this will be the standard version.
8.6
Certain DOS games may use older video modes that are not supported under
RISC OS but it is possible to create a suitable mode in the Monitor
definition file. If one is not available then the 486PC card will force
the display into a multi-tasking window.
8.6
CMOS settings are constructed on booting the card and not saved in a
real CMOS. Any applications that save their settings in CMOS will find
the settings have been forgotten.
8.6
Availability
8.6
For all those people who have waited so patiently, the big question is,
“When?!”
8.6
All the design and component work has now been completed and approved
for the card, so commercial manufacturing can commence. It will be
available from Acorn dealers from April 1995 at a cost of £99 +VAT if
purchased at the same time as a Risc PC system. This price is also
available for all Risc PC owners for a period of three months following
release of the card. After this period, the card will cost £199 +VAT if
purchased as an upgrade after purchase of the computer.
8.6
Shortly after this, Aleph One expect to have their enhanced versions
available. These will be higher specification devices − priced
accordingly. Aleph One have publicly announced that they will be
developing a Power PC device. This is unlikely to support Apple
software, however, as the licensing costs are too high.
8.6
Finally...
8.6
This review has been brief in order to meet the magazine deadline.
Indeed, this may be the first review you will see in the Acorn press. I
will go into more specific detail next month.
8.6
I can be contacted on email as: [e-mail]. co.uk.  A
8.6
* The results for the Apple PowerPC / SoftWindows combination varied
wildly for this particular benchmark during testing. Lowest figure
recorded was 24.1, highest about 85. This latter result would indicate a
graphics performance 8½ times that of a good 486 PC. This is a highly
unlikely result, particularly in the light of the total time taken to
complete the tests shown in the last column.
8.6

8.6
Integrated Software
8.6
Microsoft Works for Windows
8.6
Claris Works
8.6
Microsoft Office Professional
8.6
Lotus Smartsuite
8.6
Wordprocessors
8.6
Lotus AmiPro
8.6
Wordperfect for Windows 6.0
8.6
Wordstar for Windows 2.0
8.6
Microsoft Word for Windows 6.0
8.6
Databases
8.6
Microsoft Access
8.6
Spreadsheets
8.6
Microsoft Excel
8.6
Lotus 123 for Windows
8.6
CD-ROMs
8.6
Microsoft Encarta
8.6
Microsoft Dinosaurs
8.6
Games
8.6
Doom
8.6

8.6
Databases
8.6
Microsoft Access
8.6
Spreadsheets
8.6
Microsoft Excel
8.6
Lotus123 for Windows
8.6
CD-ROMs
8.6
Microsoft Encarta
8.6
Microsoft Dinosaurs
8.6
Games
8.6
Doom
8.6
Tested Software
8.6
Small Ads
8.6
Small ads for Acorn 32-bit computers (i.e. not BBC’s) and related
products are free for subscribers but we reserve the right to publish
all, part or none of the material you send, as we think fit. i.e. some
people don’t know what ‘small’ means and there are certain things, that
we would not be prepared to advertise as a matter of principle. Sending
small ads (especially long ones!) on disc is helpful but not essential.
Ed.
8.6
•  A3000, RISC OS 3.1 4Mb RAM, 80Mb SCSI, RGB monitor, PRES monitor
stand and expansion case, VGC £500 o.n.o. Phone [phone].
8.6
•  A310, 4Mb, RISC OS 3.1, ARM 3, 120Mb HD, RGB monitor, backplane,
external 5¼“ drive interface. £400 o.n.o. Phone [phone].
8.6
•  A4 model II, 4Mb RAM 80Mb HD, carry case, spare battery, £1,300
o.n.o. Phone Adrian on 01603-748253.
8.6
•  A410/1, 4Mb RAM, 80Mb SCSI HD, AKF18 monitor, First Word Plus2, Acorn
DTP, ScanLight 256, Aleph One 486/25 card with 4Mb RAM DOS 6, Windows
3.1 Priced for quick sale £450. Phone [phone].
8.6
• A540 8Mb, 120Mb SCSI, RISC OS 3.1, £800 o.n.o. CC Scanner, updated
software £50.  Original packaging/manuals. Phone [phone] (eves).
8.6
•  A540 8Mb, 120Mb SCSI HD, ARM 3, RISC OS 3.1, FPU socket, Panasonic
multisync monitor, £650 o.n.o. Phone [phone].
8.6
•  A540 12Mb, Colourcard, ARM 3, RISC OS 3.1. Offers over £500. Phone
01603-765073 (day).
8.6
•  A5000 4Mb RAM 40Mb drive OS3.11 with Oak SCSI card + 100Mb drive +
Toshiba XM3301 external CD-ROM + Colourcard Gold + Taxan 795 Multi-sync
£700. Phone [phone] (eves).
8.6
•  Acorn Desktop C £49, PC Emulator v1.81 £49, S-Base Personal £49,
Investigator III £39, ArcFax v1.10 £25, Almanac 3 £39, Personal Accounts
3 £25, Split an Image £8, Glimpse £5, Snippet 2 £29, Chocks Away + Extra
Missions £15. Phone [phone].
8.6
•  Archway £25, AlphaBase £10, Alerion £5, Artisan 2 £10, Artisan
Support Disc £5, Break 147 & Superpool £15, Blowpipe £10, Corruption
£10, Conqueror £10, Desk Top Thesaurus £10, Drop Ship £10, EMR
Soundsynth £15, E Type £10, E Type Designer £10, Fugitives Quest £10,
Holed Out Compendium £10, Hoverbod £5, HP Printer Drivers £10, Inertia
£5, Sporting Triangles £5, Nevryon £10, Orion £5, Quazar £5, Rotor £10,
Rise In Crime £10, Startrader £5, Terramex £5, The Pawn £10, Thundermonk
£5, Herewith The Clues £10, Word Up, Word Down £5, WordWorks £20, Zarch
£5. All boxed with original docs. Phone [phone]pm-9pm.
8.6
•  Games − Saloon Cars Deluxe, Chopper Force, Black Angel, Birds of War
and Lemmings. All ex cond but all (except Black Angel) incompatible with
Risc PC. £8 each. Phone [phone].
8.6
•  Hard Disc 45Mb, Oak External SCSI, offers, or exchange for ST506 Hard
Disc to suit A440 (internal). Phone Steve on 01452-618742
8.6
•  Midi (Acorn) and Studio 24+ (v2) £80, DTP £35 with extra clipart, MS-
DOS 5 for PCEm £30, GammaPlot (v2) £15, System Delta+ (v2) £25, Genesis
2 £20, Investigator II £10, Bonjour de France − Ma Ville £20, Chemistry
£10, Healthdata £5, Telecommunications £8, Zarch £6, Word Up Word Down
£3, Genesis Script Language £5, MS-DOS Quick Reference £5, RISC OS 2
PRM’s £35. All software with original documentation and packaging. Phone
01737-832159 (eves).
8.6
•  New unwanted software − Eureka 2, Notate 2, PenDown Plus and
Revelation ImagePro. Also PinPoint for Windows. All offers considered.
Phone [phone].
8.6
•  Qume Laser Direct with recent new drum (done 2000 copies approx)
includes 1 toner refill, will shortly work on Risc PC with new card from
Calligraph £500 o.n.o., Qume Drum (unused) £100, Advance unopened,
unregistered £75 contact Paul Cayton. Phone [phone] (eve) or 0113-
277-7711 (day).
8.6
•  Scavenger Scanner (Beebug) 200-400dpi, with documentation £50 o.n.o.
Phone [phone]pm-9pm.
8.6
•  Wanted − Does anyone have a Panasonic KXP1124 that is no longer used?
We’d be happy to take it off your hands for a small consideration! Phone
Paul on 01603-766592.
8.6
•  Wanted − Impression Junior, version 1.19. Please contact Peter Young,
Appleby House, 20 Racecourse Lane, Northallerton, DL7 8RD.
8.6
•  Wanted − Mitsubishi MH105AL-Y1E or any other grey scale scanner head
for a CC ScanLight card. Also, information on other grey scale scanner
heads to work with ScanLight. Please contact Peter Young, as above, and
I will refund postage for any info received.
8.6
•  Wanted − Multisync monitor in good working order not more that £200.
Phone [phone].
8.6
Charity Sales
8.6
The following items are available for sale in aid of charity. PLEASE do
not just send money − ring us on 01603-766592 to check if the items are
still available. Thank you.
8.6
N.B. These items are sold AS SEEN (even though you can’t see them!),
i.e. we are not able to give refunds if the items are not suitable for
your computer or whatever. All the money paid goes straight to charity
therefore NCS cannot be involved in correspondence etc over these items.
If it turns out to be no good for you but might do for someone else,
please send it back with a note and we will sell it again with the
proviso you state, e.g. “It doesn’t work on a Risc PC.”
8.6
Software: Five assorted old games £5, Easiwriter 2 £10, Archway £10,
Datavision database £6, Colour Fun £2, Multistore £25, QuickShow +
SlideShow £3, Chess £3, Wimp Game £5, Haunted House £4, Iron Lord £5,
Photopia £10, Acorn DTP £4, PC Emulator 1.8 £30.
8.6
Hardware: Psion 3 £70, A-Link £30, Psion Chess £20, 128Kb RAM, Floppy
discs £12 per 50, PCATS Graphics enhancer £20, Acorn Econet interfaces
(10 off) £15 each, £35, Green ink refill for HP cartridge £8, Cyan ink
refill for Canon BC01 cartridge £8, Yellow ink refill for Canon BC01
cartridge £8.
8.6
(If you have unwanted software or hardware for Archimedes computers that
you could donate for charity, please send it to the Archive office. If
you have larger items where post would be expensive, send us details
and how the purchaser can get hold of them.)  A
8.6
Hints and Tips
8.6
•  DPatch/DongleKey − Contrary to S Goddard’s comments about DPatch (8.5
p32), in my experience, DPatch is needed on the Risc PC if a Publisher
dongle is fitted, but Publisher has not been loaded. Any comments?  F
Jukes, Leeds.
8.6
•  Mode summary − This was written for those with hires/multisync
monitors and shows what is available.
8.6
The choice of screen mode is a trade-off between the various factors and
how much you want to get on the screen and one time.
8.6
Refresh speeds depend on the individual, but I find the 51Hz of mode 102
flickers too much on my monitor, so I designed 107. The higher the
better with refresh rates.
8.6
Speed refers to how much the screen mode slows down the ordinary Acorn
computer. To keep the screen re-drawing quickly, use a mode with a
higher figure.
8.6
Square screen modes give a better idea of what the final result will be
like, though rectangular modes are usually quite adequate except for
accurate graphic work.
8.6
All the information was gathered using Flip Top from Computer Concepts.
Steve Hutchinson, Gloucester.
8.6
•  Style/Publisher file sizes − Robert Lytton was writing about graphics
eating up disc space when used on several master pages within an
Impression document. I had the same problem with my “stationery”
document, containing master pages for A4 letterhead, A5, US letter (for
sending a fax to North America), comp slip, etc − each had my squiggly
logo − about 30Kb compressed.
8.6
I was pleased to find that Impression’s ‘Select-Adjust trick’ works:
Make a blank frame on each master page, drop the graphic into one of
them, then click <Select> on it and <Adjust> in all the others. Bingo!
The graphic appears wherever you want it but only once in memory. The
“master” chapter behaves in the same way as ordinary chapters in the
document. Jim Nagel, Glastonbury.
8.6
•  Updating software − When updating a piece of software, it is tempting
to simply copy the new version over the old version with the newer
option set. This is not ideal, however, since it leaves old redundant
files in the application, taking up space. Therefore it is better to
delete the old version (or move it elsewhere if you are worried about
losing it) before installing the new. Roger Darlington, Manchester.  A
8.6
Mode  Size  Memory   Refresh  Speed  Colours   Shape
8.6
Acorn standard modes
8.6
12  640×256  96k  100Hz  4.79  16  Rect
8.6
20  640×512  160k  51Hz  4.7  16  Square
8.6
21  640×512  320k  51Hz  2.59  256  Square
8.6
27  640×480  160k  59Hz  4.57  16  Square
8.6
28  640×480  320k  59Hz  2.12  256  Square
8.6
31  800×600  256k  37Hz  4.69  16  Square
8.6
39  896×352  160k  60Hz  4.51  16  Rect
8.6
40  896×352  320k  60Hz  2.08  256  Rect
8.6
Modes from Newmodes, VIDC enhancer or WW modes
8.6
66  832×288  128k  79Hz  4.57  16  Rect
8.6
67  832×288  256k  79Hz  2.03  256  Rect
8.6
98  800×600  256k  57Hz  4.99  16  Square
8.6
(99 should be 256 colour version, but my Taxan 770+ won’t work with it)
8.6
102  1152×448  256k  51Hz  5.06  16  Rect
8.6
107  1088×432  256k  60Hz  5.13  16  Rect
8.6
Video Editing
8.6
Edward Croot
8.6
Wandering around the Acorn World show last October, the use of moving
images to enhance the delivery of information was clearly on show.
Multimedia applications using short clips to great advantage were to be
seen in all corners of the hall. Computer Concepts were demonstrating
their MPEG replay board but, as yet, there is no facility for the home
user to be able to make their own MPEG films with full screen, high
quality pictures.
8.6
Most of the programs on show were great for the moving snapshots
required by many multimedia programs but if you want to take your home
movies, record them into your computer, edit them, and transfer them
back to tape with at least VHS quality, the Acorn system is not quite
there. In anticipation of progress in this field, there are two
economically priced editing programs which were on display. One was
Eidoscope, of which more later, and the other was Empire.
8.6
Before the advent of Eidoscope, the nearest technique to allow you to
edit your own movies was to use the Millipede board in conjunction with
the Risc PC and the Eidos video compression system to store your film,
and then use the professional “Optima” system to do your editing. The
picture quality is good, but you need lots of storage, a big hard disc,
and preferably removable hard discs. To play back, you need at least an
ARM 700 to provide the processing speed. Eidos anticipate that, with the
faster ARM chips, they will be able to match the quality of the two
dominant non-linear editing systems currently used in the professional
field, at a price which would make the others seem rather expensive.
8.6
The MPEG pictures I saw on both the CC and Anglia stands were
impressive, but I was disturbed by some jerky movement during panning
and tracking shots. This isn’t totally surprising because any system
which relies on information from adjacent frames to reconstitute a frame
is going to have difficulties coping with the total change in data
involved in pans and tracks. However, as with “Optima”, these problems
will be overcome by using more and faster processing.
8.6
On the animation front, I liked the Iota Complete Animator package, but
I was disappointed that the Replay files it produced wouldn’t load into
Eidoscope − that would be a great way of adding animated titles, etc. (I
found that the replay files which come as demonstrations on the Risc PC
don’t load into Eidoscope either but I presume that there is an
incompatibility of frame rate as Eidoscope is only a 12½ frames per
second system.) Complete Animator is an easy program to run, assuming
that you have the ideas in the first place to produce your cartoon. My
23 year old son got hooked on it at Christmas and rapidly produced a
sequence of a lunar module landing, the spaceman disembarking, and then
the lander taking off leaving him stranded, with appropriate sounds! The
bare minimum of reference to the draft version of the manual was needed,
but I look forward to receiving my full version in due course.
8.6
Back to Eidoscope. For some time now I have used the Eidos “Optima”
professional system and have found it an easy system to use, and I look
forward to being able to use the Risc PC version, with its improved
picture and sound quality, so it was with great interest that I
installed the junior version which is Eidoscope.
8.6
The program requires a Risc PC fitted with an Eagle M2 card. Installing
Eidoscope is easy − a straight copy of the program onto your hard disc.
In addition, an ‘Install’ program updates the !ARMovie and !TakeTwo
modules so that the movies can be replayed at a higher quality than
would otherwise be possible. Using the !TakeTwo digitising program and
the ESCaPE real time video compression module, you can capture movies,
but a 33 second movie on my hard disc consumes some 5Mb. The amount
varies according to the complexity of the scene. The module AudioWorks
allows different sound qualities to be selected and, obviously, the
higher the quality, the more disc is required. Whilst recording, a
flickering black and white image is shown, as the processor is fully
consumed in converting the incoming video into digits. Don’t be put off
by this, the picture stored is in full colour. The stored movie can be
viewed back in the !TakeTwo window as a confidence booster. The
resultant video is only 12½ frames per second, but I didn’t find it
objectionable. The movies I recorded ran remarkably smoothly. The
!TakeTwo application allows some video adjustment to the incoming
signal, brightness, contrast and colour saturation but I never found it
necessary to use these.
8.6
The Eidoscope master disc is used as a key when first running the
program. It likes an 800×600, 32,000 colour mode. If your computer is
set to a different mode, there is a ‘best mode’ option on the Eidoscope
icon menu. Running the program produces two blank boxes and a blank
timeline. Figure 1 shows the layout with pictures and sound loaded. You
can consider the left hand box as the source video window or player, and
the right hand box as the recorder. To load your video, you drag the
file icon into the player window. After a short burst of hourglass
activity, the first frame of your movie appears.
8.6
Under the frame a number appears in the centre, Figure 2. This number
represents the frame displayed. In the professional program, the
timecode identifies a specific frame from the original tape but this
timecode is a measure of your film from its first frame. To the left of
this number is a button which is used to identify the first frame of
your chosen shot. To the right is the button to choose the last frame.
Clicking on the outside icons moves you instantly to the first or last
frame of the whole film. The inner ones are of more use on the record
side and they move you between the first and last frame of the current
shot. The middle icon acts as a slider allowing you to step through your
movie from single frames to the equivalent of fast wind on your video.
To play at normal speed, you put the cursor into the picture box and
double click with <select>. The hourglass shows whilst the first batch
of data is drawn from the disc, and then your movie leaps into action.
As your film runs, you will notice that the hard disc is continually
being accessed. To stop, just click anywhere on the screen.
8.6
It is harder to describe how to work the program than it is to do it. If
you understand the basics of editing, you will take about five minutes
to become operational. The manual takes you through the functions of the
program in a straightforward manner. If you look carefully, you can even
see the Eidos MD appearing in a demo picture. To do your first edit,
mark your ‘in point’, run the film until you find the ‘out point’ then
mark it. The two buttons will now be red, and the frame numbers of the
in / out points will be displayed. (Figure 3) Now drag and drop the
picture across to the record window, and your first shot appears with
the time line graphically showing the picture and track information. The
image has a row of circular symbols on the top and bottom. This is to
tell you that the film is parked one frame after the last frame of the
scene. When you drag your next shot over it, it will tag onto the last
scene from this point with no action on your part. This allows you very
quickly to compile the shots you want from your rushes.
8.6
In your timeline window, you will now see a blue line which represents
the picture and a red one which represents the sound. Eidoscope allows
you to have two independent soundtracks enabling you to build up
different effects on each, which can then be mixed using the levels
module to be found on one of the menu lists. Each shot change is
represented by a white vertical line on the video and sound lines. By
clicking on the time line, you can move up and down the film as an
alternative way of moving around your shots.
8.6
The great thing about computer editing is the ability to move to and fro
through your film, cut shots out and paste them in a different place,
all as fast as you can click the mouse buttons. When making your edits,
you can choose to copy your picture alone, or picture and sound, or
sound alone. Eidoscope allows you to do all the standard mixes and
wipes. Effects are shown as grey boxes on the video timeline. To do
these with tape machines, you would need three − two players and a
recorder. In addition, you would need a vision mixer which has the
capability to produce the effects, and a controller which can accurately
control your VCRs. Eidoscope does these effects instantly.
8.6
There are two options to save your work. One is the log option. This
tells the computer where the original shots are on your discs, so that
they can be found by Eidoscope when playing the film at a future time.
The second is the Replay option where the Eidoscope pictures are saved
as a Replay file. The program takes the option of compressing the
pictures a little more. It takes a while for the compression and saving
to take place, so it’s worth getting your camera out and going to shoot
those retakes that you’ve discovered you need.
8.6
Without a separate card, you can’t output your video to a VCR but if you
do, you can produce a full screen image by using a 320×256, 32,000
colour mode. The results are passable, not dissimilar to second
generation VHS, with the benefit that the picture quality doesn’t vary,
no matter how many copies you make, and with none of that awful ringing
so commonly produced in dubbing VHS.
8.6
This program has the great virtue that it is open-ended and, as the
faster multiple processors become available, the quality can be improved
as a software upgrade. As packages like this become available, they can
do nothing but good for the state of domestic film-making. If you
produce wobbly pans and trombone zooms, you will soon realise how
difficult they are to edit. The virtue of steady shots, planned
sequences and the basic grammar of wide­shot, mid­shot, close­shot will
become apparent. Who knows, you may find visitors saying, “Please may we
see your holiday movies?”  A
8.6
Figure 1
8.6
Figure 2
8.6
Figure 3
8.6
Gerald’s Column
8.6
Gerald Fitton
8.6
Thanks for your letters. So many of them have asked about setting up
printers and printing in background that I’ve decided that, in spite of
many other temptations, and as a continuation of my document production
theme, I shall devote this month’s column to that subject.
8.6
Before I do just a quick note. You can now buy Fireworkz Pro. This is an
upgrade to Fireworkz (new features) which you have to pay for. It
includes the long-awaited database, Recordz. Although I shall review
Fireworkz Pro as soon as possible (next month), my reaction from my
first month’s use is that it’s good and you’ll like it!
8.6
Also, on the monthly disc, I have included a second solution (in Basic −
still not a spreadsheet) to the rounding problem by R W Newmark.
8.6
Foreword
8.6
When I am asked by newcomers to any document production package what
they should do first, then whether they have Style, Fireworkz, PipeDream
or anything else, I reply that it is most important that they configure
their printers correctly. When they have set up their printing
arrangements (complete with all the paper sizes they usually use) they
can move on to selecting their ‘global’ options (usually choices or
preferences from the iconbar) and ‘local’ options (usually a template
or, with Style, master pages). Finally, they should create at least the
basic styles they are going to use with those templates or master pages.
My recommendation is that only after these preliminaries (printers,
options and styles) have been completed will they be ready to start
creating their first masterpiece!
8.6
This month I shall concentrate on printing. Sometime in the future
(after reviewing Fireworkz Pro?) I shall move on to options and then to
styles.
8.6
Introduction
8.6
A question which comes up time and time again is “How can I get my
Archimedes to print in background whilst I get on with something else?”
A second question, or should I say set of questions, relate to unwanted
page feeds and (whatever you try) the printer refusing to print at the
right place.
8.6
In this article, I hope to help you select a suitable RISC OS printer
definition for your printer and explain something of the way in which
they work. If you can’t find a printer definition which is an exact
match for yours then, by following the contents of this article, you
should be able to modify one of the existing files for use with your
printer.
8.6
I shall tackle the second series of questions before explaining how to
print in background!
8.6
The new RISC OS printer drivers
8.6
Acorn have now issued a new printer driver, Version 1.22, which is
available as Archive Utilities Disc Nº7 at £2. If you don’t have
Printers v1.22 (or later), I suggest that you buy a copy from NCS. You
can use v1.22 only if you have RISC OS 3.1 or later. A new version of
the [Colours] module (v1.57 06 Dec 1993) is included with v1.22 which,
in my opinion, improves colour rendering.
8.6
To demonstrate what you have to do I have chosen to look at the printer
definition files supplied by Acorn for the HP DJ500C inkjet and the
LaserJet-III laser printer. I shall also discuss two other printer
definition files called [Int00] and [Int01] − I shall explain how I
developed these from the [DJ500C] for use with my Integrex Series 2
colour printer. Even if you don’t have either of these printers, you
should still find what I have to say useful and you should be able to
apply the principles to your own printer. If you have the Archive
monthly disc, you’ll find all the custom files to which I refer on that
disc.
8.6
Loading PrntDefn files into !PrintEdit
8.6
Included with your RISC OS 3.1, on disc, you will find the utility
!PrintEdit. Make sure that your operating system has seen !PrintEdit and
then double-click (without holding down <Shift>) on [LasJet-III] and it
will load into !PrintEdit. I have two versions of PrintEdit.
8.6
My early version is 0.27 (14-May-92); it does not install on the
iconbar! If you have the early version, place the pointer somewhere on
the left of the printer definition editor window and click <menu> and
choose Info and you’ll find the version number. My later version is 0.38
(15-Jun-94) and does install itself on the iconbar. It is available from
NCS as Utilities Disc Nº8.
8.6
The paper offsets
8.6
When a PrntDefn file is loaded into PrintEdit, the current values of the
Paper X offset: and Paper Y offset will appear in the dialogue boxes. If
you haven’t modified the [LasJet-III] file, these are 4.99 mm and
11.17 mm respectively (or 4.83 mm and 11.09 mm if you have a different
version of Printers from me). Let me make the point most strongly that
these values may be correct if you have bought a genuine HP
Laser Jet III (with an ‘HP’ on it) but they may not be correct if what
you have is an HP Laser Jet III clone! If you have a clone, you may have
to change these values. My Integrex is an HP DJ 500C clone and the
offsets I need for the Integrex are different from the offsets built
into the [DJ500C] definition.
8.6
Is a small error in the offsets important? Yes! If you have configured
your !Printers so that these offsets are wrong by 0.5 mm or more, you
may get a whole host of printing problems out of all proportion to the
offset errors. Problems range from printing slightly out of position
(not too important) to unwanted form feeds (almost impossible to find
out why). Some people have found that printing starts half way down the
page when the Paper Y offset is less than a mm out!
8.6
I don’t know why the offsets are so sensitive but I think it has
something to do with the way in which negative numbers are handled by
the printer driver. Anyway, you have been warned! Get these offsets
right before you do anything else and you won’t regret the time, paper
and ink you spend!
8.6
Loading a PrntDefn file into !Printers
8.6
Before you can print anything, you will need !Printers on the iconbar
and loaded with a suitable printer definition file. The paragraphs below
explain how to do this.
8.6
When you first load !Printers, it will appear in grey as ‘Printers’ on
the iconbar. Whatever the colour of the icon, click <menu> on it and
select Printer control. A window called Printer control will appear.
Drag your first choice of printer definition file, e.g. [LasJet-III],
into this window and the name of the icon will change, in the case of
[LasJet-III], to LsJet III.
8.6
If you have an inkjet printer with a definition of 300 dpi and don’t
know which printer definition file to use, try [DJ500C] or my [Int00]
printer definition file. Canon bubble jets have a resolution of 360 dpi,
so these HP-type files are unsuitable. I believe that one of the dot
matrix PrntDfn files might be a good starting point for the Canon
printers − but look at the [ReadMe] file which comes with Acorn’s
Printers disc.
8.6
Drag in another copy of your printer driver, or even another printer
driver, and you will find that an extra printer icon appears on the
iconbar! You can add many such printers to the iconbar.
8.6
When I was deciding exactly what paper offsets to use, I created five
printer definition files, each having slightly different paper offsets
(and with slightly different names) and then printed out my [Top_Left2]
file (see later) with each of them until I found out how the paper
offset parameters worked!
8.6
Whatever printer you have
8.6
Firstly, here is a general statement which absolutely true but which
might be of no use to you whatsoever! The ideal values for the X and Y
offsets correspond exactly to the position of the print head over the
paper before printing starts. You measure these offsets from the top
left corner of the page to the position of the printhead, X horizontally
and Y vertically.
8.6
If the printer control dialogue box is not on screen, click <menu> on
any printer icon on the iconbar and then select printer control. The
printer control dialogue box will open. Now click <menu> on your chosen
printer and select Configure. You can use the dialogue box which opens
to choose a paper size for your experiments. One of the choices for
paper size is one called “A4 paper size”. It is characterised by having
all its graphics margins and text margins set to zero. Use this paper
size for the tests set out below.
8.6
Change the name of the printer. That is what I have done to create my
two printers called File and Print. I have chosen these names because
the File printer prints to a file and Print prints from the file to my
printer. I explain how to achieve this later.
8.6
Printers which use HP codes
8.6
On the monthly disc, you’ll find a Test directory containing two
printout files [GreyRect] and [Pointer] which are written in HP code and
thus are suitable for use with almost any laser or inkjet HP printer and
their clones (such as my Integrex ColourJet Series 2). Use them with
your choice of printer definition file. They will print a mark at the
top left of the paper. I prefer to use [Pointer] (for which I am
indebted to Bruce D Brown − see below) rather than [GreyRect].
8.6
Measure the distance between the top left of the printed graphic and the
(left and top) edges of the paper. Measure these carefully to the
nearest half mm. By the way, the offsets round up to the next quarter of
a point (i.e. 1/288th of an inch or 0.088 mm) so after saving and
reloading, you’ll see some strange values in mm because they are rounded
in quarter points.
8.6
Make a copy of the printer definition file you used − give it a
different name. I started with [DJ500C] and made a copy which I called
[Int00]. I loaded [Int00] into PrintEdit, changed its (internal) name,
changed the X and Y offsets to 0 mm and I saved the file. I used [Int00]
with the test file [Top_Left2] (see below) and found that I needed to
change the X offset. The printer definition file, [Int01], is the final
version of my PrntDefn file.
8.6
Typically, ink jet printers will print right up to the top of the paper
(i.e. a Y offset of 0 mm) but they will not print on the bottom 10 mm of
the paper. Contrast this with a laser printer which typically loses only
6 mm at the bottom of the page but needs 10 mm or more (as the Y offset)
at the top. Different inkjet printers will need slightly different X
offsets. A slight error in the X offsets is not as serious as an error
in the Y offsets since even small errors in the latter will lead to
either unwanted form feeds or printing taking place well down the paper.
8.6
If you have problems in setting up a printer which uses HP codes then
you might try: Bruce D Brown, 34 Harlington Road East, Feltham,
Middlesex, TW13 5BN. He has volunteered to help (but with HP printers
only and not Epson types).
8.6
To take advantage of Bruce’s offer of help, please create a simple
document and print it to a file (see how to do this below). Send the
Printout format file to him (on disc) together with a disc copy of your
!Printers directory. Please send him a sticky label with your name and
address on it together with return postage. If you don’t send return
postage then you’ll get no reply! Fair enough?
8.6
Dot matrix printers
8.6
If you have a dot matrix printer, you should use either [Top_Left] (if
your printer uses Epson codes) or, if that fails, then my drawfile which
is called [Top_Left2]. Both these are on the monthly disc.
8.6
Using [Top_Left2]
8.6
If you have serious difficulties using [Pointer] or [Top_Left] because
your printer won’t accept the HP or Epson codes (respectively), then try
again using [Top_Left2] with a printer definition which has both Paper X
and Paper Y offsets of 0.00 mm.
8.6
Load the file [Top_Left2] and print it out from Draw or DrawPlus using a
PrntDefn which has both X and Y offsets of 0.00 mm and a paper size
(such as the A4 paper size) which has zero left, right bottom and top
margins. Measure the actual printed position of the graphic and use that
to determine your X and Y offsets.
8.6
Modify a copy of your chosen PrntDefn file so that it uses these
offsets.
8.6
Creating your own paper size
8.6
When you have chosen your offsets, create a paper size which uses the
exact same size left and top margins as the X and Y offsets of the
printer Definition! Usually, you will find that the right margin should
be set equal to the left margin but you may have to experiment with the
bottom margin. As a guide to values for the bottom margin, laser
printers will need about 6 mm and inkjet printers will need 10 mm to
25 mm. Printing out the file [Grid] from Draw or DrawPlus will probably
help you to decide how much of the bottom of the grid is lost.
8.6
If you find that, even with your X and Y offsets correct, you still get
unwanted form feeds, you may have to slightly alter the length of your
page. An A4 page should be exactly 297 mm long but, because of slight
variations in the way the rollers in a printer measure the page length,
you may find that you have to reduce the length of your A4 page by
0.5 mm or so.
8.6
Removing unwanted printer definitions
8.6
Place the pointer in the printer control window and click on one of the
(many) printer definitions you no longer want. It will be highlighted.
Click <menu> and select the Remove option. The selected printer will be
removed from both the printer control window and from the iconbar.
8.6
If you want to print in background using the technique I suggest below,
you will need to keep two copies of your final PrntDefn in the printer
control window, one which you will call called File and the other Print.
Don’t change the names to File and Print using PrintEdit, change them
from the Configure option of the printer control window as follows.
8.6
Changing the name of the printer
8.6
You can change the name, the default paper size, the printing
resolution, the quality of print (e.g. number of colours or shades of
grey) and a few other attributes of any printer which appears in the
printer control window. Place the pointer in the printer control window
over the printer you want to modify, click <menu> and select Configure.
Change the name of the first printer to File and click on the OK box.
The name of the printer will change in both the printer control window
and on the iconbar. Change the name of the second to Print in the same
way.
8.6
I suggest that you change the default paper size for both your printers
to your preferred paper size (i.e. the paper size with left and top
paper margins exactly equal to the X and Y offsets), that you use “Grey,
large halftone” as your default quality and 300 by 300 dpi as your
resolution. I prefer the Paper feed to be Auto even if I’m going to use
manual feed.
8.6
Printing to file
8.6
Place the pointer in the printer control window, highlight the printer
called File and select Connection. A window called “Connections” will
open. On the left, near the bottom, you will see a radio button called
File. Click on this to turn it green. Now type in the full path name of
the (as yet non-existent) file to which you are going to print. In my
case, I have created a directory on my hard disc called PrintFiles to
hold the Printout file. My full pathname is
[scsi::HD4.$.Printfiles.Print]. Click on the OK box. Do not be tempted
to click on the “Print in background” radio button!
8.6
Now you have two printer icons on the iconbar. Click on the printer icon
called File so that it becomes the default leaving the printer called
Print greyed out.
8.6
When you are satisfied that you have the two printers you want on the
iconbar and that they are both configured with suitable Names, Paper,
Resolution and Quality then click <menu> on the printer icon (on the
iconbar) and select Save choices. If you don’t do this, you will lose
all the settings you have created.
8.6
Using the ‘Printing to file’ facility
8.6
Load a suitable document and press <print> to initiate printing and you
will print to the named file (overwriting any earlier version). During
the time you are printing to file, you will find that you have
relinquished control of your machine! So “Where is the advantage?” you
might well ask. The answer is that printing to a file is much quicker
than printing to the printer. You have lost control for a shorter period
of time.
8.6
Tests I have carried out with my setup indicate that printing to file is
about three times faster than printing to the printer. By the way, often
you can speed up this process of printing to file by making the font
cache larger; I recommend 512Kb.
8.6
You will regain control of the machine when printing to file is
complete. In order to print out your Printout file, all you need to do
is to drag the file called [Print] (from the directory on your hard disc
− or perhaps from a copy you keep on the pinboard) onto the Print
printer icon. There is no need to click on the Print printer icon before
you do this. Printing from disc to printer is slower than printing to
file but still faster than direct printing. The advantage is that
printing from file to printer will take place in background so that you
may continue to use the keyboard, mouse, etc whilst printing is taking
place.
8.6
Other paper sizes
8.6
You may want to use a paper size of A3, A5 or DL (a common size for
envelopes). I suggest that you do not keep juggling the paper sizes of
your one File printer but that you drag in more copies of your printer
definition file (for me this is the file called [Int01] which is in
PrntDfn format) and then, using Printer control − Configure, you change
the Paper choice for that printer and change the name (from the
configuration menu) such as DL File or A5 File. An interesting point is
that you don’t have to have a separate Print printer for each size of
paper; you can drag any Printout file onto the Print icon and it will
print.
8.6
In conclusion
8.6
Having set up your printing system, the next step is to choose your
‘global’ and ‘local options’ (i.e. choices or preferences and then
templates or master pages). Those topics will have to wait for another
day.
8.6
In this article, I have referred to a number of test files. These are
included on the Archive monthly disc. I recommend that you buy it from
NCS together with Printers v1.22 (Utilities Disc Nº7) and the latest
version of !PrintEdit (on Utilities Disc Nº8). However, if you do not
wish to buy that monthly disc and need these printer test files then
send me a disc formatted to 800Kb, sticky label and return postage.
Also, please let me know whether you want the [ReadMe] text file in
PipeDream, Fireworkz or Style format.
8.6
Please write to me at the Abacus Training address which you’ll find at
the back of this magazine and not via the Archive office.  A
8.6
Acorn Risc PC − The Best of Both Worlds?
8.6
Paul Beverley
8.6
(This is a copy of an article sent for publication to the Church
Computer User’s Group. It is published here to give you an idea of the
sort of article we all could be inserting in non-Acorn aware
publications. See Comment Column, page 15. Ed.)
8.6
First of all, let me declare an interest. I’m an Acorn dealer writing
about Acorn computers. Most people think of Acorn as, “non-standard and
therefore not to be considered” but I believe they may be missing out if
they do.
8.6
RISC − the latest technology?
8.6
Thanks to Apple’s extensive advertising, you may already have heard of
“RISC technology”. However, you shouldn’t believe Apple’s advertisements
− theirs were NOT the first RISC-based desktop computers. The Acorn
Archimedes, a 32-bit RISC computer, was available in 1987!  (The ASA
have upheld our complaint.)
8.6
Why RISC?
8.6
If you sit in front of an Acorn Risc PC and compare it with Windows or
Mac systems, you will soon see the difference − the screen display is
lightning fast. Macs and PCs tend to be good at doing calculations but
RISC chips win hands down when it comes to simple jobs like drawing dots
on the screen and that, from the user’s viewpoint, is where the
productivity lies − you don’t have to sit waiting for the screen to re-
display.
8.6
RISC technology has enabled Acorn to maintain a lead in a number of
areas...
8.6
The best bible software?
8.6
If you want the best bible software on any platform, have a look at
ExpLAN’s Acorn Multimedia Bible. You can have a number of different
translations on the screen all tracking together, verse by verse.
Versions in production include NIV, REB, NSRV (with full study notes),
Russian (in cyrillic font), Authorised, two German versions, Greek and
Hebrew (right-to-left reading with full breathing marks). Text is fully
formatted on screen as in the printed version, e.g. with large verse
numbers at paragraph starts and superscript verse numbers elsewhere.
Footnotes appear automatically in a window and cross references can be
called up automatically, even from study notes, at the click of a mouse
button. It also includes maps, illustrations and photographs which
appear as soon as you click on the verse to which they refer. The
formatted text, notes, maps, etc can be exported into a WP/DTP package.
8.6
The best music printing software?
8.6
The Royal Academy of Music recently ditched its PC-compatibles and
bought a set of Acorn Risc PCs. Why? Because the best music printing
software, Sibelius, only runs on Acorns. Sibelius allows the least
computer-literate musicians to produce top-quality printed scores,
including, at the touch of a mouse button, parts for individual
instruments, transposed accordingly. And all this is printed at top DTP
quality − or you can take PostScript output, direct from Sibelius,
straight to the typesetters. (Oxford University Press publish some of
their music using Sibelius.)
8.6
The best for your church magazine?
8.6
Was it a coincidence that the joint winners of the Church Magazine
Competition both used Acorn computers? I don’t think so. I believe that
the software on Acorn computers is generally more intuitive and user-
friendly than Windows or Mac software.
8.6
“What a shame they aren’t PC-compatible!”
8.6
Who said they weren’t PC compatible? For £99, you can buy a 486
processor card and plug it into your Risc PC alongside your RISC
processor. Then you can run both DOS/Windows software and Acorn software
on the same computer at the same time, transferring data back and forth
between the two worlds. (Now that MacOS is to be licensed, watch out for
a Risc PC Mac processor!)
8.6
“Aren’t Acorn computers a bit expensive?”
8.6
I have to admit that they aren’t cheap, but then you always have to pay
for the best. In any case, it depends what specification of computer you
compare. For example, if you want a multimedia computer capable of modes
like 1024×768 in 32,000 colours and 800×600 in 16 million colours, you
can start with the cheapest Risc PC (£1,249 +VAT) and just add extra
memory and a CD-ROM. There’s no need to add any sound cards, video
controllers or graphics accelerators − this hardware all comes as
standard on all Risc PCs.
8.6
“But Acorn isn’t industry standard.”
8.6
Have you thought out why you want to be ‘standard’? If it’s for data
exchange, that is one of Acorn’s strengths. You can put DOS/PC, Atari
and Mac discs into the Acorn’s disc drive and access the data just as
you would with an Acorn disc.
8.6
Even in the PC world, is there such a thing as a ‘standard’? How many
times have you been told... “I’m sorry, Sir, but this software won’t run
on your computer because you haven’t got an XYZ sound/graphics card /
enough memory / a big enough hard drive, etc.”
8.6
“They are very low on memory.”
8.6
True, the basic Risc PC only has 2M RAM and a 210M drive but that’s
because they don’t need as much RAM. Impression Publisher (equivalent to
Quark/Pagemaker) will run on a 2M Acorn computer and takes up less than
4M of hard disc space (and you can buy it for about £135 +VAT). But if
you do want lots of memory, even the bottom-end Risc PC can be upgraded
to 128M of RAM.
8.6
Don’t take my word for it
8.6
You think I’m exaggerating − well, maybe I am a little − but if you
don’t believe me, go along to the CRE in Esher in May and see ExpLAN Ltd
(Acorn dealers and producers of the Holy Bible). I gain nothing if you
buy from them so let them show you Acorn computers in action and you
will see that they now give you the best of both worlds.  A
8.6
ABC of Art
8.6
Christopher Jarman
8.6
This is a review of discs F, G and H in a series of, presumably, 26
discs which are being produced at the rate of one every two months by
Andy Jeffery in Brean, Somerset.
8.6
Clipart has come a long way on the Acorn in the last two years. While
there will always be an important place for simple flat-colour drawfiles
of school-related subjects using very little memory, there is also a
growing market for more sophisticated illustrations of all kinds for DTP
as well as for games backgrounds and multimedia applications. ABC Art
discs quite definitely fall into this second category.
8.6
Each disc contains between ten and thirteen Artworks files (although it
is possible to order alternative drawfile discs of the same subjects).
This means around 1.5Mb of archived drawings per disc. Subjects are
grouped in alphabetical order, but are really the fairly random
illustrations of the artist’s particular interests. These tend to be
cars, aeroplanes, dogs and horses, flowers and birds with quite a lot of
creatively designed decorated capital letters. Each disc comes with a
black & white printout of its contents which is very useful and which
would bind up as an A5 reference book if collected together. Andy, will
respond to requests for particular drawings to be included on future
discs, so there is a built-in flexibility in content.
8.6
The illustrations themselves are, in general, of excellent quality. The
artist’s long experience as an art teacher gives a really confident and
professional touch to the pictures. While the aeroplanes and cars are
superb, as we have come to expect from seeing other artworks clips, this
collection also excels in producing more organic drawings of animals and
plants. What is particularly adroit is the way in which the palettes
have been cleverly limited to give both a fine aesthetic and coherent
design to each picture, as well as cutting down the memory use. Such
detail as different colours for the window panes in houses, and
variation of brick colours in walls, have been most competently carried
out. Putting these very well produced clips into your own copy of
Artworks and analysing them would make for a valuable tutorial in
itself. I learnt a great deal from doing this, and my own use of the
program will improve considerably as a result.
8.6
The detail as well as the tone values, particularly in the difficult
pictures of horses and dogs etc, are remarkably good. These put up the
quality of obtainable clipart by several notches. In one or two clips I
think it might have been better to convert the fonts to path using the
“make shapes” facility, as not everyone has the fonts which were used,
but this is not a serious problem as Artworks, like Impression will put
up substitutes. One of my particular favourites is the beautiful drawing
of the Fairey Swordfish or “Stringbag” as we called it in the Fleet Air
Arm. It is, however, flying pilotless and observerless, but then the
beauty of Artworks is that you can draw your own choice of aircrew and
just drop them into the cockpits!
8.6
If it takes the artist two months to do twelve pictures (and I can well
believe it), then their value in terms of worktime is extremely high.
At, say, a modest £15 per hour for design, I would guess that each
picture takes about three to four hours. Therefore we are talking about
possibly £720 worth of clipart on a floppy disc selling for £6! Someone
somewhere is subsidising these Acorn Clips!
8.6
Highly recommended and tremendous value for money. I look forward
intensely to the next 18 discs.  A
8.6
Dalriada
8.6
New artwork
8.6
Pocket Book Column
8.6
Audrey Laski
8.6
Pocket Book research
8.6
Acorn’s quarterly magazine, ‘Arc’, carries a short report from Dr. Pat
Fung of the Open University on a research project undertaken to study
aspects of the use of pocket computers. Pupils were given Pocket Books
specifically for use in the development of their Records of Achievement,
and views and reactions were tested through questionnaires for pupils,
teachers and parents before and after the experience. Pupils were also
observed during their use.
8.6
One of the most interesting observations was how much peer learning
interaction the use of the Pocket Books generated, pupils drawing on
each others’ experience. I remember that this was one of the great
educational claims of Logo, and see it as a powerful response to those
who fear that interest in computers will make children asocial.
8.6
I was a little surprised that fewer than 65% said they would have liked
to keep their Pocket Books longer, since almost 90% said they were
useful, and even more claimed to have enjoyed using them, and I think I
shall be contacting Dr. Fung (e-mail: p.fung @open.ac.uk.) to see the
full report, to get more detail than the two-page feature in Arc
provided.
8.6
Using ChangeFSI
8.6
Martyn Wilson, of Hampshire Microtechnology Centre, had problems when he
tried to use ChangeFSI to transfer, to a Risc PC, a PIC file image of
which a graph a class of pupils had created in Abacus. ChangeFSI claimed
not to recognise the filetype. He observed that the transfer software
upgrade he had had from Acorn Direct was to version about 0.95, and that
the version on the Risc PC was about 0.98, but neither worked. Acorn
supplied him with version 1.01, and this does convert Pocket Book files
to sprites, but is not entirely compatible with the Risc PC, requiring
the datafile CSFIjpeg to be changed to CFSI-jpeg before use can be made
of Slideshow.
8.6
In general, he feels that “in the longer term Acorn should look quite
closely at the whole business of linking the Pocket Book to the
Archimedes” and introduce changes, including “a more elegant solution to
the business of copying screenshots from one machine to the other” and a
means of showing a Pocket Book screen on an Archimedes desktop. John (of
the other side of the bed) suggests that the former of these wishes
could probably be easily supplied through another window in the A-Link
software to do Pic to Sprite, and vice-versa possibly. The latter would
need much more fundamental rethinking. What is clear is that, since
Martyn is someone working with schools, developing and demonstrating
curriculum uses for Acorn machines through his county, his concerns
should be taken with the utmost seriousness by Acorn, if the Pocket Book
is to fulfil its potential as an educational tool.
8.6
Software temptations
8.6
Also seen in Arc is news of what sounds like an extraordinarily useful
piece of software for wide-ranging travellers: the Berlitz Phrase Book
produced by Psion. This apparently has phrases in 60 topic areas in 12
languages besides English, including Japanese and Hungarian. Not
surprisingly, it isn’t cheap but, if it delivers all it claims, the
price of £59.95 (inc VAT) seems reasonable for anyone needing to
communicate in a wider world than GCSE French will cover. One thing that
is not clear from the statement in Arc is whether this software is only
available for Pocket Book 2; those of us still using our old machines
need to know such things.
8.6
For those in the vanguard
8.6
Mike Lane, of Stockbridge, Hants, points out that my dream of dictating
my memoirs on the recorder of Psion 3A/Pocket Book 2 would have a short
life, since the default maximum recording time is only two seconds,
producing a 16Kb file, so that a ludicrously large amount of storage
would be required for even five minutes. He suggests frequent stops at
service stations to upload the memoirs via a portable modem to the home
computer, or “a serial link to a laptop with a few gigabytes of hard
disc storage” as the only solutions − I’ll pass.   A
8.6
Database Comparison
8.6
Simon Coulthurst
8.6
My reason for doing this review is partly self interest. With the
release of the Risc PC, I have returned to the Acorn fold after an
absence of some years. My Risc PC is a business machine first and a
hobby second. As such, it has to able to carry out the three main
computer tasks adequately. I found it relatively easy to decide on the
correct spreadsheet and the correct wordprocessor/desktop publisher for
my needs. However, the choice was not so easy when it came to selecting
a package to manage my data.
8.6
I have always found databases to be amongst the most idiosyncratic of
products. On the face of it, you look down the products specification
sheet and think ‘this product is ideal − it has every feature I could
possibly want’. But when you come to use it, you find you can’t get it
to do the one thing − the most important thing − you want it to do. For
that reason, it was important for me to get some hands-on experience
with some of the alternatives available.
8.6
Just to jump ahead a little. At the end of the review period, I will
decide which of these packages will be remaining on my hard disc. I have
approached this review from the point of view of a user looking for a
database program to use on a daily basis for all their data management
needs. Ideally, one program should be sufficient for all my purposes.
8.6
I will be using the program on a single machine for personal/business
use and not to develop stand-alone applications for the use of others.
To this end, I designed two different databases on each package to see
how easy or otherwise they were to use. A credit application form was my
first data storage requirement, followed by a slightly more complex
stock recording system. The first of these consisted of a single table
only but the second (if possible in the database package in use) was to
have one table for the stock items and another linked table for the
suppliers’ details. I have assumed that you, the reader, are already
familiar with the concept of a database and the terms used.
8.6
The main contenders
8.6
When looking at the databases available for RISC OS in Archive’s price
list, it soon became obvious that I was going to have to prune the
choices somewhat. There is quite a good selection ranging from the
cheaper end Arcscan III at £14 up to the more expensive packages like S-
Base V2 Developer Plus at £410. I eventually decided on Impact Pro from
Circle Software, DataPower from Iota, S-Base2 Personal from Longman
Logotron, Squirrel 2 from Digital Services and Masterfile 3 from Beebug.
No particular reason for choosing these packages over any others, apart
from my own desire to look at them.
8.6
S-Base2 (Personal Edition)
8.6
(Longman Logotron − £49 +VAT)
8.6
This arrived in a white box with a large colourful S2 logo and the proud
claim “The Integrated Relational Database Solution for RISC OS” on the
front. On the back is a brief summary of the program including mention
of SAM, the S-Base Application Manager, that allows the creation of a
database application automatically − “absolutely no programming is
required”. Quite a change from version one, where programming was the
order of the day to achieve anything. Not that there is anything wrong
with that. Longman have never pretended that S-Base was anything other
than a database language that could be used to create whatever data
handling applications you had in mind. The down side to a programming-
based approach is that it often takes a considerable time and learning
curve before anything tangible can be achieved. Longman obviously hope
that the provision of SAM will help alleviate this.
8.6
Inside the box there is a hefty, and good quality, 382-page Tutorial and
Reference Guide, a much lighter 60-page Quickstart Guide and an envelope
containing three discs and a registration card. Being a logical sort of
chap, the first thing I did was complete the registration card and put
it to one side ready for posting. It is fairly obvious from the
registration card where Longman expects most of its sales of S-Base
Personal to go, it has selection boxes for Primary, Secondary, Higher
Education and Home with the Other field to cover all other types of
user. Longman clearly state on the card that “technical support is only
given to registered users”. To my mind this is by far the best form of
anti-piracy protection.
8.6
Installation is a simple matter of copying the contents of the discs
into a folder on your desktop and running the supplied !SysMerge to
update your !System. It is possible to run S-Base from floppy discs but
a hard disc is recommended.
8.6
Once installed, the Quickstart Guide holds your hand through a series of
lessons introducing you to the basics of the program. This is a useful
and fairly comprehensive set of exercises that will leave you able to
start designing, and using, your own databases. To take advantage of the
undoubted power of the program means diving into the main User Guide.
This is a far more daunting task, especially for the occasional user.
8.6
Whilst great things can, undoubtedly, be achieved with S2, it is a more
complex package than any of the others being looked at here. For those
who only need to store a list of addresses or manage a club database, it
is really overkill. However, at its current price it offers superb value
for money for anyone needing the sophistication it offers, but you have
to be prepared to spend the time learning how to make use of it.
8.6
Impact Pro
8.6
(Circle Software − £65 + VAT)
8.6
This package has a more ‘homespun’ feel about it. It comes in an A5-size
ring-bound folder containing the manual and the single program disc. In
this instance, there was no need to complete a registration card as I
had ordered the product direct from Circle and it was already set up
with my details − a nice touch.
8.6
Impact Pro is a relational database with what was one of the main
attractions to me, support for printing reports with Impression using
the Impulse module. This module is designed and supplied by Computer
Concepts.
8.6
Installation instructions are given on an, easy-to-lose, separate piece
of A5 paper. Having inserted the program disc and double-clicked on the
!Install program, this checks to see if there is a valid security code
for the program. You can get the full version − minus the ability to
save any new data − and give it a try. Then, if you like it, all that is
required is a phone call to Circle Software with your credit card. They
will issue you with a valid security code and you have a fully working
system. A form of shareware.
8.6
There is no tutorial with Impact Pro. Luckily, the manual is good (it
gives examples throughout) and the program is relatively simple to use
and understand. This meant it was not long before I had my two example
databases up and running.
8.6
The databases are saved within ImpactPro and not by dragging to the
desktop in the normal RISC OS fashion. This has the advantage that all
databases are easily accessible from within the program and do not
clutter up your filling system with extra icons. The disadvantage is
that only one database can be loaded and worked on at a time.
8.6
The program is reasonable value for money and easy to get up and
running. On the downside, it doesn’t follow the normal RISC OS filing
methods or allow access to more than one database at a time. If you can
live with one or two idiosyncrasies, you will not be disappointed.
8.6
Squirrel 2
8.6
(Digital Services − £139 +VAT)
8.6
Again, this comes in a ring bound manual, but this time of a more robust
and professional appearance with an outer sleeve and two discs. One
containing the program and the other some sample data. Again, Squirrel
is a program that requires registration, by phone, with the supplier
before an unlock key will allow installation and use of the product.
8.6
The disadvantage with the method used by Digital Services − compared to
Impact Pro and Circle Software’s method − is that once installed on one
computer, the only method of moving it to another is by the use of a
separate SqlMove disc. This must be obtained from Digital Services and
can only be used the once. If you wish to sell your copy of Squirrel 2
to another person, beware. I was informed, by Digital Services, you are
not allowed to do so, as your purchase of the program only allows you
the use of the package − you do not own it! After further talks, they
eventually said okay it was my program, and I could sell it, however I
would need to purchase SqlMove from them at a cost of £20.00 and they
would need full details of the person purchasing the package before they
could agree to it!
8.6
Squirrel has built up a loyal user base over its life as it is simple to
use and pleasant to look at. It is possible to build some quite
sophisticated-looking applications and reports. However, for my
purposes, there was one major disadvantage with this package. There are
no proper calculated fields. In my stock database, I wanted a price
field and a VAT field. I then wanted to set up a third field to show the
VAT inclusive price. This should have been easy enough to set up, with a
formula along the lines of (Total = Price * VAT). However, it would only
calculate the field once, the first time it was used. If I then changed
either the VAT rate or, as is quite likely, the price of the item, the
new (VAT inclusive) field would not update to reflect the new value.
After talking with Digital Services, it would appear there is no way of
setting up calculated fields that update in real time.
8.6
As mentioned, this is a powerful, good looking, package with, for me,
two major drawbacks. If you are not bothered about ‘proper’ calculated
fields or the method of copy protection used, then Squirrel 2 offers
some nice features, particularly its reporting facilities.
8.6
DataPower
8.6
(Iota Software Ltd − £149 +VAT)
8.6
The program arrived in a very smart, dark blue box that proved to be the
ring binder that holds the main manual. This is very nice looking, but
it proved to be rather cumbersome to use, taking up a lot of desk space.
It would have been better if the manual were separate from the storage
box. In addition to the manual there was a fairly substantial user guide
supplement, a short installation guide, two function keystrips − one for
the A4 portable (it’s nice to see a company remembering the roving Acorn
user), a reference card and three discs (program, examples and work
discs). Installation is a case of initialising the program disc, running
!DPInstall and following the on-screen instructions then phoning Iota
Software for a support number. Without this number you are unable to
install DataPower on your hard disc, although you are able to run the
program from the floppy. As a single user, I have one ‘credit’ supplied
on the program disc. By copying DataPower to the hard disc, I have moved
the credit to the hard disc where I may now run the program. It will no
longer run on the floppy unless I copy the credit back. This is fine
until such time as you suffer a catastrophic failure on your hard disc.
Then you will have to appeal to Iota Software for their help. While this
is still a current, supported package, there’s no problem but what
happens if you are still using the program years from now and, heaven
forbid, Iota are no longer around! My favourite hobby horse: whilst
companies in the Acorn world insist on using these draconian protection
methods, they will never appeal to the general business user. We are too
used to being able to back up, freely, the software we rely upon to run
our businesses. As I have said before, the best method of copy
protection is a half-way house solution whereby you, as the user, must
register the software to get technical support and, the installation
process stores your personal details within the program code, thereby
enabling easy tracing of any illegal copies.
8.6
The DataPower tutorial gives an overview of the program. It does not
cover every aspect of the program but gives you a good insight by
walking you through the setup of a ‘Student Record Card’ database and
then using this to try out various facilities of the program.
8.6
Whilst DataPower is not a relational database, it does offer a ‘lookup’
facility that can get information from a CSV text file. This facility is
actually more flexible than it may at first sound. As the CSV file can
be easily created − and kept up-to-date − by another database. I used
this facility for my stock database and it worked fine. If you need to
update the fields easily in the attached database on a regular basis,
this approach is obviously not suitable.
8.6
DataPower, like Squirrel 2, is a good-looking package that allows the
creation of nicely-presented forms and report. If you can manage without
a full relational facility and don’t mind the copy protection, this
package will satisfy all needs.
8.6
Masterfile 3
8.6
(Beebug − £49 +VAT)
8.6
This arrived packaged in an A5-sized box which contained the 100-page
ring-bound manual, a laminated reference sheet, a short release note for
version 1.35 and two discs. The first disc contains the program itself,
and the second contains some example databases. Installation is a simple
matter of copying the contents of the discs into a suitable directory on
your hard disc. No copy protection − the authors trust their customers −
a refreshing attitude that deserves respect.
8.6
Masterfile 3 is a flat file database as opposed to a relational one.
That is, it will work on one data table (a single set of data like a
list of names and addresses) at a time.
8.6
Double-clicking the Masterfile icon installs it onto the iconbar in the
usual manner. A single click on the icon opens an untitled window ready
for you to start defining a new database. Double-clicking a database
icon or dragging one to the icon bar will open a window on the database.
Several databases may be open at once, each in its own window. To create
a new database means telling Masterfile 3 about the fields you require.
You do this by filling in a simple ‘descriptor file’ giving each field
the minimum of a name, type and width. Optionally, you may include a
range/calculation and option description. Range allows you to restrict
the entry e.g. >10 AND <100 would restrict a number to between 11 and
99. The options entry allows the specification of several miscellaneous
characteristics, such as forcing all text to upper case, prefixing
numbers with a pound sign or capitalising the first letter of each word.
These and other options may be combined.
8.6
Once a database has been specified, a default card layout will be
created for you. Use of the card designer allows you to design your own
layouts.
8.6
This package is simple but effective to use with many facilities
available but has the obvious drawback that it is not relational. Whilst
its reporting facilities are not as comprehensive as some of the more
powerful packages, they are adequate for occasional use. A good little
program.
8.6
The decision
8.6
Well, it is time to decide. As stated when I began this review, my aim
was to find just one package that would fulfil all my needs.
8.6
S-Base V2 is very powerful and offers remarkable value for money at only
£49. However, as my wife would confirm, I am a simple soul (not to
mention a lazy one) and found that, for my purposes, the power on offer
was not really necessary. Whilst SAM (S-Base Application Manager)
certainly helps, this is still a complex package that needs some
dedication to get to grips with it.
8.6
Impact Pro is a unique package with a refreshingly different approach to
the user interface. This may suit you or not. I would suggest taking up
Circle Software’s offer of an evaluation copy before committing
yourself. I found that the inability to have more than one data table on
screen at one time was the limiting factor for me. Also, I found the
Impulse module harder to get to grips with than expected.
8.6
Squirrel 2 is undoubtedly a powerful and good-looking application. The
draconian copy protection and lack of a proper calculated field stops me
from choosing this program.
8.6
Masterfile 3 from Beebug. Well I am actually going to keep two databases
on my computer. Yes, I know, I said I was going to choose just one! But
this package is just so good for certain applications. My telephone
database is perfect on this program. It is quick, simple and doesn’t use
to much memory.
8.6
DataPower. My final choice (ignore the previous paragraph) is DataPower.
Whilst I dislike the copy protection method used (at least it is not as
bad as Squirrel’s), and although it is not a relational database, I
found the lookup facility was adequate for my needs. The design process,
reporting facilities and general look and feel of the program were such
that I found myself turning more and more to this package as the review
period went by. You will not be disappointed if you follow my example
and purchase this program for your computer.
8.6
I may now be contacted by email as simon@ agltd.demon.co.uk.  A
8.6
Puzzle Corner
8.6
Colin Singleton
8.6
Just one reader has attempted, and perhaps misunderstood, my unofficial
puzzle − what is the smallest number of entries you can make in the
National Lottery and be certain of winning £10? Remember, it is only
necessary that one of the lines in your entry has three numbers in
common with the six numbers drawn, for any combination of numbers which
might be drawn. This does not require millions of entries, it should be
possible with less than 100, but I haven’t managed to find a suitable
list. Whatever the answer, it will cost much more than £10!
8.6
Here are this month’s two puzzles ...
8.6
(9) Egyptian Fractions
8.6
The ancient Egyptians used fractions in their mathematical calculations,
but their notation did not allow them to write fractions such as 11/199,
and they did not understand such fractions. They could only use unit
numerators, so the result of dividing 11 by 199 might be written, used
and understood as 1/20 +  1/199 + 1/3980. There is a software package
(for PCs) which transforms proper fractions into ‘Egyptian Fractions’ −
the sum of a series of reciprocals. For the fraction 50/89 it gives
8.6
50/89 = 1/2 + 1/17 + 1/337 + 1/145681 + 1/29711989585 +
8.6
        1/1471337208468868797457 + 1/
6494499543074890436870241790813851000203090
8.6
Can you find something more manageable, with fewer terms and less
horrendous denominators? Specifically, what is the smallest number of
different reciprocals which sum to 50/89 ?
8.6
(10) Magic Hexagon
8.6
Can you rearrange the numbers 1 to 19 in the cells of the hexagon in
such a way that all fifteen rows (five rows in each of three different
directions) have the same total?
8.6
... and last month’s two solutions ...
8.6
(7) Friday the Thirteenth
8.6
The answers are September & December 1991 & March 1992 and January,
April & July 2012. The puzzle can be tackled using Sunday Letters (the
letters A−G) for sequences of consecutive months. For a non-Leap Year
the sequence (starting in August of the previous year) is Aug­A Sep­D
Oct­F Nov­B Dec­D Jan­G Feb­C Mar­C Apr­F May­A Jun­D Jul­F Aug­B Sep­E
Oct­G Nov­C Dec­E Jan­A Feb­D. For a Leap Year the sequence is Aug­A
Sep­D Oct­F Nov­B Dec­D Jan­G Feb­C Mar­D Apr­G May­B Jun­E Jul­G Aug­C
Sep­F Oct­A Nov­D Dec­F Jan­B Feb­E.
8.6
The letters A−G are used cyclically, and step forward three letters
following a 31-day month (four weeks plus three days), two letters
following a 30-day month, etc. These sequences tell us that if August
13th is a Friday (in a year preceding a non-Leap Year) then the
following May 13th and the next January 13th will also be Fridays,
because each of those months has the letter A. If September 13th is a
Friday (in a year preceding a Leap Year) then the following December
13th and the next June 13th will also be Fridays, because each of those
months has the letter D.
8.6
We now look for occurrences of the same letter three times in seven
consecutive months. There are two such occurrences, both involving Leap
Years. The months are September-December-March and January­April-July.
We can now solve the problem by calculating the days of the week of
March 13th and April 13th in recent and near-future years. These
sequences advance one day per year, except in a Leap Year, when they
advance two days.
8.6
March 13 1992:Fri 93:Sat 94:Sun 95:Mon 96:Wed 97:Thu 98:Fri 99:Sat
2000:Sat 01:Mon 02:Tue 03:Wed 04:Thu 05:Sat 06:Sun 07Mon 08:Tue 09:Thu
10:Fri 11:Sun 12:Tue.
8.6
April 13 1992:Mon 93:Tue 94:Wed 95:Thu 96:Sat 97:Sun 98:Mon 99:Tue
2000:Thu 01:Fri 02:Sat 03:Sun 04:Tue 05:Wed 06:Thu 07:Fri 08:Sun 09:Mon
10:Tue 11:Wed 12:Fri.
8.6
Since we are looking for Friday 13th in March or April of a Leap Year,
the most recent occurrence was March 1992, and the next will be April
2012. Hence the trios of months are September & December 1991 & March
1992 and January April & July 2012.
8.6
The puzzle is much easier to solve if you have a printed Perpetual
Calendar!
8.6
(8) Marbles
8.6
There are several different forms of regular packing, and the ‘best’ are
not symmetrical with respect to the three axes. Hence the number of
spheres in the box depends, not only on the packing technique, but also
on which face you chose as the ‘base’ of the box. The highest number
using a regular packing appears to be 594.
8.6
Take a 3×12 face as base and arrange 33 marbles in a triangular
formation as shown by the solid circles. For the next layer, arrange
another 33 marbles nestling in the ‘triangular’ niches in the first
layer, as shown by the dotted circles. The total length of the pair of
layers is 12×Ú3/2+1/Ú3+1®11·97. Layers are arranged alternately in this
manner. Within the 15­unit height there is room for 18 layers of 33,
total 594. The actual height is 17×Ú(2/3)+1®14·88.
8.6
I believe this to be the optimum solution using regular packing, but
would be interested to hear of any better solution using regular or
irregular packing.
8.6
... and congratulations to the previous month’s two winners, drawn from
my hat ...
8.6
(5) Cheat Winner: John Greening of Edinburgh.
8.6
(6) The Hole Winner: John G Banks of Rickmansworth.
8.6
Commiserations to the reader who submitted four pages of calculus for
The Hole, but got the wrong answer because he confused diameter with
radius! My sympathies are also with the entrant who “hurt his brain”
trying to remember how to integrate a function − I have the same
problem! There was an alternative ‘trick’ solution, which one reader
offered.
8.6
Comments and Solutions
8.6
Please send comments, contributions and solutions to me at 41 St Quentin
Drive, Sheffield, S17 4PN. Solutions to me by Friday 10th March, 1995,
please. My thanks again for your comments.  A
8.6
Arcturus
8.6
Andrew Rawnsley
8.6
Continuing its trend of releasing original new Acorn games, rather than
conversions, Oregan Software are selling the German-made Arcturus. The
prototype version of the game looked distinctly Zarch-like, with rolling
hills made out of distorted coloured squares. However, the finished
product is far more novel, in all its textured glory.
8.6
The plot
8.6
The storyline is somewhat superfluous. All you need to know is that the
aim of the game is to pilot your spinning craft across hundreds of
lovingly crafted terrains, collecting all the diamonds whilst avoiding
any opposition you may encounter.
8.6
Installation
8.6
The game is supplied on two discs which can be easily installed onto a
hard drive, but you’ll need the original disc for the copy protection.
8.6
Loading takes you directly into the title and options screen where you
can adjust keys, view high scores and, most importantly, start the game.
8.6
Playing the game
8.6
Arcturus is very much level-based and, as always with such games, a
password facility is provided when you start each game, so that you can
jump levels. Passwords are provided every five levels and since there is
little in the way of bonus power-ups, you’re not at any disadvantage if
you use the facility.
8.6
On each level, you are presented with a map, onto which the diamonds
fall. You are then transported down onto the surface all rendered in
beautiful texture-mapped 3D. Different types of floor have different
characteristics − ice has no friction and is almost impossible to keep
control on, whereas sand will slow your progress. Watch out for the
waves in the water!
8.6
The early levels are very simple indeed, so I strongly recommend noting
down the passwords, as the game soon becomes tedious if you keep having
to play these easy zones.
8.6
Interest is provided later on by different kinds of diamonds, enemy
craft and all sorts of weirdly constructed landscapes.
8.6
Risc PC owners should note that the game includes a specially enhanced
version for their machines.
8.6
Sound and music
8.6
The audio side of the game is excellent, with some great music on the
title and high score screens. Although there is no ingame music, there
are lots of sound effects, which make the game far more appealing. The
effort that has gone into the construction of all parts of the game is
very striking and the design team deserve much credit for this.
8.6
Conclusions
8.6
Arcturus is basically a very simple game but it has been well designed
and executed, making it very addictive. I am slightly dubious as to
whether it will stand the test of time, as variety is a little limited.
However, this doesn’t detract from its enjoyability.
8.6
My second concern is for Oregan themselves. Releasing the product at the
same time as titles such as Simon the Sorcerer, Sim City 2000, Cannon
Fodder, Wolfenstein 3D etc. may be bad for sales. These big name games
are liable to corner the market and push Arcturus out.
8.6
Go on, prove me wrong...
8.6
Arcturus costs £24.95 from Oregan Software Developments or £24 through
Archive.  A
8.6
WimpGEN v2.06
8.6
Paul Hobbs
8.6
There is no doubt that writing programs that run correctly under the
Wimp is not an easy skill to acquire. It is not at all difficult to
crash the computer whilst developing programs which leads to
frustration. Even if someone has a good idea for a program, it requires
a considerable expenditure of time and effort to produce it. Silicon
Vision’s WimpGEN program is designed to create a user interface
(windows/menus etc) and the support code to make a complete working
application with the minimum of fuss.
8.6
By Silicon Vision’s own admission, prior experience of programming wimp
applications and a sound knowledge of Basic will be needed to make full
use of the many features that WimpGEN offers. Access to the Programmer’s
Reference and Basic manuals would also be a considerable advantage.
8.6
System requirements
8.6
WimpGEN comes on one 800Kb floppy, which is copy protected by means of a
serial number which is inserted into all code produced with it. This
method of protection allows the tracking of illegal copies but is no
problem for legitimate users and the software can easily be installed on
a hard disc.
8.6
The minimum memory requirement is 2Mb and although a hard disc is
recommended, it is possible to develop software on a floppy-only system.
As WimpGEN copies data from its own application directory into the
application being created, there must be enough space on the disc to
accommodate both applications at the same time (WimpGEN itself is about
450Kb). It should be possible to create small applications on an 800Kb
disc − of course using a RAM disc is also an option if enough spare
memory is available. How much memory the generated application will need
depends on its requirements, but it should be possible to load and run
applications developed by WimpGEN on a 1Mb machine.
8.6
As with most software development tools, a hard disc, plenty of memory
and a good multisync monitor makes things a lot easier. The software was
tested on a Risc PC where it ran without problems, automatically using
the ‘New Look’ style of icons and dialog boxes.
8.6
Documentation
8.6
A 100-page manual was supplied with the review copy but, unfortunately,
it covered version 1 of the software and the differences between the
versions were detailed in three readme files on the disc. The manual
does contain a good overview of the WimpGEN approach to writing
applications and three tutorials to help you get to grips with the
software.
8.6
It also has an index although I found it difficult to find exactly what
I was looking for on occasions (mostly because the information was
either not there or was in the readme files!) but, to be fair, the
manual is trying to cover an awful lot of ground and the package is
aimed at the experienced user.
8.6
The template editor
8.6
At the heart of WimpGEN is an advanced template editor which allows the
creation of windows and icons. According to Silicon Vision, this is
designed to be familiar to users of Acorn’s FormEd but happily it is not
too similar as it does not use over-complicated menu structures like
FormEd but instead makes sensible use of dialog boxes.
8.6
Window templates can be created from scratch, loaded from existing
template files or even captured from other running applications. The
loaded windows are displayed in a viewer window which also shows which
window will be opened by <select> and <adjust> clicks on the iconbar
icon. Icons or groups of icons can be loaded and saved separately so
that a library can be built up and, once created, the icons can be
copied, resized, moved and aligned.
8.6
A particularly helpful feature is that the text in every icon can be
edited in a separate window (actually two windows, one for indirected
icons and one for non-indirected icons) enabling rapid changes to be
made. In addition, validation strings can be changed with a function
keypress to add RISC OS 3 style borders to icons.
8.6
Selecting icons for editing (or windows for opening or deleting) is by
the usual drag box method, but the drag box must totally enclose the
icons which is not standard RISC OS behaviour and led to some initial
confusion on my part. I asked Silicon Vision about this and they replied
that ‘It was our judgement that this made the selection more convenient
to include and exclude only the required icons... A great deal of
thought and experimentation went into this feature. After taking into
account several technical considerations, this method of selecting/
deselecting was found to be the most useful in this situation’. They
also went on to state that a future version of WimpGEN may include an
option to allow more control over this feature.
8.6
A nice touch is that once a group of icons has been selected, all the
non-selected icons in the same window are greyed out (i.e. made
unselectable) which clearly shows which icons are being edited.
8.6
Instead of listing every single feature, it probably is sufficient to
say that just about every operation that FormEd, or any of the Public
Domain equivalents, can perform on a window or icon (and some that they
can’t!) is possible using the WimpGEN template editor.
8.6
A couple of minor irritations are firstly that no interactive help is
available and secondly that there are no short-cut keypresses for common
operations (apart from some in the menu editor) which is a strange
omission for an application dedicated to making life easier for
developers. I strongly suspect that anybody using WimpGEN for serious
work will also invest in a copy of Keystroke and will set up their own
shortcuts. However, the introduction of ‘Hot Keys’ for the window/icon
editing features and interactive help is under consideration for
inclusion in a future version.
8.6
The menu editor
8.6
Although I am describing it separately, this is in fact integrated into
the main editor program and a click on the WimpGEN iconbar icon results
in two viewers opening, one for windows and one for menus. The operation
and appearance of the menus, including any attached dialog boxes, can be
fully tested within WimpGEN
8.6
Again this provides all the operations likely to be needed. Menus and
menu items can be created, deleted and edited, and whole menus can be
saved as files for possible reuse with other WimpGEN generated
applications.
8.6
Creating an application
8.6
All of the information created by the WimpGEN editor is stored in a
single file which can be reloaded for further editing. This file is then
used to create the actual Basic runimage code and the rest of the
application including !Boot, !Run and !Sprite files.
8.6
New to version 2 of WimpGEN is the option to specify a library file
which the generated application will load using the LIBRARY command. The
intention is that code that you write is stored independently from the
WimpGEN created code so that one can be edited without effecting the
other. The Basic RunImage file calls routines in the user library file
as the various wimp events (such as a click on an icon) occur.
8.6
Also new in this version is an option for the generated code to contain
routines with sensible names based on the name of the window, such as
mainw_keypressed instead of window1_keypressed which version 1 would
have produced.
8.6
This all works very well in practice, although one minor reservation is
that no parameters are passed from the WimpGEN generated code to
routines in the user library. The code generated by WimpGEN to handle a
dataload event should serve to illustrate this:
8.6
REM − Purpose..: Double click (DataOpen) user message received.
8.6
REM − Reference: PRM page 3-265.
8.6
DEF PROCdouble_click
8.6
LOCAL directory_window%,icon_x%,icon_y%,
8.6
filetype%,filename$
8.6
directory_window% = mb%!20
8.6
icon_x%           = mb%!28
8.6
icon_y%           = mb%!32
8.6
filetype%         = mb%!40
8.6
filename$         = FNstring0(mb%+44)
8.6
PROC_testapp_dataload
8.6
ENDPROC
8.6
PROC_testapp_dataload is contained in the user library and will be
called when a file is double clicked on − this PROC has to decide
whether or not to load the file but it is not obvious without examining
the code that a variable called filetype% is available to aid the
decision.
8.6
This is more a question of programming style than anything else − it
does work perfectly well although there seems to be no technical reason
why parameters could not be passed to the user routines and, to my mind,
this would be preferable as it would then be clear exactly what data is
available to the routine.
8.6
Another neat touch in the WimpGEN generated code is the inclusion of PRM
references (presumably the RISC OS 3 PRMs) and also references to the
Basic manual where appropriate. Also, it can be seen that WimpGEN
creates commented source code using sensible variable names. This is
extremely important as it will probably be necessary to edit the code to
perform more advanced functions that WimpGEN does not, as yet, provide.
8.6
WimpGEN generated applications may be compressed by a suitable program
compactor to reduce their size, or compiled to machine code using
Silicon Vision’s own RiscBasic compiler for additional speed and
security.
8.6
Some support is also provided for creating tool panes (windows attached
to other windows) in the template editor, but strangely not in the
generated code where it is left to the user to open the windows in the
correct order which could be a daunting task for beginners. WimpGEN data
to create a demonstration application, which shows how panes can be
handled, failed to produce the expected result in that only the first
window was opened automatically leaving it up to the programmer to open
the other windows behind the first one.
8.6
Silicon Vision is keen for users to send in their own ideas for
enhancements and I would expect that automatic handling of tool panes
would be high on the wish list of many users.
8.6
The programmer is encouraged in the manual to use the general purpose
routines provided by WimpGEN to help with the writing of the rest of the
program, but there was no documentation supplied (other than a short
note in one of the ReadMe files about some newly provided routines) to
explain what is available and the parameters required by the routines.
This is a major omission.
8.6
Conclusions
8.6
WimpGEN achieves its stated objective of making the creation of a user
interface for RISC OS applications easier and the whole system works
well and appears to be bug free. Whether it achieves as much as it could
do is debatable as there are many opportunities for making programming
easier (automatic handling of panes, font and colour selectors, etc)
that version 2 does not address at the moment. As it stands, to produce
a complex application using WimpGEN will require a fair amount of
programming input, although what is there has been thought about
carefully and provides, with the minimum of effort, the building blocks
that all RISC OS applications require. Indeed, it is hard to imagine how
the facilities it does provide could have been better presented or made
easier to use.
8.6
As the software has so many features, it really has to be tested
extensively to find out if it suitable for the task in hand and, in this
respect, it may be useful for potential purchasers to obtain the
demonstration version first. This is available direct from Silicon
Vision and costs £5 +VAT, which is refundable against full purchase.
8.6
WimpGEN is published by Silicon Vision Ltd and costs £79.95 +£3 p&p +VAT
or £92 through Archive.  A
8.6
Econet − Experience and Salvation
8.6
Keith Murrall
8.6
I joined Yateley Manor as Head of IT in September 1992. The Econet
network was extensive, with BBC ‘B’ workstations in most classrooms.
8.6
The first area for modernisation was the IT room, equipped with an SJ
Research fileserver and 18 BBC Bs, linked by Econet. Twenty A3020
workstations were ordered, with two A5000s for use as a fileserver and
printer server. For a variety of reasons, the existing Econet cabling
was retained although it was clearly not ideal.
8.6
The remainder of the site, with the SJ file server relocated, was split
into a separate net which would continue with Beebs until replacement
was possible. The two nets were linked by a bridge so that, as RISC OS
workstations were introduced to classrooms, there was access to central
storage.
8.6
Up and crawling
8.6
Installation was completed at the end of January 1993. I anticipated
that applications would take some time to load, but the solution was
simple. When a class came into the IT room, the children would be told
what to load. While the application was loading, they would be given the
necessary introduction to the lesson. By the time this was finished, the
application would be loaded and ready for use. How naive!
8.6
The first problem was logging on. With classes of children as young as
seven using the IT room, it could take five minutes or longer until the
root directory had been opened. However simple the instructions,
children − and some adults − forget, make mistakes and get confused.
Once logged on, opening the required directory took yet more time. The
required application was then selected and the lesson introduction
begun. Almost inevitably, there were interruptions because of various
error messages appearing on-screen and, just when a class were ready to
get on, at least one child would announce that their station had crashed
altogether. In practice, it was often 10-15 minutes before everyone was
actually ready to start working.
8.6
Other speed problems arose from the use of !Scrap and !Fonts. When
printing, or dragging from one application to another, the !Scrap
directory is used. Take, for example, dragging a drawfile directly into
a DTP package from !Draw. On a net, the drawfile is sent to !Scrap on
the server, then sent back to the receiving application. Multiply this
by twenty users and you have a speed problem. Speed problems also become
apparent with the use of !Fonts, the time spent building a font over the
net is considerable.
8.6
Initial attempts
8.6
A boot file, which opened the root and user directories automatically,
helped to simplify matters, with less for the user to get wrong.
8.6
Opening directories was very slow because of application !Boot files
running. The obvious solution to this is to hold down <ctrl> while
opening directories, preventing !Boot files from running. This is all
very well − provided that users remember and that not running the boot
file doesn’t lead to additional complications! Minimising the number of
applications in each directory helped considerably.
8.6
Another factor to consider was that, with many applications, !Boot does
nothing more than perform “*IconSprites <Obey$Dir>.!Sprites”, a
redundant command because it is assumed as a default. If this is all
that the !Boot file does, it can be deleted, speeding up the opening of
directories.
8.6
Since all of the work stations were RISC OS 3.1, with some built-in
fonts, !Fonts could be left off the system − limiting choice, but
necessary.
8.6
!Menon and !Memphis
8.6
Menon, a well-known public domain program by Joris Röling, offered an
easy-to-use interface, via a standard menu ‘tree’ on the iconbar, with
similar applications grouped together.
8.6
The real joy for the network manager lies in the provision of a second
module, MenonRT. After editing the menu contents, changing Menon’s !Run
file to load the MenonRT module instead of Menon means that users can’t
fiddle − brilliant! Users simply select the required application from
the menu, with no need to open the root or other directories, offering a
real time saving. (!System and !Scrap must be run, perhaps as part of
the user !Boot file, if the root isn’t going to be opened.)
8.6
Memphis (MemFS) is a public domain application by Brian Brunswick which
provides a dynamically resizable ramdisc by using the system sprite area
for storage. Each workstation is configured with the minimum sprite
memory, and scrap files are redirected to MemFS by the Memphis !Run
file. Scrap files are then handled within machine memory, instead of
working across the net. Dragging from one application to another is
instantaneous.
8.6
Both of these applications were added to the user !Boot, producing a
system that was easier and a little quicker to use but, of course,
application loading was still painfully slow.
8.6
NetGain
8.6
NetGain, produced by Digital Services, offered the next step forward.
The basic package cost £200, consisting of an expansion card and an
application disc. There was a full review in Archive 7.1 p77.
8.6
As provided, NetGain serves ten client stations. To serve more clients,
additional ‘keys’ (a small hardware link) need to be plugged into the
expansion card. Each extra key, costing £100, allows another ten client
stations to be served by NetGain. I bought one extra key so that all of
the computers in the IT room could be served.
8.6
The expansion card needs to be fitted to the computer being used as a
server before the software will run. A hard disc and 4Mb of memory is
recommended, so the A5000 was ideal.
8.6
The server software operates in one of two modes: manager mode or server
mode. Initially, NetGain starts up in manager mode.
8.6
The first step is to set up which stations are to be NetGain clients.
The Stations menu option brings up a window containing all network
station numbers. Simply clicking on the appropriate station number
selects a station as a client.
8.6
The second step is to set up the contents. Clicking on the NetGain icon
opens a filer window. The applications and files that are to be provided
via NetGain are then dragged to this window.
8.6
The final step is to switch to server mode. The contents of the NetGain
filer are automatically processed, compressing the applications/files. A
window shows the original and final size.
8.6
It is the final size that is important. Client stations must have
sufficient memory to store the NetGain file and leave enough free to run
applications. The NetGain file can be up to 2Mb, so Digital Services
recommend that client stations should have 4Mb of memory. The cost of
upgrading all twenty A3020 computers to 4Mb would have been
considerable, so I decided to try with the existing 2Mb.
8.6
This meant that the size of the NetGain file needed to be limited to
about 800Kb. Since word processing is a major activity, NetGain was set
up to provide !System, !Printers (which is slow to load on a standalone
computer, let alone across a network), !Menon, !Memphis, a few fonts,
!PenDown and !Pendown resources (because the dictionary is very slow to
load over the net).
8.6
Client stations need to be configured to boot from the NetGain server. A
configuration program is included on the disc provided. Once done,
<ctrl-break> or switching on the computer will start NetGain. The
NetGain filing system is then available as an icon similar to Apps.
8.6
One clever feature is that system performance improves with use. The
server ‘learns’ which applications are most frequently used and ensures
that those are available first.
8.6
Superb! All of the basic word processing related applications were
immediately available on the workstations, without the need to log on
unless files were to be saved. The speed of application loading was
possibly even faster than when using a hard disc on a standalone
computer.
8.6
Problems occurred, however, with memory hungry applications such as
Revelation and Eureka. I tried removing unnecessary elements from the
NetGain filer, such as !boot and !help files. The only way that I could
free enough memory was to remove so many files that NetGain became close
to useless.
8.6
What about quitting NetGain, as described in the manual? No. The icon
was removed from the iconbar but memory was not released. A number of
telephone calls and letters to Digital Services finally produced an
explanation. NetGain uses module memory. As has been discussed in recent
issues of Archive, once memory has been allocated in this way RISC OS
guidelines dictate that modules are not removed because they may be in
use by other applications.
8.6
The only solution, therefore, was that when applications demanded more
memory, the NetGain server was turned off and work stations re-booted.
This was fine in a lesson situation, but in ‘free-time’ sessions, when a
variety of applications were being used, those who needed NetGain were
asked to boot their computers and then, after the NetGain server was
turned off, others would re-boot their machines.
8.6
For inexperienced users this ‘two-way’ interface was confusing; there
was one approach to using the net with Netgain and one without. The same
problem occurred when using RISC OS computers around the school. NetGain
does not operate across network bridges, so when using computers outside
the IT room it was always ‘without’.
8.6
NetGain produced a remarkable improvement in network performance for a
few applications. This is what it aims to do, i.e. reduce network
traffic by providing the most commonly used applications. I couldn’t
help feeling, however, that management issues aside, I would be almost
as well served by a 1.6Mb floppy storing compressed applications/files
in each computer’s drive.
8.6
AppFS Release 3
8.6
In late May 1994, I discovered AppFS, produced by AngelSoft and costing
about £100. The product is essentially unchanged since the earlier
Archive review (7.4 p52), the new release addressing problems arising
from the introduction of AUN/Level 4.
8.6
Applications and files to be provided via AppFS must be stored on a
‘read only’ disc. This is most easily achieved through the installation
of a second hard drive on the server. Not so long ago, this extra cost
would have been prohibitive. Recent falls in hard drive costs mean that
this is now a reasonable option, the combined cost of the AppFS software
and the drive being comparable to the cost of NetGain. One drive can
then be read-only, used for applications, and the other for user files.
8.6
This read-only approach is necessary because the AppFS server delivers
specific sectors to clients when they are requested, maintaining a cache
of regularly required sectors. AngelSoft claim that on a 4Mb server,
approximately 80% of required sectors are likely to come from this
cache. Client stations keep a directory cache of frequently used
directories, speeding up access to files.
8.6
In practice, this produces significant improvements in speed. For
example, loading Revelation Imagepro to the twenty workstations improves
from 4 minutes down to 1 minute. Reliability is better, with all
stations usually loading first time.
8.6
AppFS also allows a consistent interface. The filer icon is available to
all stations, including those across bridges, all of the time. Unless
files need to be saved, logging on is unnecessary, saving time.
8.6
The true test was that just three days after installing AppFS, I was
taken ill and was out of school for nearly three weeks. Non-specialist
staff were required to ‘cover’ and everyone was able to use the system
without difficulty − a situation which would not have existed with
NetGain.
8.6
The only problems occur when a large number of work stations are re-
booted at the same time, resulting in what I assume to be network
clashes. Re-booting takes only a little extra time. The other problems
occur when games save positions, e.g. 4Mation’s ‘Maths Circus’, or need
to write to disc at run time. Usually, the file being written is within
the application itself, a feat not possible under AppFS. It is then
necessary for users to be logged on and the save files redirected to a
writable area. Some older applications, especially Sherston adventures
such as Microbugs and Fleet Street Phantom, will not run unless the user
is logged on the normal way.
8.6
Ethernet versions
8.6
There is an Ethernet version of NetGain and the ‘Application
Accelerator’ included with the latest AUN release provides the
equivalent of AppFS, without the need for a read-only hard drive. (The
fact the Application Accelerator does not work with Econet seems to be
buried in the small print of the publicity material, so beware!) I have
not had the opportunity to try these but assume that the same comments
as for Econet versions apply, only with the expected increases in speed.
8.6
The future
8.6
Level 5 / Nucleus − The next step forward will be offered by the release
of Level 5 Fileserver software, possibly as early as the first quarter
of 1995. (This may be called ‘Nucleus’, instead of Level 5, reflecting
the product’s Digital Research origins.) The first snippets of
information about this product suggest that it will go a long way
towards addressing the concerns of network managers everywhere.
8.6
A new disc format will replace ADFS, removing the much criticised 512Mb
limit on drive size and allowing the use of long, meaningful filenames.
Fileserver hard drives will need to be reformatted to take advantage of
the new facilities, a major task on larger sites
8.6
The fileserver software will run in the background, allowing up to 100
simultaneous users. Currently, five users can access a CD-ROM
simultaneously, though it is hoped to increase this to 6. Improved
management software will provide for groups of users, with each
individual allowed to be a member of several groups. Hopefully, Acorn
have looked at third party utilities, such as NetManage, during the
development of the management software.
8.6
The software will operate on Econet or Ethernet, offering considerable
speed increases on both.
8.6
Prices have yet to be finalised, but will be on ‘user’ basis rather than
the current single fixed price, i.e. the bigger the site, the higher the
cost.
8.6
Risc PC − With the fact that so much of the basic software for the Risc
PC is stored on hard disc rather than in ROM, a quick telephone call
confirmed that Acorn have no intention to produce a disc-less network
station.
8.6
It obviously makes a great deal of sense for applications, the size of
which is steadily increasing, to be supplied from a local hard drive.
The management of such a system, however, has the potential to become
nightmarish. In the Risc PC, Acorn have addressed some of the issues,
allowing for hardware locking of configuration and password locking of
hard drives, both very welcome additions.
8.6
However, one of the great advantages of a network is that upgrading
software is easy − any upgrades of software on the fileserver are
immediately available to all users. It would still be possible to do
this, of course, with Risc PC workstations loading applications over the
net, but this would largely defeat the object of all workstations having
a hard drive.
8.6
I hope that Acorn will be giving some thought to the plight of the
overworked network manager, possibly with the inclusion of download
software which would allow for management of all hard drives on a
network from the fileserver. A software upgrade could then be
automatically downloaded to all workstations.
8.6
Conclusions
8.6
Anyone running a network is aware that the days of Econet are numbered,
hardly surprising for a system originally designed to cope with the
demands of workstations of a much lower specification that today’s
computers. We are all aware of the alternatives now available, such as
Ethernet and Nexus. For many, however, practical concerns have dictated
the continued use of Econet.
8.6
For network managers in this situation, AppFS offers an immediate,
affordable route to improvement in performance. NetGain offers greater
improvement, but for a much more limited range of applications, even
with the recommended 4Mb memory.
8.6
Level 5/Nucleus will certainly help, but the only real solution is going
to be to take the plunge and persuade management to invest in more
appropriate network systems, whether that be Ethernet, Nexus or some
other system yet to appear over the horizon.
8.6
All that is certain is that, as soon as our dream system is installed,
something better will appear over the ever-expanding horizon.  A
8.6
Multimedia Column
8.6
Paul Hooper
8.6
What is Multimedia?
8.6
You may have seen adverts on TV for certain well-known computers as
being ‘multimedia’ units. After visiting certain high street outlets to
see these machines in operation, one thing became apparent − their only
claim to being multimedia units is that they have a CD drive and a pair
of speakers. I also asked quite a few sales assistants to recommend a
program that could author a multimedia application on any of the
machines. The replies were interesting. Most said that I couldn’t author
my own applications as I wouldn’t be able to write to a CD. A Mac
salesman did recommend a package but at over £600!
8.6
This brings me back to the title. The word ‘multimedia’ seems to have be
hi-jacked by the major companies to sell CD drives with their machines.
Acorn has now followed suit and launched their own ‘multimedia’ Risc PC
with a CD drive and a pair of speakers − but no authoring system is
included in the package. Come on Acorn! You can do better than that! It
must be worthwhile to package a copy of Genesis Project or Magpie with
the machine and sell it as the only true multimedia machine.
8.6
The problems of size and display
8.6
This month I want to look at a series of problems sent in by readers.
Many of these are concerned with the size of binders that they have
created and the display of them. Although this will be mainly concerned
with Genesis, many of the hints and tips can also be applied to Magpie
and Key Author.
8.6
Text display
8.6
One question that keeps recurring is the problem of ‘ragged’ text.
Create a frame on a blank Genesis page, then type in some text. Using
the page ‘style’ option, set the background colour of the page to red.
Then set the colour of the frame to transparent. Move the frame slightly
and you will see that text has become ragged. This is not a problem with
Genesis, but the way the computer displays its text. The font anti-
aliasing requires a background against which to display. The cure is
simple, rather than set the frame to transparent, set it to the same
colour as the page background and your text will be displayed with
perfect clarity.
8.6
However, our problems don’t end here, if you now turn off the border of
your text frame, you will see that the text frame background is a
slightly different shade of red to the background of the page. If you
examine the script language for the page, you will see that both items
have the same colour definition. Even using the ‘choose colour from
screen’ option will produce the same result. At the moment there is no
solution to this problem, but Oak are aware of it.
8.6
Application size
8.6
With the advent of cheap and easy ways to import video, animation and
sound, the 800Kb floppy disc imposes real restrictions on what can be
put into a multimedia application. Also, now that the restriction on the
number of fonts within Genesis has been lifted, the temptation to use a
number of different fonts means that you have to include a font
directory on a disc. To make these binders work on older machines, we
need to observe the 800Kb limit. The solution is to link together a
series of discs containing parts of your multimedia application. As this
varies with which of the programs you are using I have laid out how to
do this for each program below.
8.6
Genesis links
8.6
As I showed last month, it is fairly easy to link Basic or other
programs into Genesis by using the drop and drag technique. One of the
few exceptions to this is that you can’t drag and drop other Genesis
applications. If you try, all that happens is that another copy of
browser is loaded and the machine crashes. I had struggled with this
problem for some while when Stephen Williams of Liverpool suggested an
answer. He has created a small basic program called ‘KillBrowse’ which
is placed in your copy of !GenLib. You then alter the run file of the
applications so that variables are set up to chain the previous or next
Genesis application. The lines below show the format:
8.6
SET PreviousGen$App ADFS::0.$.Chaining.!Link1
8.6
SET NextGen$App ADFS::0.$.Chaining.!Link3
8.6
RUN <GenesisEd$Dir> <Genesis$Frames>%0
8.6
You will need to alter this to your own path names. I have included an
example on the monthly disc (as supplied by Stephen), but be sure you
uncompact the examples onto a floppy disc in drive 0. Also, you will
need to copy the KillBrowse module into your copy of GenLib. If you
don’t get the monthly disc and would like this example, send a disc to
the Swap Shop and I will send you the example.
8.6
Magpie links
8.6
Paul Shelton from Stockport had a similar problem with Magpie. He
provides Magpie files for primary schools. This restricts him to the
800Kb format as many smaller schools still have computers unable to read
1.6Mb format. By the time you have taken out the space for MagpiRead and
other resources, this leaves you with 500Kb or less for the actual
binder.
8.6
The solution is to put the resources on one disc and the binder on a
second disc, but Paul added another condition, the whole binder must be
idiot proof, i.e. with you click on the resources disc, the computer
must load System, Scrap, Fonts and MagpiRead and provide a message to
tell the user to insert the binder disc. This a fairly complex task to
set up, so I have prepared an example called “MagpieL” which I have
added to the Swap Shop. It contains a set of detailed instructions and
if you want a copy just drop me a line.
8.6
Acorn World and BETT ’95
8.6
Having been at both shows, I would say that there was little new for
multimedia at either show. The number of ready-made CD multimedia
applications has increased, and the interesting point here is that the
price point for a CD varies between £40 to £200. Having looked at some
of the cheaper offerings by companies like Anglia TV, I just wonder how
the price of the more expensive CDs can be justified. A number of
readers have also commented on the effectiveness of this type of
software. Multimedia is not designed to be a passive way of presenting
information − the educational value of multimedia is in the authoring of
an application. I have learnt a good deal over the past few years by
making my own applications. First of all, you need to research the
subject and gather the resources to make your application. Then you need
to plan out the way you will present your information. The final stage
is the creation of your application and solving the problems that you
encounter.
8.6
There was a new authoring program from SEMERC at BETT. This is an
improved version of their Optima program called Ultima. I have yet to
try this out, so I can’t really comment on it yet. Cable News 2 from
Lindis has now become a full multimedia program, but I will refrain from
commenting on this package as I now work for Lindis! There were also
hints going around that Clares were producing an authoring package that
will work on both Acorn and Mac platforms.
8.6
I had a chat with Tony Holdstock on the Oak Stand and have a number of
fixes for people with problems but I will also be looking at number of
new ways of using Genesis in next month’s issue.
8.6
The Swap Shop
8.6
I’d like to thank individually all the people who have sent me
applications over the past couple of months but as this would fill up
the rest of the column, can I just say one big thank you too all of you?
I’d also like to thank you for all the kind comments on the column that
have come in. The Swap Shop continues to grow with over 75 different
applications now available filling up 50Mb of my hard disc.
8.6
One or two readers have also enquired about the conditions for the Swap
Shop, so let me just remind you. All the applications are free to
Archive readers as long as you send me the blank discs and the return
postage − a sticky self addressed label also makes my life easier. If
you want a copy of the latest catalogue then send a 800Kb disc with an
SAE. HD discs are no problem.
8.6
The end bit
8.6
If you have any hints and tips or questions on multimedia or if you
require a swap shop catalogue please write to: Paul Hooper, 11 Rochford
Road, Martham, Great Yarmouth, NR29 4RL. (01493-748474)  A
8.6
First Page
8.6
Richard Rymarz
8.6
Each term, the children at Gt Witchingham Primary School produce the
‘Witchingham Whirlwind’ − a school newspaper that is distributed to the
surrounding villages via the Post Offices as well as the parents of the
children themselves. It has been produced since 1988 and, this summer,
we completed issue 35. Originally, we used a marvellous program called
‘Typesetter’ which managed wonders on the limited memory afforded by the
BBC Model B.
8.6
Within two years the school bought its first A3000 and, quickly
dismissing the Acorn DTP package, the children began using Ovation.
Despite the various incarnations of Impression, word processors such as
EasiWriter and StartWrite and the introduction of Style, the school has
kept with Ovation since the children find it easier to use than other
alternatives. Further, Ovation was much more powerful than primary
school programs such as Phases. Ovation coped with both our word
processing and DTP needs especially for children at Key Stage 2.
8.6
Introducing First Page
8.6
One program that could have found a place in school was Pendown produced
by Longman Logotron. This also originated on the BBC Model B and
migrated successfully to the Archimedes range. It is now in its third or
fourth incarnation. However, there must now be some doubt as to whether
it will be developed further because Longman Logotron have just released
First Page, a fully-featured DTP package which, at its present price,
leapfrogs the limitations imposed by Pendown and must pose a serious
threat to Ovation in particular.
8.6
Having said that, Beebug are set to release Ovation 2  which will
include a new user interface. Perhaps this will provide real opposition
to Style and Publisher as well as fight off newcomers. As First Page
develops further, there seems little sense in continuing developing
Pendown since the features will increasingly overlap. In the meantime
the two programs do complement each other, as Pendown files can be
imported directly into First Page.
8.6
The package
8.6
First Page comes on two discs. The first one contains the main program,
fonts folder with two font families, !Scrap, a set of boarders, frames,
clipart and templates. It also contains !Set1stPage which is the
configuration program allowing the user to tailor the program to suit
the individual user. Such configurations can easily be saved. Disc two
contains more clipart, a sample style to use with !Set1stPage and a
tutorial. Everything is easily transferred to hard disc.
8.6
The manual is the usual Longman’s style − a 50 page A4 book, beautifully
produced, containing easily read instructions and a full index.
8.6
The program
8.6
Clicking on !1stPage loads the program onto the iconbar. From here,
documents can be loaded and removed. Clicking <select> opens a window
showing options to use pre-defined templates. These include a booklog,
fax, invitation and menu. These may sound school-based but new templates
to suit individual needs are easily created and saved.
8.6
Choosing ‘Fresh start’ opens the main screen and the user is immediately
struck by the graphical interface which has more in common with Style
than the earlier Impression or Ovation. A number of icons are arranged
across the top of the document, allowing easy access to all the major
features of the program. Save, print, cut, copy and paste are familiar
icons as are bold, italics and underline. Clicking on the Textstyle icon
reveals the style editor where font, weight, style, colour and size can
be altered, created and saved.
8.6
The page icon gives easy access to page size and orientation; whilst
zooming is controlled via the magnifying glass. Further icons allow the
user to view a variety of layouts; create, show and lock grids; hide and
view text and graphics; set a background colour or graphic (nice one
this, since the graphic can be seen in an accompanying box); create a
simple boarder defining its thickness and colour; define the interior
margins or inset; and finally a restore icon. All are controlled by a
simple click on the relevant icon − very easy.
8.6
Underneath the iconbar are the text layout tools showing the now
standard ways of justifying text. There are two types of tabs: left tab
and left indent − there is no decimal or centre tab. Leading is
controlled by two icons and a window that shows a positive or negative
leading. Each frame has its own ruler which can have its own style
features. Finally, there is the typestyle selection dialogue box from
which any defined style can be chosen.
8.6
Page numbers are clearly shown at the top of the document window while
the status line appears at the bottom. To the left of this line are
three more icons: the clip board icon showing if the board has text,
sprite or drawfile present; the frame store which can hold any defined
frame on disc and is easily accessible every time 1st Page is opened;
and finally, an append icon which allows files to be merged with
existing ones.
8.6
Frames are easy to create − just point and drag with <select>. Size can
be altered using <adjust> and can be positioned using the definable
grid. Frames can be rotated and linked together. A double-click inside a
frame with <select>, the cursor appears and typing can begin.
8.6
All in all, the features are more than adequate and well presented. Four
other areas stand out in this excellent program:
8.6
1. Page ordering. When a page number tag is dragged on top of another
page tag, the two pages swap places. This, and the ability to view up to
eight pages (at 30%) on a decent size screen, allows amazing flexibility
in the final document presentation.
8.6
2. OLE. First Page contains its own version of OLE − object linking and
embedding. Any graphic − drawfile or sprite can be loaded into First
Page. Double-clicking on a frame containing a graphic effectively loads
it into its parent program. Thus, for example, a sprite will load into
!Paint where it can be fully edited. Closing the file will cause a
request for the user to discard or save the file. Saving it will load
the edited graphic back into the First Page frame. This is very useful
but even more so when added to the ability to rotate text.
8.6
3. Text rotation. Inside the frame sub-menu is an option to turn the
text in any frame into a graphic. It can then be rotated like any other
graphic. Double-clicking loads the text back into !Edit where it can be
edited. Saving the file loads it back into 1st Page as a rotated graphic
− brilliant!
8.6
4. Printing. First Page’s printing facilities are excellent. Six
possible formats are available. The more usual ‘batched’, ‘fitted’,
‘pairs’ and ‘book pairs’ formats are available, as are ‘fours’ − four
pages printed on one sheet of paper; and ‘folded fours’ − where the
paper can be folded into a greetings card, for instance.
8.6
Quibbles?
8.6
Yes, I have one or two. Firstly, there is no spell-checker. Pendown has
one and I am sure that later versions of First Page will include one. In
the meantime, spell-checking − one feature vital to us all, especially,
children − must be done in another program.
8.6
Secondly, cut, copy and paste do not conform to the accepted conventions
of <ctrl-X>, <ctrl-C> and <ctrl-V>. Text is cut or copied to the
clipboard and is reloaded by dragging the clipboard icon back into the
frame. Perhaps children will find this easier to understand but I prefer
the conventional method.
8.6
Thirdly, highlighted text cannot be deleted by pressing <delete> or the
space bar on the keyboard, neither can type be overwritten − features
that I use often. Maybe these are purposely done to restrict any
accidental deleting by children.
8.6
Fourthly, controlling the cursor inside a frame is slightly sluggish.
Highlighting text is a touch cumbersome. I would prefer a more
responsive feel more akin to other word processors/DTP programs.
8.6
Finally, I am using First Page on a Risc PC and have managed to make the
program crash on a number of occasions. I don’t know what I did to
provoke these problems since they seem to be different every time.
Hopefully, the publishers will iron out such problems without too much
inconvenience.
8.6
Conclusions
8.6
First Page is definitely worth buying. It provides a number of
sophisticated features that give children the ability to use it at a
number of levels. It could also be used very effectively by adults and
should not simply be dismissed simply as a “schools’ program”. It is a
very lean program taking up a meagre 280Kb which allows it to be used
quite happily on a 1Mb machine.
8.6
The real question for us at Gt Witchingham Primary school is: will we
use First Page instead of our present program. The answer is yes,
because of the modern graphical interface and our wish to give our
children a feel of an up-to-date visual working environment. However, we
will still need to write and edit our text in Pendown, Ovation or
similar text processor and put up with the inconvenience of exporting
files. Come on Longman − give us a spell-checker and a more sensitive
text editor. Make First Page into a true document processor. If tight
memory is a problem then at least allow those with extra memory the
option of including a dictionary.
8.6
Finally, I would like to congratulate Longman on providing a suite of
excellent and very professional programs for children. First Page joins
Pendown (WP), Pinpoint Junior (database), Advantage (spreadsheet) and
Magpie (multimedia) as truly sophisticated tools that children can
really use.
8.6
First Page costs £49 +VAT (£54 through Archive) for a single user
version, £140 +VAT (£155) for a primary site licence and £190 +VAT
(£208) for a secondary site licence.  A
8.6
DTP Column
8.6
Mark Howe
8.6
This month’s column starts with some feedback from readers on a variety
of subjects.
8.6
Ovation
8.6
I have received several letters along the lines of “Ovation − let alone
Ovation 2 − is at least as good as Publisher, costs less, is not dongled
and is easier to use.” Three people informed me that, judging from last
month’s column, Ovation’s Style Sheet feature is more flexible than
Publisher master pages. A little more competition for Computer Concepts
in the Acorn DTP market can only be a good thing for customers, and I
certainly wish David Pilling and Beebug every success. (Beebug said,
“We’re hoping it will be ready in May − for the Harrogate Show!” Ed.)
8.6
Having spent a couple of thousand pounds on various versions of
Impression, the organisation I work for is extremely unlikely to change
to Ovation 2, no matter how powerful it turns out to be. My contribution
to this column is therefore always likely to focus mainly on Publisher.
However, I would welcome contributions from Ovation fans. Obviously, I
will not be able to verify their accuracy, so please check them
carefully. In this vein, Noel Thompson writes:
8.6
“<Ctrl-Shift-P> and <Ctrl-Shift-Q> are two of the most useful routine
facilities in Ovation, providing change of case and letter transposition
respectively. The change of case incidentally works either on a single
letter at the cursor, or equally on highlighted text (you have to buy
Publisher Plus to get this feature in Impression, MH). But <ctrl-P>
hides pictures from the screen and from being printed. Until I realised
that it is quite easy to execute <ctrl-P> by mistake when using the
change of case facility, I was at a loss to understand why a picture
frame containing, for example, a logo would sometimes vanish. No problem
when you know the reason: a second <ctrl-P> toggles it back. Perhaps
this will save someone else some anguish!”
8.6
Footnotes
8.6
MP Churchill writes that TechWriter produces footnotes automatically.
This tends to confirm my suspicion that this is a WP feature, and is
difficult to implement in a full-feature DTP package. D Thornton
complains that the option to generate guide frame headers and footers
has been removed from Publisher, apparently for our own protection.
8.6
I would still like to know if XPress or PageMaker can handle footnotes.
Alternatively, can anyone suggest how Impression footnotes could be
implemented in a flexible way (i.e. taking into account multiple
columns, etc)?
8.6
Publisher wish list
8.6
A couple of people have sent me lists of features which they want added
to Impression. It might be interesting to have some other opinions on
this subject, especially with Ovation 2 just round the corner. If you do
not have time to write a long letter, why not send me a postcard with
the following three pieces of information:
8.6
• What you like most about Publisher/Style,
8.6
• What you like least,
8.6
• The one feature you would most like to see added.
8.6
I will let you know the results in a couple of months’ time.
8.6
On dongles & upgrades
8.6
Following my review of Publisher, several people have written to me to
defend the button bar and other aspects of this program. Strangely
enough, no-one has written to me to say how much they appreciate that
“convenient and effective” form of copy protection known as the dongle:
8.6
“On the dongle, (CC) show their true colours. They are far less trusting
than any other Acorn company... To say that without such checks they
would go bust is utter nonsense...” EM, Harwich.
8.6
“I am strongly against user-unfriendly dongles being used as a form of
copy protection” RG, Nottingham.
8.6
“Please put me down as Head Donglephobe-in-Chief” JN, York.
8.6
All those who have written to me about Ovation say they rejected
Publisher because of its dongle.
8.6
You may not know that Impression and ArtWorks poll their dongles every
couple of seconds while the programs are running. This means that there
is always an amount of activity on the parallel port, even when the
computer is not printing.
8.6
One ArtWorks user tells me that whenever he switches off his computer,
the dongle sends a few characters to the printer (a LaserJet 4L, which
has no power switch), with the result that the printer wakes up and
wastes a sheet of paper. I use a printer sharer, and occasionally have
the same problem when switching between computers.
8.6
On two occasions in the last week, Publisher Plus has suddenly died with
a “hardware key not found” message. I suspect that the length of cable
between the parallel port and the printer make the whole set-up rather
sensitive to electro-magnetic interference (on one occasion Publisher
crashed whenever a builder in the room next door switched on his angle-
grinder!). One version of Impression actually came with a dongle manual,
explaining several different reasons why the dongle may not work.
8.6
So do dongles protect CC’s investment? A significant proportion of their
Impression-related income must come from upgrades. I was surprised to
discover that Publisher and Publisher Plus upgrades work with the same
dongle as Impression II. Worse (for CC), all those who upgraded from
Impression II to Style now have a spare dongle to pass on to the
unscrupulous.
8.6
CC’s policy of only supporting registered customers makes some sense for
software, but is demonstrably ludicrous in the case of firmware upgrades
for expansion cards. A colleague who recently bought a secondhand
ColourCard was told he could not have an upgrade without a letter from
the registered user. Why? What earthly use is a ColourCard upgrade to
anyone who does not have a ColourCard? Did they think he had made his
own board from components purchased at Tandy, or is there a large market
in stolen podules? All this so-called security takes time and therefore
costs money.
8.6
Since DTP does not stand for Dongles Try Patience, I plan to send future
letters on this subject to Gerald Fitton for possible inclusion in his
column. In the meantime, I suggest that those of you who buy Ovation 2
to keep full use of your parallel port, drop a line to CC, pointing out
that their dongle policy has just lost them a sale.
8.6
Acorn Publisher magazine
8.6
This bi-monthly ‘glossy’ magazine was launched at the end of last year.
As the name suggests, it is aimed at those using Acorn systems for
publishing. At £24.95 for six issues, it will be mainly of interest to
serious DTP users, although the editor Mike Williams (formerly of RISC
User) hopes to provide articles for beginners too. Further details and
back issues (£5 each) from Akalat Publishing.
8.6
Better Documents Part 2:
8.6
Raw Materials
8.6
Last month, I looked at ways of ensuring that your publications can be
read. Of course, this is only of benefit if your publication has
something to say! It is a great pity to spend lots of time producing an
elegant page layout which focuses the reader’s interest on badly-
written, uninteresting or irrelevant prose. The same could be said for
beautifully-rendered images which actually detract from the overall
message of your document.
8.6
Text
8.6
Check the facts − It is amazing how often names, dates and places get
mistyped or omitted, especially in headings. Recently, I narrowly
avoided sending out a press release for our organisation’s ’95
activities with Provence ’94 as the title!
8.6
Check the spelling − Run your text through a spelling checker as a
matter of routine, but remember that this will not detect when you have
used ‘to’ instead of ‘two’ or ‘there’ instead of ‘their’. Also, look for
repeated words (a a common mistake).
8.6
Check the grammar and punctuation − Badly-constructed sentences do not
communicate. If you cannot tell the difference between it’s and its or
between who and whom, get someone else to check your documents.
8.6
Style
8.6
Keep it short. “Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain
no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same
reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no
unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his
sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only
in outline, but that every word tell.” (Strunk and White, see below)
8.6
Keep it simple. The aim of most documents is to communicate, not to
impress the reader with your grasp of English. Your subject matter may
be complex, but this does not mean that the prose has to be clumsy.
8.6
Keep it structured. A formless mass of words is intimidating. Each
paragraph should present one main idea. Group paragraphs treating the
same theme under section headings. Put sections in a logical order.
8.6
Keep it straight. Failed attempts to write in a colloquial style can be
excruciating to read. The same could be said for the current trend of
writing in half-sentences. A bit at a time. Omitting the main verb. To
sound modern and punchy. Or irritating. Depending on your point of view.
(One reader recommended I read Terry Pratchett. Tried it. Couldn’t cope!
Sorry!! Ed.)
8.6
For a concise treatment of this subject, I recommend The Elements of
Style, by W Strunk and EB White, published by Macmillan. Its 92 small
pages are packed with useful guidelines, not to mention some fine
invective. See, for example, the following entry in the chapter on
misused words and expressions: “The foreseeable future. A cliché, and a
fuzzy one. How much of the future is foreseeable? Ten minutes, Ten
years? Any of it? By whom is it foreseeable? Seers? Experts? Everybody?”
8.6
Graphics
8.6
Are they necessary? − Illustrations do not always make a document more
readable, especially if they have little or nothing to do with the
message you wish to communicate. Clipart is a particular menace in this
respect.
8.6
Are they near any accompanying text? − Tie graphics into the overall
message of your document. If necessary, shrink the graphic or edit the
text to keep related elements together.
8.6
Are they neat? − Blurred photos and blocky line drawings look tacky. If
you cannot scan images properly yourself, use a bureau or get your
printer to strip in illustrations afterwards. Do not be afraid to crop
illustrations to remove distracting elements and concentrate attention
on your subject.
8.6
Imagesetting Part 3:
8.6
Colour Printing
8.6
Last month, I looked at what is involved in setting up Publisher master
pages, as referred to in paragraph 1 of the CC typesetting checklist
(Archive 8.4 p63). This month, I intend to tackle paragraph 2, which
mentions overprinting. I hope to get to paragraph 19 before summer ’96,
but the intricacies of PostScript are almost impossible to understand
without a little more background information.
8.6
Spot and process colour
8.6
Most printing work is still one-colour. The ink may be black or another
colour. From the point of view of producing artwork, the colour of the
ink or the paper is unimportant. All the artwork will be transferred to
the same plate, and so no problems of alignment (or ‘registration’) are
involved.
8.6
Printing in more than one colour involves making more than one plate.
The simplest form of multi-coloured printing uses two or more ‘spot’
colours. If the colours were yellow and blue, the use of 2-colour spot
printing could produce various shades of yellow and blue on the same
sheet of paper. Other colours can be produced using more inks. The cover
of the February Archive appears to have been printed using four spot
colours (red, green, blue and black).
8.6
It is obviously important for the yellow and blue plates to print on the
same area of paper, but for simple designs where the two colours do not
touch, the registration is not too critical.
8.6
Process printing is more complicated than spot printing because the inks
interact. If, in the example above, we had designed a leaflet using 2-
colour process printing, we could have produced various shades of blue,
various shades of yellow and various shades of green using only two
inks. With four specially-chosen inks (cyan, magenta, yellow and black)
it is possible to produce almost any colour on the paper. This is known
as 4-colour process, and is the technique used for ‘full-colour’
magazines. The set of four films used to make plates for 4-colour
printing are called separations.
8.6
Good registration is critical for process printing. If one of the plates
is even slightly out of registration the finished document will look
blurred. Presses for running 4-colour process are usually accurate to a
fraction of a millimetre.
8.6
Overprinting
8.6
The easiest way to produce separations is to leave a white space on any
plates which are not necessary to produce a particular colour on paper.
This is called knock-out. It means that if your leaflet included some
black text on a magenta background, the text would appear on the magenta
plate in white.
8.6
If registration were always perfect, this would be fine. Unfortunately,
even a small error leads to a white shadow on one side of the text. The
solution in this case is called overprinting.
8.6
Overprinting means not leaving a gap on other plates in certain cases.
If our black text was set to overprint, the magenta background would be
solid and any small registration errors would pass unnoticed.
8.6
Overprinting only works if the ink is relatively opaque. If you look
carefully at the cover of February’s Archive, you will see that the
black horizontal lines have been overprinted on the red zigzag border,
and that the part of the line that covers the zigzags is slightly darker
than the rest. You have probably never noticed this before, which shows
that overprinting with black ink is generally fairly successful. If the
line were yellow, the red zigzags would show through and spoil the
overall effect.
8.6
(As a matter of interest, the Archive covers are printed in four
colours. The NCS + logo are printed in two colours but in very large
numbers − enough for several months. Then each month, the colour + black
bits are printed. Registration between the two is not needed as they are
well separated from each other. Ed.)
8.6
Publisher provides control over overprinting at the object level (style,
graphic...) or the ink level. Setting the black (or key) plate to
overprint seems to work perfectly well, although I have never tried it
with a colour photo. More to the point, deciding manually which objects
or styles need to be overprinted can be fiendishly complicated and,
according to T-J Reproductions, is one of the major causes of unusable
films. In short, do not try it unless you know exactly what you are
doing.
8.6
If you follow my advice, you can ignore paragraph 2 of the typesetting
checklist altogether!
8.6
Trapping
8.6
What about light blue text on a yellow background using 2-colour process
printing? If you turn on overprinting for blue text, you will probably
end up with green text. If you turn it off, you will probably get a
white shadow. The solution to this dilemma is called trapping, and
Publisher does not support it.
8.6
If applied to the example above, trapping would mean the knock-out on
the yellow plate would be slightly smaller than the blue letter. The
area of overlap would be green, but this is not noticeable, any more
than the grey pixels around black text on an anti-aliased RISC OS screen
display.
8.6
Charles Moir of CC says that “trapping is near impossible”. It is
certainly difficult, but PC and Mac packages not much more expensive
than Publisher Plus manage it. With a bit of fiddling, it is possible to
simulate trapping when the plates are made from film, but this costs
money and does not work in all cases. I still have not heard of anyone
using OPI, but a trapping feature in Publisher Plus would be useful to
anyone doing a lot of 4-colour work.
8.6
Next month
8.6
I hope to get as far as the Publisher print dialogue box. You can
contact me at 2 montée des Carrelets, 84360 Lauris, France. Fax 010-33-
90084139.  A
8.6
Blinds − Icon Organiser
8.6
Peter Jennings
8.6
If your pinboard is cluttered up with icons, all vitally needed at
various times but some only rarely, help is at hand in a novel and
elegant solution called Blinds (v. 1.05). Put simply, it provides
windows of any size which can contain varied selections of icons for
files, applications and directories. These can be collected on different
windows for different purposes and, when not in use, the window can be
rolled away like a blind to leave a narrow strip which is clicked upon
to reopen or close it. This blind can be positioned anywhere on screen
but most conveniently at one of the default settings at the top, bottom,
left or right edges.
8.6
These windows do not have to be present all the time. They can be
individually linked to applications or tasks so that the blind with the
appropriate icons will appear, either open or closed, when the linked
program is run.
8.6
There are, in fact, three different types of blinds: the one already
described; a full-screen backdrop, similar to the standard pinboard on
an Archimedes or Risc PC but interchangeable, and a “tool” blind which
looks like an ordinary window. The backdrop and tool blinds do not have
a closed position when on screen but can be hidden when not needed.
8.6
A blind linked to an application can be positioned anywhere in relation
to the application’s window and it will follow that window around the
screen. Move the application window and the blind leaps back into place
like an obedient child keeping up with its parent. The program checks
that the positioning is sensible and does not allow the blind to be set
where it will not have room to open. If preferred, it can be made to
appear only when that application’s window has input focus (that is when
the caret is in the window and the title bar is cream).
8.6
Blinds can be given names of any length but, in the current version, the
names appear only in menus and on the title bar of tool blinds.
8.6
Customised icons
8.6
Icons can be added to a blind at any time by simply dragging them on and
they can be positioned anywhere on it. There is an optional, invisible,
grid to help position them neatly. In addition, the icons can be
resized, larger or smaller, renamed with up to 240 characters, made text
or sprite only or given different sprites. An icon can even be given two
sprites and have the pictures alternate when it is clicked on. A
directory full of PD icon sprites is provided.
8.6
Anyone using a macro program, such as Keystroke, can set up collections
of icons to execute the hot key commands when clicked on.
8.6
Easy editing
8.6
Blinds and the icons on them can be edited, copied or deleted, and links
can be set or unset at any time. A single click on the iconbar icon,
which normally shows a blank blind, superimposes a “W” on it. This now
allows the windows (blinds) to be edited and resized and repositioned by
dragging them. A second click changes the “W” to “I” to allow the icons
on the blinds to be dragged around and clicking <menu> on the blind
brings up an editing window. This allows the icons to be changed in a
number of ways, including altering the foreground and background colours
of the text. A third click on the iconbar icon restores it to its blank
state for normal working use.
8.6
The exciting part
8.6
That is all very useful on its own but the really exciting part of the
program is tucked away towards the end of the manual in the “technical
reference section”. The title is likely to put off the less enthusiastic
computer user and, as it is mainly a detailed explanation of the various
menus, the more experienced may well think there is nothing more to be
learned from it. The gems come to light in the two “Commands” options on
the Edit Icons menu. These make it possible to change the actions which
result from double-clicking on an icon or dragging a file onto it. The
normal command carried out when clicking on the icon is shown in an
editable window and it can be changed there for any other command. An
extreme example given in the manual is that the !Edit icon, which will
of course normally run the Edit program, could have its command changed
to *Time so that a double-click would then bring up a window with the
current time shown in it. To complete the exercise, the icon sprite
could be changed to match its new role (there are various clocks and
watches in the supplied PD icons file) and “!Edit” could be altered to a
more appropriate name, such as “Show the time”.
8.6
Two example blinds containing sets of icons for various applications are
provided as examples of how the action of dragging a file onto an icon
can also be changed. A file dragged onto any of these icons changes its
filetype to that of the selected icon.
8.6
Other ways to use these versatile facilities are suggested in the
manual.
8.6
When to buy
8.6
Blinds is to be upgraded in the summer and will then cost more. If you
are interested in it, it is worth buying now because existing users will
get the new version free. It is already a well thought out and versatile
application with a closely-written 43-page illustrated manual to explain
it all in great detail. Blinds is easy to understand and use but, for
reasons given above, it is worth wading through the rather lengthy
instructions at least once.
8.6
Blinds costs £19.95 from Quantum Software (no VAT) or £20 inclusive from
Archive  A
8.6
There are three types of blinds: interchangeable backdrops, “tool”
windows which can “float” or be attached to an application window, and
click-on blinds which close to a narrow bar.
8.6
A “tool window” with icons that change the filetype of files dragged
onto them.
8.6
Risc PC Column
8.6
Keith Hodge
8.6
I must start by thanking all the readers who responded to my cry for
help for a version of Zap which works on the Risc PC. I was inundated
with phone calls, letters, parcels and one offer of hand delivery! All
of this, of course, goes to prove that the Acorn world is still the
family circle that it has always been. And long may it stay so.
8.6
David Holden of APDL sent a copy of his catalogue and Zap, f.o.c., as I
guess he felt that I was so out of touch that I needed all the help that
I could get! There is a huge range of software available and I wonder if
David will let us all know in his column if all the software he supplies
is Risc PC compatible.
8.6
Monitors
8.6
From Jan De Poorter: “My monitor is a MAG MX14 multisync which I use
with the AKF60+ monitor definition file as sent in by Andrew Clover
(Archive 8.1 p39). It gives a very steady picture in 1024×768 pixels in
32,000 colours. 1280×800×32K and 1280×1024×256 are possible, but not
without flicker.”
8.6
Floppy disc drives
8.6
Again from Jan de Poorter: “One of the first things that became obvious
was the fact that the Risc PC only has one floppy disc drive, and cannot
be expanded. Oh no?!
8.6
“I have just looked at the contents of the 3½“ 1.6Mb ADFS disc in my
second external drive. I have even loaded a basic file (dated 1986) from
a 640Kb 5¼” floppy drive. This disc was formatted and written to under
(Watford) ADFS on a BBC model B. How do I do it? Back in 1992, I
purchased a high density card for my A410 from Arxe systems. After all
the problems caused by RISC OS version 3 appearing and Arxe leaving the
Acorn market, I upgraded (actually a new card, to use with the Arxe
drive) thanks to the Serial Port. So I now have a ‘Serial Port Alpha
Dual Card’, which gives me a SCSI interface and a high density
interface. When the Risc PC appeared, I needed a new PAL prom, but now
the card works fine, although it does not integrate with the ADFS. It
uses its own filing system, Quad FS. The card has allowed me to connect
the above mentioned external floppy disc drives as well as a second
internal 496Mb SCSI hard drive (Fujitsu M2624-512/revision 0405).
8.6
“This all sounds fine, but... I talked to Hugo Fiennes at the Serial
Port, and he told me that they don’t make the dual card anymore, so I am
probably one of a few lucky ones that still have one.”
8.6
I have been talking by telephone to Martyn Purdie during the last few
days. He has just purchased a Risc PC − his previous machine being a
BBC. He reports that the only problems suffered, have been the lack of a
second 5¼“ drive to ease the import of software from the BBC, and non-
delivery of the second processor card (PC card). I have been able to
help him with the first, but there is currently no solution to the
latter.
8.6
Software information
8.6
More from Jan De Poorter: “The problems with Tracker modules, mentioned
in Archive 7.12 p55 are indeed down to this module. The latest version
(4.09) does not work on the Risc PC. Version 4.00 seems to work but the
speed at which it plays the tunes is much too fast. So we will probably
have to wait until Mr. Farrow writes a new version which will work on
the new machine.
8.6
“For those who would only like to play tracker tunes, there is an
excellent program called ‘Pro Track’ (version 1.11 − 30 Jan 1992),
written by BASS in Belgium. This works fine, at the right speed and is
available from APDL (disc B175).
8.6
“I used to change the colours of the desktop pointer to yellow, with a
black border, from my !boot file. I used the *Desktop SetPalette
command. This was part of the PaletteUtil module under RISC OS 3.1. This
command seems to have disappeared, together with the PaletteUtil module,
although it is still documented in the User Guide (page 460). I now run
a small basic program to change the palette using SYS “WimpSetPalette”.
Could there be a simpler way?
8.6
“When a ‘Not enough memory’ error occurs, it is sometimes useful to look
in the Taskmanager at the Module area slider. It is often possible to
regain lots of memory just by sliding back the Module area slider in the
System memory allocation area.
8.6
“Now that the problem with Wimpslot allocation has been solved, I would
like to point out another problem in this area. Some programs fail to
work because they have not allocated enough memory to load their
sprites, although the same problem did happen on earlier versions of the
operating system. If the program is written in Basic, one might be able
to solve the problem by augmenting the value xxx in DIM sprites %xxx or
(similar). Any ideas why this happens? (Could this be similar to the
Wimpslot problem? i.e. is sprite memory allocated in pages, the size of
which has changed under the new OS? K.H.)
8.6
“I have had problems with screen redrawing. At first I thought it was a
problem with Publisher, but recently, I saw the same problem with
Squirrel. What happens is that, sometimes, a window is redrawn, and
redraws even an area outside its window bounds, drawing over other parts
of the desktop.
8.6
“Sometimes, when opening a filer window, the text under one of the icons
is unreadable and inverted. This can be solved by simply clicking once
over the icon. The icon becomes selected (and thus inverted), but the
filename can now be read.
8.6
“Am I alone in experiencing these, albeit small problems?”
8.6
Software compatibility
8.6
Yet again, from Jan De Poorter: “A hint for users of !Larger, the
virtual desktop and backdrop from Warm Silence Software: in 1024×768
pixel screen modes (and, in fact, all screen modes where the horizontal
resolution is not an exact multiple of 52) the right icons on the
backdrop will not align with the far right edge of the screen. The
solution is to define a new mode, by duplicating the section of the
monitor definition file that defines the 1024×768 pixel mode and, in the
copy of this section, change all references to 1024 to 1040. Then resave
the file. After a restart, you should now have a new screen resolution
available with 1040×768 pixels, where the right icons on the larger
backdrop will align correctly. The only thing I noticed is that the
frame rate at this resolution has dropped from 60 Hz to 59Hz but the
picture quality is still perfect.”
8.6
Hardware and software news
8.6
I have recently purchased the “Design IT” Teletext decoder (now marketed
by CC as the TV Tuner with Teletext software at £187 through Archive)
and it is working excellently allowing me to automatically download and
save to disc any desired pages, by running a script file when the
application is auto-booted on startup. I use it for the Shares Pages on
CH4 and am slowly building up a database of shares information. The only
thing I wish is that I could persuade Rob Cowan of Design IT to give
access to Basic from the script file, then I could auto run the data
manipulation program I have written which strips out the data from all
the Teletext headers, etc. At the moment, I have to remember to do it
and, at 49 years of age, it gets harder and harder to remember! The
support received from Rob is first class − I have received three free
upgrades as a result of mine and other owners’ requests for
improvements.
8.6
Readers’ comments
8.6
Ted Pottage has written to let me know that he will be sending some
compatibility info when he has finished trying out the existing software
he has, on the Risc PC that Acorn has loaned for use by the British
Dyslexia Association Computer Committee at the seminars they are
presenting at BETT ’95.
8.6
He would also like to hear from everybody who has any software which
would be of use to Dyslexic people
8.6
Wish list for the next Risc PC / New issues of Basic
8.6
• Removal of ADFS FileCore 512Mb disc size limit
8.6
• Removal of 32Mb partition DOS size limit (You can have partitions over
32Mb but you can’t look into them from RISC OS. Ed.)
8.6
• Long file names
8.6
• Let’s have a backup facility available for hard drives to floppies via
the drive Icon.
8.6
Gripe of the month
8.6
Hmm... I have just be told that it will be July at least before the
Acorn 486 PC card is released upon the unsuspecting public. Please
Acorn, write and tell me this is not true! My face is going to be
covered with egg and all the bets I have been winning with the IBM PC
freaks at work will have been in vain.
8.6
Questions of the month
8.6
•  Is there an application which will input files from all the PC / Mac
/ Risc PC word processors and output in the same formats? Everybody that
I speak to gets stuck on this. I would willingly pay £75 for a
professionally-written program that does this, so come on you
programmers.
8.6
• George Barker: “I am 71 years old, retired and enjoying using my
computer as a hobby. I use a video camera to record the various light
aircraft flights my son and I enjoy and although I have independent
editing equipment, I am wanting to use the computer to overlay titles
onto an edited copy of our flights and also to add sound and music. I
would like to hear from anyone with experience of using hardware and
software for video editing on the Risc PC.” (Your wish is my command −
see page 31 of this very issue! Ed.)
8.6
• Does anybody know the pinout for the old SCSI and new SCSI 2
connectors, so that I can check if I have terminators fitted on my
scanner cable? (I will put this in the next column if I find out).
8.6
• Can the reader who supplied a most useful machine performance indexing
program, via Paul, get in touch please? I have promised a copy to Martyn
Purdie who has just moved direct from a BBC to a Risc PC (no small jump
that!), and cannot find where I have placed my copy.
8.6
Tailpiece
8.6
A number of people have asked about the Paint option which enables deep
sprite editing − It is “set Paint$Options X”. Please note, it is most
important to save your work regularly when using this mode, because
Paint is not bug free when this option is set.
8.6
I have failed miserably with the Packet Radio article which I promised
last month. I have been very busy, plus I have lost the Radio Society of
Great Britain’s address, from where I was hoping to get some real
information on disc to ease the task, still there may be time by next
month.
8.6
As usual, I can be contacted by letter at the HES address on the back
page, by telephone after 7p.m. or by Packet Radio from anywhere in the
World, as GW4NEI@GB7OAR.#16.GBR.EU.  A
8.6
Use of Sound in Special Needs
8.6
Neville Dalton
8.6
At the Hampshire Micro-Technology Centre, we have an active Special
Needs Department which, where possible, tries to capitalise on the Acorn
technology already in its schools to support its special needs programs.
Below are details of two projects which have made use of the sound
capabilities of an Archimedes fitted with one of the low cost Oak
Recorder sound sampling systems.
8.6
Say It & See
8.6
This is a speech and language therapy program for RISC OS computers.
8.6
During the administration of the 1991/2 GEST Special Needs grant,
several requests were made for the provision of a device, called “Speech
Viewer”, which helps in the education and therapy of children who have
speech and language difficulties. A number of schools in Hampshire now
have such pupils, who may have impaired hearing, neurological or
physical difficulties, which cause problems in their production of clear
and understandable speech.
8.6
At the time the requests were made, Speech Viewer sold at about £700 and
needed a PC to run it. Given that there was already an excess of demand
for grant aid towards equipment having a more general and wider
application, it was not possible to provide for this specialised
requirement. However, it was appreciated that there was considerable
demand for such a valuable tool in its field and we began to look for an
affordable alternative, ideally using the computer equipment already in
school classrooms. This decision has been vindicated with the rise in
price of the latest version of Speech Viewer to over £2,000 (+
computer).
8.6
A set of very basic speech activated animation programs, based on the
MicroMike, have been available for the BBC computers for a number of
years but, due mainly to the limited capacity of that computer system,
such programs really only used the microphone as a switching device.
Something more sophisticated was needed. Hampshire Microtechnology
Centre, already having some experience of developing sound and speech
input devices for the Archimedes computer with our Con-Verse program,
drew up the specification for the desired product.
8.6
The producers of the Oak Recorder sound sampling microphone were
commissioned to write the software. The Oak Recorder software provides a
number of SWI calls for recording and playing back samples, and
performing spectral analysis. These were sufficient to provide all the
functionality required and so the programs could be written as stand-
alone Basic programs with no changes to the sampler package being
required.
8.6
The Say It & See software is designed to provide motivating exercises
for pupils needing speech and language remediation. It is a suite of six
exercise activities, as follows:
8.6
!Balloon − voice control − voicing is sustained and increased to expand
and finally ‘pop’ the balloon.
8.6
!Cliff − voiced or unvoiced sounds are used to make a tractor push
boulders over a cliff, into the sea.
8.6
!Mountain − the flight of a hot-air balloon over a mountain range is
controlled by voicing level. The ‘mountains’ are created by the pupil or
teacher.
8.6
!Flycatch − differentiation between sounds moves the frog across the
lily-pads to catch the fly.
8.6
!Objects − measures and rewards pupils’ accuracy in speaking target
words.
8.6
!VoicePrint − split-screen in which an active phonogram is matched
against an appropriate target.
8.6
The level of difficulty of each exercise may be adjusted to suit the
current attainment and aims for individual pupils.
8.6
Using the Oak Recorder microphone, vocalisations may be captured for use
as ‘targets’. This feature allows appropriate samples to be used,
providing flexibility for vocal variations resulting from age, gender,
regional or ethnic origins, etc. The ability to record is built into the
individual applications which require it so that the applications are
self-contained.
8.6
We would not pretend that Say It & See has the sophistication of IBM’s
Speech Viewer, which uses its specialised hardware to provide many
facilities for clinical use. However, we are content that the power of
the Archimedes computer is being effectively utilised to provide speech
therapy exercises, for use in the school context, at an affordable
price.
8.6
Say It & See is priced at £105 +VAT including the Oak Recorder
microphone and £75 +VAT without.
8.6
InTouch
8.6
InTouch is a major new concept keyboard package from Hampshire
Microtechnology Centre aimed at the early stages of children’s cognitive
development. The idea came from Stuart Rees, who is teacher adviser for
Special Needs and Information Technology and was developed in-house by
Ian Cripps.
8.6
InTouch offers opportunities for activities such as picture / symbol /
colour / object / number recognition, matching and sequencing, each
activity having the opportunity to be enhanced by the inclusion of sound
samples produced with an Oak Recorder.
8.6
It was decided that the inclusion of sound would make the program much
more usable and meaningful for the children. Any appropriate sound
samples can be used, and the Oak Recorder provides the easiest and most
flexible means of recording sound for the Archimedes computer.
8.6
Voices and sounds in the immediate vicinity of the computer can be
recorded directly onto a computer disc using the Oak Recorder
microphone. Music and other sound effects can be recorded directly
(copyright permitting) using an appropriate lead to the Oak Recorder’s
“dongle” which lives in the computer’s Printer Port. Even if a cassette
recorder is used to, say, record animal sounds, these samples can easily
be transferred from the cassette to the computer disc.
8.6
InTouch offers opportunities for activities such as picture / symbol /
colour / object / number recognition, matching and sequencing, all with
accompanying sound samples, if required.
8.6
InTouch has five modes of operation as follows:
8.6
Touch & See − Touch a picture on the concept keyboard, see it on the
screen and hear an appropriate sound sample. The sound sample can be
replayed while the picture is still on the screen.
8.6
Touch & Match − Touch a picture on the concept keyboard to match it to
one on the screen. A sound sample is played as the picture appears
initially and can be replayed to act as an audible reward. The picture
can be made to disappear and can only be brought back when the correct
picture is touched on the concept keyboard, (a short term memory
exercise). The sound sample can be replayed while the screen is blank,
as a reminder of the picture.
8.6
Touch & Build − Build up the set of pictures, on screen, in random or
preset order, from the concept keyboard by touching each in turn, the
sound sample being played as each picture appears.
8.6
Touch & Return − All the pictures are displayed on the screen, and one
will then disappear. It has to be brought back by touching the
corresponding picture, word, etc, on the concept keyboard. The sound
sample will be played as a reward each time the correct picture is
brought back.
8.6
Touch & Scan − This mode is intended as an introduction to switch-
operated scanning and can act as a communicator for children who have a
communication difficulty. Up to ten symbols are displayed on the screen.
The user has the choice of single or double switch scanning using the
concept keyboard or switches plugged into the user or analogue ports.
Sound samples may be added, to play as the symbol / picture is selected.
8.6
In Touch is available to any school for £40 +VAT (excluding Oak
Recorder).  A
8.6
ImageFS
8.6
Dave Floyd
8.6
ImageFS is an application from Alternative Publishing which allows you
to use ‘foreign’ bitmap graphic files as if they were Acorn sprites. The
software requires RISC OS 3.1 or greater and costs £34.95 + VAT (special
offer until end of April 1995).
8.6
Loading the software
8.6
ImageFS initially installs itself onto the iconbar, enabling you to
configure it to your requirements. Clicking <menu> over its icon reveals
a five option menu, consisting of Info, Type Control, Global Options,
Save Options and Quit. Interestingly, clicking <select> on the icon
brings up the Type Control window, while <adjust> provides a quick route
to the Global Options − a convenient and well thought out shortcut. Once
installed, the icon can be removed from the iconbar thus freeing memory
taken up by the control software whilst leaving the module in memory and
active.
8.6
Type Control window
8.6
The Type Control window allows you to select each graphics type
recognised by the program and configure how ImageFS will treat it. The
three options available to the user are Off, On and Auto. When
configured as Off, the foreign graphics file(s) will be treated as such,
i.e. as if ImageFS were not loaded at all. This is a very handy method
of temporarily disabling ImageFS without de-installing the whole
application, should you need to use another conversion utility such as
Translator.
8.6
The difference between On and Auto relates to the way it handles
graphics files. When ImageFS is active, the operating system sees the
files as both directories and files at the same time. If the setting is
On and the file is dragged to an application which accepts the foreign
format, all conversion will be left to the host application. If double-
clicked, however, the file opens like a directory to display a sprite
icon which can be dragged into the application as if it were a sprite
file. If the setting is Auto, ImageFS converts the file to sprite format
before loading it into the application regardless of whether the
application could handle the foreign graphics file.
8.6
For example, if you have a TIFF file which you need to import into an
Impression document and the setting for TIFF files within ImageFS is On,
dragging it directly into your document will load the graphic using
Impression’s TransTIFF conversion filter. Double-clicking on the TIFF
file and dragging the resultant sprite icon into your document will
instigate the ImageFS conversion and load the file into your document
without invoking TransTIFF. This is because Impression thinks the file
is a sprite file. On testing the two different methods, I could notice
very little (if any) difference in quality between the two conversions
but ImageFS was certainly quicker.
8.6
The filetypes recognised by ImageFS are PCX, BMP, Clear, PBMPlus, Targa,
TIFF (including CMYK TIFF files), GIF, MacPaint, Pict2, IMG, and
ColoRIX. Entries for SunRastr and AmigaIFF are greyed out on the
Filetypes menu and I therefore assume that their inclusion is imminent.
There are some notable omissions from this list – but more on that
later.
8.6
Global Options window
8.6
Activating Global Controls from the menu reveals an annoyingly small
window which necessitates scrolling to view all of the options. A far
more user-friendly method would have been to make all options visible at
the same time via a larger window, and allow the user the facility to
adjust the size.
8.6
The first option available is that of Old or New sprite format.
Selecting Old will give you a maximum of 256 colours for your sprite
although, if the source image contains more, the resultant graphic will
be dithered and converted as well as possible. The diffusion technique
used is selectable between None, Simple and Floyd-Steinberg. Which of
these will give the best results depends upon the source image and your
own preferences and requirements. You are also given the option to
choose between the standard Acorn 256 colour palette or the palette
contained within the source file.
8.6
Those who own a Risc PC or are loading files directly into Impression,
Artworks or other software that can accept the deep sprite format, can
select the New Sprite option which can load files containing more than
256 colours without compromising the quality of the image.
8.6
Further down the window there is an option to select long or short
filenames. If those using RISC OS 3.5 or above select long filenames,
ImageFS will either create a long name for the file from information
contained within the source file or, if there is none, it will supply
its own, thereby allowing you to glean size and colour information from
the filename.
8.6
The next option is Tiny View which was not available in the version
supplied. When it is implemented, Tiny View will apparently allow you to
hold down <ctrl> while double-clicking a graphics file and will then
display a very quick thumbnail image on screen. This could be a big
time-saver for those who keep large piles of unlabelled discs containing
obscurely titled graphics files when time next comes to sort through
them for a specific picture.
8.6
The pixel aspect is selectable between Square and Rectangular, although
only those using non-multisync monitors should have any need to deviate
from the Square default, and even they should rarely have to worry about
it.
8.6
Finally, there is an option to fix the resolution of the resulting
sprite to 90 dpi or to take the information from the source image. At
present, this is rather a non-option as Acorn, while including dpi
information within the new deep sprite format, have not implemented the
use of that dpi information within RISC OS 3.5. While a review is not
the forum to discuss why Acorn so often appear to half implement
features such as this, it is good to see that the option is available as
a form of ‘future-proofing’ should Acorn choose to include it in future
versions of RISC OS.
8.6
The manual
8.6
The 28-page CD-sized manual manages to include a surprising amount of
information. It explains the options in detail and also contains a brief
history and description of each graphics format that the software can
handle. Although this may sound like ideal ‘train-spotters’ territory, I
found this quite interesting and would have welcomed a more detailed
overview. Its brevity should, however, mean that even the most hardened
technophobe can read it without too much problem.
8.6
To the future
8.6
There is, as yet, no support for PhotoCD or JPEG graphics formats but a
letter from Alternative Publishing talked about constant upgrading of
the product, so if you have any specific requirements, get in touch with
them to see what they are planning to include and what the upgrades
might cost.
8.6
Much is made in the documentation of the fact that ImageFS is a true
filing system. In that it works almost seamlessly alongside RISC OS and
allows foreign graphics files to be used as if they were sprites, this
claim is justified, but I can’t help thinking that any self-respecting
graphics filing system should also allow sprites to be exported and
saved in other formats. Once again, this is planned for a future
release.
8.6
I would also like to see ImageFS expanded to include the conversion of
vector graphics to and from Draw or Artworks format. Vector graphics
conversion is at present largely ignored (and I therefore assume more
difficult to achieve), but for a piece of software to combine both
bitmap and vector formats would very much enhance its usefulness. This
should not be taken as a criticism because, at present, vector graphics
fall outside the specification of ImageFS.
8.6
Finally, the lack of image-processing facilities will inhibit its
usefulness to a large section of users. The advantage offered by ImageFS
of not having to save the graphic as a sprite file before use is
completely lost if you have any need to modify the image. I would have
expected to see, at the very least, similar functions to those supplied
with ChangeFSI, preferably more, such as the facility to crop the image.
I also suspect that it makes speed comparisons rather pointless, as most
other conversion software provides facilities for processing and
therefore has that much more to do within the process.
8.6
Alternatives
8.6
As ChangeFSI is included with all new Archimedes machines, it has to be
considered as the package by which others are judged. For those users
who find that ChangeFSI fulfils all their conversion requirements, there
is very little reason to buy ImageFS unless you never use the processing
facilities and need to convert large quantities of files, thus making
the speed gains significant.
8.6
Another option is available in the form of Image Master from David
Pilling (Archive 8.2 p71). Although not marketed as a conversion utility
(a point made to me by David Pilling himself), Image Master is highly
capable in the conversion field and has the added benefit of allowing
sprites to be exported to foreign filetypes. Added to this is a
veritable host of processing options, allowing you to adapt almost
everything you could need. The cost of the added functionality is the
steeper learning curve and the time initially spent reading the manual
and experimenting. Although the times for conversion were slower than
ImageFS, Image Master does provide a better and quicker alternative than
a combination of ImageFS and ChangeFSI when all things are considered.
Formats currently supported by Image Master are Clear, GIF, PCX, MTV,
BMP, PBM, JPEG and TIFF.
8.6
Conclusions
8.6
Which conversion package is best for you will depend on what your
particular needs are. For those who only require conversion from foreign
formats, and either have no need of processing or already own one of the
heavyweight image processing packages such as PhotoDesk, ImageFS will
make an ideal addition to your software collection. It is fast, simple
to use and with ongoing development by Alternative Publishing, its
current inadequacies will hopefully be rectified soon.
8.6
For those who require two-way conversion or whose budget or requirements
do not warrant the purchase of PhotoDesk or processing software, Image
Master will provide a faster and more capable alternative to ChangeFSI.
Until such time as I fall into the first category, I would certainly not
be without Image Master and after two hours of acquainting myself with
the software, I was able to achieve all that I had previously done with
a combination of ChangeFSI and CC’s scanner software.
8.6
To sum up, close analysis of your own needs will be the most important
part of making a decision on conversion software. Productivity will
certainly be improved by using either package instead of the free, but
slow, ChangeFSI.
8.6
ImageFS costs £34.95 +VAT or £39 through Archive. (This is a special
“introductory” price.) An educational site licence is available from
Alternative Publishing for £75 +VAT.  A
8.6
  ChangeFSI  Image Master  ImageFS
8.6
BMP  15 *  2.5  5
8.6
Clear  16  2.5  3
8.6
GIF  15.5  4  2.5
8.6
JPEG  17.5  10  -
8.6
MTV  16  2.5  -
8.6
PBM  15.5  2.5  3
8.6
PCX  15.5  4  1.5
8.6
TIFF  19  10  4.5
8.6
Table of timing comparisons: ChangeFSI, Image Master and ImageFS
8.6
* 8bpp image as ChangeFSI would not handle 24bpp BMP file
8.6
Foreign format files were created using Image Master from a 2.6Mb 32bpp
sprite.
8.6
Computer used for tests: RISC PC with 8Mb DRAM and 2Mb VRAM.
8.6
Timings for ChangeFSI and Image Master are to load the foreign images
into the respective packages. They would still have to be saved as
sprites and/or loaded into Impression.  Timings for ImageFS include
loading into Impression.
8.6
None include screen draw time.  Times displayed are from end of drag to
start of image being drawn on screen.
8.6
For the record, the CC TIFF loader took 14.5 seconds to load the TIFF
file into Impression.
8.6
Landbuild
8.6
Chris Whitworth
8.6
⇧⇧Landbuild is a 3D fractal landscape generator, which means it draws
pretty landscapes that look more or less like Norfolk, Derbyshire or
Switzerland, depending on some values you give it. “But there are dozens
of PD versions!” True, so why have ARM Club released one commercially?
Dunno, sorry!
8.6
⇧Landbuild comes packaged in a plastic wallet with one disc and a
manual. This is easy to read and up-to-date − it mentions the Risc PC.
However, it does contain a number of inaccuracies, which I will come to
later.
8.6
€ŴIn use
8.6
⇧Upon loading the software and clicking on its icon on the iconbar, you
get a statistics window. It is in here you can enter values which
determine how rugged or smooth your landscape is, the water level, the
rock level, the snow level, the ‘seed value’ (different seed values
produce different landscapes − using the same seed always produces the
same landscape), and how much boundary dithering takes place − how far
‘random’ pixels from one area can run into another − this is easier to
understand when you see it than it is to explain.
8.6
In the same window are another set of icons which govern the light,
height and direction. You can also turn shadows on and off. Below these
are four icons (three on the 1Mb version) from which you select the
resolution (note the use of the word ‘resolution’, not size) of your
landscape.
8.6
At the very bottom are another two icons, Generate all and Recolour.
Generate all is used to recreate a new landscape from scratch (i.e. you
have changed the seed, or the roughness). Recolour is used to,
surprisingly enough, recolour the landscape (i.e. if you have changed
the snow height, etc).
8.6
Once you have clicked on Generate all, or Recolour, I would go and get a
book whilst it calculates the landscape (‘War and Peace’ is just about
right) − yes, this application is S...l...o...w...! even on a 14Mb Risc
PC! On my A3000, it is almost unbearable.
8.6
Half a novel later, the map window pops up, and from here you can choose
how you want the landscape displayed ‘properly’, either an isometric
‘preview’, or a ‘print’ from a selected viewpoint on the map.
8.6
Now, you have to wait for your landscape to be drawn. This is where the
other half of the novel comes in. For some completely unfathomable
reason, when ‘printing’ the landscape, Landbuild insists on recolouring
it − or at least that’s what it seems like to me. The prints generally
look better than the previews, but they take longer − and you have to be
careful that you don’t end up sat behind a mountain, so that all you can
see is a lot of rocks...
8.6
You now have the option of saving the current view as a sprite − so you
can produce lots of nice screenshots of pretty landscapes that have
absolutely no practical value whatsoever!
8.6
€ŴA day in the life of a martian...
8.6
⇧It is also possible to alter the colour scheme of the landscape −
anything can be drawn in (practically) any colour − so you can have red
sea and blue grass, if that sort of thing takes your fancy. Or you can
produce some particularly realistic images of what Mars might look like
if it had red oceans... The possibilities are endless!
8.6
All views are light sourced, and shaded accordingly. It is also possible
to turn shadows on and off, but for the extra length of rendering time
it takes, I do not feel this is worth it. Also, all water is depth
shaded − deeper areas are darker in colour.
8.6
€ŴMoans
8.6
⇧No package is without its bugs and, unfortunately, this package is not
without its fair share. There is one bug (or some finicky people would
say it is in fact two) which is truly irritating − the beaches and snow
icons don’t work! No matter how much I clicked on them, I could not get
the package to draw beaches or snow. What makes it worse is that the
version NCS have got on their Risc PCs appears to be an earlier version,
but this feature works on theirs! Also, screenshots from reviews in
other magazines show snow and beaches too, so evidently this feature
works! Maybe the ARM Club have just got something against me...
8.6
I also have several moans about the package − it is much, much too slow.
There was a program published in Acorn User many moons ago that did
essentially the same thing as this program − in Basic − which ran at
about the same speed! Another Acorn User program did a similar thing,
but allowed you to scroll around the landscape and raise and lower the
water − in real time!!! Admittedly these programs only used isometric
views, but if Acorn User “type-ins” can do it, why can’t the ARM Club?
8.6
Another gripe is that the package insists on printing the seed number in
the top left of every print or preview. OK, so it’s nice to know how you
produced the picture, but surely an option to save the settings would be
better?
8.6
€ŴWhy???!!!
8.6
⇧The one major question about this package is why? What is its purpose?
(Does it need one? I have played with this program for ages!) If anyone
can think of a good (funny?) use for it, send it in to Archive. I may
consider a prize for the best idea.
8.6
€ŴConclusions
8.6
⇧I would really like to be able to recommend this package, but I’m
afraid I can’t. Considering there are a good number of PD programs that
do exactly the same thing, only faster, splashing out ten quid on a
commercial version doesn’t quite seem right. However, if the ARM Club
can iron out the bugs, and add that something to make it stand apart
from the crowd, then they may have a winner.
8.6
Landbuild is available from The ARM Club for £10 (no VAT − they’re not
registered).  A
8.6
Club News
8.6
•  Suffolk Acorn Risc Club meets at 7pm on the second Thursday of each
month in Ipswich Central Library meeting room (use the side entrance in
Old Foundry Road). Forthcoming events include:
8.6
9th March − Bring and Buy sale: clear those attics...
8.6
13th April − Internet: World Wide Web, E-mail and                 news
8.6
11th May − Annual General Meeting
8.6
For more details, please contact Paul Skirrow (chairman) on 01473-
728943, or fax [phone], or email: [e-mail] or
contact Andy Keeble (secretary) on 01473-216424, email Andy.Keeble@2501-
302-5.centron.com.  A
8.6
ClassCardz for Wordz
8.6
Douglas Stalker
8.6
This package is intended for pupils of the hard-pressed teacher whose
class is taking the first steps in word processing using Wordz. The idea
is that ‘Please, Miss’ or ‘Please, Sir’ should only be heard when
absolutely necessary. Completion of the final activities on the cards
can be used as part of the G.C.S.E. Technology coursework.
8.6
For your £20, you get an A4 double pocket folder containing a welcome
note, eighteen plasticised A4 cards and an 800Kb disc with six
drawfiles, two CSV files and three Wordz format files, leaving 71Kb
free. An introductory card has a course record summary which lists the
other seventeen cards with their objectives and tasks, plus a progress
column to tick. Cards 1 to 15 introduce Entering text, Deleting and
moving, Justifying, Printing your work, Spell checking, Effects, Rulers
and tabs, Creating tables, Adding graphics, Searching and replacing,
Styles, Inserting tables, Mailshot letters, Inserting date and page
numbers and Resizing headers and footers. Cards 16 and 17 are intended
to stimulate the student to use the previously learned knowledge and
practised skills to make presentations by combining text and pictures to
produce documents and information for specific purposes.
8.6
The cards are washable and therefore re-usable: I checked that spit
removes Lumocolour washable OHP pen marks, and meths removes permanent.
The Introductory Card is a quick and easy-to-maintain chart of the
student’s progress. The first 15 numbered cards are well organized into
sections: Objectives (you will learn to...), Tasks (tidily boxed and
numbered), You will use (photos of icons, dialogue boxes, etc),
Screenshots of how your document should look, Saving and/or Printing
your work (showing relevant icons with clear brief instructions),
Checking your work (reminders of key points on the work done).
8.6
Each landscape format card is clearly titled and well laid out,
following the same pattern. The learner thus quickly finds out where to
look for what he/she want to know. Cards 16 and 17 provide some
stimulating ideas and presentations, showing how the ideas covered
previously can be used to perform four tasks: 1) designing a poster, 2)
producing a newsletter, 3) creating a letter and 4) creating a report.
So far so good...
8.6
The acid test?
8.6
My wife has difficulty with getting to grips with our computer. She
really wants to use the system, but has not been inspired by standard
WP’s. I hoped that an icon-based WP such as Wordz would be more
appealing, with ClassCardz convincing her that doing useful work on the
computer does not have to be hard or dull. Before giving them to her, I
thought I would try them out myself to be able to give knowledgeable
help if required. This is when problems started...
8.6
I always treat such systems as if I had no experience at all, slavishly
following instructions to the letter, as many beginners have to do. It
seems that the author has not always been able to place him/herself in
the shoes of a complete beginner (more difficult than you might think),
with the result that the student is sometimes asked to do things without
being told how until some time later. For example, in Card 3, you are
asked to ‘Drag the mouse over the lines of the school’s address’ but
without being told to hold down the select button whilst doing so. This
is not explained until Card 5.
8.6
Another important point is that some Icons and screenshots are quite
small. For example, the mouse icon Select button is shown lightly shaded
to differentiate it from the others, but at 1mm wide, this is difficult
to see. Perhaps the reflective effects of the plasticising process had
not been foreseen. The screenshots make the text appear to be about 6
point − decidedly difficult for me to see clearly.
8.6
I feel that the basic idea of these cards is very good. They stimulate
the learner with attainable objectives and give clear evidence of
progress, but the implementation could be improved. When I raised my
criticisms and suggested improvements with Colton, they told me that the
author had tried out and refined the package over a twelve month period
in the classroom, but nevertheless they welcomed constructive comments.
They also said that to the best of their knowledge, this approach to
teaching wordprocessing is unique.
8.6
ClassCardz for Wordz costs £20 +VAT from Colton Software or £22 through
Archive.  A
8.6
Font Designer’s Toolkit
8.6
Christopher Jarman
8.6
Like many of you, I spent a happy day and walked off my feet at the
Acorn World 94. I had my eye on a number of products, but the only one I
actually bought was The Font Designer’s Toolkit. It intrigued me and a
few words with the programmer and proprietor of the firm that markets
it, Aaron Timbrell clinched the deal.
8.6
Toolkit comes in one of those small, neat software boxes. It consists of
one standard floppy disc with 613Kb of files on it. Nevertheless, the
contents packs a powerful punch. There are four original and well
thought out applications, plus Version 0.32 of FontEd from Acorn, which
was, I am pleased to say, more recent than the version I have been
using. There is no booklet, because Aaron has gone for a full set of
well-conceived on-line manuals which are fine. Each application has its
own manual.
8.6
FontTrix
8.6
The first programs is FontTrix whose purpose is stated as, “to make
millions of fonts”. This is quite true because, from my own collection
of around 350 fonts, I found I could have made modifications giving me,
theoretically, around 1,750,000 different fonts. I know the company
wrestled with the name ‘Designers Toolkit’, and I think it gives too
technical a picture of this package. It could almost be called ‘Fun With
Fonts’ because you are not expected necessarily to design your own fonts
with these utilities, but more to play about with existing ones and to
change their shapes and characteristics.
8.6
FontTrix does this very successfully and easily. You can either follow
the manual alongside your tryouts or just play about with the choices.
It is possible, by choosing an option called The Family Window, to
create 26 different weights of your font at once. Then you may customise
your font using slider bars for six different characteristics. A nice
feature of this application is that each new modified typeface that you
create is automatically put into its own directory and installed in your
font manager straightaway. It is thus instantly available for use. Of
course, one must bear in mind that the licensing rules for many
commercial fonts forbid you to re-arrange them other than in the privacy
of your own home!
8.6
FontKern
8.6
Secondly, there is FontKern, the tool for spacing the letters correctly
and adjusting the kerning to your own requirements. FontKern will kern a
font and, very helpfully, it can take the kerning characteristics from
an established font and insert it onto a new one. It is also possible to
convert a RISC OS2 font to an autokerning RISC OS3 one. The use of it is
elegant and entertaining, but I thought it quite lengthy and perhaps
more difficult to use than the other parts of the package. As it is
visually very satisfying to see pairs of letters being moved about over
their shadows as you click the mouse, I think it will repay any effort
in mastering it.
8.6
iSVMetric
8.6
Next is iSVMetric, a tool to read and write the data relating to your
fonts. This is of more interest to programmers perhaps than to DTP
enthusiasts.
8.6
FontCatLog
8.6
Finally, there is FontCatLog which will show all the fonts you have,
including those created with FontTrix. This appears either as an
individual table for each font, which is extremely useful, or as a
visual list with each font used in a sentence of your choice. In other
words, you do not have to read about a quick brown fox, but may use any
‘pangram’ you like. I favour from my collection, “He wrote deftly and
quickly, just amazing us with his expertise and his unabashed love of
letters.” This can be viewed on the screen in WYSIWYG form, or printed
out as a series of numbered and dated sheets.
8.6
iSV Products is a new company which launched itself at Acorn World 94.
This Toolkit is very well designed, elegant and good value for money. I
look forward to their future products especially Fontfiend which
promises to be a much more powerful version of a font manipulator.
8.6
Font Designer’s Toolkit Version 2.5 is available from: iSV Products,
price £30 plus £1.50 carriage or £30 inclusive through Archive.  A
8.6
(I have put a list of pangrams, collected by Christopher over the years,
on the monthly program disc. Ed.)
8.6
Betsi
8.6
Richard Rymarz
8.6
For some time now I have been looking for a piece of software to
complement my topic on the Tudors and Stuarts. My school is a small
primary school and in order to accommodate an overburdened National
Curriculum, my staff and I have organised a series of topics on a two/
four yearly cycle. We are already quite lucky in having programs such as
Arcventure and Aztecs but the Tudor period has proved to be a bit of a
problem.
8.6
Then along comes ‘Betsi’ from 4Mation, one of the principal educational
software houses in the country. I was fortunate enough to have ‘Betsi’
for the last two weeks of the summer term. I also had access to four
Archimedes computers of various types. My class of 9, 10 and 11 year
olds was divided into small groups, introduced to the character and told
to find out as much as they could about the late Tudor period. Bearing
in mind that the children had already been studying the period for a few
weeks prior to seeing the program, I was slightly surprised to see them
tackle it with such enthusiasm.
8.6
What is ‘Betsi’?
8.6
Betsi is an adventure written by Mike Matson who will forever be
remembered for ‘Granny’s Garden’ (we’ll forgive him for that!). Mike has
well known views on teaching and learning. His introductory notes
explain that he strongly believes that opportunities should be provided
for children to learn history (or any other area of the curriculum for
that matter) rather than children being taught history. ‘Betsi’ is an
attempt to put this philosophy into practice by providing an adventure
where the children interact with late Tudor characters, who explain who
and what they are. Language of the period is sometimes used and indeed
there is said to be in excess of 10,000 words within the program.
8.6
Who is ‘Betsi’?
8.6
Betsi is a dog who has been evicted from the Royal Kennels because she
is too soft. The adventure centres around her attempts to find a home
where she will be looked after and loved. During her travels she meets
all sorts of interesting people, sees inside some interesting buildings
such as a theatre, a monastery and a palace, hears about the problems
that people faced at the time and learns how to become a ‘good citizen’.
8.6
The program
8.6
What immediately grabs the children’s attention is the excellence of the
graphics. Not only are the scenes well drawn showing great detail, but
the quality of the animation is excellent. Betsi moves very
realistically as do some of the characters, boats, a cart and a variety
of other objects. There are 30 scenes altogether, all of which can be
explored. Sound is used sparingly but appropriately.
8.6
As it is a true adventure, the children have to solve puzzles in order
to complete the program. This can be quite daunting for younger children
and some guidance may be required. My groups were soon to be found
either sharing their discoveries or in some cases quietly looking over
shoulders to ‘borrow’ information. None of the groups managed to
complete the adventure in one sitting but they were able to save their
positions very easily.
8.6
Comments
8.6
At this point I would like to include a list of the comments made by the
children about the program. Some declared the adventure too difficult
and that it involved too much reading. They felt it would have been
better if they had a clearer idea of what they had to do (perhaps this
was the fault of the teacher!) and the younger children certainly needed
the older ones to assist and encourage them to continue. On the other
hand, all the children loved the graphics and were delighted to be able
to ‘talk’ to people of the period. Most of all, they enjoyed taking the
part of a dog and doing ‘doggy’ things like jumping onto and hiding in a
cart. They all agreed that the map was essential and that some of the
Tudor language was a little difficult. However, the sharper children had
listed the words they did not understand and found out about them later.
Most wanted to continue through their playtime − always a good sign.
8.6
Conclusions
8.6
As a teacher, I was very happy with the program. I could see it being
used as a focus for the topic and as an added resource to those already
in the classroom. The program does not purport to tell the children
everything there is to know about the Tudors but there is a great deal
of information within it. Part of the package includes a set of ten
photocopiable question sheets which could be used to assess how much the
children have learned. I did not have time to use them but one
suggestion is that having completed the adventure, the children would
try and answer as many questions as possible from one or more sheets and
then go through the adventure again and find the other answers as they
went along. I am not sure how popular this would be but certainly each
group could be given one particular area to research in detail. They
could then report to the rest of the class.
8.6
Besides the question sheets and the map, the package includes an adult’s
reference booklet which contains a route guide, background information,
a glossary and the resource answer sheets.
8.6
Betsi comes on three discs which can be copied onto hard disc with disc
1 used as a key disc upon startup. A fourth disc has ten compressed
screenshots and the !CFS reader to de-compress them.
8.6
And finally.....
8.6
I have had the pleasure of reviewing a number of recent releases from
4Mation and I am delighted to report that the overall quality of the
product continues to impress. It is good to see Mike Matson writing
programs again.
8.6
4Mation see ‘Betsi’ as ‘edutainment’ which is a newish concept to me and
is, I believe, an attempt to move away from a strictly school user base.
Therefore, it is marketed for home use as well as schools. Good luck to
them. My view is that this continues the rich vein of offerings from a
software house determined to see itself remain as a leading provider of
top rate programs.
8.6
Betsi costs £34.50 +VAT for a single user version and £69 +VAT for a
site licence or £38 and £75 through Archive.  A
8.6
Softcrete
8.6
Andrew Rawnsley
8.6
Despite not being a particularly well known software house, The Really
Good Software Company has always offered high quality products to fill
niche software markets. Their screensaver, Twilight, was the first
commercial program of its type and preceded most of its PD rivals by
many months.
8.6
This time, The Really Good Software Company has turned its attention to
software protection. Softcrete enables the user to lock an application
to a specific machine or group of machines in a variety of ways, thereby
reducing the threat of software piracy from a machine open to the
public.
8.6
Methods of protection
8.6
I shall start with perhaps the most dubious of the protection methods −
ID checking. Acorn computers that were released with RISC OS 3.0 or
later (i.e. Risc PC, A5000, A4000, A4, A3010 & A3020) have unique
hardware ID numbers inside them. By encrypting an application based on
this ID, no other machine is able to run the program. This method of
protection is not popular within Acorn, because it makes installation on
a future, upgraded machine difficult. However, Softcrete is designed for
locking applications after you have installed them on hard disc or
network fileserver, so provided you don’t protect the original discs,
you’re all right.
8.6
This form of protection is not suitable for groups of machines, running
on a network perhaps. For this situation, Softcrete can lock a program
with a password and then insert the codeword into CMOS ram. By setting
this CMOS password to the same code on every machine on the network,
programs can be easily run from a fileserver, with the protection
totally transparent. The problem with this method is that it uses (by
default) a 4-byte area of CMOS used by Risc iX, Acorn’s Unix system for
ARM based machines.
8.6
The final, and rather more crude, method of protection is provided via a
companion program supplied on the disc − !SCreteNRP. This allows a Non
Resident Password (NRP) to be set up. The applications are then
encrypted using this password, and provided that you enter the password
every n minutes, the program will work. This protection method is useful
when demonstrating a product on another machine − you can’t go through
the process of locking it to that machine, but the password option
offers you protection.
8.6
The Main Options Menu
8.6
Other facilities
8.6
To make life easier, SoftCrete allows you to set up a database of
machine IDs, and even provide them with nicknames, so that you know
which computer you are locking the program for. This means that you
aren’t restricted to locking a program with the ID of the computer on
whose hard drive it is installed. This would be useful in a school
environment where one machine could be set up in the staff common room
and connected to the main network, but sensitive programs could only be
run from the fileserver on that common room machine.
8.6
Users of Risc iX can still use the CMOS password facility since there is
an option to select at which CMOS byte the password starts. However, you
should be very careful when doing this, since if you aren’t 100% sure
what you are doing − you can very easily cause real problems with your
machine by messing around with the contents of its CMOS ram.
8.6
Target market
8.6
Softcrete’s target market appears to be twofold. The first is education
where IT coordinators are crying out for an application to protect their
networks from piracy. The second market is that of program development.
Programmers or software houses demonstrating applications at shows are
particularly susceptible to piracy − you can’t monitor what people are
doing on three or four machines if you are on your own. Locking the
software renders any copies unusable.
8.6
Conclusions
8.6
Softcrete fulfils its objective well, but I wonder whether the market is
large enough to encourage the author to produce future versions. I would
like to see the ability to lock a program to a disc (as occurs in most
commercial games) not just to a particular computer. This would be much
more convenient than the NRP approach when demonstrating software to
potential customers or publishers.
8.6
Softcrete costs £24.95 inc VAT from the Really Good Software Company.  A
8.6
Government Health Warning − Reading this could seriously affect your
spiritual health.
8.6
It’s been very interesting over the last seven years to see the
different sorts of reactions I get to my ‘God-slot’. The issue that
brought the most response, in terms of the number of letters, was just
over a year ago, when I mentioned that I had been depressed. That seemed
to have struck a chord for many people.
8.6
The deepest, darkest day for me was about 18 months ago. The business
was floundering, money seemed to be leaking away, creditors were chasing
me for payment and threatening not to supply any more goods. That  would
have meant nothing to sell and, with NCS not being a limited company, I
would have gone bankrupt. This had been going for some months and the
strain was beginning to tell.
8.6
Being a Christian, I hated not being able to pay bills on time as I felt
I was bringing dishonour to God. I could just hear people saying, “You
call yourself a Christian...”.
8.6
Wednesday was always my worst day − that’s when the accountant comes in
and we see how we are faring. (Nothing personal, Roger!) One Wednesday
morning, Mike walked in. (Mike is Honorary Chaplain to NCS He’s a
chaplain at the nearby hospital and pops in on his day off and chats to
the staff.) “How are things going?” he asked. Well, that was all it
needed. “Mike, could you take me home in your car, please?” I sat at
home on the settee for the rest of the day and quaked. I wanted to
escape but there was no way out.
8.6
Some of you will now be expecting me to say, “I prayed to God and all
was well.” I just wish it were that simple! In fact, it took several
months, a lot of prayer and a lot of help from good friends before I was
back on an even keel. The Christian faith doesn’t shelter you from
difficulty − don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
8.6
I was praying one morning and was saying to God, “Please give me some
sign that we are going to get through this.” I then turned to the
passage suggested in my bible-reading notes for that day. It was Exodus
14 where the Israelites have escaped from Egypt but have come up against
the Red Sea and the Egyptian chariots are bearing down on them − I could
relate very well to their feelings! One verse leapt out at me and, to
this day, I have it pinned above my desk. God said to them (verse 13)
“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord
will bring you today.” but I had to wait until April ’94 (the launch of
the Risc PC) before the Red Sea opened for NCS.
8.6