HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: rjb12@unix.brighton.ac.uk (Titch)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: Modula3 for RISCiX
Date: 22 Jan 93 15:15:06 GMT
Organization: University of Brighton, UK

awenn@matilda.vut.edu.au (Andrew Wenn) writes:
> boot distribution labelled ARM.  It is available by anonymous ftp from
> gatekeeper.dec.com.  However, I have not tried to build it, mainly because
> there is a beta version of Modula-3 release 2.10 around and I am waiting
> for it to be released formally to replace the current version, 2.07.  In the
> meantime, in case it interests you, there has been quite a lot of progress
> on GNU C for RISCiX, and that includes C++ and Objective-C.  It *may* be
> ready in a couple of months.  A few months later, there could well be a
> RISC OS version.
> 

A C++ compiler, in whatever form, would be absolutely terrific. Since Acorn
(when I asked them) said they had no plans for such a compiler, I would
assume that whoever did bring one out would become very popular.

Oh, has anyone heard of a language by the name of PROMELA? It's a kind of
'C'-based communications specification language and in the next few months
I'll be porting it to the Arc. If anyone's interested, give me a bell...

Cheers,

Rich.

-- 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Rich Browning (rjb12@bton.unix)   * The Intel Plentium: Ethernet controller  
Department of Computer Science    * or fiendish knitting pattern?          
University of Brighton            * What!? It's a PROCESSOR???            
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: vaughajr@cs.aston.ac.uk (James Vaughan)
Subject: Re: Acorn v Research Machines
Reply-To: vaughajr@cs.aston.ac.uk
Organization: Aston University (Comp Sci)
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 13:41:00 GMT


I would like to know of any ways of crashing Nimbus 'computers' because my old
secondary school had loads of them delivered, and they forced me to do my A-level
CS project on them...

Never fear, however, as I eventually did it on an A310 !!!!!

I can distribute the information recieved to friends still 'using' these things!

***** James Vaughan. ****************************************************/|***
|  ___                 e-mail : vaughajr@uk.ac.aston.cs           |#####/ |##|
|   /   _ _   | /                                                 |####/_ |##|
| _/ / / ) )  |/   snail mail : Floor 3, Room 18, Stafford Tower  |###/  \|##|
|                              Aston Street, Birmingham. B4 7EG   |##/    |##|
*****************************************************************************

Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: thughes@dcs.warwick.ac.uk (Tom Hughes)
Subject: Re: Acorn news release: Advance
Organization: Department of Computer Science, Warwick University, England
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 11:24:18 GMT

In article <1jovi8INN1cr@oak42.doc.ic.ac.uk> ijp@doc.ic.ac.uk (Ian Palmer) writes:
>What I find odd is that several Acorn releases of late state that they
>require Risc-OS 3 (version 3.1 or later). This would suggest that
>Acorn have stoppped supporting RO2 wholesale, and also that there must
>be some big difference between RO3.00 and RO3.1.

There are some significant differences between 3.00 and 3.10 certainly
(for example the validation string for 3D icons). I believe Acorn's
official line is that all A5000 owners should upgrade to 3.10 and that
software houses may assume that people either have 2.xx or 3.10, and
ignore 3.00.

>One thing I'd like to know is when am I get my RO3.1 upgrade, I'm
>still waiting due to Acorn's total lack of enthusiasm for producing
>A5000 upgrades :-( Quite why this should be so, because RO3.1 for
>other computers have been in abundance for ages (since the Acorn User
>show) and it's not as if there could be something which needs to be
>produced for the A5000 upgrades holding them up, which is not needed
>for the other version.

As Simon has commented, you may find that other dealers have them. I
certainly had no trouble getting mine last October (the first dealer I
phoned, Dabs, had them in stock). I would also agree with Simons
comment about being patient and seeing what happens.

Tom.

============================================================================
Tom Hughes, CS3

thughes@uk.ac.warwick.dcs            57 Shakleton Road
csugk@uk.ac.warwick.csv              Earlsdon
                                     Coventry
(0203) 673584                        CV5 6HT
============================================================================
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: psyhsmb@mips.nott.ac.uk (S.Burrows)
Subject: Re: Acorn news release: Advance
Organization: Cripps Computing Centre, University of Nottingham
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 93 12:32:46 GMT

In article <727652882snz@cryton.demon.co.uk> altman@cryton.demon.co.uk writes:

>>It says, basically, the the 'NEW' Acorn PC card IS the Aleph-1 PC
>>card, which has been on sale for ages - so what is this press release
>>all about ???
>>
>(a) From what I hear, they're at least 100 quid cheaper

I haven't heard any prices for the Acorn PC cards. 
Has Acorn decided on the prices yet?
Does that mean that the Aleph One cards for A5000 etc will drop in price?

Simon
From: smb@cs.nott.ac.uk (Simon Burrows)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: Best buy ARM 3 for old A440/RO3.10
Date: 25 Jan 93 12:11:07 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: Nottingham University

In article <1993Jan24.232401.8508@infodev.cam.ac.uk> nas20@phx.cam.ac.uk writes:
>In article <1993Jan24.171022.16674@cs.nott.ac.uk> smb@cs.nott.ac.uk (Simon Burrows) writes:
>>I'm not yet convinced about the worth of these more expensive ARM3 upgrades
>>which come with a socket for the forthcoming FPA. I'm told (anyone confirm
>>this?) that these upgrades were designed around the preliminary spec for
>>the FPA, and the pinouts have now changed - in this case a carrier board
>>will be needed, which could be a problem given the proximity of the ARM
>>chip to the disc drive.
>
>No, the FPA socket in the A5000 (and presumably all ARM3/FPA upgrades) will
>take the FPA chip direct - no carrier board required 8-)

That is excellent news - in this case, get an ARM3 upgrade with integral
FPA socket if you think you will possibly ever want an FPA. Hopefully the
FPA will have a major effect in making the Archimedes be regarded as a more
"serious" machine, although I wonder if its eventual launch for the
Archimedes will be slightly overshadowed by the prospect of new computers 
from Acorn?

Simon
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Simon Burrows   smb@cs.nott.ac.uk  psyhsmb@unicorn.nott.ac.uk  +44 533 712030
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: smb@cs.nott.ac.uk (Simon Burrows)
Subject: Re: Acorn news release: Advance
Organization: Nottingham University
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 93 10:42:34 GMT

In article <1993Jan23.171343.1@vxdesy.desy.de> burke@vxdesy.desy.de (Stephen Burke) writes:
>Aside from all the comments about the protection system, would you or someone
>else like to tell us something *about* Advance :-)

The press release gave the basic information about Advance. It is essentially
a suite of four software packages, produced by four different companies, each
based on one (or more) of that company's existing products. Thus the document
processor part has distinct similarities with Impression Junior, the spread-
sheet with Schema, the database with DataPower and so on. There is a small
wimp application which allows the user to load one or more of these, and also
'Minimise Memory' by quitting unwanted Advance applications.

As far as I could make out from two brief demonstrations, each of the
packages is a very capable product, and put together, make a worthwhile
set of tools, gaining a lot from their ability to transfer data from one
package to another with very little effort on the users part. It looks 
like a package which ought to do well in schools, and I could imagine many
home users being tempted, given that it is an Acorn product and will cost
"around about 100 pounds + VAT" for a single user (this figure has not yet
been fixed), and four times that for a site licence.

I'm sure some other people who have seen it will chip in - as usual, those
people who have seen it "warts & all" may have different opinions, but I
doubt if we will see those posted here!

Simon
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Simon Burrows   smb@cs.nott.ac.uk  psyhsmb@unicorn.nott.ac.uk  +44 533 712030
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: cs92tcj@cen.ex.ac.uk (T.C.Jones)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: DeskJet 550C
Date: 25 Jan 93 10:41:52 GMT
	<1993Jan19.122116.14972@infodev.cam.ac.uk>
	<1993Jan19.125542.16299@infodev.cam.ac.uk>
	<MICROSOC.93Jan20101707@black.oxford.ac.uk>
Distribution: comp
Organization: Computer Unit. - University of Exeter. UK

Sorry for a *big* delay in posting this but...

Well I've got the DeskJet 500C (that's the one with the single print cartridge)
running the Ace printer drivers - which are incidentally supplied by Watford if
you buy the drivers from them - on a RiscOS 3.00 A5000 (4 Meg).

The standard Ace drivers don't change the way you print from the desktop (ie
no automatic spooling) but they do hack about with the Laser Jet drivers. After
installing the DeskJetC printer driver, you get two new print options over and
above the normal DeskJet+ driver, which are Colour small halftone and Colour
dithered - the halftone gives you 'solider' colours, but the dithering gives
better results for colour pictures (GIFs etc.).

The best way that I've found to print colour pictures on the thing is to use
!ChangeFSI to convert the pictures using a ratio of at least 2:1, with Lighten
and Gamma correction of 2.2, then push these into !Draw and shrink them back
down to a printable size. The output is quite good using the Colour Dithered
option. However, if you try something like a graduation in !Draw, and print it
(using either colour print mode) then you only get about 4 bands, which is
useless really - maybe its me, I don't know...

What is *really* annoying is that a friend of mine, who recently purchased a
486 PC, saw my printer and bought one exactly the same, and using his Windows
drivers promptly made mine look like a toy. The output from Corel Draw is
fantastic. There appears to be a problem here...

Another interesting point is that if you use a 500C then you can actually put
the same piece of paper through the printer twice, and this allows you to do
a Black pass and a separate CMY pass, and the two align to within 1mm. On the
windows driver they align to within 5mm (not a lot of good really!). I think
I'm right in saying that the more expensive Ace driver can actually do the
separations for you, rather than having to delete the bits out of the draw
file that don't go with the pass you're doing...

I hope this has been of some interest/use to people.

Terry
(Clive Jones' brother)  << that's not my title.
From: cudat@csv.warwick.ac.uk (J M Hicks)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: Ethernet on the Archimedes
Date: 21 Jan 1993 09:50:03 -0000
Organization: Computing Services, University of Warwick, UK
NNTP-Posting-Host: poppy.csv.warwick.ac.uk

In article <1993Jan20.100401.24243@csd.uwe.ac.uk> r_voisey@csd.bristol-poly.ac.uk writes:
>...  One grumble about
>ftp - from the desktop front end it's all wimp menu controlled, which makes
>life a little tedious to say the least.  Also, the VT200 scrolling terminal
>for telnet isn't too hot (ie slow..).

My grumbles are that it doesn't seem possible to display eighty character
lines across the screen when using the VT220 terminal emulator (there
isn't enough room for eighty characters and the scroll bar), and that
my copy of the Internet ftp client can't copy untyped files properly.

For the most part, Acorn's TCP/IP Protocol Suite does what I want, though.
--
Jim Hicks, Computing Services, Warwick University, Coventry, England. CV4 7AL
cudat@csv.warwick.ac.uk
JANET: cudat@UK.AC.WARWICK.CSV
EARN, BITNET or NetNorth: cudat%CSV.WARWICK.AC.UK@UKACRL
Internet: cudat%csv.warwick.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk
cudat@warwick.uucp
From: gst@dcs.ed.ac.uk (George Taylor)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: Dongles affecting Printing
Date: 26 Jan 93 10:05:20 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh

In article <ssudavss.727956414@reading>, ssudavss@csug.cs.reading.ac.uk (Captain_Kwok) writes:
> Has anybody out there noticed a little anomily that happens sometimes to
> my system. I have an A5000, RO3.1, Canon BJ10EX and copies of Artworks and
> Impression 2.

My printer port hangs up with my LC-10 until I run Impression. I don't think I've
used any other printer without using Impression.

I was going to write to CC as this problem happens much more often since I got
a new motherboard than with my old one.


-- 
George
From: rocky@nnsgs50.lon40.nt.com (Dave Kennard)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: Printing problems (was: Dongles affecting ...)
Date: 25 Jan 93 17:10:21 GMT
Organization: Northern Telecom Europe
NNTP-Posting-Host: nnsgs50.lon40.nt.com

In article <1k0pnlINN233@bnsgd245.bnr.co.uk> rap@bnr.co.uk (Richard Porter) writes:
>In article <1k0kf2INNm5o@grapevine.EBay.Sun.COM> andyf@uk.sun.com
>(Andy Fox) writes:

Me Too time!!

>>I have also noticed this problem.

>>I am using an A5000, RO3.1, DeskJet 500C and Impression 2.

>I have an A5000, RO3.0 (sore point), JP150 and Acorn DTP etc.

A5000, Imp 2, Artworks, DJ500 (Not C!)
RO 3.0 ... VERY SORE POINT!!

>>I don't think that the problem lies with the dongle, though.
>>It would appear that the A5000 or maybe RO3.1, just doesn't know about
>>the printer, unless it is switched on when you power up the A5000.

>Yes, I get that too, and I also get the printer locked up if I abort a
>print in the middle when using RO3 printer drivers (i.e. not 1W+). I then
>need to switch the printer off and on, or even reboot, to get it to work.

Ditto - except rebooting A5000 not necessary.

>>On power-up, the A5000 forces the DeskJet to do it's initialisation tests
>>again and after that all printing operations work fine.

>>Perhaps someone more versed with the printer hardware can tell us what's
>>really going on.

>There's another problem I get when printing more than one copy. Spurious
>characters appear at the top of the second and subsequent copies of the same
>page, but the first copy of each page comes out cleanly. Any ideas?

Ditto on RO 3.0 printer driver - but I have been using the Ace Pro-driver for
a while now, and the spurious characters' problem went away - so I assume
that there is a bug in the RO3.0 printer driver.  Does the bug persist in
the RO3.1 (supplied) printer driver?

>Richard Porter

Dave Kennard.

-- 
+-+ +-+ +- | | |  |  Regards,  Dave Kennard.
| | | | |  |/   \/  Dept. 92941, Northern Telecom Ltd, Oakleigh Road South,
|-+ | | |  |\   /  New Southgate, LONDON. N11 1HB, England, UK, (etc..)
| \ +-+ +- | | /  Voice (+44) 01-945-2195 <rocky@nnsgs50.lon40.nt.com>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: thompsmr@uhura.aston.ac.uk (Mark Thompson)
Subject: Re: Skyfall PD
Organization: Aston University
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL241235]
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 11:40:13 GMT

barrett@turtle.fisher.com wrote:
: Has anybody out there had any problems with Skyfall PD in Birmingham. I
: ordered some 1.6 Mbyte PD disks back in November and have received nothing
: from them. Is this a take your money and run outfit ?
: 
: I have written to Skyfall twice asking for an explaination, but have received
: no replies. Before I take further action, I would like to see if there is
: a simple reason for Skyfall's inactivity (e.g. proprietor has been injured in
: an accident and is temorarily unable to run business).
: 
: Ralph Barrett
: Fisher.Rosemount Systems Division
: Leicester UK
: All opinions etc. are my own
: 

	Well, I've not dealt with them personally, but a friend has, and this
was about 2 years ago, so they're not a fly-by night outfit (or they weren't).
	As to why they haven't replied - Dunno.

--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|   Mark Thompson, Aston Uni, Dept. Elec. Eng   ThompsonMR@uk.ac.aston.spock  |
| "PC Owner?",'Yes',"Good. Out of the door, line on the left, one cross each."|
-------------------Disclaimer: It was like that when I got here----------------
From: A.G.Catchpole@bradford.ac.uk (Adrian Catchpole)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: IDE Showfree fix wanted
Date: 27 Jan 93 14:56:57 GMT
Organization: University of Bradford, UK
Originator: 92079460@muser
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]


I remember someone posted a fix for Free Space on the IDE filer so that it
worked properly on RISC OS 3.1, but now that I have got a hard drive I
can't find it. Could someone please repost it or mail it to me?

I've got a CU Electonics drive, and I don't know whether this fix was only for
Ian Copestake stuff. Thanks,

-- 
-- Ade
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: braindl@uhura.aston.ac.uk (David Brain)
Subject: Re: kill apps from cli?
Organization: Aston University
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL241235]
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 08:53:14 GMT

Clive Jones (crj10@phx.cam.ac.uk) wrote:
: In article <1993Jan22.095903.22140@dcs.warwick.ac.uk> thughes@dcs.warwick.ac.uk (Tom Hughes) writes:
: >It's certainly possible to list the running tasks - you just call
: >TaskManager_EnumerateTasks repeatedly, outputing the information. The
: >other question is trickier, as you would have to send a Message_Quit
: >to the task concerned, which can't be done unless you're a desktop
: >task.
: 
: You're right about the TaskManager_EnumerateTasks call, provided, of
: course, that you're running under RiscOS3, and haven't rebooted the
: taskmanager recently.
: 
: Quitting a Wimp application, however, is far easier than that (a
: Message_Quit can be ignored by the application in any case, even if
: you do send one). All you need to do is call Wimp_CloseDown with

Thanks..but can anyone mail me the details of the TaskManager_* SWIs 
as I haven't got the Riscos 3 PRMS.

I think the SWIs in question are:-

	TaskManager_EnumerateTasks
	TaskManager_TaskNameFromHandle
	TaskManager_Shutdown (????on RO3 even calling this gives me SWI not
			      known error [A5000 RO3.0])

Thanks in advance.
--
===============================================================================
|David Brain at Aston University (Comp. Sci.)     Braindl@uk.ac.aston.uhura   |
|     "The only trick I can remember now is turning butterflys into worms"    |
============================The Triffids=======================================

Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: MJW19@phx.cam.ac.uk
Subject: Re: Help!
Reply-To: MJW19@phx.cam.ac.uk
Organization: The National Society for the Inversion of Cudddly Tigers
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 11:35:57 GMT

In article <93025.092128EY04@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK> EY04@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK writes:
>I have a BASIC program that I have written for the BBC. Apart from compiling
>the source code is there any way to prevent the source code from being seen
>when it is being run on the computer?

I have a small piece of code that converts BASIC programs into executables in a
rather obvious way. A drawback is that you cannot pass parameters to the BASIC
program. Once an executable it can be squeeze-d, rendering it unreadable. I'll
try and dig it out and make it work again, and then maybe post it to Newcastle.

Mail me if you want to know how...

Mike.
--
____________________________________________________________________________
\  /  / Michael Williams                     Part II Computer Science Tripos
|\/|\/\ MJW19@phx.cam.ac.uk                          University of Cambridge
|  |(__)Cymdeithas Genedlaethol Traddodiad Troi Teigrod Mwythus Ben I Waered
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: altman@cryton.demon.co.uk (Hugo Fiennes)
Subject: Re: Acorn news release: Advance 
Distribution: world
Organization: The Serial Port
Reply-To: altman@cryton.demon.co.uk
X-Mailer: Simple NEWS 1.90 (ka9q DIS 1.19)
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 10:08:06 +0000

In article <1jp6b8INNoo@bnsgd245.bnr.co.uk> rocky@nnsgs50.lon40.nt.com writes:

>In article <1jovi8INN1cr@oak42.doc.ic.ac.uk> ijp@doc.ic.ac.uk (Ian Palmer)
> writes:
>>One thing I'd like to know is when am I get my RO3.1 upgrade, I'm
>>still waiting due to Acorn's total lack of enthusiasm for producing
>>A5000 upgrades :-( Quite why this should be so, because RO3.1 for
>>other computers have been in abundance for ages (since the Acorn User
>>show) and it's not as if there could be something which needs to be
>>produced for the A5000 upgrades holding them up, which is not needed
>>for the other version.
>
>BLOOD BOILING SESSION!!! (Steam, Hisss... Grrrrr...!!! etc..)
>
>I ordered my A5000 RO 3 -> 3.1 upgrade from Norwich Computer Servives on
>2nd September 1992.  I am number 99 on their queue.  I have spoken to them
>this afternoon (22/1/93).  They do not know if Acorn are going to PRODUCE
>any more.
>
>WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON ACORN?
>
>>Ian
>
>If any net reader knows where I can get a 3.0 to 3.1 upgrade, please let
>me know .. NCS won't mind is I cancel my order with them ... indeed, if
>they cannot fulfil my order within the next 6 weeks, my cheque (which they
>hold in respect of that order) will expire!!!
>
>Dave Kennard.

Try C J Computers, Bristol (can't read the phone number from my invoice).
They had 50 or so a week back, I bought a couple.

Hugo
                                     
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     "Did I say that? My lips didn't move..."
Hugo Fiennes - The Serial Port                      altman@cryton.demon.co.uk
                                                or altman@cix.compulink.co.uk
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: julian@bridge.welly.gen.nz (Julian Wright)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: R140 boot problem
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 19:45:17 +1300
Reply-To: wright_j@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz
Organization: USS Enterprise, NCC 1701a

ajdh@bnr.co.uk (Andrew J D Hurley) writes:

> While I am asking questions, if I want to upgrade the R140 to RO3.1
> do I need any sort of carrier board? The sockets seem to have space
> for bigger ROMs but I thought the R140s were pre-big socket days.

Yes, the R140 is just an original A440 with a little more software
on the hard drive. All arcs have had the large sockets, but until the
"/1" series machines and A3000 came out the top four pins were
connected to +5v.

--
I'll listen to reason when it comes out on Compact Disc.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: bussmann@namu01.gwdg.de (Carsten Bussmann 29207253)
Subject: Re: Maths Programs
Organization: NAM(Numer.& Angew.Math.)/ Universitaet Goettingen/ Germany
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 09:43:41 GMT

Hello there,
I think you can try it with "Functionplotter", which costs about 56.- DM
It only draws functions in 2- and 3- dimensions, but it can find zero-points of functions and it can solve differntiations and integrations, which can be automatically generated by the programm from your original function.
To get it, try calling the german main distributor : GMA in Hamburg.
Their number is 040/2512416 or 040/2512417, remember to add the international telephone code from England to Germany, this will be 01049, and then leaving the first zero blank.
I hope that helped a bit, 
Carsten