To: 999 (all members)
From: K6E (ROGER LINGWOOD)
Subject: B.B.C. TO ROMANIA
I am involved through my local school
wih a project to bring help to a
school in CRAIOVA ROMANIA of over 1300
children, they have an exceptional
ability for English both spoken and
written and I felt that they may find
some of our B.B.C. software useful in
improving education even further
On contacting the staff at school 22
CRAIOVA I was told that they had no
computers of any kind, even in the
administration, and that of course
there was no government money to buy
them.
I am therefore going to ask through 8BS
for any help you may be able to
offer in the way of computers and
equipment ( broken or unwanted)
books, software, leads,anything in fact
that would help to set up a small
computer unit.
I will gladly pay postage or collect
if possible. Also any advice or info on
econet would be appreciated.
Transport direct to the school in
ROMANIA has already been donated and
is set for our return in September.
It would be nice to have 2 OR 3
B.B.C.s to send them and even a disc
drive that could be linked up to the
others (ANY ADVICE ON THIS?)
As you can see I am a newcomer to
computing and left it rather late in
life, but my B.B.C. has been a good
teacher and I have plenty of time left
I hope to improve. It is my own
experience with this machine that
makes me think it will be perfect for
the Romanian children
Please contact me if you can help in
any way. ADVICE, BITS AND PIECES OF
EQUIMENT (working or not) I will pay
all postage, ( in advance if required)
or I may be able to collect within 30
to 40 miles
A WRITTEN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ALL
DONATIONS WILL BE SENT, AND A FOLLOW UP
STORY IN THE (8 BIT DISC) AND
HOPEFULLY ONE DAY A DISC FROM ROMANIA
I CAN BE CONTACTED ON 0255 221206 this
is Clacton On Sea Essex or
102 TUDOR GREEN
CLACTON ON SEA
ESSEX
CO15 2PE
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ
THIS. PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN
To: 999 (all members)
From: K3B (PAUL MARTIN-MATTHEWS)
Subject: Digitised Pictures.
=======================================
We are getting a nice collection of
digitised pictures of late. I liked
the collection of automobiles and Mick
Needham's Girl. And what about those
Pawns, a little dark on my screen, but
very impressive. Sadly a picture of a
group of BBC 'groupies'found it's way
onto the latest issue, a funny looking
bunch!!, but dedicated indeed to the
survival of the speices. Thanks lads.
=======================================
To: 999 (all members)
From: 0E7 (Fred Nevin)
Subject: PARCEL FORCE
Todate I have received some 32+ discs
by post and never had a one damaged
until issue 36 arrived.
On attempting to insert the disc in
the drive I felt some resistance but
as I was already in first gear with my
foot flat on the floor boards the disk
went into the drive about 90% with the
remainder stuck outside.
Thats queer thinks I.
On going into reverse I found to my
horror that the disk preferred to stay
INSERTED IN THE DRIVE.
Panic!!!!.
After a bit of judicious pushin and
shovin the disk suddenly came out of
the drive to my great relief
The dreadful thoughts then were, had
the disc surfaces been damaged in the
engagement with the drive and why had
there been resistance to the insertion
of the disc into the drive?
I turned the 3.5" disc over and found
that the metal slide that protects the
disc had somehow been bent outwards.
Presumably PARCEL FORCE at work.
This had offered resistance to the
insertion of the disc into the drive
and prevented its extraction.
I had been very fortunate to extract
the disc without having to dismantle
the drive.
The only reason for the damage I can
think of is that the packageing that
has always been used had failed the
new PARCEL FORCE pre-privatisation
testing but in no way showed any sign
of misuse itself.
I then made a backup of the disc
without the slide and found that the
data was undamaged.
Hating the thought of loosing the disc
I then set about stroking the
aluminium (tin?) slide back into shape
and refitted it to the disc which is
now working as good as ever.The disk
that is not the drive.
(Pat yourself on the back Fred for a
clever piece of adjusting and
mechanical engineering)
LESSON to be learned.
In future always examine discs before
inserting them into the drive
Hope it never happens to you
May the FORCE be with you.
All the best everyone
Fred
To: 999 + 20G(Roy Dickens)
From: 0E7 ((Fred Nevin))
Subject: INTRODUCTION SCREENS
Brilliant
The Editor has awarded two discs from
the TBI pool for these two
introductory screens and rightly so.
I do so hope that he will not SHY away
from also awarding the COCONUT or
COCOANUT which ever is preferred
To: 999 (all members)
From: K3T (NEIL TAYLOR)
Subject: SHELL EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE
Has anyone tried the educational
software produced by SHELL U.K.
Limited. If so I would like to know
what you thought of it. They produce
the following compatible with BBC B,
Master, Archimedes:
Guide A: Measuring & Weighing
Guide B: Electricity
Guide C: Floating & Sinking
Guide D: Hot & Cold
Guide E: Energy in Homes & Cars
The above for age 9 upwards together
with colour booklet @ `13 + VAT from
Shell Education Service
Bankside Business Services
10 Fleming Road
Newbury, Berkshire RG13 2DE
To: 999 (all members)
From: K3T (NEIL TAYLOR)
Subject: 'Education Otherwise'
This is a registered charity which
offers support information and legal
advice to parents educating their
children out of school. A right all
parents have under the 1944 education
act despite recent government lies to
the contrary for which they are being
taken to court by E.O.
Several of the membership have BBC
machines amongst others, and there is
some opportunity through the
newsletters and address lists for
mutual help and software exchange.
I just thought the existence of this
network might be of interest to some
8BS members from scanning the
interests listed. I intend to make the
membership of E.O. aware of the
existence of 8BS at national level
also, as I am sure the library and
level of support and activity generally
must be of interest.
It occurs to me that if interested
members of E.O. were to make available
their educational software, copyright
permitting, to the 8BS library this
could only benefit the membership of
both organizations. I will await to
hear from Chris or anyone else before
making these suggestions to E.O.
If anyone would like more info on E.O.
they can be contacted at:
Education Otherwise
PO Box 120
Leamington Spa
Warwickshire, CV32 7ER
For recorded telephone message:
0926 886828
To: 999 (all members)
From: K3T (NEIL TAYLOR)
Subject: Copyright Material
I can understand that there is
software currently for sale which is
copyright, and I can understand that
there is public domain software which
is non- copyright and free. What I
can't understand is why there is
copyright software which I am unable
to beg borrow buy or steal because the
owners of the copyright no longer
consider it worth marketing, and may
even have ceased to trade. I call
this category of software 'mangerware'
(dog in) as it appears to be doing
no one any good at all. If it has no
commercial value now, then surely it
never will again, so why not do the
decent thing and release it to P.D.?
I was looking forward to obtaining a
copy of ULTRACALC having already got
an original manual and a good use or
two for it. I could have sworn you
told me it was amongst the BEEBUG
releases Chris, so I was most
dissapointed not to find it in the new
catalogue which consists entirely of
the freebies from the magazine covers,
useful as they no doubt are. But
where is the commercial stuff? When
if ever do we get our sticky mits on
that?
This is a straight question. If such
software was made available through
the library anyway is there a
realistic chance of legal redress from
organizations either no longer in
existence or uninterested in the
marketing of the product.
I went into my local Acorn dealer to
buy a Printer Driver or Generator. No
longer available, but not in P.D.
either. Quite honestly I don't have
much respect for the owners of
mangerware, and would like to see
their pointless obstructiveness
challenged. Does anyone else feel
militant about this or are we supposed
to treat them ever so politely in the
hope they will one day deign to hand
down their unwanted cast offs to a
greatful poor.
To: 999 (all members)
From: K3T (NEIL TAYLOR)
Subject: BBC B POWER SUPPLY
No sooner had I joined 8BS with my
'new' B than the power supply died.
Despite a kind offer of help from
Colin Culpitt-Smith to see if he could
mend it, I chose to leave it with my
brother, an electronics engineer who
imediately got bogged down in overwork
and didn't look at it for months.
After a gentle nag or three he phoned
up Aztec and rather sensibly asked
them what they normally died of (why
didn't I think of that). They
suggested a particular capacitor which
is commonly prone to failure. He
replaced it, and instant mend!
They also pointed out that the
capacitors in these units are
subjected to heavy loads and that it
might therefore be a good idea to
routinely replace all the capacitors
at a point of failure of one of them.
It occured to me that anyone not
afraid of soldering irons might be
able to take their failed board into
Maplins and ask for a new set of
capacitors, and put them in
themselves. Not much to lose if you
are faced with a repair bill greater
than the secondhand value of the
machine. If it ever goes again I'll
cetainly have a go.
To: 999 (all members)
From: K4R (ROBIN MOROM)
Subject: USER GROUPS
A PERSONAL VIEW
Since my message under this title in
Issue 35 seems to have caused some
distress to Paul Harvey, perhaps I may
be permitted to clear things up a
little.
With a headline worthy of the SUNDAY
SPORT he heads his piece in Issue 36
'BBC SUPPORT UNDER FIRE'
Well, to suggest that expressing
disappointment with something is
putting it 'UNDER FIRE' seems to me
rather over-sensitive to say the least.
What I was doing was to report on the
results I got from sending an SAE to
five different groups on the same day.
I thought that this may have been of
some help to other members.
Paul says that comparing Beebug and
its staff with an amateur group is
unfair. I agree absolutely. But since
I did NOT compare Beebug with anything
else I don't know why he mentions it.
He misquotes me further when he says
that he can't offer any solution as to
why I had to wait 3 weeks for a reply.
What I actually said was that I waited
FIVE weeks to receive a printed slip in
my SAE and a FURTHER 3 weeks for a copy
of BYTEBACK. As I made clear this
covered 13th March to 13th May
altogether.
He suggests that I should form my own
group. I imagine that this is meant to
be heavy sarcasm, it is rather
difficult to tell. If, however, he means
this as a serious proposition he has
failed to appreciate that my point was
that I consider 8BS to provide all that
one can wish for (and more) and I hope
it goes from strength to strength.
I have absolutely nothing against Paul
Harvey personally or Byteback. It is
just not for me, that's all.
To 999 (All)
From 4B2 (Ron Marshall)
I have (almost) been put in touch with
Robin Burton (he was formerly Essential
Software) by Stephan Richardson.
Stephan had his 512 upgraded to 1Mb by
Robin some time ago (cost circa 90
pounds) and speaks highly of the
quality. Robin has no bits left, but
may be willing to have another go,
given sufficient support. I have no
idea of the potential cost as yet, but
to make it viable, and keep costs down,
he will need at least 25 subscribers
and wants cash 'up front'.
WILL ALL THOSE INTERESTED, INCLUDING
8BS MEMBERS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW DIRECT
(can you include your add/phone) AND I
WILL KEEP TALLY. Let us stick together
on this one. I have had a word with
Chris of 8BS and he agrees.
DO NOT SEND MONEY AT THIS STAGE!
Ron Marshall (Solinet)
41 Westbrook Drive
Rainworth
Mansfield
Notts
NG21 0FB
PRESS BREAK