8-Bit Software Online Conversion

UPDATE OF QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS I have now received a total of 27 completed questionnaires (a reflection of the slowly rising membership), so it seems a good idea to provide an updated list of the rather limited statistics provided in Issue 21. Also included later in this article is an updated list of members' interests, so that members can if they wish get in touch with other members who share their interests. HARDWARE OWNED According to the questionnaire results, fourteen members own Master 128 computers, twelve own BBC 'B's, and one member has a Master Compact. In addition to this, I know that one other member who has yet to return his questionnaire owns a Master Compact, and three members own Master 512 systems, including Alan Blundell and Gareth Moore, who both have 512 sections in their PD libraries. This means that a narrow majority of members (14 against 13) have shadow RAM in their machines. The average number of Sideways RAM banks owned is 2.4. This indicates that all but a few users have at least one SRAM bank, with the majority having four. I would advise users without any sideways RAM at all to get an upgrade. Sixteen members have ADFS in their machines, as against ten without. However, ADFS issues seem to be presenting some problems for members with BBC 'B's due to memory restrictions, so at present I am only sending them out to Master owners, and BBC 'B' owners who specifically request it. Twenty people have 5.25" drives only, six people have both 5.25" and 3.5", and one person has only 3.5". Twelve members use televisions, ten good colour monitors, four poor colour monitors, and one a good monchrome monitor. Four members considered moving to a Teletext format all-important, as against 23 who didn't, although this is largely irrelevant now. As for additional hardware, this is now more widespread; two members have 65C102 co-processors, and one a 6502 second processor (these are effectively the same in operation, although the 65C102 runs twice as fast). Two members (myself and Hugh Williams) own 1Mb 32016 co-processors, although I have received at least half-a-dozen enquiries from other 32016 users who are interested in joining 8-Bit Software, and plan to find many more. We now have six members who own modems, and three members use Econet or know someone who does. Six members have a mouse, and three have either a Music 500 or a Music 5000. All but two members own a printer. MISCELLANEOUS The 27 members who filled in questionnaires knew 16 people who owned Acorn Electrons between them. Making issues compatible with the Electron remains a long-term objective, but not one that is likely to be achieved within the next three issues. Twenty-two members thought that the 50p charge was reasonable, and four didn't. All members but one thought a two-disk issue should be produced if necessary. The average age of members has risen to 34.8. The ages of members vary between 15 and 76, with all age-groups in between represented, and the most common being mid- to late teens. The average length of time members have owned their machines for is now 6.5 years. Five members said they had no programming ability at all; eight said they can write simple BASIC, five more complex BASIC, four members can write complex BASIC and simple assembler, and we now have a total of four "experienced coders". PREFERRED ARTICLES The average ratings for different types of articles have changed by a fair amount since the scores published in issue 21. Simple Programming and Advanced Programming both still score highly, though not as highly as before, 6.0 and 6.5 respectively. However, Hardware Information has now leaped up to an average score of 7.5, while reviews and cheats for commercial software has dropped to 5.9, only just above General topics (5.6). Modems/Comms scored 4.6. PREFERRED SOFTWARE Utilities still score the highest by far with 8.6, Applications are now next with 7.2, Graphics/demos are down to 6.8. This leaves Games with 6.11, Music with 5.5, and Educational software with 5.2. MEMBERS' INTERESTS Interests are included under two headings (where available), computer-related and general. Phone numbers are included where members have requested it. Addresses are only included where members have either published their address in the past, or where members have asked me to publish their phone numbers (in which case I have assumed they don't mind their address being published as well). If neither address nor phone number are given, a textfile message can be sent to the member via the 8BS messaging system (see issue 20 or the printed notes for details). Alternatively, send the message you want the member to have on paper (no more than one sheet of A4) to me, and I will enclose it with the next issue. If any of the details below are wrong, please let me know ASAP and I will correct them. Also let me know if I have not published your address and you would like me to. 05B John T.C. Frost 0473 822547 5 GAELL CRESCENT, HADLEIGH, IPSWICH, IP7 5HT Computing Interests: Spreadsheets Utilities Genealogy General Interests: Gamefishing Gardening 15A Steven Flintham 6 LAYTHORPE AVENUE, SKEGNESS, LINCOLNSHIRE, PE25 3BX Computing interests: BASIC & C Utility Writing Fractals Artificial Intelligence General interests: Astronomy Science Science fiction 16C Michael T Farnworth 27 Hunt St, Atherton, Manchester, M29 9JF Computing interests: Programming General interests: St John Ambulance Piano 176 Eric J Shuker 0271 864500 89 CHANNEL VIEW, ILFRACOMBE, DEVON EX34 9PU Computing interests: BASIC Programming Applications Word Processing 18E Steven J. Johnson 9 FOXGROVE, MILTON REGIS, SITTINGBOURNE, KENT, ME10 2DW Computing Interests: Business Education Games General Interests: Carpentry Music Sport 1K1 Abdus Sattar Shakoor Computing interests: PASCAL & 6502 Programming Kick Off 2 General interests: Football Squash Badminton 1V5 James M. Cavanagh 091 264 3250 8, DOWNHAM, WEST DENTON, NEWCASTLE ON TYNE, TYNESIDE, NE5 2YN Computing interests: Programming Games Graphics General interests: Satellite TV Music Videos 204 Carl Wheat Computing interests: BASIC Programming Games Educational 20G Roy Dickens 0933 55556 40 SHORTSTOCKS, RUSHDEN, NORTHANTS, NN10 0EB Computing interests: Programming Board Games 26M Roy W. Goodall 0532 679881 24 SILKMILL DRIVE,TINSHILL,LEEDS 16,LS16 6DX Computing interests: Comms Education General interests: Ham Radio 275 David Roy Steadman 0777 706995 7 WOODSIDE, RETFORD, NOTTS, ND22 7YA Computing interests: Education Puzzles Chess General interests: Gardening DIY Electronics 27N John Roy Ilsley 61 KINGSLEY ROAD, EASTNEY, PORTSMOUTH, HAMPSHIRE Computing interests: Programming Utilities AMX-type stuff General Interests: Mechanics Music Snakes 29Q Kenneth L Shenton Computing Interests: Programming Graphics Word-processing General Interests: Art Oil/Water Theatre/Cinema Astronomy 2CU Conrad S. Gay Computing Interests: Programming Versatility Entertainment General interests: Drawing/Art Music Dr.Who/Startrek 2J3 Chris Richardson Computing interests: Word Processing Programming Cheats General interests: Cycling Model Building Electronics 483 Daniel G. Shimmin 0204 492613 1 OAKWOOD DRIVE, HEATON, BOLTON, BL1 5EE Computing Interests: BASIC/C/LISP Hardware Expansion WP General Interests: PBM Gaming Hockey 53B John G Carpenter Computing Interests: Running a BB BASIC Programs General Interests Music Driving (!?) 6EE Michael G Needham 0742 424474 153 FIRTH PARK ROAD, SHEFFIELD, S5 6WU Computing interests: Desktop Publishing Graphics Music 709 Hugh Stuart Williams 0873 810162 17 EVEREST DR, CRICKHOWELL, POWYS, SOUTH WALES, NP8 1DH Computing interests: Programming Graphics Comms General interests: PBM Gaming Food Films Bridge Chess 7GE Matthew R Price Computing interests: Word Processing DTP Games General interests: PBM Gaming War/Board Games Music B27 Hedley L. Clarke Computing Interests: Database Design Printer Utils Disk Utils BC1 Brian W. Wood General interests: Photography Elect./Radio C83 David R Stillman Computing interests: DIY Hardware Graphics Games General interests: Martial Arts TV Reading Stephen King YJ2 Andrew P Snodgrass Computing interests: BASIC Programming AMX DTP Digi I. Sound Sampling General interests: PBM Games Amateur Video Hill Walking Badminton