To : 999 (All)
From : 3PM
Subject: Printer drivers
I use VIEW with excellent driver by
C.Ferrington, Acorn User Nov89,
modified for my SWIFT24. Anyone know if
he ever came up with the improved
driver editor he was working on?
To : 999 (All)
From : 3PM
Subject: Copyright
If I modify/rewrite a text book prog.
to correct gross errors which render
the prog useless, ie not just printers
errors, can I, say, offer it to 8-BS
without tracing the author? Or is it
infringing the publishers copyright by
communicating that part of the work
which is unchanged? If so, adding a
single line which makes a prog perform
a quite different function from the
original would also infringe? Patents
are granted on the basis of such
ingenuity! Where can one find specific
answers or is it back to ECU tossing?
To : 999 (All)
From : 3PM
Subject: Wanted
Text :
Morley AA board for Master 128
To : 999 (All)
From : 15A (Steven Flintham)
Subject: Software wanted
Has anyone got a copy of Micropower's
Imogen on 40 track disc that they'd be
prepared to sell for next to nothing
(£1.00-£2.00 including postage). I
bought it on Play It Again Sam 5 (?) a
good few years ago but none of the
other games would work. I'm sure the
disc was corrupt, but the supplier said
it was my Watford DFS 1.30 (can anyone
tell me if PIAS5 does work with this
DFS? - it would be nice to know who was
wrong!) and so I had to send it back
and buy Exile instead (which I then
proceeded to corrupt!)
It was a fantastic game and I think the
animation might put some of today's
games to shame. I nearly completed it
while I had my copy (with the aid of
a cheat to give infinite
transformations!), but I never finished
it - can anyone help?
Contact me via 8BS or write to:
Steven Flintham
6 Laythorpe Avenue
Skegness
Lincolnshire
PE25 3BX
To : L1L (Jock Smylie) & 999 (All)
From : 15A (Steven Flintham)
Subject: DFS disc space
I haven't tried doing this, but if you
can't find any other way and you're
getting desperate, what about the
following bit of code:
*FX3,2 (turn off screen output)
*SPOOL TEMP (redirect output to TEMP
file)
*FREE ('display' free disc space to
TEMP file)
*SPOOL (close TEMP file)
*FX3,0 (restore screen output)
and then write a routine to read the
free space out of the TEMP file
(deleting it afterwards), which will
have the same format as the *FREE
display on screen. You could do
something similar with *INFO as well,
although there are definitely
neater ways of finding out the length
of a file.
I expect there is a better way (perhaps
even an OS call) but I don't have any
technical reference books on the DFS so
I can't tell, and it's always nice to
have a last resort!
To : 999 (All)
From : 15A (Steven Flintham)
Subject: Master 128 battery
I would just like to thank everyone for
all the information - I'm astonished at
just how much everyone else seems to
know about it!
To : 999 (All)
From : 27N (John Ilsley)
Subject: Eproms and Light pens
I can offer a 16k Eprom blowing
service.
Price each 3.00
Programming of a Eprom that you have
sent to me:
1=5.00, 2=9.00 3=12.00, for more ask me
for details.
Programming of a Eprom(s) that I have
to buy for you:
Buy & program 1=6.00, 2=10.00 3=9.50,
for more ask for details.
Eproms erased for 1.00. I cannot
guarantee that ALL Eproms will erase
and verify correctly.
All programs/Eprom images must be
supplied on either a 3.5" or 5.25"
40/80 track DFS/ADFS/HADFS disc.
This disc will be returned with
instructions etc...
I supply only 16k (27128a) Eproms, but
will program almost anything from 2k
to 16k, 12volts or 24volts.
Not CMOS Eproms though. These priced
include P&P in Great Britian (exc
Channel Isle/Isle of Man & Northern
Ireland). Eproms that I program will
be tested where possible if they do
not require any external hardware.
I nor 8BS will accept responsiblility
for any mishaps to your self/hardware/
software resulting from this service.
I can also supply light pens for £5.00p
each.
All of these prices include P+P.
To : 999 (All)
From : 27N (John Ilsley)
Subject: Wanted
Atari 800XL cassette deck.
To : 20G & 0E7 & 999 (All)
From : 3PM (DPJ)
Subject: Mortgage comment.
Guilty. Never do any error trapping
until final version..what's that? I
agree its not fair to others so I'll
reform, a bit. Thanks for the tips. See
'Altrit' (possibly in this Issue) for
starters.
Line 350 for a 'no screen clutter'
version. Remove 'REM' at Line 710 for
an 'if you prefer it' variant.
How about DEF PROCwhy(ohwhy) calls for
multi-source input errors?. Somebody
must have some neat procedures. W.H.Y?
The 'Mgage' interest change procedure
is to ask for Closing Balance at the
due date for the change, select New
Mortgage at next prompt and use these
figures for the 'new' mortgage
principal and start date. Just stick in
any mortgage term (say 10 years) and at
the next prompt change monthly premiums
to your usual amount. The program
cyclic prompts were designed with this
in mind but you have to note all the
data at the change date (from Detailed
Listing) and do a bit of addition if
you want the 'total period' mortgage
cost. Thats messy, so program now
extended to process changes painlessly.
(See Altrit for method). Mgage will be
re-issued along with additional
facilities in due course. Many thanks
20G & 0E7 for the critique.
To : 27N (John Ilsley)
From : L1L (Jock Smylie)
Subject: Hardware projects
I intend to make the sound control
changes to my Beeb as you described in
8BS Issue 27, in the near future.
Please continue with your intended
articles. I am particularly interested
in the forthcoming article regarding
the connection of multiple drives to
the Beeb.
To : 999 (all members)
From : L1L (Jock Smylie)
Subject: Barcode Reader
Does anyone have a barcode reader for
the BBC Model B that they do not use
and would wish to sell to me. Some sort
of operating software would also be
needed. Alternatively would anyone be
willing to design such a device.
Or, does anyone know where I could buy
a barcode reader.
If anyone can sell me a barcode reader
then they would need to include the
cost of AIRMAIL postage to Australia in
any asking price.
To : 999 (all members)
From : L1L (Jock Smylie)
Subject: ADFS,HADFS,DFS,Issue disks &
the BBC Model B
The use of ADFS for Issue disks is not
very practical for a Model B with an
8271 DFS (v0.9E), as with my setup, as
ADFS supposedly doesn't work with the
8271. I'm sure others are in this
position also. Therefore a 2 disk
option for DFS sounds good. Else,
software could be included in a DFS
archive. These options would be viewed
by myself and others as much better
than not getting the software at all.
That is, the software often included in
the ADFS extra section of the Issue
disks. I also have a copy of HADFS
(v0.33) but this does not work properly
with the 8271 DFS either. When a
program access a disk a sector error is
produced. This results in the prorgam
crashing. However if the disk command
is issued again immediately it appears
to work. There is a version 0.45 but I
do not have it and therefore cannot
test it. Some of the promising sounding
software in past issues was not
available to DFS users. I would be
quite happy to send an extra disk per
issue or to spend time unarchiving
software, just to be able to have it.
To : 999 (all members)
From : L1L (Jock Smylie)
Subject: DISK vs DISC
User 15A, Steven Flintham's comments
regarding the spelling of programme and
program seem valid enough. I would just
like to add my view on the spelling of
DISK/DISC. Disc appears to be becoming
the widely adopted standard spelling.
This could possibly be due to the now
popular medium, the Compact Disc. I
however thought that the computer disk
was an abbreviation of the the floppy
diskette. Anyway, it doesn't really
matter does it !? I think that it is
merely an issue of personal preference.
To : 999 (all members)
From : L1L (Jock Smylie)
Subject: IBM antivirus software
I have sent Chris a couple of copies of
VIRUscan. This software is a shareware
virus checker and disinfection program
for the IBM. I do not know whether it
will work with the Master 512 or the
Archimedes emulators, but it might.
Anyway, anyone who wants a copy for the
ir M512/Arc/IBM can contact Chris
Richardson at the usual address.
To : 999 (All)
From : 3WU (Fred Price)
Subject: Spell Master
One of the things I pass my time with
is crosswords and when the Spell Master
was installed in my old 8bit I found it
was very good at anagrams and spelling.
Unfortunately through a stroke I don't
drive now and I am in the lucky
position (vertical) of having my own
private chauffeur (the wife) and I
usually spend my time doing crosswords
when traveling and the beeb's just a
bit too big for the car.
The one thing that gets round this
problem is a dictionary that fits in
your shirt pocket that works a 100%
better than the Spell Master is the
Franklin Wordmaster which is much more
versatile and the Spell Master will
still get used in the View mode so
please dont think I am against it and
it is available at Tandy's at £49.99 it
contains a Theasurus with 780,000
synonyms for 41,000 words in all a very
handy little tool.
To : 999 (All)
From : 3SQ (Tim Parsons)
Subject: Beebug Master Rom
I would very much like to hear from
anyone who has the Beebug Master Rom,
with the possibility of a loan of or a
copy of the Manual, please. I would
also like to hear from anybody who has
or knows the where abouts of
Hi-Wordwise and/or Hi-Intersheet
please.
Tim Parsons, 40 Coniston Road,
Flitwick, BEDS, MK45 1QH. 0525-715013.
To : 999 (All)
From : YJ2 (Andrew Snodgrass)
Subject: "Have You Lost Your Marbles
Delux" by Andy Nibbs
Here are the the codes for the
default levels which appeared on
Masterdisk Magazine issue 1 .......
Levels:
A 39532
B 59311
C 56578
D 12485
E 25642
F 99931
G 54345
H 76754
I 61932
J Completed
To : 999 (All)
From : YJ2 (Andrew Snodgrass)
Subject: R.YJ2 Repton 3 codes
Here are the codes for my Repton 3
compatible screens:
A - TANKS
B - TORNADO
C - AMAZING
D - ANTHRAX
E - ROKROLL
F - SHIFTIN
G - COMPLEX
H - CONTEST
To : 999 (All)
From : YJ2 (Andrew Snodgrass)
Subject: Codename Droid (Stryker's Run
II) tip & query
If you have ever tried replenishing
your shields or blaster and failed
despite the fact you have a spare
battery try checking that the caps-lock
is on.
Help! I am stuck on sector 3 and keep
on getting killed by the claws which
fall from the roof. Also in this sector
which computer are you meant to put the
disc in and how do you do so?
To : 999 (All)
From : YJ2 (Andrew Snodgrass)
Subject: Lars Osterballe Hawkeye /
Audiopak
Has anyone managed to alter any of Lars
Osterballe's programs to run on the
Master 128 (according to the
documentation this would require the
complete gutting of the software) ?
To : 2J3 C.J.Richardson
From : YJ2 (Andrew Snodgrass)
Subject: TBI pool
Last issue you discussed the
possibility of setting up a seperate
PD software house. What I want to know
is:
1) Would it be independent of 8BS?
2) Who's going to run it?
3) Would prices increase (i.e. > 10p
per double sided 80T disc)?
4) When would this PD house be
implemented?
5) Would there be a regular Public
Domain library update every issue
(space permitting)?
6) In the meantime before any PD
library is set up who do we send
our 10 pences to in order to get
Public Domain discs?
While on the subject of PD software
does anyone know if Frisky Clams are
still in existence? I recently sent off
an SAE for a catalogue and never
recieved a reply.
Editor.... You will see a mention of
the future of the TBI pool in NEWS from
the mag menu. However in reply to your
points:
1. It will not be independant of 8BS at
present.
2. I will be running it.
3. Prices increase to 100p for non
members. For this they get disc
and p+p. Members still pay only
10p if including disc and p+p.
4. Now!
5. When space permits there will be
regular updates, plus a disc based
catalogue.
6. Send all your requests to me.
To : 999 (All)
From : YJ2 (Andrew Snodgrass)
Subject: Arc to BBC Master 128 Link?
I know many of 8BS members also have an
Archimedes and I was wondering if it
was possible to connect a 5.25 inch
disc drive to eg the A3010 (which I am
thinking about purchasing in the near
future) or would it be preferable to
use a serial link to tranfer programs?
If it is posible to connect up a 5.25"
drive would it have to have its own
power supply or is there one present in
the A3010? While on the subject of the
Arc is there a (PD?) utility for
reading native Apple Mac discs?
To : 4G7 and 999
From : 20G (Roy Dickens)
Thanks for the comments about the f KEY
utils program. I have, like you, also
put the INTERWORD ctrl/shift fkeys in
my !BOOT. Also in the !BOOT is a ding!
Instead of a beep! I use the idea by
Matthew Bennion in the VOL.7 NO.12
Micro User letters section. To change
the beep try
ENVELOPE 1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,-126,-2,0,-1,
126,80
*FX 211, 1
*FX 212, 0
*FX 213, 180
*FX 214, 1
You should then get a ding like a bell.
To : 0E7 and 999
From : 20G (Roy Dickens)
Subject: Tax and Insurance program
I have now updated the 'Tax&Ins'
Program Fred, from 92/93 to 93/94 not a
lot to change this time. (But what do
they have up their sleeve for the
autumn budget?! Seventeen and a half
percent on our fifty pence?). May-be
Chris will put the program in this
issue or when he has room.
To : 0E7 and 999
From : 20G (Fred Nevin)
Subject: Recycling
Yes Fred I did stay the course and read
your comments especially about
recycling. I remember the metal railing
(war effort) being taken, also from
parks. Before then we were locked out
by the park keeper at sunset. Once the
rails had gone the parks were very busy
after dusk! What about the recycling of
meal/food scraps? Lots of streets had a
dustbin known as a pig bin and the idea
was that we all put stuff in for the
poor pigs.
I say poor because there was so much
junk put in I'm sure it didn't do the
pigs any good. It didn't do the people
living near the stinking bin any good
either on a hot day!
To : 3SQ (Tim Parsons) and 999
From : 20G (Roy Dickens)
Congratulations Tim, your letter in the
recent ACORN USER stirring it up about
lack of Beeb stuff. But by their reply
they don't really want to know.
To : 999 (All)
From : 6EE (Mick Needham)
Subject: 128 Master
Acorn are discontinuing production of
the Master 128, when the last 2,000, to
complete existing orders, have been
produced the 128 will cease production.
We have it seems come to the end of an
era!
To : 999 (All)
From : 6EE (Mick Needham)
Subject: For sale
I have a lot of Beebug magazines I wish
to sell, they are:-
Vol.1 no.9, 10
Vol.2 no.2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10
Vol.3 no.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Vol.4 no.1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10
Vol.5 no.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10
Vol.6 no.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Vol.7 no.1, 2:
All in good condition, 20p each plus
postage,
For Sale
Acornsoft Forth Rom, and book, 'Forth
on the BBC Microcomputer and Acorn
Electron by Richard de Grandis-Harrison
in perfect condition 10 for both, plus
postage.
For Sale
Acorn Prestel Adapter (modem), complete
with ROM, manual in full working order.
10 plus postage.
For Sale
Large collection of software, tapes,
50p each plus postage, comprise the
following:-
Palace of Magic, Quest, Hunchback,
Star Striker, 2002, Gideon's Gamble,
Frogger, Deathstar, Alien Destroyers,
World Geography, European Knowledge,
Galaforce, Colditz Adventure, Jetpac,
Knight Lore, Atic Atac, Sabre Wulf,
Nightshade, Arkanoid, Wizadore, Theatre
Quiz, Science Fiction Quiz, Music Quiz,
Snapper, Spinx Adventure, Countdown to
Doom, Rocket Raid, Labyrinth, Revs,
Erik the Viking, The Pen and the Dark,
Combat Lynx, BBC Mastermind, BBC
Mastermind Quizmaster, Nightworld,
Lunar Rescue, Blagger, Grid Iron, Peter
Scott Trilogy, Fortress, Birdie
Barrage, Zalaga, Home Finance, Football
Manager, Firehawks, Planes, Pinball
Arcade, Gunsmoke, Castle Assault,
Demolator, Snorter, The Hacker, The
Horse Lord.
Compilations on tape, 1.50 each, plus
postage:-
The Gold Collection, BBC Bonanza, The
Complete BBC, Megaplay Vol. 1
Disk Software, 3 each plus postage:-
Revs, Thrust, Galaforce, Spycat,
Barbarian, Palace of Magic, Imogen,
W.A.R., Trivial Persuit, Starquake,
Psycastria.
ROMs for sale, 6 each plus postage:-
Caretaker and Toolkit.
153 Firth Park Road, Sheffield, S5 6WU.
To : 999 (All members)
From : 2J3
Subject: 5.25" discs for 27.5p each!
I have just purchased another quantity
of 5.25 inch discs DS DD. That's 300
now! With no reported problems.
If you want some, any quantity from 1
upwards, contact me.
Send £1.00p and a first class stamp, I
will send you 3 DFS formatted discs.
Or send £3.25p and I will send 10 discs
to you (this includes postage of 50p).
Anyone interested, drop me a line.
C.J.Richardson
17 Lambert Park Road
Hedon
Hull
HU12 8HF
To : 999 (All)
From : 2J3 (C.J.Richardson)
Subject: For sale
I have in my possession for a very
limited time:
"Chatterbox II" Speech Synthesis by
William Stuart systems limited. With
supporting software. It Plugs into the
User port and makes interesting noises.
Plus: "Big Ears" Speech recognition
system. Plugs into Chatterbox. Includes
supporting software.
These items are for sale as one unit
and include full instructions. I have
tested it out and can guarantee that it
works fine. Just £15.00 Plus p+p of
about £2.00p.
Contact me before the next issue
deadline when I shall return it to it's
present owner.
To : 999 (All)
From : 19F (Theo Gray)
Subject: Beeb Help
Just a couple of questions I would
like answered if anyone has the answers:
-How can sprites with >2 colours in be
defined?
-Every now and then, my telly pings at
me after about 1/2 hour or so of using
the computer. This happens in a very
random fashion, sometimes quickly, and
sometimes even corrupting the screen
or crashing the computer. Most of the
time this doesn't end up happening, but
it is annoying. Can any one help?
-I recently came into ownership of
"The Music System" from Island Logic,
and saw in an old advert that there was
a utility to transfer Music System files
to Basic. After phoning the company who
used to do this package, I found that
they only now do the system itself.
I was wondering if anyone owned the
utilities disk, and if so does the BASIC
utility allow tunes to be played on any
BBC without the Music System? Also, does
anyone know where I could get hold of
one?
To : 999 (All)
From : 19F (Theo Gray)
Subject: PC Help
I know this is a BBC magazine, but if
anyone knows about PC's, could you help
me with a few points:
-Could someone point me to a book on
programming with a PC (apart from just
batch files), if it possible to do
anything else with just MS-DOS?
-Is it possible to design your own
sprites for use in 'Program Manager'
in Microsoft Windows 3.0?
-I was recently thinking of upgrading
my memory, and I was wondering, after
looking at adverts whether the final no.
in the specification of memory SIMMS
(e.g. 1MB x 9 - 70, here it is 70) means
the accesing time in nanoseconds or
something else?
To: 999
From: 19F (Theo Gray)
Re: Still for Sale and there's more
than last issue, so hurry while
stocks last.
Why not just have a read through
these bargains which are just
waiting in a corner of my room
to go to a good home somewhere
in Britain? Why not even buy the
whole lot in one go? I don't
mind.
I am still offering the Watford
Electronics Printer ROM for £5 only
(It hurts me to just give it away
like this)
Phone (0525)220136 if you are interested
after 7:30pm weekdays. Also I have some
software for sale:
-On Tape-
- 2 Welcome tapes (yes I know, but
someone might want them) - 50p each
- Shapes (under 5's) - 50p
- Monsters )
- Missile Base )
- Meteors ) - 75p each
- Snapper )
- Bumble Bee )
- Missing Signs )
- Table Adventures )
- Cranky ) - £1 each
- Frankenstein 2000 )
- Palace of Magic (+Map) - £2
- Football Manager - £2
- Masters of the Universe Super
Adventure - £2
- Play it again Sam 2: Repton 3, Crazee
Rider, Galaforce, Codename:Droid - £2
- The Gold Collection: Jetpac, Knight
Lore, Night Shade, Sabre Wulf, Pirate
Adventure, Voodoo Castle, Strange
Odyssey, Buckaroo Banzai, Temple of
Terror - £3
- BBC Bonanza: Psycastria, Ultron,
Thunderstruck, Contraption, Wizzy's
Mansion, Last of the Free, Space Ranger
- £3
- ABC - This is very good word processor
which allows all the normal
features of a wordprocessor with
good extra graphics to help you
along the way (with ABC to view
file converter) - £3
-On Disc-
- Ziggy - £2.50
- Knitwear Designer - £4
- Mini Office II - £6
All are originals in original boxes
with instructions ( NOT incl. postage)
£30 for the lot (incl. postage)
-Books-
- 35 Educational Programs For the BBC
Micro - Ian Murray
- Writing Educational Programs for the
BBC and Electron: A Practical Guide
- Dave Carlos/ Tim Harrison
- Help Your Child: Computing, the first
step - Caroline Hughes
- Disk Systems for the BBC Micro - Ian
Sinclair (a very useful guide to disk
systems, carefully explaining them,
and the jargon associated)
- Micro's are Fun & Projects for
Programs from the ladybird computing
series
- 30 Hour BASIC: Standard Edition -
Clive Prigmore
To : 999 (All)
From : 4G7 (J. R. Hay)
Subject: A & B Computer Magazines
Further to my enquiry for copies of
certain mags. I have now received all
the copies up to June 1988, except for
Vol.1 Issue 2. Can anyone say when
the Mag. ceased publication?
To : 999 (All)
From : 4G7 (J. R. Hay.)
Subject: Inter-Base Programming.
A recent issue of Micro Mart carried an
ad. from Martin T. Pickering,
indicating that he had for sale a book
he had written on Inter-Base
programming. It transpires that the
book was about to be published but is
now being distributed on disc with
worked example programs at £10 (incl.
p & p.), although there are a limited
number of copies of the manual, printed
and bound (spiral) at a cost of £14.95.
In addition to this 250 page book Mr.
Pickering has a number of other
programs, connected with Inter-base and
Inter-word which are on rom format -
Inter-base - The XMenu Rom, Inter-Mail
- The Letter Manager Rom (ADFS only),
Select - The Rom Manager Rom, Wordwise
Mail - a facility for Wordwise Plus 1.4
or later. All enquiries should be
addressed to Martin T. Pickering,
10 Bollin Close, Sandbach, Cheshire,
CW11 9TZ. Telephone: (0270) 761928
(between 8pm & 9pm). Having printed out
the disc I found it full of interest
and the subject very clearly explained.
To : 999 (All)
From : 4G7 (J. R. Hay )
Subject: Aries B-12 Rom Board
Just to advise that I have now
succeeded in acquiring a used B-12 Rom
Board to complement my existing B-32
Shadow Ram Board. Grateful thanks to
those whom I know have been keeping an
open eye for me.