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The Icon Bar: News and features: Wakefield 2007
 

Wakefield 2007

Posted by Phil Mellor on 20:00, 19/5/2007 | ,
 
What a day - the Wakefield RISC OS show AND Doctor Who. It doesn't get more exciting than that. Here's my report.HPIM4156.JPG

 

Wakefield: 2007

HPIM4102.JPG First steps through the door, and the first item on show is this: the A9wai1 - a widescreen, all in one RISC OS computer. Like the iMac, the hardware is built into the monitor. A wireless keyboard and mouse can be used (providing a suitable antenna is fitted inside the metal case), meaning there's only one cable required - the power lead.
HPIM4103.JPG Advantage 6 also have drivers for a touchscreen version, although this wasn't on display, and the touchscreen isn't widescreen. The A9wai1 isn't a commercial product (yet), but the sort of development that Advantage Six demonstrate to potential clients and partners. The A9home is also often shown to clients as proof that their hardware designs can be successfully taken into production.
HPIM4104.JPG Chris McDrobe Williams counts the number of articles he's read on the Icon Bar this year on one hand.
HPIM4105.JPG Vince M Hudd of Soft Rock Software was selling WebChange for £0.00 including VAT.
HPIM4106.JPG Vince stuck in Quicksand.
HPIM4107.JPG Virtual Acorn running on a G5 iMac. Shiny! Although the beta is only for PowerPC processors, Aaron Timbrell promised that users who bought the beta could exchange their CD for the full Universal Binary edition, which would support both PPC and Intel processors.
HPIM4108.JPG A fine demonstration of lens distortion. And Virtual Acorn.
HPIM4109.JPG Virtual Risc PC again, there. The software is locked to the hardware, although software configuration and USB devices shouldn't cause any issues.
HPIM4110.JPG Virtual Acorn is still in beta. I tried breaking it, but couldn't. The only issues I could see were that resizing the main window didn't cause the RISC OS desktop to resize or scroll bars to appear, so parts of the desktop became inaccessible. The preferences window was a little basic looking too. Apart from that, fine, especially in full screen mode.
HPIM4111.JPG USB missile launcher on the CJE stand.
HPIM4112.JPG Chris Evans demonstrating the A9 (hidden behind the blue speakers).
HPIM4113.JPG Somebody had donated a Microdigital Omega to the charity stand.
HPIM4114.JPG The Omega had been sold by 2pm.
HPIM4115.JPG An Acorn Atom.
HPIM4116.JPG A batch of new Qercus magazines arrived shortly after the show started, and John Cartmell eagerly ripped open the box. The latest issue, available to subscribers on the day, includes a review of the A9home.
HPIM4117.JPG John Cartmell hides from the paparazzi.
HPIM4118.JPG The Vigay.
HPIM4119.JPG Obligatory Paul Vigay headshot. One day I will remember to press the red-eye button on my camera. One day.
HPIM4120.JPG RISC OS Open Ltd. Sources for several RISC OS applications and components are now online. Draw and the Pinboard are items of particular interest to me. Now that the licence has been agreed, there's a lot of work to do checking the source for NDAs, project names, etc - not just in comments, but also in the source, compilation directives, and build scripts. They can release binaries for some of the components whose source isn't ready for release, but which are required to build the publically available bits. Most importantly, in addition to the mouse mats there are also coasters. Woo!
HPIM4121.JPG Several people thought this said 'wait', but it doesn't. It says 'wai1', and is pronounced 'wail'.
HPIM4122.JPG Giant hand, tiny box.
HPIM4123.JPG Obligatory Icon Bar screenshot. Advantage Six have internet access!
HPIM4124.JPG Me laughing at Drobe's live show report. Drobe reported that the A9mini was real, you see. Matt from Advantage 6 took this photo for me because he didn't want to be in it. Because the A9mini is a joke.
HPIM4125.JPG The A9mini. It's a joke!
HPIM4126.JPG Chris McDrobe Williams taking a photo of the A9mini. Yes, I know that he knows that it isn't real. Did I mention it's a joke?
HPIM4127.JPG The RISC OS Packaging Project.
HPIM4128.JPG Joel's 8 Bit Emporium. Overheard: "I bet nobody will buy this for 10p!"
HPIM4129.JPG The charity stall.
HPIM4130.JPG David Holden at the APDL stand.
HPIM4131.JPG RISC OS SIX. Just look at all that lovely documentation!
HPIM4132.JPG The huge NetSurf banner. The printer that prints this also prints doors.
HPIM4133.JPG The canal, there. We didn't meet Stanley Ferry, but he seems quite a famous chap around these parts.
HPIM4134.JPG Aaron Timbrell was representing both Virtual Acorn and RISCOS Ltd.
HPIM4135.JPG RISC OS 6 was on sale for £49, or £99 including a Select subscription. Cheap as chips!
HPIM4136.JPG Louie Smith attracts another subscriber to RISC OS Now.
HPIM4137.JPG The lovely Louie Smith.
HPIM4140.JPG The show floor. Although the venue is smaller than before, attendence remains high.
HPIM4141.JPG No flash. Lots of blur. I like to call this an "action shot".
HPIM4142.JPG Jon Ripley and Jonathan Harston like Beebs.
HPIM4143.JPG Archive Magazine. Archive's editor, Paul Beverley, was one of two exhibitors wearing bow ties today...
HPIM4144.JPG ...the other being Martin Wuerthner. Released alongside the new version of ArtWorks is an updated rendering module which allows other applications to use the new features of ArtWorks such as transparency.
HPIM4145.JPG Martin Wuerthner is also the developer for Easi/TechWriter. Forthcoming developments (possibly in time for the South-East show?) include a new style editor.
HPIM4146.JPG Michael Drake, of NetSurf and Acorn Arcade fame.
HPIM4147.JPG The first stable release version of NetSurf is out. The NetSurf guys were distributing mini-CDs containing the application and all the required sources and libraries to build it.
HPIM4148.JPG Rob Kendrick at the NetSurf stand. Javascript was the most requested new feature - but it's a stonker, requiring significant internal changes to the way NetSurf structures and renders web pages. Rob suggested it might be possible to integrate support for some simple functions, such as submitting forms, but it's the sort of work that would have to be discarded when implementing Javascript properly. ("Properly" meaning primarily the document object model, allowing scripts to manipulate the contents of the page.)
HPIM4149.JPG R-Comp had a long stand that was very difficult to photograph because customers kept getting in the way. Stupid customers. On show were a range of RiscCube machines, along with new applications like Messenger Pro 5. I'd not tried the built-in message editor until today, and it's surprisingly nice to use (I'm wary of anything which isn't StrongED or Zap). An update to Hermes is likely to include better RSS handling.
HPIM4150.JPG Jack Lillingston explained how his companies and projects operate. Castle collect the revenue from RISC OS licences, and licence Iyonix Ltd to sell the Iyonix with RISC OS. They might or might not do development work on RISC OS themselves. He would be happy to see RISCOS Ltd join the party, but acknowledges that they are a separate company who do things their own way, adding value to the operating system. ROOL said that ROL's re-organisation of the RISC OS framework was an understandable approach, and it means that different implementations have been done to achieve the same end - merging these changes, if done, will require quite a lot of work, but because Castle's branch of RISC OS is publically available it should make the job much easier. Jack said that releasing the source freely for individual use, with a small licence fee for commercial use, was the most reasonable way for everyone involved.
HPIM4152.JPG Matt Edgar from Advantage Six. He thinks there's still a market for RISC OS. Although some people may come to them with an idea specifically to use RISC OS (which they'd consider with a viable business case), there are also clients who simply need their requirements fulfilling without a particular OS in mind - and if RISC OS is the right solution they'll use it. Although not all the work Advantage Six do is RISC OS related, the RISC OS stuff is fun... and that's what life is about!
HPIM4155.JPG Simply messing about in boats.
HPIM4156.JPG It's almost a cliche to say so, but this year's Wakefield had a real positive vibe. There's such a contrast between the whinging, arguing and trolling on the internet and friendly, charming conversations you have at shows like this. There was no doom and gloom; quite the reverse, and with a recognition of what RISC OS now means to people. The change in venue is an example - there's no longer the need or opportunity to pretend it's an event to rival Earl's Court or - more importantly - to feel disappointed that it isn't. As a chance to put names to faces, meet distant friends, and see the technology you've believed in for decades still being applied in interesting and successful ways, the show couldn't be anything other than a success.

 

Doctor Who: 42

DoctorWho42.JPG I liked it when the sun took over the Doctor and he started shouting with his eyes on fire.

 
  Wakefield 2007
  stevek (20:39 19/5/2007)
  Chris (22:28 19/5/2007)
    EasyKees (23:54 19/5/2007)
      SimonC (09:35 20/5/2007)
      illuminatius (12:58 20/5/2007)
        Chris (13:53 20/5/2007)
        wakeman2 (15:26 20/5/2007)
          monkeyson2 (17:05 20/5/2007)
            Phlamethrower (17:20 20/5/2007)
              monkeyson2 (17:23 20/5/2007)
          illuminatius (13:41 21/5/2007)
            wakeman2 (18:18 21/5/2007)
      hzn (14:24 20/5/2007)
        Chris (14:39 20/5/2007)
  VincceH (17:31 20/5/2007)
  Paolo Zaino (15:42 21/5/2007)
 
Steve Message #102310, posted by stevek at 20:39, 19/5/2007
Member
Posts: 3
I woke up this morning, remember that Wakefield had happened on the other side of the planet while I was asleep, logged on to TIB and got some great news and photos. Sounds like a good show with plenty of punters turning up!

How was the bar after the show?

Thanks!
Steve
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Chris Message #102315, posted by Chris at 22:28, 19/5/2007, in reply to message #102310
Member
Posts: 283
Nice photos! Seems like lots of fairly positive stuff going on. Shame there were no presentations, but it looks like it was pretty well attended. Any news on a new flash release for the A9home?
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Kees Meijer Message #102316, posted by EasyKees at 23:54, 19/5/2007, in reply to message #102315
Member
Posts: 7
From the netherlands I watched drobe and iconbar smile
Seems to be a good show.
But for me as an A9home user I have mixed feelings:
no flash3 (no timescale), only an empty white box from AD6 or perhaps an A9 inside a TFT monitor.

Hey guys !!! first deliver what you promised to all A9home users for over 1 year now.

I have an A9home with 2x 120Gb HD but won't or can't sell it to the public.
I also have another DIY project with the A9home (power it from a solar cell but again can't /won't sell it.)

Who cares.... there are a lot of A9home users who wants to work with their machine NOW !!

And for RO ltd: nice to see you offer an discount on the show for RO select-- but why only for the few UK person's who can go to the show and not for the rest of your ( still large) userbase ?


No problem for me, in a day or 2 I get a new I-mac so I can actually work with an OS (that gives me some more time to wait for RO solutions.
My time is up and I know a lot more RO users here in the netherlands will think exactly the same.


[Edited by EasyKees at 00:57, 20/5/2007]

[Edited by EasyKees at 00:58, 20/5/2007]
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Simon Challands Message #102322, posted by SimonC at 09:35, 20/5/2007, in reply to message #102316
Elite
Right on, Commander!

Posts: 398
I don't think the UK share of the RISC OS market is a case of offering to a few (in comparison to elsewhere). If they're going to make a special offer like this a show is the most sensible time to offer it. You're never going to be able to please everyone with any offer.
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hEgelia Message #102328, posted by illuminatius at 12:58, 20/5/2007, in reply to message #102316
Member
Posts: 44
I couldn't agree more, Kees. It's all nice and well Advantage Six demonstrates progress in their chosen field, but what about their current customers? The A9home has been officially released exactly 1 year ago, because Ad6 believed it to be ready. Well, it clearly isn't and a customer shouldn't need to care if it's RISCOS Ltd's or Ad6's fault; Ad6 have a responsibility to provide their customers with a finished OS.

It's especially frustrating seeing that ROL explicitly stated the version of RISC OS inside the A9home would not feature any Select 4 stuff. Basically a 32bit version of Adjust with added support for the A9home hardware. To gain extra Select 4 functionality, an A9home user would have to subscribe like everybody else. But they've clearly put Select 4 functionality in the current build! Coupled with past experiences, this makes ROL more and more untrustworthy and will continue to reflect badly on them. Not only have Select subscribers financed the A9home's OS these last few years, now ROL has also thrown in Select 4 functionality ... all very unfair to subscribers, in my opinion.

Regarding the discount on RO Six/Select, I think that if ROL attends a show in the Netherlands, they'll offer a similar discount. I think the stand-alone RO Six for £49 offer was interesting, because that seems unusually low a cost for them, also considering the time that went into it. Another sign of their increasingly financial troubles? I also wonder if that RO Six build contains the current Select 4i2 functionality?

On a more positive note, the news regarding ROOL is excellent and another sign the Castle 'side of the fence' are indeed as good as their word. The NetSurf 1.0 release is great, as usual Martin Wuerther has delivered some serious updates to ArtWorks and the overall show atmosphere seemed very enjoyable. I look forward to a show in the Netherlands.

Have fun with the iMac, it's a really cool computer, with quite a lot of RISC OS-like functionality in the OS. In the near future, we should be able to run VRPC on it to make it the complete solution!

[Edited by illuminatius at 14:10, 20/5/2007]
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Chris Message #102331, posted by Chris at 13:53, 20/5/2007, in reply to message #102328
Member
Posts: 283
It's especially frustrating seeing that ROL explicitly stated the version of RISC OS inside the A9home would not feature any Select 4 stuff. Basically a 32bit version of Adjust with added support for the A9home hardware. To gain extra Select 4 functionality, an A9home user would have to subscribe like everybody else. But they've clearly put Select 4 functionality in the current build! Coupled with past experiences, this makes ROL more and more untrustworthy and will continue to reflect badly on them. Not only have Select subscribers financed the A9home's OS these last few years, now ROL has also thrown in Select 4 functionality ... all very unfair to subscribers, in my opinion.
The problem is that it's very unclear how the A9home work is related to ROL's OS developments for Acorn-era computers. As an A9 owner, I just don't know whether it's ROL or Adv6 who are ultimately responsible for development (I think it's Adv6, but I'm not sure why). And the plethora of descriptions for the same family of products (4.x, SIX, Adjust26/32, Select, etc.) makes things very opaque. Oh, for a simple, incremental version number for the OS like the old days! Then at least everyone would know where they were... wink
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Herbert zur Nedden Message #102332, posted by hzn at 14:24, 20/5/2007, in reply to message #102316
Member
Posts: 11
As for A9home

I agree that it is a pain in the a... that A9home has still not been supplied with a new ROM image. I do remember PM of ROL stating that they'd first finish of the new A9 ROM and then Select 4 since the latter relies on the formers base sources but seems to have change his opinion. But in any case the A9home is from Ad6 so it is up the them to make it usable.


As for the RO6 offering:
  • Indeed a pity they only offer such to those who can visit a show. With a one-day-event the cost to travel there is just too high (unless you know of enough offerings beforehand).
  • Can those who have subscribed for UKP 155 now quit and resubscribe for UKP 99? How must those who kept on subscribing to Select and thus paid three years subscriptions feel that those not having money to throw away are proven right to have quit select since now they get it much cheaper?
Lucky me having an IYONIX pc so that both doesn't really affect me smile
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Chris Message #102333, posted by Chris at 14:39, 20/5/2007, in reply to message #102332
Member
Posts: 283
Lucky me having an IYONIX pc so that both doesn't really affect me smile
tongue
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Chris Hughes Message #102334, posted by wakeman2 at 15:26, 20/5/2007, in reply to message #102328
Member
Posts: 3
I couldn't agree more, Kees. It's all nice and well Advantage Six demonstrates progress in their chosen field, but what about their current customers? The A9home has been officially released exactly 1 year ago, because Ad6 believed it to be ready. Well, it clearly isn't and a customer shouldn't need to care if it's RISCOS Ltd's or Ad6's fault; Ad6 have a responsibility to provide their customers with a finished OS.



Since Advantage 6 only make them not sell them direct except for the early beta (pre-official release version), they are sold and marketed by CJE Micro's. Any complaints should be going to them not Advantage 6. Advantage 6 supply under contract to the customer in this case CJE Micro's.

It's especially frustrating seeing that ROL explicitly stated the version of RISC OS inside the A9home would not feature any Select 4 stuff. Basically a 32bit version of Adjust with added support for the A9home hardware. To gain extra Select 4 functionality, an A9home user would have to subscribe like everybody else. But they've clearly put Select 4 functionality in the current build! Coupled with past experiences, this makes ROL more and more untrustworthy and will continue to reflect badly on them. Not only have Select subscribers financed the A9home's OS these last few years, now ROL has also thrown in Select 4 functionality ... all very unfair to subscribers, in my opinion.
How many times does this myth have to squashed. Select subscribers have *NOT* financed the A9home's OS. Advantage 6 put in money to pay for the necessary work to allow a 32 bit version of RISC OS 4 work on the A9 - remember that's Advantage 6 customers are primarily OEM's, we just get the spinoffs - The RISC OS market is simply too small to pay for the work.

It was intend originally that the 32 it RO4 would be out on the A9home just ahead of the Select version, but things changed behind the scenes that caused changes.

My understanding after a brief conversation with the parties concerned was that Ad 6 where awaiting for the necessary driver work to be completed for A9home to work at once with RO6 and that it was likely that users would actually get RO6 in the near future once the drivers were completed and CJE Micro's as Advantage 6's customer was happy, and not before.


Regarding the discount on RO Six/Select, I think that if ROL attends a show in the Netherlands, they'll offer a similar discount. I think the stand-alone RO Six for £49 offer was interesting, because that seems unusually low a cost for them, also considering the time that went into it. Another sign of their increasingly financial troubles? I also wonder if that RO Six build contains the current Select 4i2 functionality?
Two things to correct here.

1) The offer was NOT just for the show day. Also the 49 pound single machine licence can be upgrade to the full to the 10 user and Select subs for 50 pounds any time before 31/07/07

2) Select 4i2 *IS* RISC OS 6 Select 4i2 means Select 4 release 2 (release one was the preview of RO6). RISC OS 6 is the version.


On a more positive note, the news regarding ROOL is excellent and another sign the Castle 'side of the fence' are indeed as good as their word. The NetSurf 1.0 release is great, as usual Martin Wuerther has delivered some serious updates to ArtWorks and the overall show atmosphere seemed very enjoyable. I look forward to a show in the Netherlands.
I am still not conviced of the benefits at all of the ROOL 'open sources' its simply going to complicate things even more. I will play a waiting game on it to see if its the last throw of the dice by Castle.

Netsurf is getting better all the time and with the news they are now planning Javascript makes it even better.

Have fun with the iMac, it's a really cool computer, with quite a lot of RISC OS-like functionality in the OS. In the near future, we should be able to run VRPC on it to make it the complete solution!

[Edited by illuminatius at 14:10, 20/5/2007]
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Phil Mellor Message #102336, posted by monkeyson2 at 17:05, 20/5/2007, in reply to message #102334
monkeyson2Please don't let them make me be a monkey butler

Posts: 12380
Now this would be the perfect monitor to use with the A9wai1 smile
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Jeffrey Lee Message #102338, posted by Phlamethrower at 17:20, 20/5/2007, in reply to message #102336
PhlamethrowerHot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot stuff

Posts: 15100
Now this would be the perfect monitor to use with the A9wai1 smile
Or, build the A9 into a ($1500) keyboard.

http://store.artlebedev.com/catalog/computer_add-ons/optimus/
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Phil Mellor Message #102339, posted by monkeyson2 at 17:23, 20/5/2007, in reply to message #102338
monkeyson2Please don't let them make me be a monkey butler

Posts: 12380
Now this would be the perfect monitor to use with the A9wai1 smile
Or, build the A9 into a ($1500) keyboard.

http://store.artlebedev.com/catalog/computer_add-ons/optimus/
Excellent idea. A laptop without a screen!
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VinceH Message #102340, posted by VincceH at 17:31, 20/5/2007, in reply to message #102310
VincceH
Lowering the tone since the dawn of time

Posts: 1600
Bah!

I've just found more WebChange floppies. unhappy
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hEgelia Message #102358, posted by illuminatius at 13:41, 21/5/2007, in reply to message #102334
Member
Posts: 44
Since Advantage 6 only make them not sell them direct except for the early beta (pre-official release version), they are sold and marketed by CJE Micro's. Any complaints should be going to them not Advantage 6. Advantage 6 supply under contract to the customer in this case CJE Micro's.
Thanks for pointing that out, but it really doesn't change anything - someone is still responsible for delivering the complete OS, it doesn't so much need to concern the end-user whether RISCOS Ltd, Advantage Six or CJE Micros is involved. It only makes it more confusing. It's simply frustrating and could be reason enough for action in the Netherlands by the 'Consumentenbond', but I don't think most customers want to take it that far. The A9home is nice little computer, don't get me wrong, but it's been officially released out of 'beta' now for a year. It should have been completed months ago.

How many times does this myth have to squashed. Select subscribers have *NOT* financed the A9home's OS. Advantage 6 put in money to pay for the necessary work to allow a 32 bit version of RISC OS 4 work on the A9 - remember that's Advantage 6 customers are primarily OEM's, we just get the spinoffs - The RISC OS market is simply too small to pay for the work.

It was intend originally that the 32 it RO4 would be out on the A9home just ahead of the Select version, but things changed behind the scenes that caused changes.
A bit of a myth like 3 years' worth of Select subscriptions seeing nothing in the hands of subscribers? Oh wait, there was this 'Preview' build that broke more than it added. Give me a break. If the subscriptions weren't used for 32 bitting the OS, fine. I guess it was spent on coffee and biscuits then. It has been mentioned by various parties several times, that Advantage Six paid for the A9home specific bits. As far as I can tell, the A9home project served as the incentive to convert RISC OS 4 to 32bit neutral sources, which was funded and carried out by RISCOS Ltd. But it never has all been made really crystal-clear, has it?

If what you say is true, then let RISCOS Ltd for once and for all make it clear and official that Advantage Six paid for it all and subscribers just happened to get nothing for 3 years, while ROL was busy converting RO to 32bit. It's all nice and well to say what was supposed to happen, but as far as I can see it's all gotten way too confusing for the end-user. You have to remember, in the end these are commercial businesses making products for consumers. You can't expect people have to sympathise with whatever went on in those businesses, that kept a paid-for product from getting released.

My understanding after a brief conversation with the parties concerned was that Ad 6 where awaiting for the necessary driver work to be completed for A9home to work at once with RO6 and that it was likely that users would actually get RO6 in the near future once the drivers were completed and CJE Micro's as Advantage 6's customer was happy, and not before.
Right.

Regarding the discount on RO Six/Select, I think that if ROL attends a show in the Netherlands, they'll offer a similar discount. I think the stand-alone RO Six for £49 offer was interesting, because that seems unusually low a cost for them, also considering the time that went into it. Another sign of their increasingly financial troubles? I also wonder if that RO Six build contains the current Select 4i2 functionality?
Two things to correct here.

1) The offer was NOT just for the show day. Also the 49 pound single machine licence can be upgrade to the full to the 10 user and Select subs for 50 pounds any time before 31/07/07
Please point me to where I claimed that it was just for the show day. I only mentioned I found the offer interesting, because of what you seem to get for the price. Needless to say, for a lot less than certain others (subscribers) had to put down for it.

2) Select 4i2 *IS* RISC OS 6 Select 4i2 means Select 4 release 2 (release one was the preview of RO6). RISC OS 6 is the version.
Wow, these ROL naming/numbering conventions are really far out. They'll surely make sense to some, but will they ever be really understandable for the general customer? However, since I like to understand stuff a bit before commenting about it, I believe I already know that. Thanks for pointing it out, though. What I meant was, does that build of RO Six reflect the 4i1 Preview release of last October, the current build or something else? You never know for sure with ROL, because they never seem to really make it all clear. Actually reminds me of Vista, with its 6 different versions.

On a more positive note, the news regarding ROOL is excellent and another sign the Castle 'side of the fence' are indeed as good as their word. The NetSurf 1.0 release is great, as usual Martin Wuerther has delivered some serious updates to ArtWorks and the overall show atmosphere seemed very enjoyable. I look forward to a show in the Netherlands.
I am still not conviced of the benefits at all of the ROOL 'open sources' its simply going to complicate things even more. I will play a waiting game on it to see if its the last throw of the dice by Castle.
Perhaps the current licensing terms are a bit disappointing to some, but I believe the shared sources will actually aid to resolve things for developers and ultimately the end-users. It seems ironic you say that, since it seems ROL's business strategies that complicate stuff for the end-users. I think you may rest assured if will not be Castle's 'last throw of the dice'. To me it seems ROL are actually the ones in a bit of a 'jam'. Let's play that 'waiting game'.

Netsurf is getting better all the time and with the news they are now planning Javascript makes it even better.
Indeed, NetSurf is one of few well planned, documented and executed projects on the platform. From the way these guys work, it seems only logical the project is so successful. Javascript is a very big step to properly implement, but it may well happen if, for example, someone from ROL dedicates himself to it. That will help everybody, now that (almost) all commercial browsers are practically dead and it would be very positive PR for ROL. NetSurf would make an excellent addition to the Apps folder, right there between Draw and Paint.
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Paolo Fabio Zaino Message #102359, posted by Paolo Zaino at 15:42, 21/5/2007, in reply to message #102310
Member
Posts: 61
Same here (in Italy) as for Steve... smile

hey i want RISC OS 6 wink
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Chris Hughes Message #102363, posted by wakeman2 at 18:18, 21/5/2007, in reply to message #102358
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A bit of a myth like 3 years' worth of Select subscriptions seeing nothing in the hands of subscribers? Oh wait, there was this 'Preview' build that broke more than it added. Give me a break. If the subscriptions weren't used for 32 bitting the OS, fine. I guess it was spent on coffee and biscuits then. It has been mentioned by various parties several times, that Advantage Six paid for the A9home specific bits. As far as I can tell, the A9home project served as the incentive to convert RISC OS 4 to 32bit neutral sources, which was funded and carried out by RISCOS Ltd. But it never has all been made really crystal-clear, has it?
Sorry I think you might have slightly misunderstood me. Ad 6 paid towards the 32 bitting and also for all their necessary bits to be developed (drivers etc, making more hardware independent from VIDC, etc.)

But ROL had already before Ad 6 came along with their A9 project (not just the A9home version remember), had started on select 4 as a 26 bit primarily development (converting all new work to 26/32 neutral as they went, but when Ad 6's A9 project appeared ROL decided it was time to go the whole hog since it was needed for the A9 anyway, and convert it all to 26/32 neutral, this obviously took far longer then I think they were expecting, and obviously select subscriptions did contribute to this work overall. It has been made available to susbcribers who renewed or were subscribers since January 2006. Also previous subscribers can renew for 99 ukp until 30th June 2007.

[Edited by wakeman2 at 19:20, 21/5/2007]
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