Enclosed is a cheque for £xx.xx to cover my subscriptions for copies of EUG, subsequent to EUG #14.
The User Group has been of considerable help by enabling me to contact one of the subscribers who helped me establish a Printer Driver, that elusive program mentioned in the View instruction manual. My initial quest for a Printer Driver led me to the local shop Watford Electronics whose assistant denied ever knowing the Electron. Ingrates! One local computer shop advised me to scrap my machine, and that was it! Still, the world is my oyster now I can print in italics. My begging letters no longer look formal.
As a suggestion for future issues of EUG, could someone explain the development of both the Electron and the BBC Micro, the various models and the alphanumeric addons?
I frequently receive letters and anniversary cards from my son and daughter-in-law in Australia. The cards are usually home made and illustrated using their PC plus some special software (and clip art). Can any reader help me to get a program that will enable me to respond in a like manner using my Electron and Panasonic KK-P1081 printer?
Ron Kilroy
Your experience with Watford Electronics and the computer shop are not unusual. Knowing some people in the trade, I can tell you that, from their point of view, business is cutthroat. They need to generate new sales just to survive. So many people are now trying to make a living selling computers and software! And the market for programmers is totally saturated.
A case in point. I have a 386 Notebook PC about three years old. Cost about £1,000 when new. I have been advised to ditch it and buy something more modern. I will as soon as my money tree starts bearing fruit. An article sent by a New Zealand member illustrates this point further.
Previous issues of EUG have covered some of the points about development of the Electron and BBC. So many members are now asking about things which were in earlier issues that I am thinking about reprinting and perhaps updating some things from earlier issues. I won't until EUG #20 though.
Making cards is a great idea. Diagram in this issue springs to mind. It will need a bit more tweaking o be effective. See the accompanying text.
1st August 1994