Acorn News Service Newsletter

Issue: 138 (10 August 2003)

Featured site this issue: http://www.wrocc.org.uk/howto/

General News

Classic Acorn

Classic Acorn is a rapidly expanding web site featuring information on stripdowns, repairs, spares, and advice, for 8 and 32 bit Acorns.

<http://www.classicacorn.freeuk.com/>

Commercial News

Blinds 10th anniversary news

Blinds, the popular RISC OS desktop file and application organiser, is ten years old this month and to celebrate Quantum Software have made it 32bit aware, for the growing number of new Iyonix PC users, and cut the price to GBP19.95 plus postage. Existing users can upgrade via email for only GBP6.

Blinds allows you to place groups of similar files or applications on to a blind-like window which can be set to only show itself when a particular application is loaded.

For example if you were to load Impression, only your group of text documents or directories could be displayed. Using it in conjunction with Keystroke, if you had PhotoDesk loaded then a blind could be set to appear next to a PhotoDesk window, and on this blind you could have a range of functions which automated several mouse click actions to save you time. In effect giving you a extra toolbar for your favourite application.

This makes using your RISC OS even easier to use and if possible even more productive. For details and to try out the free demonstration copy visit: <http://www.quantumsoft.co.uk/blinds/>.

RCI announce 32bit / Enhanced Descent 1 and 2 update

RCI is pleased to announce the release of 32bit enhanced versions of Descent 1 and Descent 2 for RISC OS machines.

Both titles are now Iyonix compatible and feature improved graphics. The upgrade pack contains both and costs GBP15 inclusive for existing owners.

Whilst this update is targeted at Iyonix owners, StrongARM Risc PC users may well also benefit from this update, and new features such as the Descent 2 movies work on those machines too. There are also a few full copies of the double-pack left priced at GBP35 incl VAT and UK delivery.

The Descent games are 3D action games, played from a first person perspective from the cockpit of a spacecraft. The player explores various enemy occupied mines in a fully 3D space (including above and below). Please see <http://www.rcomp.co.uk/> which contains more information.

RCI release VA/Deluxe UniPrint with Alpha support

The VirtualAcorn and Deluxe editions of the new version of RCI's UniPrint support the MicroDigital Alpha laptop computer.

This allows Alpha owners to use a printer attached to the laptop via the Microsoft Windows drivers present on that "side" of the machine. This ensures compatibility with a wide range of printers, and excellent quality - including photo quality if the printer supports it.

More information can be found on UniPrint at <http://www.rcomp.co.uk/>.

Aemulor 2.20 now available

Version 2.20 sees over 30 enhancements to Aemulor, the 26-bit emulator for Iyonix, including improvements in emulation, bug fixes and User Interface enhancements; many of which are suggestions and results of feedback from existing users.

It is released as a free upgrade to all registered users via the Aemulor web site. Coinciding with the release of Aemulor 2.2, a more comprehensive manual has been made available on the Aemulor web site: <http://www.aemulor.com/manual/>

Castle Appoints a distributor for Oregano 2

Castle have appointed a new and exclusive distributor for their RISC OS web browser, Oregano 2. From the 1st August Oregano UK Ltd are responsible for all sales, marketing, and technical support for Oregano 2.

Oregano UK Ltd was founded by Richard Brown, a RISC OS dealer based in Southend-on-Sea. Richard Brown is well known within the RISC OS community and has a comprehensive knowledge of RISC OS. Richard said, "I am delighted to be taking over the distribution and support of Oregano 2. Oregano UK have plans to continue the development of Oregano 2 building on the work that Oregan are constantly doing for their generic browser. This will ensure that web browsing on the RISC OS platform is kept as up-to-date as possible."

Oregano 2 continues to be produced by Oregan Networks Ltd, and original copies of Oregano will continue to be supported by Castle.

<http://www.oreganouk.net/>

PD/Shareware News

New software summary

NoPaste, fix writable icons in Select
A small module intended to fix a problem introduced in RISC OS Select v4.36 that sometimes causes text pasted into writable icons to appear twice (particularly for Messenger and Organizer).
<http://www.flypig.co.uk/dnload.htm>

Updated software summary

CCres v1.04
Converts Toolbox Res files (&fae) and Wimp Template files (&fec) to and from text format. It can be run from the command line or as a Wimp application. This version fixes a few more bugs.
<http://www.btinternet.com/~davea.web/ccres/>

Club News

Upcoming meetings

NKACC (Kent), 14th August - Sibelius 2
<http://nkacc.roundel.net/>
ROUGOL (London), 18th August - Chris Morison, Organizer
<http://rougol.jellybaby.net/>
ICENI (Suffolk), 20th August - Dinner at the Crown Manningtree
<http://www.archipel.demon.co.uk/ICENI/>
EAUG (Essex), 23rd August - BBQ (contact eaug@aaug.net)
<http://www.wattys.fsnet.co.uk/eaug/>
BARUG (Bristol), 27th August - Paul Richardson: The latest from Explan
<http://www.barug.co.uk/>
WROCC (Wakefield), 3rd September
<http://www.wrocc.org.uk/>
ICENI (Suffolk), 4th September - Mike Williams: Photodesk (tutorial)
<http://www.archipel.demon.co.uk/ICENI/>
DARC (Derbyshire), 8th September - Open forum, Questions & Answers
<http://www.darc-comp.org.uk/>
EAUG (Essex), 9th September - Practical networking
<http://www.wattys.fsnet.co.uk/eaug/>
WAUG (Wessex), 13th September
<http://www.mfraz.freeserve.co.uk/waug/>
M25EROUG (M25 East), 16th September - Joe Taylor, AppBasic
<http://m25eroug.riscos.org.uk/>

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