news.kccs.co.nz!wn.planet.gen.nz!khantazi.wn.planet.gen.nz!banksie
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 1997 00:00:34 +1200
Subject: Comp.Sys.Acorn FAQ List Posting (Part 3/4)

Archive-name: acorn/faq/part3
Frequency: monthly

Section 7: Network Resources.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

7.1) What archives/FTP sites are available?

   See the regular (fortnightly) posting by Gerben Vos & Peter Naulls. This
posting is also available from an email server at MIT. 

   To request it from this server send an email to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu.
No subject is needed and the body should contain :- 

send /pub/usenet/news.answers/acorn/archives

Or, alternatively, you could view it on the web at :-

http://lucy.cs.waikato.ac.nz/~pnaulls/acorn-archives/ 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

7.2) What Acorn related companies are available on the net via email?

   There are quite a few companies now on the net and reachable via email
with more joining as time passes. Here is the list of companies that have
given permission to be entered here in the FAQ. If the email address is to a
person rather than either an automated system or perhaps a group of people I
have placed the name of the person in brackets after the email address
description. 

   3SL Ltd :- 

   sales@sssl.demon.co.uk       Information about products and prices.

   Acorn Computers (Uk) :- 

   customer.services@acorn.co.uk Enquiries and product information.
   RiscPC.techquery@acorn.co.uk  RiscPC information.

   The Advisory Unit :- 

   info@advunit.demon.co.uk     General enquiries.
   alun@advunit.demon.co.uk     (Alun Hinder)

   Aleph One :- 

   Sales@aleph1.co.uk           Information about products and prices.
   Support@aleph1.co.uk         After-sales support.

   Alpha Programming :- 

   info@alphapro.demon.co.uk    General enquiries
   marc@alphapro.demon.co.uk    (Marc Warne)

   Alsystems :- 

   sales@alsystems.co.uk        Sales and general enquiries.
   tech@alsystems.co.uk         Technical support.

   Alternative Publishing Ltd :- 

   sales@apsoft.co.uk           Sales, service and upgrades

   ANT Ltd :- 

   sales@ant.co.uk              Sales and general enquiries.
   support@ant.co.uk            Technical support.

   Archive magazine :- 

   paul.NCS@paston.co.uk        Editor (Paul Beverley)

   The ARM Club :- 

   info@armclub.org.uk          Enquiries etc...

ARMage Software :- 

   armage@armage.demon.co.uk    Enquiries etc...

   ARMed Forces Software :- 

   sales@afsoft.demon.co.uk     Sales and enquiries.
   support@afsoft.demon.co.uk   Product support.

   Armstrong Walker Ltd :- 

   Andy@armswalk.demon.co.uk    Enquiries etc... (Andy Armstrong)
   Nigel@armswalk.demon.co.uk   Enquiries etc... (Nigel Walker)

   Atomwide :- 

   Sales@atomwide.co.uk         Information about products and prices.
   Support@atomwide.co.uk       After-sales support.

   Beebug Ltd :- 

   sales@beebug.co.uk           Sales.
   info@beebug.co.uk            General enquiries.
   ruser@beebug.co.uk           Email for Risc User.
   technical@beebug.co.uk       Technical enquiries for our products and items
                                purchased from Beebug.

   Carlton Software :- 

   info@carltsw.demon.co.uk     General information.
   sales@carltsw.demon.co.uk    Orders, and sales enquiries.
   tech@carltsw.demon.co.uk     Technical advice, and support for customers.

   Castle Technology :- 

   Sales@castlet.demon.co.uk    Info, Products, Prices, Ordering etc.
   Support@castlet.demon.co.uk  Support issues etc.

   CD Circle :- 

   cdcircle@ims-bristol.co.uk   Enquiries etc...

   Clares Micro Supplies :- 

   DClare@Clares.demon.co.uk    General enquiries. (Dave Clare)
   DJackson@Clares.demon.co.uk  Technical enquiries. (David Jackson)
   Sales@Clares.demon.co.uk     Ordering and sales information.

   Colton Software :- 

   info@colton.co.uk            Automated reply, listing services available.
   sales@colton.co.uk           general sales etc.
   support@colton.co.uk         technical support on existing products.

   Computer Concepts :- 

   info@cconcepts.co.uk         Automated reply, giving information.
   sales@cconcepts.co.uk        For credit card orders of products.
   support@cconcepts.co.uk      Technical support for products. 

   Comspec :- 

   acorn_info@comrad.comspec.com Canadian Acorn dealer. Enquiries about
                                Acorn hardware and products welcome
                                including USA enquiries. (Domenic
                                DeFrancesco)

   Cumana :- 

   sales@cumana.co.uk           Sales and product information.
   support@cumana.co.uk         Product support.

   Cumbria :- 

   sales@cumsoft.demon.co.uk    General sales enquiries.

   David Pilling Software :- 

   david@pilling.demon.co.uk    All enquiries to this address.

   Datawave Nederland :- 

   sales@datawave.demon.nl      Orders.
   support@datawave.demon.nl    Customer support.
   webmaster@datawave.demon.nl  Private Enquiries.

   Desktop Projects Ltd :- 

   info@desktopp.demon.co.uk    General enquiries
   sales@desktopp.demon.co.uk   Sales information and orders
   support@desktopp.demon.co.uk Customer technical support line

   DoggySoft :- 

   sales@doggysoft.co.uk        Sales information and orders
   support@doggysoft.co.uk      Customer technical support line

   i-cubed Ltd :- 

   advice@i-cubed.co.uk         Pre sales advice / general queries
   support@i-cubed.co.uk        After sales support / technical queries
   sales@i-cubed.co.uk          Pricing / Availability / Dealers etc.

   The Image Factory :- 

   imagfact@ozemail.com.au      Sales and support.

   Innovative Media Solutions Ltd :- 

   sales@ims-bristol.co.uk      Enquiries etc...

   Iota Software :- 

   support@iota.co.uk           Enquires & support for Iota products.

   Jaffa Software :- 

   a.j.flegg@warwick.ac.uk      Enquiries, etc...

   Le Computer :- 

   info@lecomp.demon.co.uk      General enquiries.
   sales@lecomp.demon.co.uk     Sales enquiries and orders.
   vanessa@lecomp.demon.co.uk   Special needs enquiries.   

   Longman Logotron :- 

   info@logo.com                General product information.
   sales@logo.com               Sales enquiries and orders.
   support@logo.com             Product support enquiries.

   Meu Cymru :- 

   info@meucymru.demon.co.uk    Enquiries etc...

   Micro Laser Designs :- 

   info@microlas.demon.co.uk    General Enquiries
   sales@microlas.demon.co.uk   Sales Enquiries
   users@microlas.demon.co.uk   User Group Enquiries

   Millipede Electronic Graphics :- 

   info@milliped.demon.co.uk    Product information.
   sales@milliped.demon.co.uk   Orders and current prices.
   support@milliped.demon.co.uk Technical support.
   richard@milliped.demon.co.uk If all else fails! (Richard Jozefowski)

   Minerva Software :- 

   minerva@zynet.co.uk          Enquiries etc...

   Mirage Enterprises :- 

   Sales@spark.demon.co.uk      Sales Enquiries
   Support@spark.demon.co.uk    Product Support

   Moray Micro Computing :- 

   sales@m-micro.demon.co.uk    Sales Enquiries.

   Navaho Internet Servers :- 

   info@navaho.co.uk            General information (automated reply).
   sales@navaho.co.uk           Product sales.
   support@navaho.co.uk         Customer support.

   Norwich Computer Services :- 

   sales.NCS@paston.co.uk       Sales
   tech.NCS@paston.co.uk        Technical help

   Octopus Systems :- 

   sales@octosys.co.uk          Enquiries etc... (Paul Skirrow)

   Old Mother Software :- 

   main@oldmothr.demon.co.uk    General enquiries
   info@oldmothr.demon.co.uk    Product information
   tech@oldmothr.demon.co.uk    Technical support

   Oregan Developments Ltd :- 

   sales@oregan.demon.co.uk     Product info, and general enquiries
   support@oregan.demon.co.uk   Support for registered customers

   Paradise :- 

   info@paradise1.compulink.co.uk    Product Information
   support@paradise1.compulink.co.uk Support/feedback.

   PEP Associates :- 

   info@pep-assoc.co.uk         Product information.
   support@pep-assoc.co.uk      Product support.

   Pineapple Software :- 

   sales@pineaple.demon.co.uk   Sales enquiries.
   support@pineaple.demon.co.uk Info about products, support and enquiries.

   Quantum Software :- 

   Info@quantumsoft.co.uk       Info about products, version numbers, etc.
   Support@quantumsoft.co.uk    Technical support for customers.
   Sales@quantumsoft.co.uk      General info about products and prices, etc.

   RiscNet International :- 

   riscnet@datawave.demon.nl   RiscNet International Information.

   Resource :- 

   Info@Resourcekt.co.uk        General information etc...
   Sales@Resourcekt.co.uk       Credit card orders.
   Support@Resourcekt.co.uk     Technical support.

   The Serial Port :- 

   altman@cryton.demon.co.uk    Software support.
   bob@cryton.demon.co.uk       Retail enquiries.
   jim@cryton.demon.co.uk       To reach Jim Nagel, author of the Acorn
                                column in Computer Shopper magazine.
   pcats@cryton.demon.co.uk     Hardware support

   Sherston Software :- 

   sales@sherston.co.uk         Sales and Product information.
   support@sherston.co.uk       Technical support/queries etc.

   Simtec Electronics :- 

   sales@simtec.demon.co.uk     Sales and order enquiries.
   info@simtec.demon.co.uk      General enquiries and support.
   thread@simtec.demon.co.uk    Multi-threading/Hydra enquiries.

   Soft Rock Software :- 

   softrock@argonet.co.uk       Enquires, Sales and Product information.

   Spacetech Imaging Technology :- 

   sales@spacetec.demon.co.uk   Sales and Product information.
   support@spacetec.demon.co.uk Technical Support.

   Stuart Tyrell Developments :- 

   Info@STDevel.demon.co.uk     General Enquiries etc.

   Supreme Software Systems Ltd :- 

   info@supreme.demon.co.uk     All Enquiries.

   TBA Software :- 

   tba@tbalond.demon.co.uk      All enquiries.

   Thinx Solutions :- 

   Thinx@spark.demon.co.uk      Sales Enquiries and Product Support

   Tower Electronics Ltd :- 

   tower@enterprise.net         All enquiries.

   Uffenkamp Computer Systeme :- 

   ucsinfo@ucs.de               Product information, events et al.
   usupport@ucs.de              After sales support, technical queries.
   ucsorder@ucs.de              Sales enquiries.

   Uniqueway :- 

   info@uniqueway.co.uk         General queries, product related or
                                otherwise.
   support@uniqueway.co.uk      Support for products. (Serial
                                number should be quoted where
                                relevant.)
   sales@uniqueway.co.uk        For credit card orders.

   Vertical Twist :- 

   sales@equinoxe.demon.co.uk   Enquiries, orders etc.
   techsup@equinoxe.demon.co.uk Technical support.

   Warm Silence Software :- 

   Robin.Watts@prg.ox.ac.uk     Enquiries etc. (Robin Watts)

   Werewolf Software :- 

   info@werewlf.demon.co.uk     General information (Dane Koekoek)
   sales@werewlf.demon.co.uk    Orders, sales and enquiries (Dane Koekoek)
   CDTsupport@werewlf.demon.co.uk Support for CDtracker and CDtracker Plus
                                (Malcolm Knight)
   support@werewlf.demon.co.uk  Support for any other products (Dane Koekoek)

   Wyddfa Software :- 

   gwilliams@cix.compulink.co.uk Enquiries etc. (Gwyn Williams)

   Xavier Software :- 

   xavier@bangor.ac.uk          Enquiries etc...

   Zynet Ltd :- 

   zynet@zynet.co.uk            Enquiries etc...

   If you are a company and you would like to included in this list please
send me an email, to the address specified at the bottom of the FAQ,
detailing the email addresses and their general function. I will then
include them into the FAQ. However as a matter of policy I will only include
an address if I receive email from the owner, or a representative for the
owner, of that address. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

7.3) What are the submission addresses for comp.{binaries,sources}.acorn
groups?

   There are four addresses involved here. To submit files for the groups
send your email to :- 

csa@bridge.wn.planet.gen.nz for comp.sources.acorn.
cba@bridge.wn.planet.gen.nz for comp.binaries.acorn.

   For requests, comments and suggestions send email to :- 
 
csa-request@bridge.wn.planet.gen.nz for comp.sources.acorn.
cba-request@bridge.wn.planet.gen.nz for comp.binaries.acorn.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

7.4) How to retrieve the FAQ from the source...

   As I frequently update the FAQ between postings you may wish to get the
latest and most up-to-date copy of the FAQ before it next gets posted. There
are two ways to do this. Firstly read it off the web at
http://wn.planet.gen.nz/~banksie/Archives/FAQ/FaqHTML.html. 

   Secondly I maintain an email server on my personal machine for people to
use. Due to the various complications at my end, and a distinct desire to
minimise email charges incurred to myself, the email server shares my email
address with me. 

   To use the server send an email message looking something like this :- 

To: banksie@khantazi.wn.planet.gen.nz
Subject: ServerMail
---message text begins---

Help:

In this case it will send a help file to you detailing how to use the
server. Be aware that the spelling and case of the subject line is very
important. My software searches for email with exactly this subject line
automatically once a day and it is case & spelling sensitive. Failure to
type this correctly will result in your message appearing in my normal email
list and depending on my mood may, or may not, be adjusted to reach the
email server. 

   The server understands and uses Reply-To: headers but has distinct
problems sending material to bang path addressed sites. (Well to be more
accurate it has problems sending to any site that has an ! in the email
address.) If you are using a site with such addressing then I am afraid the
email server will be unable to help you. Also please ensure that your From:
header, or your Reply-To: header if you using that, is valid. Email file
requests that bounce due to this tend to annoy me and repeat offenders will
be placed on the server's 'to be ignored' list. 

   As well as the FAQ and it's related files I store a small collection of
technical documents, 'special' data files and other generally useful data on
the server. To obtain a listing of all the sections available to you, and
the contents of those sections, send a message as detailed above but instead
of help put :- 

Section: index

in the body of the message. 

   Please be aware that this server is at the tail end of a modem link so
while you are most welcome to use it I must ask that you try to source any
files from other sites before using this server and to strictly follow the
guidelines outlined above. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

7.5) What WWW pages are out there for Acorn topics?

   Web pages are popping up all over the place these days, especially now
that Web client software exists for Acorn machines. This list of Web pages
is checked periodically by myself for validity but I make no claims that
URL's present here are currently valid. A more comprehensive list is
contained in the fortnightly FTP servers list maintained by Gerben Vos. 

 * http://www.acorn.co.uk/ 
Acorn Computers WWW pages.

 * http://www.cybervillage.co.uk/acorn/ 
The Acorn CyberVillage pages - dealers, developers, information, software
and low cost web rental.

 * http://www.poppyfields.oaktree.co.uk/acorn/ 
The Acorn computer user WWW Server. - contains pointers to other Acorn Web
pages.

 * http://www.a-e-g.demon.co.uk/ 
The Acorn Enthusiasts Group pages.

 * http://www.stir.ac.uk/~rhh01/Main.html 
"Acorn On The Net" list page - contains pointers to other Acorn Web pages.

 * http://www.alphapro.demon.co.uk/ 
Alpha Programming WWW Pages - Acorn/Psion software, Jokes+Reviews.

 * http://www.alsystems.co.uk/ 
Alsystems' web pages.

 * http://www.ant.co.uk/ 
ANT Ltd web pages.

 * http://www.armclub.org.uk/ 
The ARM Club home page.

 * http://www.armage.demon.co.uk 
ARMage Software WWW pages.

 * http://www.afsoft.demon.co.uk/ 
ARMed Forces Software WWW pages.

 * http://www.geko.com.au/riscman/ 
Australian Acorn Enthusiast Web site.

 * http://www.carltsw.demon.co.uk/ 
Carlton Software's WWW pages.

 * http://www.stcoll.ac.uk/clares/ 
Clares Micro Supplies' WWW pages.

 * http://www.ims-cdc.demon.co.uk/cdcircle/ 
The CD Circle's WWW pages. 
 * http://www.cumana.demon.co.uk/ 
Cumana's WWW pages.

 * http://www.datawave.demon.nl/ 
Datawave Nederland's pages.

 * http://www.doggysoft.co.uk/ 
Doggysoft's WWW pages.

 * http://www.ozemail.com.au/~imagfact/index.html 
the image factory, DTP supplies for Acorn Computers.

 * http://www.ims-cdc.demon.co.uk/ 
Innovative Media Solution's WWW pages.

 * http://www.iota.co.uk/ 
Iota Software's pages.

 * http://www.warwick.ac.uk/~csube 
Jaffa Software's pages.

 * http://www.csc.liv.ac.uk/users/u1smt/u1smt.html 
"The Jungle" Simon Truss's web page containing pointers to a variety of
other web pages.

 * http://www.hebbron.demon.co.uk/LEG/ 
Liverpool Enthusiasts Group (LEG) home page - information on the group,
previous meetings, and connected links.

 * http://www.logo.com/ 
The Longman Logotron web pages.

 * http://www.interpages.co.uk/acorn/
Mike Enderby's pages - including PC Card information, a mirror of the FAQ
and the Acorn games pages.

 * http://www.zynet.co.uk/minerva/ 
Minerva Software's home page.

 * http://www.octosys.co.uk/ 
Octopus Systems.

 * http://www.demon.co.uk/oldmothr/ 
Old Mother Software.

 * http://www.oregan.demon.co.uk 
Oregan Developments Ltd.

 * http://www.pineaple.demon.co.uk/ 
Pineapple Software.

 * http://www.cybervillage.co.uk/acorn/pccard/ 
Risc PC x86 Cards Information Pages - wide variety of info on PC cards,
including compatibility of games and other software.

 * http://www.pobox.com/~netline 
RISC User netline pages.

 * http://www.datawave.demon.nl/~datawave 
RiscNet International.

 * http://www.simtec.demon.co.uk/ 
Simtec Electronics. 
 * http://www.argonet.co.uk/softrock 
Soft Rock Software.

 * http://www.stdevel.demon.co.uk 
Stuart Tyrell Developments.

 * http://www.octosys.co.uk/sarc.html 
Suffolk Acorn Risc Club's pages.

 * http://www.enterprise.net/tower-risc 
Tower Electronics Ltd. 
 * http://www.uniqueway.co.uk 
Uniqueway Ltd's home pages.

 * http://www.wss.co.uk/ 
Warm Silence Software.

 * http://xavier.bangor.ac.uk/cgi-bin/xavier 
Xavier Software Ltd's home page.

 * http://www.zynet.co.uk/ 
Zynet Ltd's home page. 

   Note that, as with email addresses, I require either the owner of the
pages, or a representative of the owner, to email me if they wish to be
included in the list. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

7.6) What Acorn BBS's are there?

   Is there a good Acorn BBS to call near me? 

   The following are all good Acorn Bulletin Boards to call. This list is
now maintained by me (Dane Koekoek), it is by no means complete and some
items of information may be missing. I will do my best to keep it up-to-date
with all changes. 

   If you spot any errors in the list, or have an addition to make to the
list, then please send an email to dane@werewlf.demon.co.uk ,
Fidonet#2:254/310 or online The Werewolf BBS (+44-181-289 6003). 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BBS name             Phone number   Times     Speeds      Location
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acorn BBS           +852 25477992   24 hour   300-21600   Hong Kong
Arcade             * 0181 654 2212  24 hour   300-33600   Croydon, London
                   * 0181 655 4412  24 hour   300-33600
Archiboard Central * 01603 744231   24 hour   300-14400   Norwich
Archimedes BBS      +31 35 6026500  24 hour   300-14400   Soest NL
Arctic             * 0181 903 1308  24 hour   300-33600   West London
                   * 0181 903 1309  24 hour   300-33600
ARMature II         +61 2 580-9938  24 hour   330-19200   Oatley,NSW
ARM Pit BBS        * 01962 880003   22-08hr   330-14400   Malton, N.Yorks
The ARMpit          +45 31675110    24 hour   330-14400   Denmark
The 23rd Hour      * 01202 692394   24 hour   300-14400   Poole,Dorset
Digital Databank   * 01707 323531   24 hour   300-28800   Welwyn Garden City
                   * 01707 329306   24 hour   300-14400
Digital Exposure   * 01264 361212   24 hour   300-33600   Andover, Hampshire
Equinox            * 01705 871531   24 hour   300-14400   Portsmouth
Galaxy             * 01617 079306   24 hour   300-14400   Manchester
InterComm Central  * 01819 598868   24 hour   300-14400   Mill Hill, London
Icarus Allsorts  &&* 01977 620702   18-22hr   300-14400   Pontefract
Kameleon BBS        +31 38 3319295  24 hour   1200-33600  Kampen NL
Mage Online        * 01812 526112   24 hour   300-28800   London
Northern ARM       * 01274 530831   24 hour   300-28800   Bradford
                   * 01274 530841   24 hour   300-14400
PanGill            * 01723 581460   21-07hr   300-14400   Scarborough
Plasma Sphere      * 01925 757920   24 hour   300-33600   Cheshire
                   * 01925 757921   24 hour   300-33600
Prestonet          * 01772 612462   22-07hr   300-28800   Preston
SchoolNet UK       * 01603 507216   24 hour   300-28800   Norwich
Thunderbolt BBS    * 01689 603608   24 hour   300-28800   SE London
The Sidings BBS    * 0115 956 3481  24 hour   300-14400   Nottingham
The Werewolf BBS   * 0181 289 6003  24 hour   300-33600   London
Western Schools     +61 86 491384   24 hour   300-14400   Whyalla, SA
Wombat BBS          +49 9286 97211  18-7hr    300-28800   Germany
World of Cryton    * 01749 679794   24 hour   300-2400    Somerset
                   * 01749 670030   24 hour   300-28800
Yeti BBS            +49 461 23272   24 hour   300-64000   Flensburg, Germany
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

  * BBS in the UK. If calling from outside the UK, prefix 44 and remove the
    0 in front of EVERY UK number.

 && Ring voice first

   A second list is maintained by Steve Pursey who can be reached via email
at steve@arcticbb.demon.co.uk or via Fidonet#2:254/86. Polite requests for
the list to him may well yield a copy of the list. 

   Alternatively, for those of you with WWW access a copy of this second
list can be found at http://www.cybervillage.co.uk/acorn/bbs.htm. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

7.7) Where can I advertise second hand Acorn kit?

   There are various web sites available now that list second hand adverts
without charge. If you are wanting to sell some equipment it may well be
worth your time trying them. They are :- 

 * http://www.armature.net.au/forsale/ 
 * http://www.cybervillage.co.uk/acorn/archive/small.htm 
 * http://www.dircon.co.uk/dialprop/acornurl.html 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Section 8: Compatibility with other Machines.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

8.1) How compatible with other systems is an Acorn machine?

   PC :- The Archimedes can handle DOS discs (720k; the A5000 and later
models can also handle 1.44M floppies). In RO3, this is built in, under RO2
you have to use one of the (PD) utilities. There are two PC (software)
emulators that can handle most PC software, three if you count the fact that
Acorn's offering is split into two emulator programs. There are also PC
cards, containing an 80x86 processor and other PC hardware, which uses the
Archimedes' disc and video. All emulators are multitasking (and not PD).
RiscPC machines, by adding a 486 processor card, can fully emulate a PC. 

   Unix :- Unix software can be ported (and in fact many packages already
have been) with the help of UnixLib, which is PD. Memory-hungry ports, such
as gcc, can be run with the aid of !Virtual (also PD). Of course if you are
really desperate to run Unix software it might be advisable to buy RISCiX,
the Acorn flavour of Unix (suitable only for A5000 or older machines), or
perhaps use linux (suitable for older machines and SA equipped RiscPCs) &
RiscBSD (for RiscPC machines). 

   Mac :- Commercial software is available that can read HFS format discs,
including hard drives and CDROMs. For floppy discs this generally
encompasses high density discs (1.44 MB format) and a limited subset of
double density (720 kb) discs. Essentially the software can read the disc if
the tracks have been laid down with constant angular velocity, rather than
constant linear velocity - which requires a variable speed drive to work.
Most Macintoshes default to CLV format discs when formatting double density
discs but some Mac software exists to override this and, in theory, such
discs are readable using the Acorn software. To be sure that the double
density disc is a CAV format disc, then formatting it first in your Acorn
machine is a good step and the disc will then work with Macintosh machines.
Also most modern Macintoshes can, like Acorn machines, read and write PC
format discs so transfer is possible via that medium as well. There is no
Mac emulator available natively. However if you have a PC card in your
RiscPC it is possible to run Executor 2.0 under the PC Emulation to then
emulate a Mac. However this approach is likely to be fairly slow. 

   Atari ST :- Like PC floppies, the Archimedes can read, write and format
ST-format floppies. No emulator for the ST is known. 

   Amiga :- The amiga uses an unusual disc format that is not easily read by
other machines. Accordingly there is currently no Amiga format disc reader
available. But Amiga's can read PC discs, so again transfers can occur via
that medium. There is one Amiga emulator available, a port of the Unix Amiga
Emulator, but it is somewhat CPU intensive and really requires a StrongARM
to be useful. 

   Spectrum :- There are emulators around for this and Amstrad, the owners
of the Sinclair copyright, have released permission for the ROM images,
needed to run these emulators, to be copied and released with the emulators. 

   Apple][ :- Again emulators are available for this. However they, like the
Spectrum emulators, require a copy of the ROM image to work. The copyright
of the ROM image for these machines, as far as I am aware, prevents them
being distributed, so you have to source your own copy of them. 

   BBC B :- Once again emulators exist, including Acorn's own effort of
6502Host. The emulators are fairly good, offering a high level of
compatibility. See question 8.3 for more details about two commercially
available emulators. Also various programs do exist that allow the newer
Acorn machines to read BBC B format floppy discs. 

   GameBoy :- An emulator exists for this, capable of loading and using most
snapshots with sound correctly emulated. Snapshots seem to be fairly freely
available on the Internet and a search in any of the more capable search
engines should quickly turn up a set of sites with downloadable snapshot
images. 

   Amstrad CPC :- Emulators exist for these machines and Amstrad &
Locomotive Software have given their permission for the ROM images, needed
to make them work, to be freely distributable with the emulators. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

8.2) Is there a BBC BASIC for other machines?

   The short answer is, yes.

   Macintosh :- A BBC BASIC environment was released some years back as a
commercial product featuring compatibility with a limited subset of OS_Bytes
and other features for limited compatibility with a BBC Model B. 

   IBM Compats :- A version of BBC BASIC exists for these machines. Older
versions have provided an inbuilt BASIC editor, limited OS_Byte support,
some OSCLI commands and CGA standard graphics. Exactly what the latest
version supports I don't know, but to find out (and obtain a version of the
software) contact :-


        M-Tec Computer Services,
        The Market Place,
        REEPHAM,
        Norfolk,
        NR10 4JJ,
        United Kingdom.

        Tel. (+44) 1603 870620
        Fax. (+44) 1603 870436
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

8.3) Can I run 65Host on the Risc PC?

   Officially, no. Unofficially there is a patch that enables the Emulator
to run fairly well. Unfortunately the patch does not correctly enable the
break key; however, it does substitute the Scroll Lock key, so you can reset
the emulator easily from inside the emulator. Furthermore the emulator seems
incompatible with the StrongARM, so even the patched copy will not work if
you have one fitted. Here is the patch :- 

      REM >HostPatch
      REM RISC PC !65Host patch
      REM Obtained from comp.sys.acorn.games
      REM Provided by tim@spodnet.org (Tim Gladding)
      REM of Cambridge, England
      REM Tweaked to substitute ScrollLock for Break
      REM by arcsalt@spuddy.mew.co.uk (Darren Salt)
      SYS "OS_File",5,"<65Host$Dir>.!RunImage" TO t,,,,len
      DIM data len
      SYS "OS_File",255,"<65Host$Dir>.!RunImage",data
      FOR ptr=0 TO len-4 STEP 4
       word=data!ptr
       CASE word OF
       WHEN &E3520402, &E2600402, &E3510402: data?ptr=&05
       WHEN &13A0000F: data?ptr=&0E: REM key code for ScrollLock
       ENDCASE
      NEXT ptr
      SYS "OS_File",10,"<65Host$Dir>.!RunImage",&FFA,,data,data+len

It is a BASIC program - simply enter it into the BASIC editor of your
choice, let the filer see the copy of 65Host that is to be patched and run
it. A copy of the 65Host emulator can be found on the Acorn FTP site. 

   There is also a commercially available BBC emulator, called 6502Em,
available that works on the RiscPC range and boasts improved compatibility,
mostly with games, over the Acorn effort. It also is StrongARM compatible.
Contact Warm Silence Software for details. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

8.4) Can I read Acorn format discs on a PC?

   Yes, a utility called BeebDos exists which claims to provide reading and
writing of BBC B format discs. It is a commercial program and was sold by :- 

   MicroBoss Ltd,
   Business Orientated Software Systems
   Telephone: 01255 671095 (Uk number)
   3 Hadleigh Road,
   Frinton on Sea,
   Essex,
   CO13 9HG.

Unfortunately I am unaware if they currently still sell the program or not. 

   For the more recent ADFS format discs the shareware disc editor ANADISK
will cope with ADFS format discs, up to F format. This does not provide a
filing system, but rather allows sectors to be pulled off the disc and saved
as a file. Disc map and root directory information is stored at the middle
of the disc, on track 40. Generally this is useful only for emergency
measures when you really need that data stored on an ADFS format disc. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

8.5) What software handles files with this extension?

   This depends on the extension. 

   Presented below is a list of common file extensions and the software
that, in some way, handles the file. It is recommended, especially for
commercial software, that you verify that software will indeed perform the
functions you require on the file format. This list is intended as a
starting point to give the reader a pointer towards suitable software,
nothing more. 

   N.B. This list is primarily for programs that convert foreign file
formats into Acorn usable data - not the other way round. Some programs
listed will export as well as import but this is by no means guaranteed. 

 * AVI (.avi) , &FB2, Audio Visual file. 

 * CineWorks, commercial. 
 * MovieFS, commercial. 

 * BMP (.bmp) , &69C, Bitmap file (Windows). 

 * BMPSprite, freeware. 
 * ChangeFSI, commercial - supplied with RISC OS 3 and above. 
 * ImageFS, commercial. 
 * ImageMaster, commercial. 
 * Translator, shareware. 

 * CGM (.cgm) ,, Computer Graphics Metafile. 

 * CGM->Draw, careware. 
 * DXF-CGM, careware. 

 * DXF (.dxf) , &DEA, Drawing eXchange Format file. 

 * Draw, commercial - supplied with all versions of RISC OS. 

 * GIF (.gif) , &695, Graphics Interchange Format picture. 

 * ChangeFSI, commercial - supplied with RISC OS 3 and above. 
 * FYEO2, shareware. 
 * ImageMaster, commercial. 
 * ProArtisan24, commercial. 
 * Spr_2_Gif, freeware. 
 * Translator, shareware. 
 * WebGif2, freeware. 

 * HTML (.htm, .html) , &FAF, Hyper Text Markup Language document. 

 * ArcWeb, freeware. 
 * Fresco, commercial. 
 * Webite, commercial. 
 * Webster, freeware. 

 * JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg) , &C85, JPEG format picture. 

 * ChangeFSI, commercial - supplied with RISC OS 3 and above. 
 * FYEO2, shareware. 
 * ProArtisan24, commercial. 
 * RapidJPEG, freeware. 
 * SwiftJPEG, freeware. 
 * Translator, shareware. 

 * Metafile (.met) ,, OS/2 Metafile. 

 * Draw-Met, careware. 

 * MIDI (.mid, .midi) , &FD4, Musical Instrument Digital Interface file. 

 * MIDIWorks, commercial. 
 * ESPSynth, commercial. 
 * MelIDI, commercial. 
 * ReMidi, shareware. 
 * Timidity, freeware. 

 * MPEG (.mpg, .mpeg) , &BF8, Motion Picture Experts Group movie file. 

 * CineWorks, commercial. 
 * MPEG, freeware. 

 * PDF (.pdf) , &ADF, Adobe's Portable Document Format. 

 * Pdf, freeware. 

 * Perl (.pl) , &A06, Practical Extraction and Report Language file. 

 * Perl, freeware. 

 * PostScript (.eps, .ps) ,, Adobe's printer graphics language. 

 * AiEps-Drw, careware. 
 * GhostScript, freeware. 
 * RiScript, freeware. 
 * RiScript Pro, commercial. 

 * Quicktime (.mov) , &FB2, Macintosh movie file. 

 * CineWorks, commercial. 
 * MovieFS, commercial. 

 * SoundTracker (.mod) , &CB6, Sound Tracker file. 

 * AMFTracker, freeware. 
 * BASTracker, freeware. 
 * Digital Symphony, commercial. 
 * Harmony, freeware. 
 * MPlayer, freeware. 
 * ProTrack, freeware. 
 * ProTracker, freeware. 
 * S/Tracker, freeware. 

 * Tar (.tar) , &C46, Tape Archive. 

 * Spark, commercial. 
 * SparkFS, commercial. 
 * SparkPlug, freeware. 
 * Tar, freeware. 

 * Text (.txt, .text) , &FFF, text file. 

 * ChangeTxt, shareware. 
 * Edit, commercial - supplied with all versions of RISC OS. 
 * StrongEd, shareware. 
 * Uemacs, freeware. 
 * Zap, freeware. 

 * TIFF (.tif, .tiff) , &FF0, Tagged Image File Format. 

 * ChangeFSI, commercial - supplied with RISC OS 3 and above. 
 * Tiffin, freeware. 
 * Translator, shareware. 

 * Wave (.wav) , &FB1, Chunk based sound file. 

 * AudioWorks, commercial. 
 * MovieFS, commercial. 
 * Player, commercial. 
 * ProSound, commercial. 
 * StudioSound, commercial. 
 * SoundCon, freeware. 

 * WMF (.wmf) ,, Windows Meta File. 

 * WMF->Draw, public domain. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

8.6) Is there a version of Draw for Windows?

   Yes. Oak released a program called Oak-Draw for Windows. This program can
load, save and manipulate Acorn Draw format files in the Windows environment. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
