8-bit Software (c) Duncan Webster January 1992 Issue 18 Jan/Feb 1992 ISSUE 18 NEWS & INFORMATION Welcome to issue 18, the first of 1992. I will start by announcing that I have decided to lapse back to the old style magazine format for a few more issues as I am still unable to get a completed magazine sent to Andy and received back (plus corrections) in time for each issue. I am afraid time is going to force me to keep to this standard for the time being. Issue 18 has been late this time for three main reasons:- Firstly I have been ill with the dreaded flu which put me off all work and in bed for 2 weeks. Secondly I have been working away for another week which has left me one week to do issue 18. Finally, due to an incompatibility with the 1770 DFS, the Archiver v3.0 failed to work (after I had compacted files using an old 8271 DFS). I was therefore forced to delay the rollout of issue 18 until I received a re-written BASIC Arc3.0 program from Andrew Black. So as you can see it is all his fault that I am late! CORRECTIONS As many of you have pointed out, Andy Nibbs' Masterdisc Magazine does not contain 100% Public Domain software as indicated in the issue 17 magazine. However a section of Masterdisc does occassionally hold various PD titles. The magazine itself is not PD and must therefore not be re-distributed in any way, shape or form. 8BS INFORMATION I have had quite a few members who joined 8BS within the last 8-12 months asking me various questions that have been discussed many times beforehand and therefore their questions do not usually find themselves put into the magazine. Consiquently, members are left wondering what a lot of 8BS is actually about. A typical example here is the TBI software pool which was explained last issue. Hopefully, the new 8BS messaging program (when launched later this year) will put a stop to this as I shall be able to send PRIVATE messages to the individual members concerned. I will have to apologise for the introductory text sent to new members as this is hopelessly out of date and I have not had the time to write an updated version. The quick solution to this problem is to send off for some back issues which are available free upon the receipt of the necessary media. Once the 8BS messaging program is running reliably, I intend to include some standard "new member" text each issue. SYSTEMS Shares Program has been delayed. The actual size and scope of SYSTEMS shares has exceeded original expectations therfore the whole program and associated data/text files is likely to occupy 200k. I would therefore ask all members who wish to obtain a copy of SYSTEMS shares to return an extra disc with their issue 18 returns. I will hold this disc until the program is completed around Spring/Summer time. Hugh Williams' SORTING ARTICLE part 3 I am delighted to be able to announce that the third and final part of Hugh's excellent sorting article is on this issue disc. For those members who have experienced interest in obtaining the whole 3-part series on one disc, I am pleased to be able to announce that a "shareware" version is to be launched soon. Full details of how to obtain a copy of this will appear in a future issue. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Hugh for the time and effort he has so obviously put into such an interesting series. Comments on the whole 3 parts of this sorting series would be most welcome. All comments will be passed onto Hugh. Chris Richardson's MIX-EDITOR Big response on this program - To aviod having to publish all the comments which would take ages, I have made a quick summary ... Lots of you would like a more detailed user guide plus better error trapping. There seems to be a demand for pre-sampled software which unfortunately I have lost. Chris has over 2 discs full of samples which I shall add to the TBI pool as soon as I obtain them. If you are reading this Chris can you please re-submit your discs full of pre-sampled software. I have also been sent a new version of Mix-Ed which is better error trapped. Unfortunately I cannot put this on issue 18 due to space. Hopefully, it will be republished on the issue 19/20 disc by which time I would probably have received 6 more "updated" versions from Chris. Next issue due out 31st March 1992. Please send more software (even of from other PD libraries - so long as they're PD). Please send more magazine material. Thanks.