|-------------------------- Acorn News Service--------------------------|
 |                     http://www.acornusers.org/ans/|
 |------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 |           The Acorn News Service is an independent service.            |
 |    It is in no way connected with, or supported by Acorn Group PLC.    |
 |------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 | ISSUE 34                                                   30 May 1999 |
 |------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 |      To send in your news items or comments, use the ANS website,      |
 |                  or e-mail them to ans@acornusers.org.|
 |------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 |          Featured site this issue: http://www.telecom.eu.org/          |
 |------------------------------------------------------------------------|


Contents
--------
 1) Editorial
 2) General News
 3) Commercial News
 4) PD/Shareware News
 5) Club News
 6) ANS information



Editorial
---------
  6th June is an important date for several reasons. This year Internet
  users should make a special note of Sunday 6th June, as it is the day
  of the European Telecommunications Boycott.

  Internet users in thirteen European countries will be taking part, to
  campaign for fairer telecommunications charges. You are encouraged to
  unplug all telephones and modems, for the duration of Sunday 6th June,
  to show your support. Details at http://www.telecom.eu.org/.

  James Sears, Editor.
  james@acornusers.org



General News
------------

 1) RISC OS 4 compatibility chart

  Paul Johnson has been testing software for compatibility with RISC OS 4,
  and has put the results of the tests online. Have a look at
  http://www.acornusers.org/cbsa/RiscOS4.html
for all the details.


 2) RISCOS Ltd. developer support

  Previously, under Acorn's scheme, to become a registered developer you had
  to show that you were producing commercial software. This is no longer the
  case with RISCOS Ltd., anyone can become a registered developer.

  Traditionally, being a registered developer has been a fairly expensive
  proposition, and this has deterred many small companies and individuals
  from joining the developer community. In recognition of this, RISCOS Ltd.
  is launching a "mini" developer scheme, where support will be given only
  by email, at a considerably reduced subscription rate.

  Details are available from RISCOS Ltd. (http://www.riscos.com/)


 3) Acorn Enthusiasts Group

  AEG is an Internet based user group for Acorn enthusiasts, with members
  from around the world, which aims to enable users to find others in the
  same area.

  The AEG web site (http://www.a-e-g.demon.co.uk/) has been redesigned from
  scratch, it has a much more focussed design, and concentrates on
  membership, and the AEG member base.

  Visit http://www.a-e-g.demon.co.uk/
and submit your details.


 4) Acorn Gaming

  The Acorn Gaming web site (http://www.acorn-gaming.org.uk/) now features
  news of three new previously unannounced games on the way for RISC OS.
  Visit the Acorn Gaming web site to find out about R-Comp's new flight
  simulator, how to play God, and a new way to lose a friend.


 5) Squirrel FAQ

  Colin McQueen has published a list of frequently asked questions with
  answers on Squirrel, a RISC OS relational database.

  See http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/cmcqueen/SqlFAQ/.



Commercial News
---------------

 1) New Generation Design game

  If you are interested in Quality Retro Style Budget games, which work on
  all Acorns, you may be interested to know Geoff Holland of Generation
  Design has recently finish his latest game, "The Jewels Of Jezabar".

  The full came costs GBP7. A downloadable demo and screen shots are
  available from http://www.gendes.freeserve.co.uk/.


 2) BotKiller 2 available now

  BotKiller 2, a "tactics / jump'n'run" game, is now available from Artex
  Software and WAG Software.

  BotKiller 2 is available from WAG Software for GBP15. For a preview, see
  http://www.acorn-gaming.org.uk/, http://www.artex.oaktree.co.uk/ or 
  http://www.wilsontigger.demon.co.uk/bk.htm.

  Features include:
    * 25 levels packed with action and tricky riddles.
    * 5 exclusive pieces of music written by Marco Bahn of ANKH fame.
    * Dozens of different game elements that have to be investigated.
    * 5 different areas with detailed graphics.
    * 6 types of totally different robots.

  System requirements:
    BotKiller 2 requires: Any Acorn computer with RISC OS 2 or better,
    HD floppy disc drive, ARM3 processor or better, and 4MB RAM.


 3) WebChange2 - 'Lite' Version

  WebChange 2 is an application designed to help HTML writers - those who
  like to produce their HTML 'by hand' in particular - by helping remove
  some of the more tedious and repetitive tasks.

  The full version is currently in the final stages of beta testing, and
  will hopefully be released shortly - but in the meantime the free 'Lite'
  version is now available for download from the WebChange site
  (http://www.softrock.co.uk/webchange/).



PD/Shareware News
-----------------

 1) Wimp2 v0.36 released

  v0.36 of Wimp2, the preemptive multitasker for RISC-OS, is now available
  at RISC-OS/http://www.nedprod.com/programs/RISC-OS/Wimp2/index.html.

  Changes include:
    * Image can now can be flashed to ROM.
    * Bug fixes.

  You can also download v0.23 of the Wimp patch by Andrew Teirney from the
  above URL. A link to the Wimp patch compatibility page maintained by
  Henry Morgan is also available.


 2) Acorn VideoPlus Codec now supports encoding

  An updated version of the RISC OS port of S Hosgood and D McClaggan's
  VideoPlus codec with integrated WIMP front end is available from
  http://www.netbook.demon.co.uk/.


 3) Samba Server for RISC OS

  David Buxton has ported Samba 2.0.2 to RISC OS. This allows you to share
  RISC OS file systems with Microsoft Windows and Unix/Linux.

  Currently only the Core level protocol is supported ("PC Network Program
  1.0") and there are some limitations with filenames.

  This an alpha release, there is still a lot of work to do. It has been
  tested with Linux, Microsoft Windows 98 and RISC OS clients and it is
  working well.

  Available from http://www.merddin.demon.co.uk/riscos.html.


 4) FTPc updated

  FTPc v1.14, a freeware Internet File Transfer Protocol Client, is now
  available. The changes are:
    * File count added.
    * Some support for VMS.
    * Documents show how to use with proxy server.
    * Last file in a directory not uploaded bug fixed.

  http://www.c-granville.freeserve.co.uk/


 5) Dilbert desktop silly

  Paul Vigay has produced a desktop silly - a Dilbert Random Mission
  Statement Generator. The RISC OS version runs in the desktop and can be
  downloaded from http://www.interalpha.net/customer/pvigay/shareware.html


 6) MakeLSFX - Make self-extracting zip files

  Timothy Baldwin has released MakeLSFX, a small utility to assist in the
  construction of large (up to 2GBytes) RISC OS self-extracting zip files.
  The RISC OS port of Infozip's unzipsfx is required.

  MakeLSFX can be downloaded from:
  http://www.reinhouse.freeserve.co.uk/riscos/makelsfx.html


 7) TechWriter Plus and Java

  The 'Plus' versions of the TechWriter/EasiWriter family now have the
  ability to accept Java applets. This means it is now possible to write
  and use Java 'plug in' items in TW+ documents. 

  To illustrate what is possible, Jim Lesurf has written a fairly simple
  example. This is a 'least squares fit' applet which loads the data from
  a file, does a least squares fit, and displays a graph of the results.
  Whilst displayed on a TW+ page, the data file can be edited and the
  results replotted.

  This applet, along with source code and some other applets, can be found
  at http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/Java/tests.html.


 8) Use your Psion 5 as a graphics tablet

  Software which allows you to use your Psion 5 as a graphics tablet can be
  found at: http://www.interconnex.co.uk/~paul/.

  You will need RISC OS 3.5 and a Psion 5. Run the software, and you can use
  the Psion's touch screen to control the mouse on your desktop computer.



Club News
---------

 1) June meeting dates from AAUG

  The following user group meetings are planned for June. Always check the
  AAUG web site (http://www.aaug.net/) to
  confirm details.

  June 1999
  =========
   2nd - Wakefield meeting - Cerilica Vantage
   3rd - SARC meeting - TBA
   8th - Bottisham Acorn Usergroup meeting
   8th - Liverpool Acorn Usergroup meeting
   8th - Essex Acorn Usergroup meeting
  10th - North Kent Computer Club meeting
  11th - Welwyn Hatfield meeting
  14th - DARC meeting - Weather Imaging
  14th - Southampton meeting
  14th - SASAUG meeting
  25th - Blackpool meeting
  29th - Acorn Club NorthEast meeting
  30th - Bristol Acorn User Group meeting

  The AAUG website provides details of all the user groups worldwide, and
  how you can benefit from becoming a member. For more information, visit
  (http://www.aaug.net/).


 2) Essex Acorn User Group

  Essex Acorn User Group's next meeting will be at 7.45pm on Tuesday 8th
  June 1999, at the library in Witham Town Centre.

  The main event will be a presentation of PhotoDesk by Dave Sykes. Dave is
  not from SpaceTech, he is a Club member who has the enviable task in life
  of directing the teaching of ICT in a large Essex school.

  Non-member visitors are charged GBP2, but for this you also receive a copy
  of the current newsletter to be followed by a copy of the next newsletter,
  in time for the following meeting. Ordinary membership has risen from
  GBP15 to GBP16. Student and Family membership remains at GBP10 and GBP20,
  respectively.

  For more details of future programme and directions to the Library, take
  a look at (http://www.watsnees.demon.co.uk/eaug.html).


 3) Wakefield Meeting - 2nd June

  The next Wakefield Acorn Computer User Group meeting will be on Wednesday
  2nd June at 7:45pm, and will feature a talk and demonstration by Nick van
  der Walle of Cerilica's Vantage package, for those who missed it at the
  show.

  Meetings are held at West Yorkshire Sports and Social Club, Sandal Hall
  Close, off Walton Lane (A61) Barnsley Road, Sandal, Wakefield. There is
  a map with directions at http://www.cumbrian.demon.co.uk/wacg/.

  Visitors are charged an entrance fee of GBP1.50, and annual membership
  (also available to postal members) is also available. Membership costs
  GBP10 for Adults, with a reduced fee of GBP5 for Juniors (ie under 18),
  and Family Membership is GBP20.



ANS Information
---------------

 1) Contact ANS

  Editor         - James Sears       - james@ans.acornusers.org
  Webmaster      - Stephen Courtney  - stephen@ans.acornusers.org
  Founder        - Eytan Abrahams    - eytan@ans.acornusers.org
  Life-Webmaster - Richard Hesketh   - richard@ans.acornusers.org
  ADL Moderator  - Paul Johnson      - paul@ans.acornusers.org
  Translator     - Michael Gerbracht - michael@ans.acornusers.org


 2) How to send in news

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  form on the ANS website (http://www.acornusers.org/ans/newsdesk.html).
  Also if you have an Acorn related announcements mailing list, feel free
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