To : 999 (All Members)
From : 2J3 (Chris Richardson)
A very big thankyou to everyone that
helped out for and at the show. Whether
that be by actually being there in
person or by the donation of equipment,
software, time or cash.
The coming weeks will determine whether
it was a success or not as response
trickles in through the 8BS letterbox.
Extra special thanks are due to:
Sorted alphabetically:
316 Supplies for the freebies
Steve Cross for the monitor
Peter Davy for turning up and donation.
Steve Hanson for the software deal
Paul Harvey for everything (see
separate list!)
Barry Maslin for donations
Derrick Pritchard-Jones for help
JoJo for not breaking down
Frank Jones for help
Mick Needham for help
Lars Osterballe for turning a few heads
with your programming
Fred Price for help
Geoff and Judith Potter for giving 8BS
space at the show
Mick Reeves for help
Stephan Richardson for endless help
Daniel Shimmin for being DGS
Duncan Webster for showing up
Margaret Wright for software
Gill, without your help I could not
have even contemplated the venture.
One last point before I finish with the
Acorn User show. Before the show
started, I thought that I would
probably have loads of time to chat
with members who turned up. However,
some members had to queue to speak with
me. I apologise to those of you that
turned up only to have a brief moment
for a natter. Next time, turn up on the
Sunday as this would seem to be the
quietest day.
(K5B) David Macgraw has offered to
continue the electronics articles
series. He would like suggestions for
future projects. I have given him a few
ideas but it would be better if members
could come up with some ideas.
Nothing stops the same around 8BS for
very long. As mentioned in the Acorn
User Show diary, the whole Acorn User
collection is now in the 8BS catalogue
including the special discs such as
Calligraphy. Send for TBI-00 DFS or
ADFS for details.
TBI-47 the electronics disc has been
added to here and there, mainly a
couple of lightpen programs.
8BS issues used to be held on to for a
couple of months before being released
into the Public Domain. This all seems
rather pointless now after 300 of issue
35 went out to all and sundry. Issues
go straight into the catalogue from now
on.
BUG-00 added to the library. This is
the magscan disc, a very powerul search
database that will enable you to locate
any item you are looking for from
volume 1 to 12 in the Beebug magazines.
To: 999 (all members)
From: K3W (Tom)
Subject: General
Having had my arm twisted by Tim and
then by Chris I have become a member
of the 8-Bit group. It will most
probably benefit me more than you
since I am a relative novice. I am
impressed by the quantity and quality
of the entries in the Issues I have
seen so far.
I have a BBC B and a Master Compact.
Although the latter has more
facilities I still tend to use the old
Beeb for the greater part of my
computing but the Compact does have
ADFS and with a with a twin drive I am
able to transfer programs in either
direction.
The Panasonic KX-P1180 is my trusty
printer and I continue to find more
ways of extending its capabilities
thanks to the help given to me by
other Beebuggers.
There is a local Beeb club at
Billingham which is useful in some
ways but from my existing membership
of Solinet (is that a dirty word?) I
beieve the postal groups are way out
in front. That's not to say the local
club are not kowledgeable, quite the
contrary, some of them are distinctly
brilliant but the postal contacts I
have made so far have been eager to
help and have proved to be most
invaluable. Since my other interests
are fell walking, photography and
genealogy I find that time is the
scarcist commodity.
When I become fully conversant with
the 8-Bit Issue format I shall
endeavour to contribute a little more.
No doubt I shall feature more in
the 'help' column than elsewhere!
To: 999 (all members)
From: K2O (Stephan Richardson)
Subject: Z88 User Group
I would like to inform all 8BS members
that the Z88 User Group (Z88 EPROM) is
NOT closed but merely dormant (quick
reference to Monty Python's parrot
sketch?). I have spoken to Roy
Woodward who runs the club and he has
told me that there are insufficient
funds at the moment to finance the
next issue of the magazine. The
magazine is partly financed by sales
of spares, upgrades, and back issues
of the magazine, but as there has been
little activity in any of these areas,
there is no income from these for the
magazine.
As a result of this he is not taking
on any more new subscriptions.
However, if any member wishes to
obtain any of the past issues of Z88
Eprom (all are currently available)
then he can supply them and hopefully
boost the finances!
As regards the spares and upgrades, I
am still waiting to upgrade my Z88
from the 32k internal ram to 512k and
the systm rom to the latest version.
I already have 2x1Meg ram cards fitted
to my Z88 and an internal upgrade is
the last option left to me for more
memory.
To: 999 (all members) +K2F
From: 0E7
Subject: CEEFAX + 8BS
My Tele doesnt recognise CEEFAX being
an old steam model but I did spot
the date on the reproduction in issue
34.
To: 999 (all members)
From: K4V (Trevor Crapper)
Subject: Home Address
11 St. Andrews Close
Eaglescliffe
Stockton-on-Tees
TS16 9EW
Tele. 0642 784003
To: 999 (all members)
From: K4V (Trevor Crapper)
Subject: Specialist Subjects
I like the idea of having a section
set aside for specialised subjects,
witout wanting to steal anybodies
thunder this opens up the full
spectrum of computer usage for subject
matter. There must be specialist in
every area willing (hopefully!) to
divulge some of their secrets. I don't
think we belong to the Magic Circle
yet!
Project work is very much an
individual thing, this being said
there must be a lot of people put off
doing something that they think is
important because they have difficulty
in getting started. All that may be
needed is just a few simple ideas. It
is surprising what sort of thing
prevents someone from making progress.
It is a case of 'With a little help
from my friends'
Before any project work can be
undertaken we have to find out how to
use the program that is needed to do
this work. Most people will have
struggled with instruction books,
having first tried it without one! I'm
no exception. It would be very helpful
to be able to read through a set of
simple get you started instructions.
Having got underway then you would
refer to more advanced instructions
and in this way build up your
knowledge.
In my own case I have had to struggle
with two wordprocessors, luckily the
database didn't need much effort nor
has the spreadsheet. However, I have
to admit that my level of knowledge is
only sufficient to get me through the
initial stages. I have not gone into
any of the programs in any depth. It
is a case of taking things one step at
a time.
There is another point to be made here
you only need to know sufficient to
enable you to carry out your primary
objective. It is a case of learning to
walk before you can run.
To: 999 (all members)
From: 2J3 (Chris Richardson)
Subject: Questionnaire results
Results of questionnaires in so far
show that 8BS already supplies the
items that are most in demand from
members.
Software, blank discs and labels are
already in the advert secion.
There are other items mentioned in the
questionnaires that I shall deal with
now:
ROMS and EPROMS. Shortly 8BS will be
obtaining a supply of EPROMS. It is a
matter of finding a cheap supply. Does
anyone have any suggestions?
Lockable disc boxes. A good idea but
too bulky and expensive to buy in large
quantities. You may notice that 8BS
does have a limited stock of small disc
boxes though.
Flippy discs. Can anyone suggest a
cheap supplier of these sort of discs?
Printer ribbons. A good idea again but,
to buy all of the required ribbons in
the quantities required to gain
discount would be too expensive. Stick
with re-inking.
To: 999 (all members)
From: K5A (Robin Moffatt)
Subject: The RISC PC
Acorn have just released their latest
mchine, the RISC PC600. This machine
is to repace the A5000, which will
probably cease production soon. It has
got an ARM 610 chip which can be
easily upgraded to the ARM 700 and (00
when they are released. The chip is
easiy removed, and can be changed in
about a minute.
It has also got an improved video
chip,allowing the machine to display
16.7 million colour modes.
There is also Video RAM in the machine
which can make redrawing graphics up
4 times quicker, and also allows 16.7
million colours to be displayed in the
desktop.
It is possible to expand the Ram upto
a massive 128MB, and the VRam upto
2MB.
It comes with RISC OS 3.5 which has
got Acorns !NewLook built into it, as
well as the ability to use outline
fonts aswell as the normal system font
for displaying filer windows etc.
There are 3 models of the Risc PC,
Model 1,2 or 3. The table below shows
the differences.
Model 1 Model 2 Model 3
Memory(MB) 2 4 8
Video RAM(MB) None 1 1
Hard Disc(MB) 210 210 420
Expansion slots 2 2 4
Price 1 1249 1399 1699
Price 2 1649 1799 2099
Price 1=including 14in Monitor
Price 2=including 17in Monitor
(All ex. vat)
The 'PC' part of the name is in the
expansion capabilities of the machine,
as it is possible to fit cards with PC
processors on and either use just the
Acorn part of the machine, Multi-task
with the PC in a window or to just use
the PC.
I think that this is a much needed
improvement in the Acorn market,
allowing Acorn to seriously compeate
with other machines, like the PowerMac
and 486 PC's. What I think that Acorn
hve got to do now is promote this
machine, and show people that they
don't have to have PC's to be
compatible in business.
To: 999 (all members)
From: K5A (Robin Moffatt)
Subject:
After reading 19F's opinion on this
topic, I would like to add my own
comments
i) A possible reason that RISC OS
hasn't been upgraded much, and MS DOS
has could be that it doesn't need to
be upgraded constantly
ii) Having RISC OS in ROM means that
you don't have to spend ages installing
new versions on disc, and that your
machine can't be as easily messed up by
viruses.
iii) Although 19F's point about
viruses is correct in that if the code
is good enough then it can be deadly,
having over 3000 viruses for the PC
compared to under 100 on the Arc does
slightly increase your chances of
gettig one.
iv) Games like F117A and Tornado are
brilliant on the PC, and would be just
as good if converted for the Arc, if
only the authors wern't so tight with
the source code.
To: 999 (all members)
From: 4MD (Graham Gallagher)
Subject: PUZZLE
I was recently given the following
mathematical/logic puzzle to solve
which some members might wish to have
a go at. It's not something you could
write a program to solve the problem
for you, it's more pencil and paper
and some lateral thinking.
Two old college friends who hadn't met
since graduating recognised each other
in the street and stopped to have a
chat. After a short while one of them
asked the other if he'd married the
girl he used to go out with at
college:
"Yes I did, and we've now got three
children." - came the reply.
"Oh how old are they ?"
"Well I remember how you used to
always like to set puzzles for people
to solve, so here's one for you..."
"...Their ages when multiplied
together equal 36 and the sum of their
ages equals the number of your old
room in your final year at college."
After a few minutes of thought his old
friend replies...
"That's too hard for me to work out in
my head, you'll have to give me a
clue."
"Alright. My eldest is a boy. Now can
you tell me their ages ?"
"Yes, now I know the answer." - He
replied.
The puzzle is to work out the ages of
the three children based on the above
information. I'll provide the solution
in the next issue with the reasoning
behind it.
From: K4B (George Lynch)
Program: MESSAGE
Dear Chris,
This is the third attempt at using the
'system'. My fault,not yours.The
system is great and well thought out.I
just keep on losing my work for
a variety of reasons, but I am
learning as I go.
My early efforts were most
complimentary of 8BS and of yourself
in particular.I was fair lyrical but
take it as read as I had better make
my point before you fall asleep.
I understand the fraustration you
feel when members do not make
submissions and seemingly only enjoy
the efforts of others.
I feel however that there is a host of
BBC Micro users who have no
programming skills,have little time,
too modest, too stupid or too old. If,
like me, you are all of these things,
then you cannot expect much.
If contributions aren't submitted by
members, then it would seem to me
quite reasonable, that they should pay
a little more than the 50p normally
charged fore library discs. This
suggestion may not be a popular one,
may even have been already suggested,
but I consider it worth thinking about
if 8BS is to be sustained financially.
You may like to insert the idea in
a future Issue for discussion by
members.
My thanks for your help and attention
Kind regards,
George Lynch.
EDITOR......... Here is a perfect
example of someone coming to grips with
the system! Well done George!
As for the sentiments expressed though,
8BS greatfully accepts donations, but
will not increase it's charges.
To 999
From 3WU
Subject : The Last BeeBug Mag
Well I will say two things that they
did in their last issue, First they
published a menu that incorporated 29
tracks plus the Boot and Menu it's
something I have been looking for
a while and secondly they showed on
the centre of the front page MELVYNS
WRIGHTS MUSIC MACHINE but they gave no
more information about it, I have
checked the MAGSCAN disc and I can't
find any mention of it so can any one
tell me if it's part of another program
or where has it come from.
Fred Price
To: 999 (all members)
From: K5P (ANDREW FAY)
Subject: 483 et al
Thanks to Daniel for the information
on Reference manuals. Yes Watford are
doing their reference manuals for `5,
but I was charged `10 first because
their sales staff could't believe it
either. They also do 512 boards for `49
and I bought one before seeing Daniels
massage about Pyramid. Dabs press do
some lovely books for the BBC machines
and still seem to do them. I phoned
them on 061-773-8632 and they were
happy to take my order for some books.
I noticed with interest the
comments about Amstrads NC100. I read
Micro-Mart quite regularly and saw the
advert for them at `99 pounds and as I
had fancied one before, I decided it
was time to buy one. At this point I
should point out that these are
re-condtioned returned machines. The
first machine turned up in good
condition and all seemed to work until
I tried to get the alarm to go off
whenthe machine was off; no joy. So I
phoned and was given a return number.
`5 to send it back, it turned up a
week later exactly as it had left me.
I phoned again and was told that they
couldn't find anything wrong so sent
it back! Controlling my anger I got
them to take it again (`5 again) and
awaited the return. This time the
alarm went off, but shame the printer
port, serial port and back-up battery
were faulty! This time I complained
and must have got the right person
because he arranged to collect the
faulty one and deliver a new one the
very next day. This one seems fine and
I have bought a couple of memory cards
to go with it. My two complaints about
the system is that the calculator uses
different keys tothe rest of the
machine and that when transferring
files onto the NC100, if they are too
big it will wipe the memory and crash
the machine. I would recommend any
potential owner to buy a memory card,
they are more reliable and greatly
enhance the machine by adding more
storage space. The point to remember
is that any file is limited to 32k due
to the way the memory is paged,
even with a 1M card.
Their newer NC200 has more memory,
more applications and a disk drive. It
is supposed to run for as long, but
that is probably due to using HP11s
instead of HP7s, (AA->C). The screen
folds down onto the keyboard which I
don't like, it is going away from the
lightweight handy machine the NC100
was. The disk drive is handy, but I
find serial transfer to the hard disk
on my PC is almost as good, but
doesn't weigh as much, or drain the
batteries quite as much.
PRESS BREAK