HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: wsinda@wsintt05.info.win.tue.nl (Dick Alstein)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn.tech
Subject: Bug in Wimp_LoadTemplate??
Date: 8 Sep 92 10:01:27 GMT
Reply-To: wsinda@info.win.tue.nl

I read something about a bug in SWI Wimp_LoadTemplate, causing it to 
handle indirected sprites incorrectly. Can anybody confirm this / give
more details? If the bug exists, has it been fixed in RO 3.1?

Dick Alstein
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn.tech
From: johny@cogs.sussex.ac.uk (Lord Yak Da Hairy)
Subject: Re: RISC OS 3.10
To: comp.sys.acorn.tech
Posted-Date: Wed, 9 Sep 92 13: 05:35 +0100
Organization: The Devastating Rear Shot, Inc.
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 12:05:35 GMT
Received-Date: Wed, 9 Sep 92 07: 04:54 CDT
Via: uk.ac.sussex.syma; Wed, 9 Sep 1992 13: 04:38 +0100

In article <Bu6LxC.HC7@comp.vuw.ac.nz> Gavin.Flower@comp.vuw.ac.nz (Gavin Flower) writes:
>Any changes to the version of BASIC that comes with Risc-OS 3.1 over
>Risc-OS 2.0?  I don't recall any recent mention of this, though I'm
>sure that there are changes, if my memory serves me correctly.

Yes, there's a CRUNCH keyword, which removes spaces, REMs etc; don't
remember if it can shorten variable/PROC names, though...

You also get BASIC64 in System:modules, which uses the FPE (or FPU if you
have it :-) for enhanced precision in all things floating-point.

-- John Yeates (Lord Yak Da Hairy) ---------------- johny@cogs.susx.ac.uk --
-- ...THIS definitely takes, eats and shits the cake. - allane@unsw.oz.au --
From: smb@cs.nott.ac.uk (Simon Burrows)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn.tech
Subject: CMOS RAM Allocation
Date: 9 Sep 92 14:57:22 GMT
Organization: Nottingham University

As the RISC OS 3 Programmers' Reference Manuals are not yet available,
I would be grateful for any information about the way in which RISC OS 3.10
uses bits in the CMOS RAM.

Thanks in advance,


Simon.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Simon Burrows    smb@cs.nott.ac.uk  psyhsmb@unicorn.nott.ac.uk +44 533 712030
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From: nbvs@cl.cam.ac.uk (Nicko van Someren)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn.tech
Subject: Re: RISC OS 3.10
Date: 6 Sep 92 09:51:31 GMT
Reply-To: nbvs@cl.cam.ac.uk (Nicko van Someren)
Organization: U of Cambridge Comp Lab, UK

In article <1992Sep5.185031.23487@cs.nott.ac.uk> smb@cs.nott.ac.uk (Simon Burrows) writes:
>
>Two observations from using RISC OS 3.10 on my A440/1:
>
>1) When I switch on, a huge blue floppy disc is displayed on screen, with
>what looks like a !System folder icon on it. Also the bottom few pixels
>of the picture look to be corrupted. What is this for?

I think you will find it is wanting a disc containing the text to all the
messages etc. in some language other than english.  Take a good look at
your country configuration.

>2) Occasionally (3 times so far) I have been going about my business in
>the desktop, when I have got the error "!!! CAM Map Corrupt!!!" (note
>the exclamation marks), which promptly kills the task manager. Any
>clues to what causes these would be much appreciated.

It could meen that you have a duff MEMC but more likely some program has
writen over the soft copy of the CAM map and the task manager does not
know what to do about it.

Nicko


+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Nicko van Someren, nbvs@cl.cam.ac.uk, (44) 223 358707 or (44) 860 498903    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn.tech
Subject: Re: RISC OS 3.10
From: jwil1@cs.aukuni.ac.nz (TMOTA)
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 01:22:42 GMT
 <1992Sep6.230410.4489@cs.nott.ac.uk> <Bu6LxC.HC7@comp.vuw.ac.nz>
Organization: Computer Science Dept. University of Auckland

Gavin.Flower@comp.vuw.ac.nz (Gavin Flower) writes:

>Any changes to the version of BASIC that comes with Risc-OS 3.1 over
>Risc-OS 2.0?  I don't recall any recent mention of this, though I'm
>sure that there are changes, if my memory serves me correctly.

I don't know if there has been an update since v1.05, but this had several
improvements over the 1.04 in RISC OS 2.00. I can't recall most of them,
but I do remember that it gives proper error messages when errors occur
in libraries (i.e. the real library line number is given as ERL instead of
the last line of the main program!), and it also allows
  IF whatever THEN :REM a multi-line if-then statement
    do-something
  ENDIF
while BASIC 1.04 took the first line as being a single-line IF-THEN.
(Actually a bit annoying as it broke several programs of mine that relied
on the fact that I could say:
  IF condition THEN :REM I must write some code here!

There are also some new instructions I think...
-- 
_________________  "I'd like to answer this question in two ways:
  /____ _ _/_ __       First in my normal voice, and then
 // / //_//_ /_/       in a silly, high-pitched whine." (Monty Python)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: RISC-OS-3.1.gloat.gloat.gloat
From: jwil1@cs.aukuni.ac.nz (TMOTA)
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 00:52:52 GMT
Organization: Computer Science Dept. University of Auckland

I don't have RISC OS 3 version 3.10, so there!

In fact, I think I might just re-fit my good old Arthur ROMs - no filecore
bugs - no crashes when you open info windows... ;-)

Ahhh... the good old days, of the "desktop" (heeheehee!) and ArcWriter.
(And you tell that to the youth of today, and they don't believe you! ;-)

So I waggle my fingers in the general direction of all you so-called
RISC OS 3.1 users. Now go away before I taunt you a second time!
-- 
_________________  "I'd like to answer this question in two ways:
  /____ _ _/_ __       First in my normal voice, and then
 // / //_//_ /_/       in a silly, high-pitched whine." (Monty Python)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: gtoal@ibmpcug.co.uk (Graham Toal)
Subject: Re: Interesting Alias
Organization: The IBM PC User Group, UK.
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 23:11:48 GMT

In article <18336@acorn.co.uk> aoliver@acorn.co.uk (Ashley Oliver) writes:
:Ah, sorry to disappoint. That's just the command line version of Brian
:Brunswicks excellent !Links that provides Run-nable symbolic links.
:A completely general solution to the problem of links
:still remains to be developed for RISC OS.
:
:(But when somebody does, I'll bite their hand off).

Why not encourage Acorn to finish off the RISC OS interface to the
Unix file system?  Then you can have all the features you want... *and*
a very smooth upgrade path to Unix sales later.  (Unlike what I just
did - copy off to DOS very slowly indeed, reformat, and copy back)

G
--
From: andyf@yama.uk.sun.com (Andrew Fox - Sun UK - Answer centre)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: RISC iX not booting under 3.10
Date: 11 Sep 92 02:56:31 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Distribution: world
Reply-To: andyf@yama.uk.sun.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: yama.uk.sun.com

In article 10895 djhr4@crosfield.co.uk (david redman) writes:-

	.......stuff deleted.......

	>1. I didn't like loosing the ability to boot RISCiX... :(
	>   And if anyone at Acorn would like to tell me how to stop
	>   getting: "unknown machine type" errors I would be VERY grateful.

	.......stuff deleted.......



I believe that you will find that this is due to the version you are running.

It should be version 1.22 or later in order to correctly work with RISC OS 3.10.

I can't remember where I read this (it could even be the RISC OS 3.10 release notes),
but it works fine for a friend of mine on his A310 and he has ver. 1.22.

I believe that the support disk has a patch for earlier versions oF RISC iX, but that
Acorn do not guarantee that it will work.

If in doubt, get a newer version of RISC iX.

If in the meantime, I remember where I read it, I'll post some details.

Cheers,

Andy F.

 
********************************************************************************
** Disclaimer: *****************************************************************
********************************************************************************
** The opinions expressed above in no way represent those of Sun Microsystems **
********************************************************************************
********************************************************************************
From: nbvs@cl.cam.ac.uk (Nicko van Someren)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: A5000 NS
Date: 13 Sep 92 17:28:06 GMT
Reply-To: nbvs@cl.cam.ac.uk (Nicko van Someren)
Organization: U of Cambridge Comp Lab, UK

In article <1992Sep8.052445.3966@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> amell@nyx.cs.du.edu (Andrew P.Mell) writes:
>I hear that the Acorn Ethernet card is now in Version III and comes with
>support for AUN etc in the podule firmwire all for the infinitely more
>reasonable price of 149 quid exc. vat. If thats true, then its a big step
>forward for ethernet on the archimedes, the original 299 quid card was 
>just plain ridiculous in pricing terms. 

Acording to the latest Acorn price lists the card is now 149 quid.
The AUN code is included.  You can still run the card with the TCP/IP
suite with the correct drivers.

>Are new Unix device drivers needed for the version 3 card?

Yes.

>Andy

Nicko


+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Nicko van Someren, nbvs@cl.cam.ac.uk, (44) 223 358707 or (44) 860 498903    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
From: nas20@cl.cam.ac.uk (Nick Smith)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: ARM3 speeds on a 12MHz memory system
Date: 12 Sep 92 11:13:43 GMT
Reply-To: nas20@phx.cam.ac.uk (Nick Smith)
Organization: U of Cambridge Comp Lab, UK

I am interested in running the ARM3 in my A5000 at some slightly higher clock
speed (we are not talking cooling units here!) I expect that someone out there
has done some clock speed/performance experiments. eg, Acorn/ARM Ltd/Aleph One.
and it would be interesting if these could be posted to the net.

I have heard that it is quite reasonable to run most ARM3s at 30MHz (A5K runs
at 25MHz, or it could be 24MHz), but I have had difficulty in finding the
appropriate clock crystals at greater than 50MHz (you need *2). I have tried
Maplin, RS & Farnell - could anyone suggest a source for higher speed 
crystals ?

Nick.

--
--
Nick Smith, Churchill College, Cambridge, UK.  %$%  Email: nas20@uk.ac.cam.phx
sig quote wanted - must be under guarantee.   $%$  --- Usual disclaimer. ---
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: smb@cs.nott.ac.uk (Simon Burrows)
Subject: Re: RISC OS 3.10
Organization: Nottingham University
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 92 17:34:58 GMT

I have just used RISC OS 3.1 on a (different) ARM2 A3000, and whilst it
is certainly a little slower than RISC OS 2 used to be, I would say that
the speed was acceptable. I have yet to work out why it seemed to be much
slower on my father's machine, where it was not acceptable (any ideas?).
I no longer have any great reservations on upgrading on account of the speed.

Apparently there is a simple reason why RISC OS 3.1 upgrades are in such
short supply - they have all been recalled by Acorn (from the dealers).
Unfortunately the installation guide pictured the A5000 RISC OS 3.1 ROMS
inserted the wrong way round, so all of the upgrade packs not currently
installed have been recalled to have changes made.

Simon.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Simon Burrows    smb@cs.nott.ac.uk   psyhsmb@unicorn.nott.ac.uk +44 533 712030
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn,comp.sys.acorn.advocacy
From: gpvos@cs.vu.nl (Gerben 'P' Vos)
Subject: Re: Machine Wars (wasRe: A3010 views)
Followup-To: comp.sys.acorn.advocacy
Organization: Fac. Wiskunde & Informatica, VU, Amsterdam
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1992 20:42:42 GMT

[Arc/Amiga comparison deleted]

>>	BTW - if this isn't the right group, is there another for
>>general discussion, (comp.sys.acorn.misc type thing?)

comp.sys.acorn * is * the right group for general discussion.
There is no comp.sys.acorn.misc .
However, this thread isn't a general discussion; please move it to
comp.sys.acorn.advocacy, where it belongs.

Neil Postlethwaite writes:

>Yes, comp.sys.acorn.advocacy where this is cross-ported to. Please follow-up
>**there**.

Correct.

Signed, the net.police, this time incarnated as:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G e r b e n   V o s   <><
Aconet: 8500/104!Gerben Vos  Internet: gpvos@cs.vu.nl
[...] is the closest to advertising I have ever seen from Acorn.  -- Jeremy Lee
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: mkline@cix.compulink.co.uk (Merlyn Kline)
Subject: Re: RISC OS 3.10
Reply-To: mkline@cix.compulink.co.uk
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 13:30:00 +0000


Why is there all this fuss about the speed of RISC OS 3.10 on ARM 2 based
machines? I have been using RISC OS ++2 in various manifestations on ARM 2
based machines for will over a year now and, while certain issues had speed
problems in specific areas, there is in general NO PROBLEM. RISC OS 3.10 has
minor performance problems in specific areas (eg initialisation, DOS
read/write) but these do not affect the day-today running of the machine.
Certainly the areas where an average application spends most of its time are
not affected (screen writes, disc i/o, task switching, internal loops not
calling the OS at all).

Lets take a look at the postings on this subject... only ONE person has
posted anything suggesting that RISC OS 3.10 might be slow on ARM 2
machines, and this only *suggested* it, without supporting information. This
same person also suggested that Acorn are witholding RISC OS 3.10 upgrades
to boost the sales of their new hardware. Thus we can see that this person
either (a) subscribes to a logic which suggest that a good way to overcome a
small delay in the supply of a #50 upgrade is to buy a #500++ machine with
the upgrade pre-fitted or (b) takes a poke at Acorn whenever he can. In
either case a suspect source of information of this nature.

The truth is that in about six months or so, RISC OS 2.00 will be about as
common as Arthur 1.2 and about as well supported by software houses.
Therefore the decision is not 'shall I upgrade my ARM 2 based machine?' but
'when shall I upgrade my ARM 2 machine?' The best answer is 'ASAP.'

...Phew :-)

By the way, something about the new machines (A3010/A3020) I haven't seen
mentioned here: If you get the chance, pick one up. Its heavy! It could
easily be used to smash an Amiga into tiny little pieces and probably
sustain very little damage in the process. That'll show those fools, if
nothing else will :-) (This is actually because it is pretty much the only
small machine on the market which ahs a hope of satisfying forthcoming
electromagnetic emission regulations).

Cheers all (and enjoy your RO3.10/ARM2 machines).

M
From: mjb@tnord06.grenoble.hp.com (Mike Bright)
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 09:58:14 GMT
Subject: Jump start with ForntEnd
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, GND
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn


Are people out there doing anything with "FrontEnd"?
I only have ANSI C Release 3 so I don't have the DDE user guide or example
description files.  As RISC User included the FrontEnd Module in their
magazine disc back in June, I figure people must be using them.

Can someone send me a copy of the syntax (EBNF is fine) for the description
file, please? Some example front ends would be useful too.
I've tried playing with the FrontEnd example in RISC User but am wasting
my time trying to guess the features available.

Cheers,
Mike.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-Mail:       Michael_Bright@hpgnd.grenoble.hp.com || 100024.1101@compuserve.com
              S=mjb;OU1=grenoble;OU2=unix;O=hp;P=hp;A=ATLAS 400;C=FR
In-Real-Life: Michael Bright
Organisation: Hewlett-Packard Grenoble, Telecom Networks Operation
Address:      5, ave Raymond Chanas, 38320 Eybens, FRANCE
Telephone:    [+33] 76 62 58 23 FAX 76 62 14 88
Home:         [+33] 76 54 62 37

Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: amell@nyx.cs.du.edu (Andrew P.Mell)
Subject: Re: A5000 NS
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 92 05:24:45 GMT

In article <15306@suns4.crosfield.co.uk> ojg@crosfield.co.uk (oliver gunasekara) writes

>Is the Ethernet hardware on the A5000 NS on a podule, ie it uses a
>podule expansion slot? 
>
>Does the A5000 NS come with any software to drive ethernet (TCP/IP or AUN)? 

Just come back from a month on holiday, and theres all this news about
new machines to assimilate.. a lot seems to have happened!

I hear that the Acorn Ethernet card is now in Version III and comes with
support for AUN etc in the podule firmwire all for the infinitely more
reasonable price of 149 quid exc. vat. If thats true, then its a big step
forward for ethernet on the archimedes, the original 299 quid card was 
just plain ridiculous in pricing terms. 

Are new Unix device drivers needed for the version 3 card?

Andy
From: lithgow@usl.com (Malcolm Lithgow)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: SCSI Card Capabilities
Date: 8 Sep 92 06:39:22 GMT

(Once again this is posted to comp.sys.acorn, when it should be posted
to comp.sys.acorn.tech -- does anyone know of a mail gateway for the
new groups?)

Well, I have another question. Hopefully the answers to this will be
useful to others, also.

Having decided to buy an SCSI card, I would like to leave my expansion
options open. Especially, I would like to be able to use the tapefs on
Newcastle (I can borrow a tape-drive from work every month or so for
back-ups), and I would also like to buy a CD-ROM sometime in the
future.

I know that if I buy the Acorn SCSI card, I will be able to do these
things. But I understand that the Acorn card is still rather
expensive.

My question is: are any of the other cards really compatible with the
Acorn card, but cheaper (and not slower)?

BTW, I'm not interested in getting RiscIX in the future, so that isn't
an issue. (In case you couldn't have guessed. ;->)

(Oh, a side question: is RISC OS 3.10, a SCSI card, and a
stock-standard CD-ROM drive all you need to use CD-ROMs, or is there
extra software required?)

Thanks again to those people who answered my previous questions
(including those from *Acorn*).

If any of the other people who also wanted answers to those questions
didn't get enough, just mail me and I'll send them on to you.

-Malcolm.  lithgow@usl.com  These are merely my questions and opinions.
From: steve@acorn.co.uk (Steve "daffy" Hunt)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: From inside the cathouse...
Date: 8 Sep 92 17:45:36 GMT
Organization: Acorn Computers Limited, Cambridge, UK
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

Philip R. Banks (banksie@khantazi.welly.gen.nz) wrote:

:    It is interesting to note that all of Acorn's news postings seem to have
: a path of !mcsun!acorn!<user> rather than this ones !acorn.co.uk!<user>.
: Given that and the sender line and I wonder who the smart alec is at
: Berkeley...

I don't think it's someone at Berkeley, but someone abusing Berkeley's
email to news gateway.  It could be very hard to track the person down
(though it could presumably be done by the people running the
service).
-- 
				Steve Hunt	steve@acorn.co.uk
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: cadwallader@forty2.enet.dec.com ()
Subject: Re: A3010 views/Acorn in Portsmouth
Reply-To: cadwallader@forty2.enet.dec.com ()
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 12:03:47 GMT


> Another example is Swiv. I've been told that on the Amiga version,
>there is a coded limit to the number of bullets you can fire 'cos if
>there were any more, the game would slow down. Now look at the
>Archimedes version ... :-)

Hmmm... I wouldn't believe all you are `told' by people with a bias, best
is side by side comparison...

Let's not start "this is better than that, nyah, nyah, nyah" 'cos I could
mention lots of superb copper effects and such... what's the point? I'm
just interested in a new (potentially) good games machine.

Having said that, most Amiga games will probably have a limit to the number
of "bullets" imposed by the hardware, since old ECS sprites are limited in
colour but prove excellent (fast) for "bullets". Now you have only 8 sprites
per scanline and reuses of any sprite must be at least one scanline apart
from the 1st usage, so there IS a physical limit - but by reusing sprites
it isn't THAT limiting... ??? 

As an aside, what new games are appearing on the Arc recently, I noticed
Gods in Heelas here in Reading, (definitely recommended if it's like the
Amiga one)?

Blitter etc...

I was led to believe that the Blitter supports polygon-filling by the
HRM... perhaps I read too much into it... after all I have the crappy
v1.2 book.

New machines...

I was disappointed by the A3010 for the same reason, no true 256 colour
and still 4096 palette! The Amiga4000's out of my range, but I am crossing
my fingers for an `around 500' 68020 + AGA Amiga (within 2 months). 
BTW - did you read the `next chipset' plans? Sound good. What are the
`next chipset' plans for Arc? (e.g. VIDC 2?)

Acorn in Portsmouth

Wow! That's just 5 minutes from my flat-to-be, perhaps I could pop down there
this weekend? :-)

								- JIM CAD*
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: smb@cs.nott.ac.uk (Simon Burrows)
Subject: Re: RISC OS 3.10
Keywords: RISC, OS, 3.10, timings
Organization: Nottingham University
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 92 14:20:02 GMT

In article <1992Sep9.063653.29239@cam.compserv.utas.edu.au> cknight@esk.compserv.utas.edu.au (Christopher Josef Knight) writes:
>In article <1992Sep5.184331.23268@cs.nott.ac.uk> smb@cs.nott.ac.uk (Simon Burrows) writes:
>>If you are running on an 8MHz ARM2 machine, I wouldn't advise that you
>>rush into upgrading to RISC OS 3.10. If possible, see it working on
>>somebody else's 8MHz ARM2 before taking the plunge, and make up your
>>mind whether the speed is acceptable for you or not.

>	It is this type of article that, quite frankly, annoys me. I am one of
>the poor unfortunate sods with RO2 on an ARM2 A3000, and I would like to know
>why RO3 is slow on an ARM2 system. From your post Simon, you have obviously
>seen RO3 running on an ARM2. Would you like to expand on your statement and
>come up with some timings between RO2 and RO3 on an ARM2?

Timings are not really very useful. It's a case of whether or not the 
decrease in speed is acceptable for you. I recently upgraded my father's
ARM2 A3000 to RISC OS 3, and ever since he has been begging me to put
RISC OS 2 back in..

I also did not include any more technical information, because I am sure
that somebody would find fault with my comments, and I'm not in the mood
for a flame war at the moment :=().

Simon.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Simon Burrows   smb@cs.nott.ac.uk  psyhsmb@unicorn.nott.ac.uk +44 533 712030
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: tomc@siesoft.co.uk (Tom Crossland)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: RISC OS 3.10
Date: 11 Sep 92 10:56:43 GMT
Reply-To: tomc@siesoft.co.uk
Organization: Siemens Nixdorf Information Systems Ltd.

mkline@cix.compulink.co.uk (Merlyn Kline) writes:
: By the way, something about the new machines (A3010/A3020) I haven't seen
: mentioned here: If you get the chance, pick one up. Its heavy! It could
: easily be used to smash an Amiga into tiny little pieces and probably
: sustain very little damage in the process. That'll show those fools, if
: nothing else will :-) (This is actually because it is pretty much the only
: small machine on the market which ahs a hope of satisfying forthcoming
: electromagnetic emission regulations).

But has no hope of satisfying forthhcoming ergonomic regulations (on the use
of computers at work).
--
___ _ __
  ((_))))... tomc@siesoft.co.uk, ma11tc@surrey.ac.uk, etc.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn