From: DPetrov@arm.msk.su (Dimitry Petrov)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: Russian programmers writes...
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 92 16:16:32 MSK
Organization: Russian ARM Support Group

Many thanks to all who replied to our letter!
At the moment we have already 8 replies.

To save money we decided to answer to some common questions here.

Since January, 1991 there is no library in Russia receiving any
Acorn-related magazines due to luck of money. So all information about
acorn world we have to get from "Computer Trade Weekly" newspaper and
from some non-UK magazines. So acorn-related newsgroups are our main
source of news and information.

For those who could send us some magazines, etc., here is our post
address (my home one in fact):
   Petrov Software
   Flat 107, Bld. 1
   Kavkazskij Boulevard, 29
   Moscow, 115541, Russia

   Our group consists of several (first and second year) students of
Moscow State University (MSU), my brother (an engineer working in
computer fields) and me (second year postgraduate of MSU). We began from
BBC B+ in 1986 and now we are working in computer class of Archimedes
(A440/1, 2 A3000, 3 Masters and Fileserver) (which resides on Computer
Mathematics and Cybernetics Department of MSU, room 745). The class
belongs to Acorn (as far as I know) because our university haven't money
to buy it.

   <arm.msk.su> is our own e-mail node and thus we must pay for both
outcoming and incoming messages (possibly in next year Russia's
universities will be provided with e-mail access to Relcom/EUNet free of
charge. Now it is expensive.

   Some people (foreigners, of cource) wonder why we don't buy software
for the Archimedes, why we don't subscribe to any acorn magazines, why,
at last, we write about our problems over the whole world.
The main problem is that we just have no money. All foreigners tell
us "What's the cheapest country!", "I can move 30 km on taxi for only half
dollar!". But they forgot to ask how much money can have ordinary
student (about 1500 roubles per month) and what is the OFFICIAL
currency exchange course (about 450 roubles for 1 dollar).

About our latest software products.
   We are working in several fields: system utilities, software for the
Econet, educational software...
   For Archimedes we have:
   - ctetris - Tetris-like game under desktop (old version exists on
Newcastle server)
   - microscope - multitasking magnifier
   - !Russian - keyboard handler with support for russian alphabet
(may be useful for studying Russian)
   - fsdd - disc doctor for Acorn Fileserver E01+E40S (E60S). I had
sent it to c.b.a. moderator more than month ago but it didn't appear
in c.b.a for unknown reason.
   - fileserver - the module for the Archimedes realising fileserver
software (it works in background). The first version was written  more
than year ago, then I several times asked Acorn for swi chunk but
without result. Recently I found a way to avoid the using of internal
SWIes and significantly rewrite the code. Still under development.
   - menuutils - the special module (was written by my brother Alex)
with collection of SWIes (many thanks to Acorn for allocation SWI chunk) 
for menu support under Desktop. Very useful software with full 
documentation! (was posted to c.b.a, but see the fate of "fsdd")
   - msqueeze - squeezes modules and appends self-extracting code
to the initialisation entry.
   - psfc - part of Postscript interpreter allowing conversion
Postscript (Adobe) fonts to RISC OS2 outline fonts. Still under development.
(don't know whether it breaks copyright laws).
   - rubik - 3-d simulation of Rubik's Cube puzzle. Requires Euclid
module.
   - taskwindow - the module supporting pre-emptive multitasking.
Runs most non-desktop applications under desktop (for example,
E-Type, BasicEdit). Still under development. The very old version
exists on Newcastle server ("taskw").
Supports function keys, cursor editing, MODE changing, etc. Very
small in size (less than 8k).
   - etc.
For the Master/BBC B+ we have (old programs indeed):
   - RAMFS - realises ADFS-like RAM-disk in Sideways RAM. Supports
Allows easily add *-commands. Comes with full documentation.
   - DOSFS - DOS (IBM PC) compatible filing system. Supports
double density discs (360K/720K). It uses the rest of RAM-chunk for
disc caching. Very fast loading/saving/GBPB operations. Supports
file operations across Tube.
   - Tree - Econet directory tree life informator.
   - russ - keyboard driver with support for russian alphabet
   - srl  - very fast implementation of Srload. Automatically
detects free RAM-chunks. It can load several ROM-images through
one command. You don't need press <CTRL Break> for language ROMS.

   At last time we look the significant interest to acorn products in
Russia. We often participate in different computer related exhibitions.
We demonstrate there acorn computers, Econet and some software, organize
special demonstrations for potential buyers. They constantly ask us about
the latest software/hardware news. We are asking you to send us your
pricelists, descriptions on your products. Any technical information,
documentation, PD software would be very useful. If you are interested we
could organize presentation of your software and hardware here in Russia.

   It would be fine if someone in UK could coordinate this process (to
avoid duplicates).
   Possibly some computer club could patronize us.

Happy Christmas!



---
 DPetrov@arm.msk.su (Dimitry Petrov)
 Russian ARM Support Group
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: altman@cryton.demon.co.uk (Hugo Fiennes)