These are a mixture of messages that
arrived close to the deadline.
To: 999 (all members)
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject: Essential Hardware...(!)
When shaving, an essential piece of
hardware is a toothbrush!
(Honestly...)
Among its many uses for oral hygiene it
can also be used to clean an electric
shaver (foil and cutters) and with a
normal lo-tech razor, clean out
stubble from the blades!
Ok...Not the most interesting thing
but it's useful and helps prolong the
life of shaving equipment!
Note: You can get a cheap toothbrush
for about 50p. Its not a good idea to
use the one you brush your teeth
with!!!
To: 999 (all members)
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject: VIEW timesaving tip
If you are creating a new file with
VIEW, you should SAVE the file and
then reload it.
Now you only have to enter SAVE (with
no filename) to resave the file.
To: 999 (all members)
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject: Coffee and discs
A few years ago I had been left to
play on a friend's Amstrad CPC 6128
while he was having dinner...
Armed with a cup of sweet coffee I
managed to spill the whole lot on his
prized discs.
Obviously, sticking a sticky, damp,
coffee covered disc into a disc drive
might possibly prove hazardous (and
expensive).
Anyway, to avoid a long story, (Chris
take note...) We, my friend and I,
decided to soak the discs in lukewarm
water, stirring (!) frequently to
dislodge and excess bits of coffee (!)
and changing the water frequently
after a few hours we had cleaned the
discs to a reasonable standard.
A few days later after the discs had
dried, we verified them and they all
worked okay!
Afterwards, we backed-up the discs and
cleaned the drive-heads and disposed
of the original discs.
To: 999 (all members)
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject: 40T discs on a Master
I received a couple of questions about
how to use 40 track DFS discs on a
Master.
The configuration of a Master can
sometimes cause problems when using
40T DFS discs, especially with a
switchable (40/80T) drive. Or when
using protected discs.
The solution is to keep the drive on
80T and use a special feature of the
Master which allows 40T discs to be
read on an 80T drive. (This is helpful
if you only have an 80T drive and want
to use 40T discs.)
*DRIVE <drive number> 40
So, if you had a 40T disc in drive 0
you would type. '*DRIVE 0 40'.
This tells the drive controller to
double-step the drive heads so that
the drive can read 40T discs.
*DRIVE <drive number> 80
This resets the drive controller to
read 80T discs.
Note: Whilst in 40T mode you can only
read discs, trying to write to a disc
will result in a 'disc read only'
error.
To: 999 (all members)
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject: Memory map.
On this disc is an incomplete memory
map for the BBC in response to a
request from one of the members.
It covers all the memory locations
from &0000 to &03FF. It is correct for
the Electron/BBC A/BBC B and the B+,
almost all the locations are the same
for the master and compact.
A more detailed map will appear in a
few issues time and will include all
the locations on the Master and
Compact which are different to the rest
of the BBC range.
I hope this is of use. Any other
suggestions for improvements and
changes are welcomed.
To: 999 (all members)
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject: Puzzle answer
On the disc is my solution to the
puzzle from issue 45.
The program works using a variation of
genetics theory. The program generated
a random population of 100 answers and
selects the best two answers and
'mates' them and 100 children based on
the two answers are produced.
Again the best two answers are
selected and 'mated' until one of the
children (!) is the correct answer.
The program takes around 7 seconds to
find the correct answer.
To: 999 (all members)
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject: DFS Reader for Archimedes
URGENTLY NEEDED a program for the
Archimedes which can read/write DFS
discs.
If you send me a disc with a DFS
reader on I will send you a disc full
of PD stuff. (If the disc reader
works properly.)
Choose from...
Games and demos - Including Dune II
Music - SoundTracks or Digital
Symphony tracks
Utilities - A wide selection
Adventure games
Or a mixture of the above.
My address is: 37 Ceylon Place,
Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 3JE.
Or telephone 01323 721091 (Anytime)
Also, remember to include return
postage and packing.
If anyone also happens to have a
program which can convert Archimedes
sprites to BBC screens and vice-versa
it would be most welcome. It should
convert, hopefully sprites for modes
0,1,2,4 and 5
To: 999 (all members)
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject: WANTED
A 40T version of Mini Office II
Any Spreadsheet/Graphing Packages.
BBC Parallel printer lead.
Leads to connect a BBC to 3.5" drive.
To: 999 (all members)
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject: Repton Information
On this disc is a demonstration of a
small part of the Repton editor suite
which will soon be available in the
JJR section of the 8BS PD library.
The complete package includes full
control over Repton screen files and
you can see and alter the times,
editor codes and passwords.
(It will even select 8 random
passwords for you from a dictionary of
over 9,500 7 letter words.)
You can protect screens so that they
cannot be edited unless an editor code
is entered and you can also fully
unprotect ANY screen file so you can
load them straight into the level
designer.
Other features include, converting
electron files so they can be used on
the BBC (and the reverse!).
The program 'RepInfo' included on this
disc is used to see the passwords for
any of your sets of screens.
When you run the program, the disc
will be catalogued and you will be
asked to enter the filename of ANY
Repton 3 screen file for the BBC or
Electron version of the game.
The file will be examined and then
you will then be shown a list of
passwords, edit codes and times for
the levels in that file.
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject: Scroll program
Jonathan Harston's Scroll program,
which is used to display 80 column
text is very useful.
However, with the recent switch to a
mainly teletext style magazine it
would be useful if the program could
be changed to display text in 40
columns as well as 80 columns, perhaps
even adding colour codes for mode 7
text.
Another useful addition would be to
word-wrap text (similar to Wordwise).
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject: JJR PD
Those of you who have recently updated
your copy of TBI-00 may have noticed a
new section in part 2 of the
catalogue. The JJR section.
Currently there are 7 discs in the
section but in the near future this
will increase to well over 100.
All the discs have been compiled by me
and are available either from myself
or Chris Richardson at the usual
prices.
The discs currently available are...
JJR-01 BBC Music
This disc contains 54 pieces of Music
for the BBC, including TV and film
music as well as classical and
Christmas music.
JJR-02 Electron Music
27 pieces of music for the Electron
(will work on the BBC) including Film
and TV music.
JJR-03 Graphics disc 1
28 colourful pictures for the BBC,
Including scenes from ELITE and Star
Trek.
JJR-04 Graphics disc 2
28 digitised MODE 0 pictures for the
BBC, includes some pictures which are
truly out of this world!
JJR-05 Graphics disc 3
Another 18 colourful pictures for the
Beeb.
JJR-06 Graphics Disc 4
19 Digitised pictures by Patrick
Nagel.
JJR-07 BBC Fonts
A selection of over 50 PD fonts for
The BBC. Includes full instructions of
how to use in your own programs.
If you have any stuff that you would
like to be included on any of the
future discs please send it to me.
I am especially interested in sound
samples, music, demos, humorous text,
ROMs, utilities, graphics and screens
for Repton 3, Repton Infinity and
Pipeline (and only other game!)
COMING SOON will be an extended Repton
screen editor, the complete works of
Shakespeare, the Bible and a set of
digitised pictures from space!
My address is: 37 Ceylon Place,
Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 3JE.
Or phone: 01323 721091 Anytime
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject: New magazine sections
In my last letter to Chris I suggested
that two new sections could be added
to the magazine...
1) E L I T E - anything to do with
this great game; hints and tips, new
ships or just general gossip between
commanders.
2) Adventures - anything to do with
adventure games; maps, solutions,
questions etc.
Chris said that both were a good idea.
So Chris, how about 2 new dummy user
IDs ELT for anything ELITE and ADV for
anything adventurous?
To: ADV
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject: Trees!
I received a request for help with the
Association of Mathematics Teachers
adventure. (Sometimes referred to as
L-Adventure.)
For one of the puzzles in the game you
have to arrange 9 trees into 10 rows
of 3 trees on a 5 by 5 grid.
The solution is as follows...
* * * * * Can you count all
T * T * T 10 rows?
* T T T *
T * T * T T - Tree
* * * * * * - Space
To: ELT (ELITE section!)
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject:
I was flying from Lave to Tionisla the
other day...
I heard that if you stayed on the
short range scan when you hyperspaced
that your fuel would be dumped on
re-entry.
However, all my fuel remained and when
I docked at Tionisla (Tech level 12)
only 7 items of equipment were on
sale.
I hyperspaced to the nearby Xeesle and
back again, and everything was fine.
Anyone had a similar experience? (I
have the second processor/Master 128
version.)
To: ELT
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject: Easy money!
A good way to earn lots of credits in
ELITE is by buying and selling illegal
items, such as narcotics.
You will need to find an anarchy
system with a non-anarchy system
within 0.5 light years.
Buy the narcotics at the non-anarchy
system, hyperspace to the anarchy
system and sell them for a huge
profit.
The prices will tend to fluctuate so
you can hyperspace back and forth
between the two systems until the
price is right.
I use: Errati (buy) and Usrarr (sell)
in galaxy six and Biante (buy) and
Erbieso (sell) in galaxy four.
To: ELT
From: D5B (Jon Ripley)
Subject: Elite Cheats (Archimedes)
For the members out there who have
archimedes computers, for the first
ELITE section in 8BS I have included 2
different Cheats for the Archimedes
version of the game. ADFS VERSION ONLY!
To: 999 (all members)
From: D6G (SPROW)
Subject: Sales and wanted
FOR SALE:
Chassis monitor (ie.no box - just the
frame) with composite video input.Mini
screen is 4½" diagonally.I do have the
manual for it so the connections can
be made.I have had it running with a
BBC.Fed up of seeing it in my room
hence selling for a fiver (inc. P&P)
Quest mouse with Quest paint and Quest
mat to sit the rodent on.#15
Sideways ROM/RAM board (Watford) with
Static ram chips,battery backup,and
full complement of RAM.Also got the
original instruction to it.I see they
cost #65 new so I'd better sell mine
for #30
Toolkit ROM #4 - essential for BASIC
Books/Games send SAE for current list
GXR ROM for B+ (bought by mistake) has
original box and all associated
gubbins to go with it.#10
Analogue port joysticks #2 each (I've
4 left)
Two of 40 track double disk drives
(5¼" type) #10 each.
All prices inc. P&P.
Contact 6 Bollinbrook road,
MACCLESFIELD,
Cheshire.SK10 3DJ.
WANTED:
Info on how to set up an Econet
fileserver (manuals/data sheets etc)
The speech upgrade chips (TMSnnnn)
Scanner (will pay upto #65) for 1MHz
bus to scan in mode 0
Address as above
To: 999 (all members)
From: D6G (SPROW)
Subject: Hardware and Software help!
I see from my first issue (46) that
many of you out there are boffins -
can you help?
Is there a way from software that
you can tell whether a disk drive is
busy of not by perhaps reading a
register in the &FE80 region. The
method if possible should work with
both the 8271 and 1770 - can it be
done legally too?
Secondly how do you set up an
Econet fileserver - my BBC B's are all
upgraded to Econet and I have the wall
connector PCB layout from the remnants
of the one at school.But there is a
mysterious black box labelled Acorn in
one corner with a mains plug on it -
is this the key?
I will buy any relevant books and
re-imburse postage/photocopying costs
within reasonable bounds.
Contact at 6 Bollinbrook road,
MACCLESFIELD,
Cheshire.SK10 3DJ.
Thanks.
From BOB STRINGER D5R
Subject : Wanted and thanks
tele: 01494 529188, 31 Shelley Road
High Wycombe Bucks. HP11 2UW
WANTED A 40/80 twin disc drive for
5.25" discs. Price please with details
to the above address. Hope to collect.
THANKS. A sincere thanks to TIM PARSONS
who kindly came to my location with his
Disc Drive and assisted me with some
work on hand since my own D.D is in
need of repair. A very kind man.
To: 999 (all members)
From: L1M (Janny Looyenga)
Subject: Riemanian
The Charm from the old Riemanian game
came from the use of scrolling the
screen when printing all kind of
messages. Chris has reduced the speed
but now the scrolling is VERY SLOW on
my Master512. You can put the delay
back to its original on LINE 5810.
Just LOAD"RIEMAN", LIST 5810 , which
reads:
5810 FOR T=1 TO 3000: NEXT
change this into:
5810 FOR T=1 TO 1500: NEXT
at least when the scrolling is slow
on your computer too.
From: L1M (Janny Looyenga)
Subject: Screen Saver.
The Screen Saver which is indeed a
Screen Blanker, blanked my Master512
screen and never gave it back! Luckily
when using my Beeb I ordered Screen
Thief and this stole some screens for
me which I can load into my Master,
thus having some nice screens back...
From: L1M (Janny Looyenga)
Subject: Jewels and Caves.
For those who love the Dungeon and
Dragon style of games, this one is a
nice one.
BUT...... Finding your way into the
maze, collecting jewels, be friendly,
fighting or leaving or retreating the
cave, finding your way back into the
real world, gives you a 'score' and
the question: Do you want another
game? By answering Yes, you get a BAD
DIM at line 40. Aaaaaahhhhhh!
BUT...... After a long play, Leaving
many caves, can give you a Subscript
at line 2030.
BUT...... During play some party
joiners are deserting the team, this
line stays after printing, should be
empty though.
HELP, when you choose a non-existing
direction it is counted as a move, and
you might be unlucky having to fight
more instead of your choice of leaving
with the BAD LUCK option to be dead
without knowing, because this report
stays too short on screen.
After forgetting these 'BUGS' the game
is very good and very playable, with
the avantages that you can make your
own decisions.
On BBC PD 10 there is a same sort of
game (DUNGEON) with good graphics, but
unplayable. Should not be it a good
idea to create ONE game from these
TWO??
Missing:
a total score (jewels, joiners)
the possibility to go to a higher
level after some score.(real D&D)
up/down with different mazes.
PRESS SPACE