HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: hsundt@lise.unit.no (Henrik Sundt)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: New machine
Keywords: oversampling, bit resolution, audio
Date: 7 Apr 92 13:46:21 GMT
Organization: University of Trondheim

In message 7225, lithgow@usl.com writes:
> Yes, the Arch could definitely do with more than 8 bit logarithmic, but
> doesn't 8 bit logarithmic give the same dynamic range as 12 bit linear?
> ....
>
> > i.e. a total of 13 bit resolution, as the volume can be changed
> > at a high rate.
> Which would make it marginally better than the 8 bit logarithmic
> ....

No, I refer to article 7202 from kim@lise.unit.no:
" Actually, the 8 bit logarithmically gives 6 bits linearity, so the signal/noise
  ratio is only 36 dB."
(could you explain how this is calculated, Kim ? How much better is this than
6 bit linear ?)

Moreover, lithgow comments:
>> ... [12 bit resolution] ... can probably be done with the Archimedes,
>>by using two channels as high and low byte of a sample.
>
>I doubt it. If your A/D converters only have a certain range, theirs not
>much you can do without extra electronics.

The point is to exploit the higher resolution on low bits that the
logarithmic format gives. One channel will superpose bits on the other.

Another interesting project is to improve the sound quality on e.g. Soundtracker
by 2 times oversampling. As long as it plays 4 tracks, one could fill
inbetween-values on the other 4 channels, and thereby hopefully move the
sample-noise up to double frequency.

If anybody are working or have any experience on some of these projects, please
contact me.

Henrik, BIA
(hsundt@lise.unit.no)
From: torbenm@diku.dk (Torben AEgidius Mogensen)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: Acorn
Date: 13 Apr 92 14:19:09 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, U of Copenhagen

neilp@cs.hw.ac.uk (Neil Postlethwaite) writes:

>In article <9204100916.AA01741@solan10> dhmyrdal@SOLAN.UNIT.NO (Dag H}kon Myrdal) writes:

>>> I'd go for the Viglen personally
>>>and run Solaris 2.0 for i3/486 when it finally appears.

>	See new issue of Byte. Solaris for Intel is now upon us and shipping.

>	Like SunSoft say, 'We are already there'.

I expect Solaris will be horribly expensive. Our systems department
has decided NOT to upgrade our Sun workstations and servers to
Solaris, because of cost. They will continue to support SunOS, but
advice against buying any new Sun equipment.

I don't know the price for Solaris for Intel, but if it anywhere near
that of Solaris for Sun, it will be beyond most users capability. If
you think Acorns RISC-ix extension for A440 and A540 is expensive,
then I think you will find Solaris ridiculously overpriced.

	Torben Mogensen (torbenm@diku.dk)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: goodwin@edieng.enet.dec.com (Pete Goodwin)
Subject: Re: Rayshade 4.0.6 ???
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 08:13:55 GMT


In article <1992Apr15.154316.27549@sabrina.dei.unipd.it>, xyz@alessia.dei.unipd.it ( Valerio Pulese ) writes...

>Has anybody already ported rayshade 4.0.6 ?
>Before losing my time I wish to know it.

Yes, I have. It's not finished, but it works. I made a line mode and a desktop
multitasking version of it. What's unfinished is the setup screen. I also
ported the RayPaint application - it works by subdividing rectangles.
Fascinating to watch, it's a shame it eats memory.

I haven't posted rayshade to any pd sites yet, but hopefully shortly. I'm
working on !ModelPlus so that !Model can create and edit PVray and rayshade
scenes.

Pete Goodwin
goodwin@system.enet.dec.com
From: zzassgl@uts.mcc.ac.uk (Geoff Lane)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: Personal Computer World
Date: 14 Apr 92 14:11:52 GMT
Organization: Manchester Computing Centre, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, England.


In the middle of this extended discussion about those prats over in PCW I
have received a mailshot from VNU Business Publications offering me a
subscription to PCW at 14.95/year.  Needless to say I shall not be taking up
their offer but instead will use their pre-paid envelope to send a letter to
the Group Circulation Manager concerning the behaviour of the PCW editors.
Hitting them in the circulation may have more effect than letters to the
editor?


-- 
Geoff. Lane.                                  Janet: zzassgl@uk.ac.mcc.uts
UTS Sys Admin, Manchester Computing Centre, Oxford Rd, Manchester, M13 9PL
From: torq@hal.gnu.ai.mit.edu (Andy Mell)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: !impression - so how good is it?
Date: 15 Apr 92 18:16:00 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: Free Software Foundation

In article <14108@acorn.co.uk> AWaddington@acorn.co.uk (Andy Waddington) writes:
[Comments/suggestions about Impression deleted]
>Some of these things are obviously hideously difficult - but then so are
>some of the things it already does - so how about it CC ? [Do they have an
>Email address for fault reports/ change requests ?]

Email address for CC - good question, according to my uucp maps of the UK
they do have an email address, support!cconcepts@acorn.co.uk, should do it
assuming there is a support mail recipient, there, which most uucp sites 
hanging off acorn appear to have.

Andy
From: ssurawls@susssys1.reading.ac.uk (Mister E)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Computer emissions (was RO3 and the A5000 Multisy)
Date: 7 Apr 92 16:40:37 GMT
Article-I.D.: susssys1.23943.9204071640

Philip R. Banks asks:

>Now what I want to know is if you can dampen the emissions an A3000 puts
>out.

What many US manufacturers do is coat the inside of the computer with
conductive paint, which you should be able to get from RS or Farnell perhaps,
or even maplins. Failing that, you could do what I did to my old spectrum to
cure a similar problem (but with radio) and that was to sellotape kitchen foil
to the inside of the case and earth that! Worked a treat... I have also used
kitchen foil to repair the earth briad on co-ax cable more than once, so try
it out. It doesn't really matter if there are a few gaps, it will take a large
gap for the RF to escape.

Note that the conductive paint idea will also need earthing, just like in the
silver foil.

Good luck!

Ian


Posted Tue Apr 7 17:40:30 BST 1992

=+=+=+=+=+ 8< =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ 8< =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ 8< =+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Mr Ian Rawlings, Telephone Reading (0734) 662301
	EMAIL ssurawls@susssys1.rdg.ac.uk

>>        You are ALL individuals...
>
>Yes. We are all individuals.
 
I'm not.
From: jrmt@ukc.ac.uk (Jon Thackray)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Lemmings sounds and !boot files
Date: 8 Apr 92 19:06:18 GMT
Organization: Computing Lab, University of Kent at Canterbury, UK.

Has anyone managed to extract the famous 'Oh no!' and `Let's go!' sounds
from Lemmings yet? I'd be interested to hear if anyone has - that cute
'Oh no!' sound would make a brilliant system beep! Or is the sound
copyrighted by Psygnosis / Krisalis?                                                   
Just a moan to software authors / PD libraries. Why are there so many 
apps out there with silly !Boot files which just do a nothing more than
an iconsprites <obey$dir> ?? I thought the filer does it for you if there's
no !boot file. I've spent an hour wiping all of these on my hard disc where
they are not needed (about 70 !boot files), and the speed increase on
opening a filer window with lots of apps in is much faster (or so it seems)
- about 30% faster, and it saves disc space too!

Maybe some over enthusistic PD library put them in just in case. Acorn seem
to be taking the lead on not having !boot files - !Killer and !Extract are 
just two apps not to have them.

Oh yes, and here's an idea for anyone wanting a challenge - I'm sure a
desktop version of Lemmings would go down well - building bridges between 
windows and complete with self exploding lemmings - or even a multitasking
version of lemmings, in a window, for a bit of fun.

Jon.


\  Jon R.M. Thackray, \ Term: jrmt@ukc.ac.uk            \  If the moon is  \\
\\  Darwin College,    \ Hols: ..!uknet!axion!tharr!jrmt \  made of cheese, \\
 \\  University Of Kent \ Fidonet: Jak @ 2:254/27.0       \  I'm Roland Rat  \\
  \\  Canterbury England \          (Arcade BBS)           \  - AN Lecturer.  \
  ===== It's the End of the World as we know it ... and I feel fine - REM =====
From: ee88jmf@brunel.ac.uk (J M Fielder)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: A little joke from CC ?
Date: 8 Apr 92 11:47:09 GMT
Reply-To: ee88jmf@brunel.ac.uk.brunel.ac.uk (J M Fielder)
Distribution: comp
Organization: Brunel University, Uxbridge, UK

In article <KERS.92Apr2074815@cdollin.hpl.hp.com> kers@hplb.hpl.hp.com (Chris Dollin) writes:
>Sean Witham asks:
>    Has anyone used impression today ? Lets say that the
>   Carrots, oops I mean carret, is interesting.
>Mucho amuso. Let's hope it *is* CC, and not some clever virus.

It *is* CC, put in their by Phil Martin that did Impulse.

Apparently it was in there for nearly 9 months until Charles Moir noticed
it :-)

Just look at the Sprites file if you want to grab the pointer sprite for your
own stuff.

Joust
From: lorcan@cix.compulink.co.uk (Lorcan Mongey)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: PC Emulator 1.8
Date: 15 Apr 92 09:50:01 GMT
Reply-To: Lorcan Mongey <lorcan@cix.compulink.co.uk>
Organization: Gated to News by demon.co.uk

In article <1992Apr13.082729.11087@newcastle.ac.uk>
Albert.Koelmans@newcastle.ac.uk (Albert Koelmans) writes:
 
>I have never been able to run *any* version of the PC Emulator on my
>machine (a standard 310 with Watford 5.25 floppy interface fitted). It
>just hangs whenever I start it up. Has anyone had the same problem? Any
>hints about what could be wrong?
 
My old 310 with a Beebug 5.25 floppy interface ran all the PCEms I threw
at it. Does the Watford one allow you to select which is drive 0? It
occurs to me that since MS-DOS always trys all the floppy drives as it
boots, searching for a boot disc, it might be getting a bit confused by
what it finds. Exactly how far into the boot sequence does it get? Does
it prompt you for the DOS disc? Does it get anything loaded from the DOS
disc?

Try configuring Floppies to 1 (clutching at straws a bit here). :-(
 
Lorcan
From: switham@acorn.co.uk (Sean Witham)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: Karma
Date: 16 Apr 92 10:21:44 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: Acorn Computers Ltd, Cambridge, England

In article <DBH.92Apr8182056@wombat.doc.ic.ac.uk> dbh@doc.ic.ac.uk (Denis Howe) writes:

>
>And where the hell is a world warmed by gravitational tidal forces?

Dunno, i'll ask the guys who are writing it for you if you like.

I happen to know them. *8-)

_________________________________________________________________________

Sean Witham (Xeno)     JANET: switham@uk.co.acorn or xeno@uk.ac.city.cs

The above is my own personal view, as long as it doesn't get me into
any trouble. Any facts are given in good faith I take no responsibilty
for their use, in fact I'd be very surprised if you can understand it
at all after my English/Spelling.
From: switham@acorn.co.uk (Sean Witham)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: help! checkmap fails
Date: 10 Apr 92 17:24:39 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: Acorn Computers Ltd, Cambridge, England

In article <1992Apr6.225159.16783@cs.aukuni.ac.nz> jwil1@cs.aukuni.ac.nz (TMOTA) writes:

>lithgow@uslp.UUCP writes:
>>Is it my imagination, or are Philip and I, and the Acorn employees, the
>>only Acorn-computer-lovers in this group? ;-)
>
>[Stuff about acorns being nice]
>
>[Stuff about bad software and low impact marketing]
>
>Just remember, we criticise out of love. It is a burden, but we must bear it.
>
>Also remember that criticism and wingeing seems to be the only way to draw
>any response out of Acorn, albeit the wrong response... This always
>surprises me, as individual *people* at acorn all seem to be very eager
>and willing to help (good one guys), but the corporate machine has a somewhat
>less helpful image from my viewpoint.

 Well there is a chicken and egg problem here. People get afraid to offer help,
advice and information about known problems because when they do sometime they
receive replies criticiseing them. The trouble is because people sometimes
remain silent they receive even more criticisms. The solution is to always
praise good points at the same time a criticism is made. Always make constructive
comments rather than just complain, then may not only individuals will want to
help more but management would decide to take a more unix or pd like approach to
customer comments. After all if they receive helpful comments as opposed to
complaints they won't mind talking, and thus listening, about such things.
 Remember this applies to ALL organisations and it maybe the answer to the
things you are unhappy about with the various individuals, groups, societies,
and companies whom you deal with.


>
>I think we all just want everything to be *better*.
>We all recognise the good points - they are fine. But the bad points need
>to be improved, thus the bad points are discussed more. This is the case
>with any machine...
>

 Fine then always make that clear when such bad points are talked about. Show you
approve of things in general and that you are a fan Temper your requests for
improvements with your complete view of a system/service provided to you by an
organisation.

_________________________________________________________________________

Sean Witham (Xeno)     JANET: switham@uk.co.acorn or xeno@uk.ac.city.cs

The above is my own personal view, as long as it doesn't get me into
any trouble. Any facts are given in good faith I take no responsibilty
for their use, in fact I'd be very surprised if you can understand it
at all after my English/Spelling.
From: msattler@neun.informatik.uni-kl.de (Matthias Sattler (PROSEM GdI))
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: LPMud gamedriver
Date: 10 Apr 92 14:06:41 GMT
Reply-To: msattler@neun.informatik.uni-kl.de (Matthias Sattler (PROSEM GdI))
Organization: University of Kaiserslautern (Germany)

I am searching an LPMud Gamedriver running under RiscOS.
V3.1.2S would be best, but other versions will do as well.
Hints to get the UNIX source running would help too.


Matthias Sattler
Hauptstr. 41
W-6751 Heltersberg
GERMANY

Tel.: Germany 06333/63175
  or          06333/65079

Email to: msattler@sechs.informatik.uni-kl.de
From: michael@uk.ac.oxford.robots (& Stevens)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Coroutines under C
Date: 9 Apr 92 09:41:54 GMT
Article-I.D.: lucrece.MICHAEL.92Apr9104154
Distribution: eunet
Organization: Dept. Engineering Science, Oxford University, UK

Browsing thorugh the stack chunk managemnt in C manual has spured me
into writting a Coroutining library for the archi. Since I use
transputers a lot eventually I want to make it compatible with the
Inmos process and channel libraries.

Since I have only had my archi for 2 weeks I not too fluent in ARM
assembler so I was hopeing I could keep it all in C for now. If you
have done something similar I would be interested in any results.

Ok here goes for a few questions, most of which are trying to relate
my understanding of the C manual with reality!

1. The section on stack extension (machine dependant chapter) mentions
that the kernel provides two forms of stack extension for both C type
and Pascal type procedures. These are named _kernel_stkovf_XXXX. Since
there are no definitions for these in kernel.h was wondering where
they are, or does it actually mean you should write them yourself?
-1z
2. I have a good Idea how to manufacture a new stack chunk for each
thread of execution, and I want fp,sp,sl to look like. The manual
emphasises this and mentions that modified jmp_buf's can be used. The
trouble is that the setjmp.h just defines jmp_buf as an array of 22
words. Anyone know what the actual the actual structer looks like?
3. I assumes that longjmp must be quite complex as it has to unravel
stack frames and possible deallocate stack chunks. Are there any pit
falls I should be aware of using it, particularly as I am going to be
messing around with the stack chunk lists?

Thanks,
Michael Stevens, Robotics Research Group,Dept of Engineering Science,Oxford,UK
JANET:    michael@uk.ac.oxford.robots
INTERNET: michael%robots.oxford.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk

--
Michael Stevens, Robotics Research Group,Dept of Engineering Science,Oxford,UK
JANET:    michael@uk.ac.oxford.robots
INTERNET: michael%robots.oxford.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk
From: dseal@armltd.co.uk (David Seal)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: New ARM development
Date: 10 Apr 92 03:01:53 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: A.R.M. Ltd, Swaffham Bulbeck, Cambs, UK

In article <16g2Ppj013n@khantazi.welly.gen.nz> banksie@khantazi.welly.gen.nz
(Philip R. Banks) writes:

>ca121@cs.city.ac.uk (D BROWNLEE) writes:
>> ARM Ltd.produce Technological Breakthrough in silicon based chip manufacture
>>                 - The Logically Enhanced Gatearray -
>>                 ====================================
>
>   Posted this slightly early didnt you?
>
>>Date: 31 Mar 92 20:19:22 GMT

I don't think he did. Work out what time and date that is in New Zealand :-)

David Seal
dseal@armltd.co.uk

All opinions are mine only...
From: neilp@cs.hw.ac.uk (Neil Postlethwaite)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: Solaris
Date: 16 Apr 92 10:42:59 GMT
Organization: Dept of Computer Science, Heriot-Watt University, Scotland

In article <8830.9204131640@susssys1.rdg.ac.uk> ssurawls@susssys1.reading.ac.uk (Mister E) writes:
>What is Solaris when it's at home? Last I heard it was a submarine. Is this
>another PC product that performs like it is underwater? =)
>
>Sorry!
>
>Seriously, what is solaris!

	Solaris (version 2.0 now) is SUNOS 5.0 (Sun Unix) with Open Desktop
and other Sun Stuff on a single CD.

	It is available for SPARC boxes and i3/486. The combination of PC
h/ware may be critical (WD controller, VGA board ..).

	Solaris 2.0 is supposed to be shipping now, best phone/mail Sun for
exact details. SunSoft rather. Like Unix International xxxx Open they are
being moved away from being owned by a single company. 

	SunOS 5.0 is SunOS 4.1 with unix V.4 stuff, Symmetric Multiprocessing
abilities (probably Sequest Symmemty/Compaq SystemPro) and other bit's
and bobs. Take a hike down to Menzies/WH Smith and see the current issue of
Byte. On about page 4-5 there is a double page spread ad about it.

	At a rough guess it should be pretty good (Sun after all pretty much
invented the Unix workstation market) and they have been at it longer than
almost anyone.

	Neil

P.S. Solaris = Sun.      (Sick eh !)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: 2105995@hydra.maths.unsw.OZ.AU ()
Subject: Re: >Arm and 486 and things
Organization: school of Mathematics UNSW
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 03:50:56 GMT

In article <24976.9204081510@susssys1.rdg.ac.uk> ssurawls@susssys1.reading.ac.uk (Mister E) writes:
>mrp@minster wrote;
>
>> in the current issue of pcw there was a little ad. seeking PC
>>programmers, experienced in windows grpahics and assembler, to work on
>>a graphics application.  The ad. was placed by Computer Concepts.
>>
>>Any thoughts, obvious conclusions?
>>
>> - martin.
>
>Eeek! A PC version of Impression?? What next, Risc-OS! :-)
>
>
>It seems like quite a few Acorn people are involved in the PC market. There is
>Acorn, CC now it seems, DT software, Minerva, Yukford Electronics (sorry
>Joust!), etc.
>
>
>Ian
>
>
>Posted Wed Apr 8 16:10:03 BST 1992
>
>=+=+=+=+=+ 8< =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ 8< =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ 8< =+=+=+=+=+=+=+
>Mr Ian Rawlings, Telephone Reading (0734) 662301
>	EMAIL ssurawls@susssys1.rdg.ac.uk
>

Probably not. this may just be a 're-education program' of the poor  
compedant programmers that program them PCs!

Actually, i would suspect an Arc-PC type product (maybe something that
the PC has that the arc could do with). I'll leave any details entirely
to your imagination!

Who knows? Computer Concepts could be trying to get some feedback on it's
products!...., but then again, Naaaahhh!

Anyway, no doubt we will find out soon. Rumors are so often simply
wishful thinking...

                                 Cheers!

            __     _  ___    ___     _   _     _     _    _
          //  //  // //__   // \\   //| //|   //|   //|  //
         //_ //  //    //  //      // |// |  //_|  // | //
        //   \  // ___//   \\__// //      | //  | //  |//  
           President of the Ban the Mac Association( Aust. )

No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem,
transmitted, chopped up into little bits and fed to a rottweiler, used for
quotes outside an Andrew Lloyd-Webber musical, given to Iranians in exchange
for hostages or used as toilet paper without the prior permission of the
publisher (and I'll say no anyway, so don't bother to ask)
             reply to : s2105995@spectrum.cs.unsw.oz.au
From: neilp@cs.hw.ac.uk (Neil Postlethwaite)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: Grumbles about RO3 PRMs
Date: 12 Apr 92 09:54:58 GMT
Organization: Dept of Computer Science, Heriot-Watt University, Scotland

In article <1992Apr10.001954.14111@cs.aukuni.ac.nz> jwil1@cs.aukuni.ac.nz (TMOTA) writes:
>
>I think the point Philip (and myself for that matter) are trying to make
>is that RISC OS 3.00 HAS NOT YET BEEN FINISHED
>The thing in ROM on A5000's is NOT the official Acorn RISC OS 3.00
>Some peoplejust happen to be "lucky" enough to play with a prerelease
>version of RO3 for a few months...

	I think you mean EPROM here !! Also very expensive too.

>Acorn would also have to re-print the manuals a couple of weeks/months/years
>after that to include the new information. It doesn't make sound
>business sense.
>

	So what's wrong with making the documentation the currently have
available on line ??? Newcastle or NPDSA srting to mind. Or are they just
bothered about the bigger people like CC and Risc Dev (sic) etc..

	The 'little man' can F.O.A.D. (after trying to flog machines for them
now !!!)

	Neil

P.S. The cassette on the front cover of May BAU is the funniest thing I
    have heard in ages. 'Tell your friend about your experiences with Acorn.
    That will tell them more a lot of things'. Experiences with Acorn .....
    aaaaggggghhhhh!!!!!!
From: /G=Richard/S=Crook/O=SJ-Research/ADMD=INTERSPAN/C=GB/@MHS-RELAY.AC.UK
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: Scandal: Acorn betrays customers! (:-)
Date: 10 Apr 92 10:02:03 GMT

julian@bridge.welly.gen.nz (Julian Wright) writes:

> Also (and here's a really potentially controversial option) perhaps a
> configurable option to "Auto mount" a disc when it is inserted in the
> drive, opening it's root filer window if this is the first time the disc
> has been seen. After all, what's the first thing you do after putting a
> new disc in the drive?

Frequently, to run !Killer, before allowing any viruses on the disc to
execute...

Have a nice day,
Richard

Richard.Crook%gb.interspan.sj@uk.ac.mhs-relay
Whatever you may think, this is my own opinion ONLY, and not that of any of
the companies whose names form parts of my mail address...