HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: u894776@bruny.cc.utas.edu.au (James McCoull)
Subject: Re: Demo Competition / A7000 [ARM7xx/VIDC2] details
Organization: University of Tasmania, Australia.
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1992 02:39:15 GMT

tomc@siesoft.co.uk (Tom Crossland) writes:

>u894776@bruny.cc.utas.edu.au (James McCoull) writes:

>Erm... may I ask who is going to judge this thing?
	Good question!  At the moment RiscMan was gonna judge
the competition... but seeing as he will be an entrant, it might
be wise to choose someone else.  One way would be to throw
the voting open to interested *.sys.acorn readers - another
possibility would be for each participant to vote for all the
other entries.  Any suggestions from you folks out there?

>						   I mean there are
>several ways of writing an impressive demo... Some demos look very
>impressive but aren't technically difficult or adventurous. Others
>are very impressive technically but look $#!+. etc.

	Yes... well I tend to think its best for the judges to
decide what criteria they are basing marking on.  In the amiga scene
it is fairly traditional to mark on style and coding flair.  You
see visually impressive code - but technically trivial code, will score
highly when it is original, but score nothing if the technique has
been reduced to cliche status.  Similarly highly technical code, which
looks/feels bad - scores lowly.  Anyway the best way to avoid losing marks
because you aim your techniques incorrectly - is to provide a nice mixture
of routines and techniques in your demo.


Regards, James.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: RISC OS 3.10
From: jwil1@cs.aukuni.ac.nz (TMOTA)
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 02:04:29 GMT
 <1992Sep4.142152.2459@merlin.dev.cdx.mot.com> <1992Sep5.184331.23268@cs.nott.ac.uk> <1992Sep9.063653.29239@cam.compserv.utas.edu.au>
Organization: Computer Science Dept. University of Auckland
Keywords: RISC, OS, 3.10, timings

cknight@esk.compserv.utas.edu.au (Christopher Josef Knight) writes:

>	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

I don't think that most things will be affected: The font manager *is*
faster (I've run it on my Arm-2 machine), and other things should be much
the same. However, general desktop use is definitely going to be a bit
slower, because (as you may or may not have noticed) window borders are now
drawn by plotting sprites (a sprite for each icon, a sprite (repeated if
necessary) behind the title, sprites (repeated if necessary) for the scroll
'sausages', etc). This is a lot more plotting overhead than the old BFONT
and rectangle-fills approach (good riddance as far as I am concerned).

Thus, moving, scrolling, resizing windows is going to be noticably slower
I think... but most other stuff should be much the same. However, I speak
as one who hasn't yet seen 3.1 (especially not on an ARM-2), and I can
only tell you of the slowdowns that I know of...

Oh, and restarting the machine now takes 5-30 seconds rather than 1 second,
due to setting up ROM applications that are configured on, checking to see
what devices are attached, and throwing up splash screens...
-- 
_________________  "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)
From: Graham.Shaw@newcastle.ac.uk (G.D.Shaw)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: RISCOS 3.1, the final conclusions..
Keywords: RISCOS 3.1
Date: 11 Sep 92 16:41:04 GMT
Organization: University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK NE1 7RU

In article <1992Sep11.090616.7812@utwente.nl> loek@pico8.nt.el.utwente.nl (Loek L. Frederiks) writes:
>
>- If you are using outline fonts, things go much faster. Acorn please
>  confirm has RISCOS 3.1 12 built-in fonts (RISCOS 3.0 contained only
>  3 fonts).
>
Be careful about the distinction between individual fonts and font-
families.  If Trinity, Homerton and Corpus are each available in four
weights, that makes a total of 12 fonts.

Graham Shaw (dph3gds@tuda.ncl.ac.uk)
Department of Physics, Durham University, England
From: m_sattle@tangram.informatik.uni-kl.de (Matthias Sattler)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: ARM3 speeds on a 12MHz memory system
Date: 12 Sep 92 19:35:26 GMT
Reply-To: m_sattle@tpoker.informatik.uni-kl.de (Matthias Sattler)
Organization: University of Kaiserslautern (Germany)


In <1992Sep12.111343.10187@infodev.cam.ac.uk> Nick writes:

>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. ---


Ok. read my article in comp.sys.acorn.tech about my tries to speed up
my A5000 und to enhance its graphics. (Hi res modes and Re: Hi res...)
The absolute upper speed limit of my ARM 3 in my A5000 was 50 Mhz (100 Mhz
crystal). But the machine wasn't stable then. It worked fine for a few seconds
and then it crashed with an error. Sorry, but there was no time for a speed
test. The stable limit of my ARM3 is 30 Mhz, I tried 32Mhz and it didn't run
properly even with cooling spray.... As there is no difference if i cool the
CPU or not it might be possible that another IC needs coolingas well,
but i have no technical reference manual and so I don't know if this is
right. (My VIDC
can be clocked much higher if it is cooled. and it is the same chip technology
as the ARM........)
A 30 Mhz ARM3 in an A5000 does about 19500 Dhrystones in mode 0. Why my A5000
does 23500 Dhrystones when I change the 36 Mhz crystal (for the VIDC) to a
60 Mhz one is a secret to me..  Is there anyone out there who knows why?????
(For all who have no A5000: standard A5000 mode 0 does about 17500 Dhrystones,
A540: 18500..) 

That's all for today...

Matthias Sattler
(My funny e-mail adress is still worrking, but I'm told that I should not 
publish it) but if you know it, feel free to mail me...
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: goodwin@edieng.enet.dec.com (Pete Goodwin)
Subject: Re: OS differences and improvements
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 11:57:06 GMT


In article <Bu8DG7.DJL@ibmpcug.co.uk>, gtoal@ibmpcug.co.uk (Graham Toal) writes...

>> I'd like to see a CLI that is reasonably easy to understand
>>at first glance, rather than one with magic words.
> 
>That's what's needed for beginners or infrequent users - mnemonic command
>names.  Iconic names are indeed for gurus.  That's why unix users love
>them - unix has too many tricky concepts for bozos to learn, hence the
>average unix user tends to be more intelligent than the average DOS or
>VMS user, and is more capable of learning the runic command set.  Thus
>reinforcing the image of unix as an obscure guru's system.

Humph!!! B^>

I'd have thought even gurus would welcome a simpler system, after all they want
to use the system not have to work their minds around clever cli's.

Pete Goodwin
goodwin@system.enet.dec.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: pmoore@cix.compulink.co.uk (Paul Moore)
Subject: Archimedes Perl
Reply-To: pmoore@cix.compulink.co.uk
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 23:21:00 +0000

As some people may be aware, I ported Larry Wall's perl program to RISC OS
some time ago. The existing version is fairly out of date by now, and I am
thinking of attempting a new port (no guarantees, and probably not soon, so
don't flood me with requests for it!!!!)
 
What I am looking for is some indication of how many people use the current
version, and what sort of things they would be interested in seeing in a new
port (RISC-OS specific stuff only - I will keep close to the base language,
so address non-RISCOS requests to Larry Wall!).
 
Note: One thing I will NOT do is put any sort of desktop front end onto the
program. Please, no requests for this! The simple reason for this is that I
don't want to (I have longer and more complex arguments, but I am not going
to relate them here, other than to say that I see the command "Perl file" as
similar to "Obey file" - and how many people are crying out for a desktop
frontend to "Obey"...?)
 
Please reply by E-mail (see below for address).
 
Thanks in advance,
 
Gustav.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Moore (pmoore@cix.compulink.co.uk)   |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Programming is the process of debugging an empty source file
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: u894776@bruny.cc.utas.edu.au (James McCoull)
Subject: Archimedes Demo *Competition* [Any one interested?]
Summary: Probe to determine if there is any interest in having a demo competitio
Keywords: euro,demo,acorn,archimedes,arm2,memc1a,memc1,vidc2,cheese,beer,women
Organization: University of Tasmania, Australia.
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 23:42:37 GMT

Request for expressions of interest
[contact u894776@bruny.cc.utas.edu.au with your opinions]

*DEMO COMPETITION* 	For the young, old, beginners to experts!

Hello, and greetings!  This post is to determine if there is any interest out
in the greater universe of holding some form of demo competition on the
Acorn Archimedes/Axxxx line of computers.  Recently RiscMan and I, were
having a bit of a banter on IRC - just the usual "my-code-is-better-than-your-
code" sort of thing, when we decided we should settle it once and for all with
some kind of demo competition.  Having thought a bit about this, I came to the
conclusion that it might be wise to hold a universe wide demo competition.

Anyway if anyone else is interested in holding an adhoc-informal demo
competition, then feel free to send your expressions of interest to me.
So far, no restrictions on the content, size, machines for the demos have
really been proposed... it might be necessary to have two divisions.
[grumble grumble... i only have a A310, while grumble RiscMan has a A5000...]

So if you have any questions [such as what is a demo?], or suggestions
mail me *now*.  Ideally we want a best demo of '92 sort of competition.

Regards,  James.

---
 "ho" on IRC					      [alas no longer... sniff]
 "HarmFULL" on the Archimedes	              [Proper kooler name coming soon!]
 "Criminally Insane" - on the Amiga      [amigaos is better than riscos  hehe!]
 "Black Pirate"/"Phantom Phooler" - on the BBC B     [I was only a kid honest!]
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: COMPARISION MARBLE MADNESS & INERTIA                                            
From: Ikki@BEIZ.mediatex.ch (0642210101: Fernmeldedirektion Olten)
Date: 14 Sep 1992 18:19:53 CET
Organization: MEDIAtex AG, CH-8807 Freienbach/SZ

I played recently Marble Madness on an
Amiga.... I like it very! I heard, that
there is something similar on the Archie
called "Inertia". Is Inertia as good as
Marble Madness??

Thanks for all answers....

Internet: Ikki(at)BEIZ.mediatex.ch








|B                                    B|
|E           CH: VTX *3600#           E|
|I           D:  BTX *28881#          I|
|Z                                    Z|
From: johny@cogs.sussex.ac.uk (Lord Yak Da Hairy)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: !FontED for RO3 fonts?
Date: 11 Sep 92 16:21:55 GMT
Organization: The Devastating Rear Shot, Inc.

Is there a RO3 version of FontED, which will handle kerning tables and the
like?

(Short and to the point, huh? :-)

-- John Yeates (Lord Yak Da Hairy) ---------------- johny@cogs.susx.ac.uk --
-- ...THIS definitely takes, eats and shits the cake. - allane@unsw.oz.au --
From: sproven@cs.strath.ac.uk (Simon B Proven IE91)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: ARM3 speeds on a 12MHz memory system
Date: 14 Sep 92 12:30:03 GMT
Organization: Comp. Sci. Dept., Strathclyde Univ., Glasgow, Scotland.

In article <1992Sep12.111343.10187@infodev.cam.ac.uk> nas20@phx.cam.ac.uk (Nick Smith) writes:
>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've heard that someone at Acorn has a 48MHz ARM3 in an A540.... :))

mad@bike
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: Steve@klaatu.demon.co.uk (Steve Loft)
ReplyTo: Steve@klaatu.demon.co.uk
Subject: Re: RISCOS 3.10/ArcTerm7 and serial input - help!
Distribution: world
X-Mailer: cppnews $Revision: 1.15 $
Organization: home
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 19:06:01 +0000


In article <1992Sep14.134632.16593@siesoft.co.uk> tomc@siesoft.co.uk writes:

>It sounds ominously like a flow control program.... there are two types of
>flow control you need to worry about. Local flow control is that between the
>computer and the modem... You need to use some form of control here or the

[ other stuff about flow control deleted ]

You may well be right, but why have I only started having these problems
since I installed RISC OS 3.10?

Steve
|  Steve Loft                                  steve@klaatu.demon.co.uk   |
|  Doncaster,                                                             |
|  South Yorks.                                                           |
From: nicho@VNET.IBM.COM
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: ARcterm7 and KA9Q
Date: 8 Sep 92 08:25:52 GMT
Reply-To: nicho@vnet.ibm.com


 Subject says it. Has anyone managed to get these 2 programs to
coexist peacefully ?? I'm trying to use Arcterm7 to dial my
Internet gate, and then switch into KA9Q to run the SLIP session.
It would appear at first glance that Arcterm7 doesn't approve of
other comms programs running alongside it. Can anyone comment on
this plz ?
 -----------------------------------------------------------------
               ** Of course I don't speak for IBM **
Greg Nicholls ... nicho@vnet.ibm.com or nicho@cix.compulink.co.uk
                  voice/fax: 44-794-516038
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: u894776@franklin.cc.utas.edu.au (James McCoull)
Subject: Re: Archimedes Demo *Competition* [Any one interested?]
Organization: University of Tasmania, Australia.
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 07:19:20 GMT

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

>u894776@bruny.cc.utas.edu.au (James McCoull) writes:

>> Phillip Banks, TMOTA, et al... show'em how us upside down folks do it!

>   *Cough* minor pet hate. One l in Philip for me thanks...

	Sorry!  Thankfully you corrected me before i got it wrong in a
	scroll text!  Feel free to call me Jammes.

>competition around the end of October (just after exams for those of us who
>have them...).

	Sure... might have to push the deadline as far as I can.  I`m pretty
much working full wack 12 hours a day on my final year at university, so
the final deadline certainly won`t be before 20th of December - maybe slightly
into next year...  [I cant really start me demo properly before about 27th of
November - bloody thesis deadlines ;( ].

[ENCOURAGE MODE ON - DIRECTED AT *ALL* YOU FOLKS OUT THERE!]

C'MON GET CRACKING!  MORE REPLIES/RESPONSES PLEASE

even if all you can do is:
MODE2:OFF:REPEAT:GCOLRND(255),RND(255):PLOT85,RND(1280),RND(1024):UNTIL0

[Riscman  ^ there is room for you!]

Feel free to enter!

And *Roger Wilson*, don't think I missed you!  I saw your posts about basic
you must have seen my demo post!  Just because you work 24 hours a day and
have written the fastest basic interpreter in the world - doesnt mean you
are off the hook :-).

Regards, James.
From: slovesey@acorn.co.uk (Simon Lovesey)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: The New Acorn Range In Portsmouth
Date: 15 Sep 92 14:03:48 GMT
Organization: Acorn Computers Ltd, Cambridge, England

THE NEW ACORN RANGE ON DISPLAY IN PORTSMOUTH

On Saturday 19 September "The World Of Acorn" will be visiting
The Guildhall, Portsmouth. On display will be 
the recently launched Acorn 32 bit computer range, 
from the superb value for money A3010, starting from under M-#500 
to the highly powerful and popular A5000.

The Acorn Team will be on hand demonstrating the new products
and showing how they can fulfil a variety of computing requirements 
including education, business, word processing, desktop publishing, 
art, music and leisure activities.

Also exhibiting at the event will be dealers from the Portsmouth 
area and several leading software houses.  Entrance is free and
everyone is welcome.

"The World Of Acorn" will open at 10.00 am and finish at 4.00 pm.  
Look out for a special show offer.     

In addition to the Portsmouth event "The World Of Acorn" 
will be held in 23 towns around the country, for a full 
schedule please contact :

Jean Hines
Acorn Computers
Cambridge  CB1 4JN
Tel. (0223) 245200
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 92 16:16:40 -0400
From: nizar@RISC.CAM.ORG (Nizar Sabra)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: What is KA9Q?
Organization: "We don't need no stinking organization..."



-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
     _________________               | EMail:   n_sabra@Pavo.Concordia.CA
|\  |   __       _   /               |          nizar@Sunkisd.CS.Concordia.CA
| \ | |  /  /\  |   /                |          nizar@Concour.CS.Concordia.CA
|  \| | /_ /__\ |  /__               |          nizar@Altitude.Concordia.CA
                     /    |   _      |          nizar@CAM.ORG
Tel. (514)747-1238  / /\  |\ |  /\   |          root@RISC.CAM.ORG
     (514)748-7524 / /__\ |/ | /__\  |          etc.. etc...   :)
                                     |          (You get the point)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: RISCOS 3.1, the final conclusions..
From: julian@bridge.welly.gen.nz (Julian Wright)
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 10:06:24 +1200
Reply-To: wright_j@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz
Organization: USS Enterprise, NCC 1701a

goodwin@edieng.enet.dec.com (Pete Goodwin) writes:

> 
> In article <1992Sep11.090616.7812@utwente.nl>, loek@pico8.nt.el.utwente.nl (Loek L. Frederiks) writes...
> 
> >- If you are using outline fonts, things go much faster. Acorn please
> >  confirm has RISCOS 3.1 12 built-in fonts (RISCOS 3.0 contained only
> >  3 fonts).
> 
> In my version of 3.1, there are three fonts: Corpus, Trinity and, um,
> Homerton? System was also there as well. The other fonts were on disk.

In fact there are 12 fonts in the rom...
    Corpus.Bold
    Corpus.Bold.Oblique
    Corpus.Medium
    Corpus.Medium.Oblique
    Homerton.Bold
    Homerton.Bold.Oblique
    Homerton.Medium
    Homerton.Medium.Oblique
    Trinity.Bold
    Trinity.Bold.Italic
    Trinity.Medium
    Trinity.Medium.Italic

The difference between Oblique and Italics seems to be that the so-called
Oblique fonts use the same outlines as their non-oblique siblings (the
outlines file in the rom is a text file with the filename of the parent
outlines file and little else), whereas the Italics fonts have their own
outlines. So maybe you could argue that there are only 8 fonts in rom :-)

However I'm sticking with 12.

    Cheers, Julian.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
From: Steve@klaatu.demon.co.uk (Steve Loft)
ReplyTo: Steve@klaatu.demon.co.uk
Subject: RISCOS 3.10/ArcTerm7 and serial input - help!
Distribution: world
X-Mailer: cppnews $Revision: 1.15 $
Organization: home
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1992 21:20:09 +0000

Since installing RISC OS 3.10 I am having problems with downloads from
bulletin boards to my A440/1.  I am using ArcTerm 7 and a v32+v42bis
modem.  The download gets to around 30k and then I start getting errors.
The download completes *eventually* but takes a long long time.  I have
tried loading (separately) SerialUtils and a module called SerialBuffer
(by David Pilling?).  The latter appears to have made a slight
improvement.  Any suggestions?

Steve
|  Steve Loft                                  steve@klaatu.demon.co.uk   |
|  Doncaster,                                                             |
|  South Yorks.                                                           |
From: nicho@VNET.IBM.COM
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: ARcterm7 and KA9Q
Date: 10 Sep 92 07:43:04 GMT
Reply-To: nicho@vnet.ibm.com

In <5775@mccuts.uts.mcc.ac.uk> Geoff Lane writes:
>This discussion is interesting -- could someone let us have some background
>details on KA9Q and running things like SLIP and PPP on the ARC?
>--
>Geoff. Lane.                                  Janet: zzassgl@uk.ac.mcc.uts
Hmm .. OK. KA9Q is a PD internet package originally developed for
use with AX25. The current version is a (1991 ??) version,
however this has not been ported to the ARC, and I (along with
others on this group) am using a 1987 version ported by Jonathan
Naylor. A recent hack by Anthony Frost has given us NNTP, however
the basic system is still pretty rudimentary. SLIP works, however
PPP is _not_ supported. FTP and TELNET work reasonably, however
dial facilities are non-existent at the moment.
  Since we appear to have a bit of interest, I'll pop KA9Q on the
Newcastle server. I'll also put the 1991 sources there in the faint
hope that those more talented than I will attempt a port :-)
  Watch this space.
 -----------------------------------------------------------------
               ** Of course I don't speak for IBM **
Greg Nicholls ... nicho@vnet.ibm.com or nicho@cix.compulink.co.uk
                  voice/fax: 44-794-516038
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: The split was bad anyway
From: banksie@khantazi.welly.gen.nz (Philip R. Banks)
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1992 10:57:02 +1200
Reply-To: banks_p@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz
Organization: My Arc.

mcg@waikato.ac.nz writes:

[bits deleted]

> I disagree.... the majority have deemed the split necessary (and I for one 
> agree, although I missed the voting), so suffer and stop moaning.... it's
> here to stay.

   I too think the split was a good idea. Already with the creation of the 
advocacy group we have had more interest expressed in ARM based machines and
chips than old comp.sys.acorn alone generated. Also I rather appreciate the
tech group as it has had articles of more interest to me than the general
c.s.a traffic.

    Philip

P.S. For those who asked yes there was discussion, lots of it in fact.

--
Philip R. Banks  Syntax: mail < banks_p@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz >            @@@@@/|
                                                                        @@@@/#|
                                                                        @@@/##|
What price the crown of a king on his throne, when you are chained in   @@/---|
the dark all alone? ---A.P.P.                                           @/    |
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn