1st June 1995Thanks, Gus, for the much improved EUG! It's a credit to your efforts! Notwithstanding the inspiration of Will who started it, I think it's much easier to improve than initiate so keep it up! And any complaints: ignore them - print and be damned (just like Private Eye!!). A yearly subscription of ten pounds sterling is excellent value for money; those who only send for the next issue after the last one are short-sighted.
Well, the most interesting thing about me is I live on a narrowboat (that's not, as some say, a canal barge, by the way) with central heating, microwave, fridge, bathroom, bedroom, lounge and engine room (my bit!). It's comfortable and cosy. For the past eighteen months we've been converting it from a burned out shell to a luxury home. It's been both a test of my DIY skills and my wife's nerves and resillience. We now have the ability to provide seating for up to sixteen guests. At family parties, such as my 50th birthday, there were 21 persons sitting down to a six course meal cooked onboard by my wife.
The boat is 70ft long; designed to look similar to a working boat of the late fifties, ie. it has a triangular roof line as if it's carrying cargo. The engine is unique, a 1944 Coventry diesel, four cylinder two stroke, and spent the first part of its life in a 16ft wooden fast patrol boat, capable of over forty knots. Used by the Royal Navy during the last year.
So that's a bit about me. Now about my Acorn equipment. Nothing fantastic - Elk, Plus 1, Pres AP4 disk interface, Cumana 40/80 drive and two printers. Mannesmantally 80 and Apricot Writer 17 wide carriage (180 col) ... All of this except the disk interface came second hand from Car Boot Sales. I've also got a BBC and some spare Elks just in case!
Currently it's in mothballs. We aren't connected to the National Grid and using a Generator to provide 240 volts for computers is noisy. I've tried to save up for an Invertor but "more important things" cropped up! So far, I've had no problems with any equipment I've bought, and indeed I'm no expert. My maxim is "I want, I find, I think I can afford, I buy" and I hope for the best!!
Now can anyone help me? I have bought a mouse and mat, an ANUBIS, and on the side of the box it says it is compatible with all major "applikations" (Their spelling!) software compatible with IBM PC, XT AT 386/486 and PS/2. There is a 3.25" disk with it, but I have only got a 5.25" disk drive. Has anyone got a program to run such a mouse on an Electron? It has a nine-pin D-plug on it. Where to plug this into the Electron, please? And can it be used with word processors like Mini Office or View and what about use with spreadsheets, etc?
I recall someone mentioning they used a colour printer with the Electron. When I first saw these advertised, I telephoned one supplier of Star colour printers, and they advised me that the Electron couldn't handle them so I would like to know what and how? What printer? And how is it used with the Electron?
As for those members who do not like to read about personal or non-computer matters in the EUG mag, then, as someone's suggested, keep SHIFT down. It seems you can't please all the people all the time but I read every word and the more words the better. I don't profess to understand all the technical jargon, but it does give me an insight into how big one can make a humble machine like ours if you have knowledge. And what better way of exchanging knowledge than through our own mag?
I do have some comments on the presentation of the magazine which I hope you'll find useful. First, regarding the title page. I'm inclined to agree than an 'image' is very useful when trying to locate your favourite magazine on the newsagents' shelf, but once it's in your possession, do you really look at the cover? I don't think so, so it's ok to produce a different page for the 'opener' by other contributors. It could be used as a forum for the graphically minded to show us their skills. Perhaps with a special page in the main body to explain "How Did He Do That??" If any page should be constant in presentation, I think it's the Menu page, as that is what is always being referred back to while scanning of the magazine.
The second point regards presentation of the actual text. Would it be possible to reverse video the text? (Make the text black and the background pale blue/green). I think this would enable the short-sighted and less ably sighted to read the very small print. I don't think putting it all in capitals would make much difference in readability. My colour TV screen is only seven inches across horizontal and vertical and my eyesight for reading isn't brilliant.
Gerry Emson
I'm so jealous of your narrowboat.
Re: Running the Elk. In EUG #8 or thereabouts there is a discussion on running the Elk from a 12v car battery. The conclusion is that since the Elk seems to need an 18v AC supply then it can't be done. I've done a bit of investigating since and discovered that the 18v AC line just supplies the power supply power in the main computer. With this in mind, it should be possible to run an Elk from a 12v battery. The -5 volt will need to be generated but this can be done quite easily with a simple IC from Maplin. Then the 5v line will be needed; another simple voltage regulator IC from Maplin. And of course a 12v line for the disk drive motor. Be careful - but with a bit of thought and, using large resistors in line to limit current, it should be possible. I presume that you have a battery TV.
Re: the mouse, it needs to be connected to a User Port and will require suitable software. Neither View not Viewsheet are, but Slogger do an excellent publishing package called Stop Press 64 which is.
I myself used a Star LC10 colour printer with my Elk without problem. I haven't found much suitable software for the colour option so entered the colour changes manually. I usually buy single colour black ribbons; they're much cheaper. I just keep a full colour ribbon in the fridge until it's needed. Software is always the problem (and of course, manufacturers think the Elk is some sort of North American rodent). I'm surprised Star were as co-operative with you as they were. Acorn once told me that they could only answer queries about computers they had made. I pointed out that they did in fact produce the Electron and they said, "Well, we know nothing about it!"
Re: Inverse Video text. Have you tried the 40-column option courtesy of EUG's answer to Roland Waddilove, Richard Dimond. It's really good if you ignore the occasional formatting problem.
Gus Donnachaidh, EUG #20
