8-Bit Software Online Conversion

                                                        To : 999 (All members) From : 483 (Daniel Shimmin) Re : FOR SALE Spectrum 48/128 games on tape, over 100 of them (boxed originals with instrux) for around 30p each plus postage. Anyone interested let me know and I'll send you a list to choose from. Terminator for Sega Game Gear. Perfect condition, boxed with instructions. Fifteen pounds. ZX Spectrum 48K power pack. Allegedly can also be used to power a Sega Megadrive in case your PSU blows (I wouldn't know). One pound fifty plus postage. Kempston Pro Joystick Interface for ZX Spectrum 48K. Has ports for three joysticks, and can be used with Kempston, Cursor, and Sinclair joystick-compatible games. Also a slot for cartridge games. Three pounds plus postage. Dead ZX Spectrum 48K. Probably in complete working order apart from blown ULA, and hence will have working Z80A, 48K of RAM, all the other bits for electronics enthusiasts. (I can't find anyone prepared to fix it). Only fifty pence plus postage. Cassette recorder suitable for computer use with volume control, tape counter, Mic, Ear and Remote sockets, connector for BBC tape connection (incl. motor control) and large built-in speaker (so needn't be used only for computer). Still works but now ten years old, so two pounds plus postage. Large Hitachi ghetto-blaster style portable stereo with four-band radio, three-band graphics equaliser, stereo CD etc. input, headphones socket, decent size speakers. One cassette deck is broken but the other is OK, incl. record facility. Otherwise in complete working order, five pounds plus postage. I know someone who is selling an Amstrad PCW, complete with printer, monitor, 3" and 5.25" drives. I believe it is an 8256 which has been upgraded, presumably to 512K. The price is one hundred pounds; get in touch with me and I will put you in touch with them. I can be contacted on 0204 492613 until October, or write to 1 Oakwood Drive, BOLTON BL1 5EE, or contact me via 8BS.  To : 999 (All members) From : 483 (Daniel Shimmin) Re : WANTED Amstrad 3" disk drive suitable for connection to Spectrum +2A. Serial lead suitable for connecting Spectrum +2A RS232 to Master 128 RS423.  To : 999 (All members) From : 483 (Daniel Shimmin) Re : 2-disk issue? After reading Jock Smylie's comments last issue, where he pointed out that many DFS users are missing out on the ADFS extra software, and that having two disks for each ADFS issue would solve this problem, I am tempted to agree. Previously, there has not been as much of a problem, as both Chris and I have mostly restricted the extra ADFS software to Master-only software, samples of items in the TBI pool, graphics screens etc. However, now that the amount of contributions has again increased, some good software that would have made the DFS issue much more interesting, such as the wave demo etc. in Issue 28, are only available to ADFS users. The alternatives to having two-disk issues are archiving, or alternatively joining several BASIC programs together in one file. Archiving has its disadvantages; joining programs was used in Issue 28 to save DFS filenames, but can be confusing to new users. Reducing the gaps between issues cannot be a long-term solution, as this results in many people (including myself) having difficulty in meeting the deadlines. Delaying software from one issue to the next (and the next...) is not particularly desirable either, and simply delays the problem to a later date. So it seems that having a two-disk issue for DFS users, while using only one disk for ADFS users, would be a good idea. One disk could be used for the magazine, allowing as much text as was available, as well as the opportunity to have sections split up into as many articles as necessary. The other could be used for software, thus allowing all members' software to be published almost immediately, and the best of other PD software to be included as well, without worrying about space.  To : 999 (All members) From : 483 (Daniel Shimmin) Re : My assembler article in 8BS 28 Just so everyone knows, this was in fact written rather a long time ago (two years in fact). I am unlikely to have the time to continue it at the moment, and it ends rather abruptly, so if anyone has the inclination to continue from the point where it finishes, please do so.  To : 999 (All members) From : 483 (Daniel Shimmin) Re : One-liner competition I don't know how anyone else feels about this, but it seems to me that using a program to poke in lines of such length that they could not be entered at the keyboard is cheating a little!  To : 999 (All members) From : 483 (Daniel Shimmin) Re : Mad Rabbit PD This library have contacted me recently, and although I am not sure how exactly their library is arranged at present, I believe from this and from a mention in Acorn Computing that they are back in business.  To : 0E7 + 3PM + YJ2 + 999 From : 483 (Daniel Shimmin) Re : Beebug's demise Fred Nevin is right in saying that 8BS and Solinet are the only options left after the demise of Beebug, but I'm convinced that both Solinet and 8BS will continue as long as the demand exists - we should be able to equal the 5 years that Acorn computers have promised to continue producing spare parts for 8-bit machines. Also, of course, there are the half-dozen or so other PD libraries, some of which have been going for nearly 10 years, and intend to continue as long as necessary. Unfortunately there is little prospect of 8BS or Solinet managing to persuade contributors to Beebug to join us, as previously contributors were paid quite substantial amounts, or so I'm told. However, we will make an attempt to persuade some of the ordinary members of Beebug to join.  To : 0E7 + 999 (Fred Nevin and all) From : 483 (Daniel Shimmin) Re : Upgrading options For those who wish to follow Beebug's example and leave the 8-bit world for a more modern machine, the question of which machine to choose arises. As can be seen from the Archimedes vs. BBC debate (which later developed into the Archimedes vs. PC debate), all the experts appear to have different views. Here is my attempt at a summary. PC's and Archimedes provide relatively similar facilities and software. Both have provision for large hard disk drives, fast processors, high-quality monitors and several megabytes of RAM to allow virtually any category of software to run on them, from high-quality console-style games to DTP programs, accounts, advanced word processors, etc. There are however several differences to be considered and weighed against each other. (1) The Archimedes retains some features of the BBC range, such as BBC BASIC and the ADFS filing system, so BBC users who wish to continue pottering around in BASIC but with greater speed and superior facilities than an 8-bit machine will be happier this way, and there will be no need to learn DOS and some new language such as C. (2) The actual hardware tends to be cheaper for the PC range by about 30% for a machine with an equivalent processor (486DX vs. A5000, say). However, this is the average PC, and some would claim that the Arc is as well built and reliable as the more expensive PC's, such as Dell etc. However, extra hard drives, RAM, scanners etc., do certainly seem to be cheaper for PC's. (3) If you plan to use the machine solely or mainly for business then there is far more business software for the PC than the Arc; there will be Arc packages to cover most things but perhaps not quite what you are after, whereas on the PC you can be sure of anything being available. (4) The PC market brings in new technology faster than the Arc one. This can be either advantage or disadvantage. For example, virtually all new PC's have facilities for inserting new, faster processors to replace their existing ones when the need arises, while with all new Arcs this is impossible. However, in the PC market continuous upgrading seems to be virtually enforced (a 386SX PC will soon be unable to run most new software, for example), while even if you bought a relatively lowly A3020 Archimedes you should be able to count on software support for another 3-4 years at least. (5) PC packages appear to be programmed less efficiently, requiring preferably 4Mb of RAM or more and large amounts of hard disk space. (PC pundits claim this is because they have so many facilities, and for some PC games this may well be true). By contrast Archimedes owners can just about manage with 2Mb of RAM and no hard disk AT ALL (although I would recommend a 60Mb HDD and a machine capable of expanding to 4Mb of RAM), thus enabling them to buy a substantially cheaper machine but still run similar software. (6) PC's appear to have a clear edge over current Arcs in terms of graphics display capabilities. Whether this is important to you is your choice. (7) Both Archimedes and PC assembly language are markedly more difficult than BBC (the PC apparently even more so), but the Arc has BASIC, and there are loads of PC programming languages available. (8) If you want to make money out of your programs, or get a job as a programmer in the long term, you are more likely to do it on the PC. Really obsessed perfectionist programmers might be able to do well writing a brilliant game in assembly language for the Arc though. Recommended PC: 486SX-25, 4Mb RAM, 80Mb hard drive (minimum). Larger hard drive VERY valuable. Dell Dimension range well worth looking at. 5.25" drives are unnecessary. For a better machine, a 486DX-33 with ability to fit DX-66 processor or Pentium is worth looking at, try to get a 100Mb or so HDD. Don't buy a notebook unless you REALLY need one. Recommended Arcs: If you insist on buying cheap, A3010 with RAM upgraded to 2Mb. A3020 with 2Mb RAM and 60Mb HDD and Colour Monitor (existing monitors for BBC's are, I believe, incompatible, and it's a waste to look at such good graphics on a TV). Multiscan monitor is not essential. A5000 with 4Mb RAM. I personally don't plan to buy either in the next six months, since the current Archimedes range will soon be out of date as a new range with different processors and graphics capability appear, and I expect 486 PC prices to fall considerably as the Pentium grows in popularity.  To : YJ2+999 (Andrew Snodgrass & all) From : 483 (Daniel Shimmin) Re : 5.25" drive for A3010 I very much believe that there is no interface provided (I could be wrong) and am not sure whether an add-on facility is possible. Serial link appears to be a popular method of transferring data/programs (is there a serial port on the A3010?) Much simpler is sending me a disk and asking me to put it on 3.5" ADFS L, which any Archimedes can read.  To : 3PM + 999 From : 483 (Daniel Shimmin) Re : Copyright The legal position is probably that if you use virtually any part of someone else's coding then you have breached their copyright, regardless of changing the function of the program. However, if you only use their technique, you're OK. If you're using their technique and just so happen to have an identical piece of code then think again.  To : 19F + 999 (Theo Gray + everyone) From : 483 (Daniel Shimmin) Re : PC memory I am pretty sure the figures 70, 90 etc. are the access times in nanoseconds. The lower the better, of course. (70 is pretty good if buying by the megabyte).  To : 999 From : 483 (Daniel Shimmin) Re : Questionnaire results I'm interested to see that we now have a total of six members who own either 6502 second processors or 65C102 co-processors. Time for some parallel processing software maybe? Software writers may be interested to see that a total of ten members have mice. And there are eight people with modems. One suggestion that has been floating around for a while is that someone with a modem should do an article listing and comparing the services available from all the various bulletin boards available, as I'm sure the modem-owning members would find this very useful. Any offers? While on the subject, there seem to be at least twenty people who have not filled in the new version of the questionnaire.  To : 999 + (YJ2 Andrew Snodgrass) From : 0E7 (Fred Nevin) Subject : Issue 4 of 8BIT Software Congratulations on taking on and accomplishing such a mammoth task as compiling an Index/Directory for all the issues of 8BIT software.It is going to be quite a task to keep it going and an update each month would appear to be too much. May I suggest that perhaps someone could write a DIY programme so that it could be put on a seperate catalogue disc and the information be entered by each member with each new issue of the magazine. The 'EDITOR' could keep the master copy and issue it say once in a blue moon when he could not fill the disc with programmes from the members.(Sorry Chris only another daft suggestion but I may have sown the seed?) I see you have no information for issues 2-4. Can I attempt to help in this matter. I believe I joined 8BITPD around about issue 4/5. After some time I believe Duncan decided to make available all issues of 8BITPD that were available. I decided to obtain copies of all the discs issued and they start at No 4 which contains the following SYSTEMS programmes and is very similar to Disc No 1. BANK ACCOUNTANT SYSTEM BULLETIN BOARD DATABASE PHONE ACCOUNTANT SYSTEM SYSTEM SERVER DATABASE. Hope this is of some use. I suspect that things may have been a bit hectic in the beginning and I am suprised to learn that you have issue 1 which appears to be the same as my issue 4. Perhaps issue 2 & 3 got lost in the heat of battle. The only person who can confirm this I presume would be Duncan.  To : 999 + (4G7 J.R.HAY) From : 0E7 (Fred Nevin.) Subject : A & B Computing A & B Computing like all the other magazines have deserted the old Beeb and gone over to the Archimedes camp. They changed their name to ARCHIMEDES WORLD or something similar some 12 to 18 months ago. If anyone has any old copies of A & B Computing they wish to sell/dispose of I would be interested to receive full details.  To : DP-J.(3PM) and (999). From : Roy Dickens (20G.) Thank you for your very detailed comments about the FOOTBALL POOLS PROG. and your FTBL program random numbers. It appears that your spot on in the art of maths. I'm fascinated by the subject but not very good at it. You have put in a good prog. about borrowing plus interest now how about one for the savers? I had a go myself but it didn't look right but it worked! The idea was that you could enter how much you wished to save a month/year at a entered percent interest over a entered number of years. So with the compound interest and regular savings what is the end result? It would be, say 120 a year plus 10 percent equals 132. Then 132 plus 120 plus 10 percent then 277.20 plus 120 plus 10 percent then 397.20 plus 120 plus 10 percent = 436.92 and so on. I have not seen this in a book or magazine. My way of doing it went all round the houses so I'm sure it was wrong. Perhaps you or someone of 8-Bit would know a quick and/or correct way of doing it.  To : 999 (All) From : 2J3 (C.J.Richardson.) Subject: TBI Roy Dickens asked me what TBI stands for. Take your pick: Too Big for Issue I think.          