USE CURSOR KEYS TO SCROLL TEXT. USE CURSOR KEYS TO SCROLL TEXT. 8 Bit MESSAGES AND ADS PART 1 MESSAGES AND ADS PART 1 To 999 (All) From R.Goodall WANTED 80T or 40/80T disc drive with GWO to suit BBC 'B'. R.F.Goodall, To: 999 (all members) From: K2G (Nigel Williamson) Subject: New Member I have just received Issue 29, and being a new member to 8BS I would like to say "HI" to everyone. I am impressed with the layout of the disc i.e the use of Teletext and scrolling with the use of the cursor keys. Having spent the last few hours or more reading through the text files I am glad I joined, I'm also a member of SOLINET so the comments from Daniel Shimmin on the survival of 8BS and SOLINET was interesting, I think there are a lot of Beeb users out there who think they are the only ones left. If you go into a computer shop and mention you have a Beeb or a Master, you get a funny look and the comment "their all obsolete mate". And as the demise of BeeBug, if any member wants to keep using their 8 _bit machines, I would have thought that 8BS or SOLINET was the natural choice. Otherwise becoming a lone Acorn user and as for the substantial amount they were supposedly paid, that would probably go to offset the `50.00 subs (that was 1992 issue I saw) for 12 months. Compare that to 8BS and you would have of thought that they would be only too happy to join. The point raised on copyright will be with us for as long as there is a "C" in copy and a "R" in right, let's face it, can you really put in your programs lines like 10 MODE 7 or 5 CLS without breaching the copyright of the Beeb user Guide:-) I would also be interested in anyone writing an article on Modems, and the Bulletin boards. Question, I thought that PC drives were not compatable with Beebs and Masters, but I read in an old copy of Micro User No10 DEC 91 that you can use these drives, I would be greatful if someone could throw some light on the subject.Thanks ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K2B (Colin Culpitt-Smith) Subject: Master and SWR Having just bought a Master without any manuals etc, I'm trying to become acqua inted with my new 'toy'. As with my old Beeb, I'd like to have battery-backed SWR. I've no knowledge of commercially available kits, so does anyone know if/ how this can be achieved? Thanks to a number of very helpful people - some in 8BS - I now have a Welcome disk and a number of useful utils, plus an ADFS manual. Any ideas appreciated. My tel no is if you wish to ring. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K2B (Colin Culpitt-Smith) Subject: Whereabouts of Peter Gaunt Does anyone know where I can contact Peter Gaunt who used to write terrific software for the Micro User? He did live in the London area in the mid eighties, but I have lost his address. Can you please help? Many thanks. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K2B (Colin Culpitt-Smith) Subject: Contents of Issue disks As a new member, I'm wondering how old members - if you'll excuse the term - keep track of the contents of each disk . I tape a printout of the catalogue onto each disk side, but then have the problem of remembering what each file- name represents. There are too many to remember (no complaints Ed!) after read ing the program notes from disk. To get a printout for all Teletext files on the disk means using too much paper. I am sure I'm not the only one to have this problem, or am I? Any great ideas? EDITOR..... TBI-00 (which you can update regularly) contains the latest copy of "What's been on 8BS" by Andrew Snodgrass. Using this you can find a specific article. Using the 8BS catalogue on the same disc you can find out what was on each separate issue. If there are more opinions on this subject I will solve the problem by enclosing a quick reference chart in the program documentation file. I have received a disc from K2B with a printout of the catalogue taped to front and back of the sleeve. This is a very good idea. He highlighted particular names. I would suggest that the highlighting could be done whilst reading the file "About this issue" as all the separate files are described in this article. Anyhow, let me know what you think. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K2B (Colin Culpitt-Smith) Subject: Re-inking ribbons with WD-40 To prolong the life of fabric ribbons, I use a method proved to be safe. Pull out the ribbon from the cassette, and spread it out on newspaper. Use WD-40 sparingly, spray the entire length and leave overnight to evaporate any excess . Re-wind into cassette and test print before serious use. Do check that the ribbon is in good condition first, as they do become thin and frayed, which could damage the head's pins. If one half of the ribbon is well used, then remove it from the cassette and replace it upside down to then use the unused half. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K2D (Andrew Weston) Subject: Maiden How many of you saw the Iron Maiden concert on BBC 2 , a few weeks ago. All I can say is there couldn't be a better way for their departing vocalist Bruce Dickinson to leave. The concert was excellent: music-well played and brilliantly staged, with average stunts from the illusionist Simon Drake, in between every 2 or 3 songs. Although one reviewer was disappointed that the stunts were not performed live, but filmed 24 hours earlier, the illusions were intended for television, not for the audience. The Set - List the set - List ============== 1. Be Quick or be Dead 2. The Trooper 3. The Evil that men do 4. Hallowed be thy name 5. Wrathchild 6. From here to Eternity 7. Fear of the Dark 8. Afraid to shoot strangers 9. 2 Minutes to Midnight 10. Run to the Hills 11. Iron Maiden Apologies to any inaccurate information here, but I have used magazine reviews and the taped concert on T.V. as source of information- i was unfortunately-for me-not there,although i did enter the competition in ' KERRANG! 'for free tickets. Anyway, in my opinion the show was as good as i have ever seen Maiden live. IMPORTANT NEWS!!!!! iMPORTANT nEWS!!!!! ========= ========= Iron Maiden are releasing : Hallowed be thy name on October 4th. By the time you read this, however it will probably be too late to raise it's position in the chart by buying it, but still buy it anyway,as it is excellent There is no doubt whatsoever that it will reach a high position in the chart as Iron Maiden, always do. Iron Maiden are about one of the few Heavy Metal bands that get high in the charts, whenever they release a single. I am using the oppurtunity of being to review anything in 8BS to give a good band credit. Iron Maiden, as you have probably figured out are one of my main inter- ests as well as supporting users of this computer and if you wish to respo- nd to this article or comment on my programs that appeared on issue 30 of 8BS then contact me THRU 8BS. Thankyou for reading. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (All members) From: 4TK Subject: ADVICE SOUGHT Like many other club members I too am very puzzled as to what the future holds for us BEEB-ers now that everything published, other than by our clubs of course, appears to be for the ARC-ers. That famous Greek from Syracuse would surely be very proud to see a modern scientific marvel named after himself if he were alive today. Now I am an old man who is fairly new to computers, using, for the last two or three years my sons issue 7 for games, letters, personal accounts, various other odd things and entertaining my young grandchildren, nieces and sometimes their friends. I am not into programming, nor do I wish to be for at my age one gets very forgetful (although pride makes one deny this fact). Herewith a typical example: By first post the club disc magazine arrives and immediately after breakfast and showering I'm on that 'blasted computer' as my wife affectionately calls it, for the rest of the day. That night I go to bed with my brain in a whirl......I must remember this, I must print a copy of that, that's an interesting little tip I'll try it out tomorrow. These thoughts, and others spin around in my mind next morning at breakfast. I am suddenly aware of a distant voice, "You're not listening to what I say" my wife intones. "I'm sorry dear, what did you say?". "I suppose it's that damned computer again, I wish Martin had never left it with you". So......I have to spend that day being a good attentive husband, and the next day too sometimes. Eventually I manage (she goes shopping, or something) to get back to the keyboard. Now what was it I wanted to copy?, oh yes I remember..... but where was it?, damned if I can remember. The next hour is spent searching for it, I don't find it but do find something else I hadn't noticed before so I print that instead. While the printer is chattering away my wife returns.... "I knew it, you're on that computer again" she complains, then "I've left the shopper in the hall will you get it for me please?". "Yes dear" despite my arthritis I drag it upstairs, help her unpack the shopping and then sneak back to the computer. But, like most of us 'senior citizens' I love her and wouldn't part with her for worlds, she's good for me and to me. Fred Price says it all in his little gem on OLD AGE. And after all that this is what I want to know. When my son takes the equipment away as he most probably will do when he moves to a larger house, I shall need another computer, monitor and possibly printer. Can anyone advise me as to whether I should buy second-hand equipment such as another issue 7 or a Master 128 to replace these items or, and it's a big OR, with my very limited capital (and old age) do I invest in the 3010 ARC?. What is the difference between Masters 128 and 512?. What about the second-hand 300/400 range?. I must admit that I feel inclined to invest in a second-hand 128 and monitor as being the answer to my problem, but will the 128 accept my DFS discs etc?. And what about printers, will any 9 or 24 pin do? This BEEB is at present fitted with the following chips; SPELLMASTER PRINTMASTER SLEUTH ROM SELECT WORDWISE PLUS WORD-AID DISC DOCTOR AMX. (Not in that order). I also have another 5.25 disc drive and several hundred discs which I would need to use and/or transfer to a different system. There are two things to be remembered; Although fairly active mentally and physically I am seventy-nine years young. I am not technically minded computerwise. To me they are instruments I use and from which I get great enjoyment, but I don't know how they do it!. As some of the articles in our magazine appear (to me) to be rather technical or of no interest to me personally, I often wonder if there are other members who, like me, lack knowledge and are reluctant to ask. Henry J Frost PS. I do not read too many advert's as they make me envious, what wouldn't I do if I won the pools!. PPS. Have just received a complimentary ticket for ACORN WORLD 93, that will save me a fiver. ....................................... To : K2B + 999 From : 483 (Daniel Shimmin) Re : Master/econet/instructions There are two sorts of Master 128's which run on Econets, these are the Acorn Econet Terminal (a Master with lots of bits missing built specially for the purpose), and a standard Master 128 adapted for Econet (which will have an Econet adapter card added inside plus an NFS or ANFS ROM). If, as is likely, yours is the latter, you should have all the normal Master software and facilities (Edit, View, DFS, ADFS) available. If your Master keeps trying to access Econet when it boots up, you need to reconfigure it. Use: *ROMS to look at what ROM's you have in your machine. If you want to use ADFS normally, work out which number ROM ADFS is (&A is 10, &B is 11, etc.) (or DFS if you want to use DFS etc.). Then do: *CONFIGURE FILE This should hopefully help to solve the problem (if that was the problem). Removing the Econet adapter card is probably not necessary. If this doesn't help, let me know exactly what the problem is. I think you also asked about instruction manuals. Your best bet is the Master Welcome Guide (there was one advertised in the Solinet Ads section of Issue 30, and some mail-order dealers sell them for ten pounds or so). The Master Reference Manuals are considerably more complicated and not good for the beginner. To : 999 (All members) From : 483 (Daniel Shimmin) Re : Diary/Appointment program One (obvious) error I've spotted since this was released is that the "Add/replace entry" option uses INPUT on its own rather than INPUT LINE, so that commas etc. cannot be entered. This will be corrected in future versions. However, there still seem to be a number of unexplained bugs; near the start of October, my version ignored all the appointments in October, only to display them as normal a few days later. And of course the delete function still doesn't work properly. I'd be very grateful if anyone can throw any light on these problems (or already has), as well as any other more general comments or suggestions about the operation of the program. To: 999 (all members) From: 0E7(Fred Nevin) Subject: BEEBUG Further to my comments in issue 29 I wrote again to BEEBUG and still await a reply. I assume now that no response will be forthcoming. My subsription terminates this month and I will not be renewing it. I was busy entering a program called CENSUS that has been appearing in the last three issues and part 4 is due in the NOVEMBER issue. As I will not be receiving a copy and I would like to complete the program can any one supply a copy on loan or a listing on paper/disc or whatever. I will be pleased to hear from anyone Naturally expenses will be met. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, To: 999 (all members) From: K2J Subject: Destroyed Realities Disc Mag Destroyed Realities is a new magazine which is aimed at the BBC and Master computers although a lot of the material will be suitable for other Acorn machines. We are at present a team of 3 all experienced with Acorn machines. We decided to produce a mag about a year ago when as a joke I decided to convince a friend what a lot of money he was wasting buying mags for 'All Acorn machines'. I barely found a single article for the Beeb. The only people getting their moneys worth were the Arc owners. We are starting off by distributing our magazine on DFS 40 and 80 track format. (If you feel you would be missing out let us know) It will cost `2.00 to begin with. We are looking for people wishing to contribute (possibly for financial reward). Obviously we need letters from Beeb owners otherwise our letters columns could look a little bare in the first issue so if you have a view, problem, or idea you would like to share then send them to us. The magazine will hopefully be around by Christmas time but this deadline is looking less likely to be met. You see, we would like to prepare material for several issues before we get going. If anyone wishes to join our editoral team then write to me. If there are any specialised features we should have then all suggestions are welcome. We are going to feature FREE adverts for all Beeb PD libraries. If this interests you then write to me. I have been promised some material each month from Mad Rabbit PD and if you are a PD library and are interested in a similar arrangement then don't hesitate to contact me. Some of the highlights of the first disc will be: 3D Graphical wave animations. A quick method of plotting the Mandelbrot set. Master configuration made easy. Lots of PD software. Screen bank switching on the BBC B. If you will be interested in any way in our magazine then contact us. It will be available by mail order. The address to write to is : David Lowless Please send an SAE if you expect a reply. We will place a message in this system when we are ready to accept orders. I hope to hear from you soon. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, PRESS BREAK FOR PART 2