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|-------------------------- Acorn News Service --------------------------|
| http://www.acornusers.org/ans/ |
| ISSUE 46 5 December 1999 |
| |
| An independent fortnightly newsletter for the Acorn world. |
| Send your news items or comments to ans@acornusers.org. |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Featured site: http://sun1.bham.ac.uk/N.M.Queen/pgp/acorn.html |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Contents
--------
1) Editorial
2) General News
3) Commercial News
4) PD/Shareware News
5) Club News
6) ANS information
Editorial
---------
Cryptography is important, especially on the Internet. Luckily most of
us live in countries where use or export of strong encryption is not
restricted, unlike the US, which is why useful software such as
PGPi (Norway), gnupg (Germany), OpenSSL (UK), and SSLeay (Australia)
have been developed and hosted in these countries.
However RISC OS is left without good encryption software in many areas.
We have PGP, which is good, but only v2.6.3i (and why does pgp -kc not
update trust?), while version 6, with several key improvements, is
available for other platforms.
SSL is now available commercially, but is not easy for people to obtain,
and there is no freeware SSL/TLS software. Ideally there would be a free,
open source module, which would provide SSocket SWIs, mirroring the
standard socket calls, but with encryption of every connection handled by
the module, for everything from web to mail.
Things are improving, for example an SSH client is available for RISC OS,
thanks to Theo Markettos' work on sshproxy, and most Fresco users can
finally get an SSL capable module. However there is a long way to go, and
this is an area which needs the attention of software developers. There is
also the opportunity for innovation - with a small group of users, it may
be easier to get most people using a new system, for example to verify
all e-mail and news in a transparent way.
Other software which I have recently noticed seems to be missing includes
a style guide compliant MPEG audio player (does no one else care about the
Style Guide?) and FTP and HTTP clients which support restarts.
Download PGP for RISC OS, and other useful utilities at:
<http://sun1.bham.ac.uk/N.M.Queen/pgp/acorn.html>
Support the Acorn User Group RC5/DES cracking effort:
<http://www.acornusers.org/rc5/>
James Sears, Editor
james@ans.acornusers.org
General News
------------
1) Discussion group for WIMP Class Libraries
A mailing list has been set up to allow discussion of the design, and
hopefully the subsequent implementation, of a set of C++ class libraries
for the RISC OS GUI.
The group was set up as a result of periodic discussions on the usenet
newsgroup comp.sys.acorn.programmer about constructing a set of C++ class
libraries which would allow the development of applications for the RISC
OS graphical user interface (GUI). In particular, the latest discussion
was fuelled by the release of an up-to-date version of the GNU C++
compiler for RISC OS.
Currently subscribers would like to discuss aspects of the library's
design: all input is gratefully received, so please join in the
discussion.
You can join the list either by sending any e-mail to
ro-guilib-subscribe@egroups.com or on the web at
<http://www.egroups.com/list/ro-guilib/>.
2) AntUtils mailing list
Paul Vigay has created an AntUtils mailing list for registered users of
the add ons for the ANT Internet Suite to share ideas, comments and bug
reports with each other, and so that registered users can get advance
notice of new developments and beta-test versions.
Registered users can subscribe by sending an e-mail to antutils@vigay.com
with the subject "subscribe AntUtils". For more information see
<http://www.vigay.com/riscos/comms.html>.
3) RISC OS Foundation to produce CD-based magazine
RISCOS Ltd. has announced it will produce several Foundation Newsletter CD
magazines in coming months, to provide Foundation members with a more
informative and useful publication than a paper-based newsletter.
Members of the Foundation have always been promised 4 newsletters and 2
CDs. RISCOS Ltd. feel that by producing a quarterly CD-based newsletter,
it can fulfil this promise in a way which members will keep and refer
back to. The first CD will be sent out towards the end of January.
<http://www.riscos.com/>
4) Last Kosovo CDs, first Turnbull 2 CDs
All the Kosovo CDs have now sold out and as announced Paul Johnson will
not be producing more.
The current charity CD project is now the the Steve Turnbull Bikeride II
double CD pack, which should be available at the end of this year.
The CDs contain nearly all the Acorn RISC OS related files from many FTP
sites, including ArmClub, HENSA, Barnet and Stuttgart, as well as other
software and useful information. The minimum donation for the CDs is just
GBP12.50 (includes UK P&P).
More information will be available from the Acorn Charity Site at
<http://www.acornusers.org/charitysite/>.
Commercial News
---------------
1) Archive CD success
Despite some problems caused by the company which created the Archive CDs
incorrectly including some audio CDs (of bagpipe music), sales have
already exceeded expectations. Anyone with an audio CD should contact
Archive for a replacement.
Among other things the Archive CD includes the complete set of Archive
magazines from 1991 to September 1999 in HTML format, listed by series as
well as by volume and issue.
The Archive CD costs just GBP12 (including postage), from
Archive Publications
18 Mile End Road
Norwich
NR4 7QY
<http://www.archivemag.co.uk/>
2) NightSky and RISC OS 4
Users of NightSky who have upgraded to RISC OS 4 will be aware that
versions 1.01 and 1.02 do not work after the upgrade. 1.03 is now
available and the update can be downloaded from
<http://www.claresmicro.com/support/nightsky.html>
3) iSV Products Christmas offers
iSV Products are offering the following products at reduced prices:
* ArtLesson CD - RRP GBP41.50, offer price GBP11.50
* DeskLock - RRP GBP31.50, offer price GBP16.50
* DrawWorks Millennium - RRP GBP61.50, offer price GBP41.50
* Dr Fonty - RRP GBP31.50, offer price GBP16.50
* EasyFontPRO - RRP GBP61.50, offer price GBP16.50
* Mr Clippy - RRP GBP21.50, offer price GBP11.50
* PublishART CD - RRP GBP31.50, offer price GBP16.50
* Pro Typography CD - RRP GBP31.50, offer price GBP16.50
* SerialNET - RRP GBP21.50, offer price GBP11.50
* XStitch Sovereign - RRP GBP36.50, offer price GBP21.50
More details on all these offers can be found on the iSV Products website
at <http://www.isvproducts.co.uk/> and in the latest issue of Acorn User.
4) Orrery and Photodesk Light with RISC OS 4
Updated versions of Orerry and Photodesk Light, adding RISC OS 4
compatibility, are available from Spacetech <http://www.spacetech.co.uk/>.
Users of Photodesk 2 should upgrade to Photodesk 3.
5) Cerilica MultiMedia Keyboard update
The new Cerilica MultiMedia Keyboard (MMK), which sold well at the
Midlands Show, will be compatible with the forthcoming RiscStation.
Also Cerilica Vantage has been able to take advantage of the keyboard's
new features. It is now possible to rotate and scale objects using the
rotational volume control. This is proving to be very intuitive and
Cerilica are looking for new ways to utilize the extra keyboard buttons
directly with Vantage.
The CerilicaMMK is available for GBP39.50, including VAT. The Cerilica web
site now contains full details about the product as well as how to order
from direct from Cerilica. <http://www.cerilica.com/>
6) Simtec IDEFS upgrade
The latest version of the Simtec IDEFS software, which is now shipping as
standard on 16 bit IDE interface, has RISC OS 4 compatibility and other
improvements.
The upgrade is now available for customers to download from Simtec's
website: <http://www.simtec.demon.co.uk/ide_interface.html>.
7) SharpEye Music Reader
SharpEye is a music OCR program, which converts printed music into a MIDI
file, a Rhapsody 4 file, or a PMS file. It costs GBP60 including printed
manual and postage.
There is more information at <http://www.balnakeil.demon.co.uk/>. A demo
version and an online manual can be downloaded.
8) acornusers.org e-mail and domain hosting
In addition to low cost addresses@acornusers.org, UK domain names are now
also available though acornusers.org, with either e-mail facilities or web
hosting.
* Individual e-mail @acornusers.org, forwarded or POP3 - GBP5pa
* UK domain and e-mail @yourdomain.co.uk or org.uk - GBP35pa
* Web hosting www.yourname.co.uk, 20MB, CGI, PHP, logs - GBP85pa
For further details see <http://www.acornusers.org/net/>.
PD/Shareware News
-----------------
1) STRing, new freeware OCR program
STRing is a free optical character recognition program, which takes a
black and white sprite as input, for example from a scanner, and outputs a
text file.
STRing is still being developed, but the current version is quite fast and
is fairly accurate when converting input files, and should be very useful.
For more information and to download see <http://www.arcsite.de/hp/mrb/>.
2) Other new software
* Indent, C code formatting
A RISC OS version of the GNU indent program (ported from GNU indent
v2.2.0). Used to tidy or otherwise fiddle with C code formatting, to
give all code a consistent look. It may be run either as a command line
program or using the GUI front end.
<http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/ttehtann/Programmes/>
* SibToDraw, Sibelius add on
SibToDraw has been designed to work along with Sibelius to produce any
type of music score. It has a Draw like user interface, and includes
several powerful editing tools. The full-release version of SibToDraw is
now available, and works with any flavour and version of Sibelius.
<http://space.tin.it/musica/glonigr/progs/STD199+.zip>
<http://www.notation.de/pages_e/std_detail.html>
* Siroj, calculator
Calculate how much each of the consumers of a service must to pay for
it. At the moment it calculates how much each of the author's house
mates owes for meals. An early version, the author would like to know
if anyone else has a use for it before it is developed further.
<http://Siroj.student.utwente.nl/>
* SPICE, analogue circuit simulator
SPICE is an analogue circuit simulator; it can perform non-linear DC,
non-linear transient, and linear AC analyses on circuits constructed
from any of a vast array of passive and active component models. The
distribution consists of the original, development version, all the docs
you could ever need, and some example circuits from the SPICE sources.
<http://home.freeuk.net/guy.griffin/spice.htm>
* TAB, Midifile conversion
4 new programs for Midifile - TAB - Midifile conversion are now
available for RISC OS users, TAB is a program to typeset lute tablature.
It works like TeX in that a plain text file (that bears little
resemblance to the desired output) is created and processed into a
device independent printer format file.
<http://userspace.ats.it/free/leddit/tab.html>
3) Updated software summary
* aICQ v0.17
ICQ is a way of communicating messages, web addresses (URLs) and files
across the Internet. It lets you find your friends in real time and
create a contact list from them and allows you to communicate online.
The new version is a major rewrite and general improvement.
<http://www.vigay.com/riscos/icq/>
* BeebIt v0.10
Freeware BBC Microcomputer emulator. New version is faster and includes
many improvements.
<http://www.voyager.co.nz/~mikef/>
* FTPc v1.21
FTPc is a freeware Internet File Transfer Protocol Client. The new
version adds Site command to selection submenu, allowing commands like
CHMOD to be applied to each file/directory in the selection.
<http://www.c-granville.freeserve.co.uk/>
* Make v1.7
Make allows you to build programs (or perform other activities)
automatically, acting on a makefile which gives relationships between
parts of the activity. New version compiled with latest GCC and UnixLib,
which should make it more reliable and possibly faster.
<http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/users/rrt1001/program.html>
* NetLM v0.32
NetLM is a program for logging onto LAN Manager shares and 'personal
work space', by working with the LanManFS or LanMan98 module.
Improvements include new configuration program, log on to LAN Manager
shares, and lock workstation.
<http://www.teletec.u-net.com/networking/riscos/programs.htm>
* PlaySound v1.73
Plays sound files. The new version includes many small bug fixes, adds
ability to output current time, improved cueing, optional large PlayIt
buffers, lots of new queue options, support for ARMovie files, improved
annotation.
<http://www.markscholes.freeserve.co.uk/software.html>
* smbserver v0.05
smbserver is a port of Samba which allows MS Windows and Unix machines
to share RISC OS discs using the Microsoft File Sharing Protocol (now
known as CIFS). This version includes long filename support, more
protocols, and will optionally stop treating archives as directories.
<http://www.merddin.demon.co.uk/>
* Stark v0.30
Stark is a small application providing a menu environment to launch
programs, set or change desktop styles, insert text, writable icons and
URLs, and keep your pinboard clear. New version includes bug fixes, more
intelligent menu ticking, new Messages file, and other improvements.
<http://www.dacha.freeuk.com/free/>
* Stocks v1.06
A new version of the freeware stock portfolio program Stocks is now
available. Stocks allows you to keep an eye on your stocks through a
simple user interface.
<http://www.magrathea.freeuk.com/softwr.html>
Club News
---------
1) December meeting dates from AAUG
The following user group meetings are planned for December. Always check
the AAUG web site <http://www.aaug.net/> to confirm details.
December 1999
=============
1st - SARC meeting
4th - Somerset - Preliminary meeting
17th - Blackpool 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) Northland, New Zealand - proposed RISC OS user group
There is already a busy Acorn user group in Auckland, but this is too far
away for many people in Northland to visit regularly.
It appears that there are at least a few RISC OS users in Northland, and
some in Whangarei, and it would be nice to get together from time to time,
to talk about and use RISC OS, and perhaps even have an occasional
visiting speaker.
If you feel you would be interested in the group, please e-mail Linda
Johnstone, bumblee@xtra.co.nz, or alternatively, phone on 09 432 2467.
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/ ------------