Acorn News Service Newsletter

Issue: 159 (30 May 2004)

Featured site this issue: http://www.bigbenclub.nl/

General News

Proposed RISC OS users group in East Kent

A few RISC OS users in East Kent want to get a local users group started.

If you are interested in joining this new group please contact Peter Campbell-Banks <Peter@petercb.f2s.com>, including details of where you are and which days are best for you, so that a meeting can be organized.

Commercial News

Castle and Cino joint development

Castle Technology Ltd and Spellings Computer Services Ltd have joined forces to develop a new version of ADFS, which will allow faster transfer of data through the RISC OS filing system whilst consuming less CPU time.

Of particular importance to Spellings Computer Services is that this new version of ADFS will allow the required flow of data from CD and DVD drives for DVD movies to be played back in real time.

Neil Spellings, managing director of Spellings Computer Services Ltd said, "I am delighted to work with Castle to provide the first RISC OS DVD player. The work we are undertaking will free up a lot of valuable CPU resources which are needed for decrypting and decoding the video and audio data. The product is destined to be called Cino and should be available later this year."

<http://www.cinodvd.com/>

Castle's plans for RISC OS

Castle has published details for the continuing development of RISC OS (codename Merlin). Castle's plans include a 6 week period of open consultation with the RISC OS community to assist Castle's management in allocating development resources.

Castle states that it is committed to the development of core RISC OS and desktop extensions. Full details are available at: <http://www.iyonix.com/merlin/>

Acorn related memorabilia

Following an office rationalization, Intelligent Interfaces are offering a number of items of Acorn related memorabilia for sale. For a list see <http://www.intint.demon.co.uk/riscos/rationalization.html>.

Many of the items are of historic interest. Some items are new and others are used. All were working when last used, but II cannot offer any guarantees. The prices include handling, carriage and VAT (where appropriate). First come, first served.

Please contact the sales office (phone 023 8026 1514 or e-mail <sales@intint.demon.co.uk>) to check availability before posting your cheque. Offer ends at 12:00 noon on Friday, 11th June 2004.

PD/Shareware News

New software summary

Erase, secure file deletion
Erase uses random data to overwrite files or entire directories on disc before deleting them, thus making it virtually impossible to recover the original data by means of disc editors or 'undelete' utilities. Erase is intended for users of the Iyonix or the Virtual Acorn software, since the older application Nuke does not work in those systems. Users of RISC OS 3 or 4 should continue to use Nuke, which is faster and somewhat more flexible.
<http://www.queen.clara.net/pgp/acorn.html>
Graphite, create and edit graphs
Graphite is an application for creating and editing flow chart like graphics. Alpha version.
<http://www.zpages.de/>
RDPClient, a RISC OS client for Remote Desktop
A client for the Remote Desktop Protocol, which allows you to log on to a server over a network and be presented with a virtual desktop display. Applications run entirely on the server under control of the client's keyboard and mouse with the display graphics being rendered on the client machine. Remote Desktop server software is available for both Linux and Microsoft Windows. RDPClient is based on v1.3.1 of the open source application rdesktop and is released under the GNU Public Licence (GPL). RDPClient has been tested on all versions of RISC OS from 3.70 upwards and is compatible with the Castle Iyonix PC. A minimum of RISC OS 3.50 and Internet 5 are required.
<http://www.orac2.demon.co.uk/software/rdpclient/rdpclient.html>

Updated software summary

Firepipe v2.01
Firepipe is a Fireworkz/PipeDream converter. Archive fixed.
<http://starfighter.acornarcade.com/mysite/utilities#firepipe>
Reporter v2.58
The BASIC Trace facility can be very useful when debugging programs. Reporter makes it simple to use in WIMP programs and in this version the BASIC Trace function has been considerably extended.
<http://www.avisoft.force9.co.uk/Reporter.htm>

Club News

Upcoming meetings

WROCC (Wakefield), 2nd June - Stuart Tyrrell, A6
<http://www.wrocc.org.uk/>
EAUG (Essex), 8th June
<http://www.wattys.fsnet.co.uk/eaug/>
LAUG (Liverpool), 8th June
<http://www.italia.co.uk/laug/>
NKACC (Kent), 10th June - People's favourite web sites
<http://nkacc.roundel.net/>
WAUG (Wessex), 12th June
<http://www.mfraz.freeserve.co.uk/waug/>
DARC (Derbyshire), 14th June - John Vanags: Producing the newsletter
<http://www.darc-comp.org.uk/>
RONWUG (North West), 16th June
<http://www.ronwug.org/>
RISC OS Expo 2004 (Netherlands), 19th June
<http://www.bigbenclub.nl/>
ROUGOL (London), 21st June
<http://rougol.jellybaby.net/>
BARUG (Bristol), 30th June
<http://www.barug.co.uk/>

ANS Information

Contact ANS

Editor - James Sears - james@ans.acornusers.org
Webmaster - Stephen Courtney - stephen@ans.acornusers.org
Translator - Michael Gerbracht - michael@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

How to send in news

To send in your news items simply e-mail <ans@acornusers.org>, or use the form on the ANS website <http://www.ans.org.uk/newsdesk>. Also if you have an Acorn related announcements mailing list, feel free to subscribe <ans@acornusers.org>.

How to subscribe to ANS

If you are reading this on the ANS web site, or have received a forwarded copy of ANS and would like to subscribe to the mailing list, simply send any e-mail to <ans-subscribe@ans.acornusers.org>. Alternatively use the form on the ANS web site at <http://www.ans.org.uk/subscribe>.

For details of other commands e-mail <ans-help@ans.acornusers.org>.