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|-------------------------- Acorn News Service --------------------------|
| http://www.acornusers.org/ans/ |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| The Acorn News Service is an independent service. |
| It is in no way connected with, or supported by Acorn Group PLC. |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| ISSUE 34 30 May 1999 |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| To send in your news items or comments, use the ANS website, |
| or e-mail them to ans@acornusers.org. |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Featured site this issue: http://www.telecom.eu.org/ |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Contents
--------
1) Editorial
2) General News
3) Commercial News
4) PD/Shareware News
5) Club News
6) ANS information
Editorial
---------
6th June is an important date for several reasons. This year Internet
users should make a special note of Sunday 6th June, as it is the day
of the European Telecommunications Boycott.
Internet users in thirteen European countries will be taking part, to
campaign for fairer telecommunications charges. You are encouraged to
unplug all telephones and modems, for the duration of Sunday 6th June,
to show your support. Details at <http://www.telecom.eu.org/>.
James Sears, Editor.
james@acornusers.org
General News
------------
1) RISC OS 4 compatibility chart
Paul Johnson has been testing software for compatibility with RISC OS 4,
and has put the results of the tests online. Have a look at
<http://www.acornusers.org/cbsa/RiscOS4.html> for all the details.
2) RISCOS Ltd. developer support
Previously, under Acorn's scheme, to become a registered developer you had
to show that you were producing commercial software. This is no longer the
case with RISCOS Ltd., anyone can become a registered developer.
Traditionally, being a registered developer has been a fairly expensive
proposition, and this has deterred many small companies and individuals
from joining the developer community. In recognition of this, RISCOS Ltd.
is launching a "mini" developer scheme, where support will be given only
by email, at a considerably reduced subscription rate.
Details are available from RISCOS Ltd. <http://www.riscos.com/>
3) Acorn Enthusiasts Group
AEG is an Internet based user group for Acorn enthusiasts, with members
from around the world, which aims to enable users to find others in the
same area.
The AEG web site <http://www.a-e-g.demon.co.uk/> has been redesigned from
scratch, it has a much more focussed design, and concentrates on
membership, and the AEG member base.
Visit <http://www.a-e-g.demon.co.uk/> and submit your details.
4) Acorn Gaming
The Acorn Gaming web site <http://www.acorn-gaming.org.uk/> now features
news of three new previously unannounced games on the way for RISC OS.
Visit the Acorn Gaming web site to find out about R-Comp's new flight
simulator, how to play God, and a new way to lose a friend.
5) Squirrel FAQ
Colin McQueen has published a list of frequently asked questions with
answers on Squirrel, a RISC OS relational database.
See <http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/cmcqueen/SqlFAQ/>.
Commercial News
---------------
1) New Generation Design game
If you are interested in Quality Retro Style Budget games, which work on
all Acorns, you may be interested to know Geoff Holland of Generation
Design has recently finish his latest game, "The Jewels Of Jezabar".
The full came costs GBP7. A downloadable demo and screen shots are
available from <http://www.gendes.freeserve.co.uk/>.
2) BotKiller 2 available now
BotKiller 2, a "tactics / jump'n'run" game, is now available from Artex
Software and WAG Software.
BotKiller 2 is available from WAG Software for GBP15. For a preview, see
<http://www.acorn-gaming.org.uk/>, <http://www.artex.oaktree.co.uk/> or
<http://www.wilsontigger.demon.co.uk/bk.htm>.
Features include:
* 25 levels packed with action and tricky riddles.
* 5 exclusive pieces of music written by Marco Bahn of ANKH fame.
* Dozens of different game elements that have to be investigated.
* 5 different areas with detailed graphics.
* 6 types of totally different robots.
System requirements:
BotKiller 2 requires: Any Acorn computer with RISC OS 2 or better,
HD floppy disc drive, ARM3 processor or better, and 4MB RAM.
3) WebChange2 - 'Lite' Version
WebChange 2 is an application designed to help HTML writers - those who
like to produce their HTML 'by hand' in particular - by helping remove
some of the more tedious and repetitive tasks.
The full version is currently in the final stages of beta testing, and
will hopefully be released shortly - but in the meantime the free 'Lite'
version is now available for download from the WebChange site
<http://www.softrock.co.uk/webchange/>.
PD/Shareware News
-----------------
1) Wimp2 v0.36 released
v0.36 of Wimp2, the preemptive multitasker for RISC-OS, is now available
at <http://www.nedprod.com/programs/RISC-OS/Wimp2/index.html>.
Changes include:
* Image can now can be flashed to ROM.
* Bug fixes.
You can also download v0.23 of the Wimp patch by Andrew Teirney from the
above URL. A link to the Wimp patch compatibility page maintained by
Henry Morgan is also available.
2) Acorn VideoPlus Codec now supports encoding
An updated version of the RISC OS port of S Hosgood and D McClaggan's
VideoPlus codec with integrated WIMP front end is available from
<http://www.netbook.demon.co.uk/>.
3) Samba Server for RISC OS
David Buxton has ported Samba 2.0.2 to RISC OS. This allows you to share
RISC OS file systems with Microsoft Windows and Unix/Linux.
Currently only the Core level protocol is supported ("PC Network Program
1.0") and there are some limitations with filenames.
This an alpha release, there is still a lot of work to do. It has been
tested with Linux, Microsoft Windows 98 and RISC OS clients and it is
working well.
Available from <http://www.merddin.demon.co.uk/riscos.html>.
4) FTPc updated
FTPc v1.14, a freeware Internet File Transfer Protocol Client, is now
available. The changes are:
* File count added.
* Some support for VMS.
* Documents show how to use with proxy server.
* Last file in a directory not uploaded bug fixed.
<http://www.c-granville.freeserve.co.uk/>
5) Dilbert desktop silly
Paul Vigay has produced a desktop silly - a Dilbert Random Mission
Statement Generator. The RISC OS version runs in the desktop and can be
downloaded from <http://www.interalpha.net/customer/pvigay/shareware.html>
6) MakeLSFX - Make self-extracting zip files
Timothy Baldwin has released MakeLSFX, a small utility to assist in the
construction of large (up to 2GBytes) RISC OS self-extracting zip files.
The RISC OS port of Infozip's unzipsfx is required.
MakeLSFX can be downloaded from:
<http://www.reinhouse.freeserve.co.uk/riscos/makelsfx.html>
7) TechWriter Plus and Java
The 'Plus' versions of the TechWriter/EasiWriter family now have the
ability to accept Java applets. This means it is now possible to write
and use Java 'plug in' items in TW+ documents.
To illustrate what is possible, Jim Lesurf has written a fairly simple
example. This is a 'least squares fit' applet which loads the data from
a file, does a least squares fit, and displays a graph of the results.
Whilst displayed on a TW+ page, the data file can be edited and the
results replotted.
This applet, along with source code and some other applets, can be found
at <http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/Java/tests.html>.
8) Use your Psion 5 as a graphics tablet
Software which allows you to use your Psion 5 as a graphics tablet can be
found at: <http://www.interconnex.co.uk/~paul/>.
You will need RISC OS 3.5 and a Psion 5. Run the software, and you can use
the Psion's touch screen to control the mouse on your desktop computer.
Club News
---------
1) June meeting dates from AAUG
The following user group meetings are planned for June. Always check the
AAUG web site <http://www.aaug.net/> to confirm details.
June 1999
=========
2nd - Wakefield meeting - Cerilica Vantage
3rd - SARC meeting - TBA
8th - Bottisham Acorn Usergroup meeting
8th - Liverpool Acorn Usergroup meeting
8th - Essex Acorn Usergroup meeting
10th - North Kent Computer Club meeting
11th - Welwyn Hatfield meeting
14th - DARC meeting - Weather Imaging
14th - Southampton meeting
14th - SASAUG meeting
25th - Blackpool meeting
29th - Acorn Club NorthEast meeting
30th - Bristol Acorn User Group meeting
The AAUG website provides details of all the user groups worldwide, and
how you can benefit from becoming a member. For more information, visit
<http://www.aaug.net/>.
2) Essex Acorn User Group
Essex Acorn User Group's next meeting will be at 7.45pm on Tuesday 8th
June 1999, at the library in Witham Town Centre.
The main event will be a presentation of PhotoDesk by Dave Sykes. Dave is
not from SpaceTech, he is a Club member who has the enviable task in life
of directing the teaching of ICT in a large Essex school.
Non-member visitors are charged GBP2, but for this you also receive a copy
of the current newsletter to be followed by a copy of the next newsletter,
in time for the following meeting. Ordinary membership has risen from
GBP15 to GBP16. Student and Family membership remains at GBP10 and GBP20,
respectively.
For more details of future programme and directions to the Library, take
a look at <http://www.watsnees.demon.co.uk/eaug.html>.
3) Wakefield Meeting - 2nd June
The next Wakefield Acorn Computer User Group meeting will be on Wednesday
2nd June at 7:45pm, and will feature a talk and demonstration by Nick van
der Walle of Cerilica's Vantage package, for those who missed it at the
show.
Meetings are held at West Yorkshire Sports and Social Club, Sandal Hall
Close, off Walton Lane (A61) Barnsley Road, Sandal, Wakefield. There is
a map with directions at <http://www.cumbrian.demon.co.uk/wacg/>.
Visitors are charged an entrance fee of GBP1.50, and annual membership
(also available to postal members) is also available. Membership costs
GBP10 for Adults, with a reduced fee of GBP5 for Juniors (ie under 18),
and Family Membership is GBP20.
ANS Information
---------------
1) Contact ANS
Editor - James Sears - james@ans.acornusers.org
Webmaster - Stephen Courtney - stephen@ans.acornusers.org
Founder - Eytan Abrahams - eytan@ans.acornusers.org
Life-Webmaster - Richard Hesketh - richard@ans.acornusers.org
ADL Moderator - Paul Johnson - paul@ans.acornusers.org
Translator - Michael Gerbracht - michael@ans.acornusers.org
2) How to send in news
To send in your news items simply e-mail ans@acornusers.org, or use the
form on the ANS website <http://www.acornusers.org/ans/newsdesk.html>.
Also if you have an Acorn related announcements mailing list, feel free
to subscribe ans@acornusers.org.
3) How to subscribe to ANS
If you are reading this on the ANS web site, or have received a forwarded
copy of ANS and would like to subscribe to the mailing list, simply send
any e-mail to ans-subscribe@ans.acornusers.org. Alternatively use the form
on the ANS web site at <http://www.acornusers.org/ans/subscribe.html>.
For details of other commands e-mail ans-help@ans.acornusers.org.
4) Fetching web pages via e-mail
If you do not have web access you can fetch any URL referenced in ANS by
using the KFS web by e-mail service. To use this free service send an
e-mail to www@kfs.org with the subject header "send <URL>". For example to
fetch the web by e-mail service information page send an e-mail like this:
From: youraddress@example.com
To: www@kfs.org
Subject: send http://www.kfs.org/web-by-mail.html
------------ Acorn News Service, http://www.acornusers.org/ans/ ------------