1st October 1994Welcome To EUG #16
Another interesting disk thanks to the readers who sent things in. What, you can't see your own item? That's because a few things arrived too late and will now appear in EUG #17. Some of these are quite interesting themselves.
The title screen was sent by a member whose name I have mislaid. The same also goes for whoever designed last issue's screen and two more screens. I know that each of these are from different people so I have four apologies to make. It isn't easy running EUG and things do get mixed up and lost no matter how organised you try to be. I'm pretty organised usually.
As EUG #17 will be coming out during December, how does everyone feel about making this an issue for selling, swapping or giving away all those items which we all have and hold onto just in case?
With Christmas coming up, you might raise some extra cash and other members could get those things that they really want.
It might be helpful at this point to make a few ground rules which everyone should know about to avoid confusion.
- Any price quoted will exclude postage unless otherwise stated.
- Items offered need not necessarily be about Acorn computers. Indeed, they need not really be about computers.
- I will promise not to bid for any items untill everyone has received their disk.
There could also be a section for people looking for items. EUG has a lot of members, and that ROM, book, piece of hardware which one might be desperate for could just be lurking in the back of some dark cupboard cupboard of another. Again, try to specify what you might offer in return i.e money or a swap.
And, of course, I will promise not to offload the contents of my 'might come in useful one day' cupboard until everyone has their disks.
Send it in!
Looking ahead to EUG #20
A review of lots of Electron equipment would be a good idea. I often get asked what are the best items for a particular purpose. If members could write about their kit...
What sort of printer do you use? Is it any good? How long have you had it? What sort of problems/disappointments have you had with it? Would you recommend it to anyone else?
Other equipment can be reviewed in the same way: disk drives, monitors, tape players, addons, utility programs, word processors, ROMs.
If we get a lot of people writing about the same product, we can get a good idea of how good or bad it is and make up our minds if we fancy buying it. Every member can easily get involved in this. We have plenty of time. EUG #20 is not due until August 1995 and we all have some kit.
While we're at it, we could also compile a list of suppliers of products; cheap disks, drives, monitors, printers and accessories. Anything that might be useful to members looking for that bit of hardware.
Software as well. Send in any sources you know about of software.
So let's get thinking, let's get writing.
Send it in.
Bits And Pieces
I understand that Pres and Jafa are both still going strong. They have each promised to send advertisements but neither has come up with anything so far. Stiil it's nice to know they're there.
An article in the features section is illustrated with some drawings. I have included the Printer Dump from Diagram. In the Diagram section are some details about it. If anyone has problems, please contact EUG.
Problems With 3.5" Disks
Some members have reported that their 3.5" disks have got stuck in their drives. I have asked around and discovered that this is a surprisingly common problem caused by the flap on some drives catching on the metal shutter of the disk. Unfortunatly once it happens once the shutter gets bent, it tends to happen more often with that disk. If it does happen to you, don't pull the disk. Find a short piece of card, say about 0.5" wide by 3" long. Insert this into the drive about 1" on top of the disk so as to hold the drive flap up and gently pull the disk out. This problem results from rough handling. Disks are delicate. Don't shove them in or tug them out aggressively. Treat them gently.
Finally, keep the submissions rolling in. We can all see the benefit now and it really is working. If you send something in, someone else sends something in as a result.
Gus Donnachaidh, EUG #16
