Prophet 4 brings MTD support to RISC OS

Mar 202019
 

From the start of April, any business whose turnover is above the threshold for VAT registration has a new set of rules to comply with, falling under the banner of ‘Making Tax Digital‘ (MTD). VAT records must now be maintained ‘digitally’ (which in this context means ‘in computer software’ rather than paper records), and returns must be submitted online by suitable software, rather than manually logging in and keying in the figures, or posting off a paper return.

There is a growing list of software available that can be used to maintain those records, and which can be used to submit returns under the new system – and there is now a RISC OS solution in the form of Prophet 4.

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News nybble: Discuss the possibility of virtual shows in London – 18th March

Mar 172019
 

Chris Evans recently initiated discussions on the RISC OS Open forum and the comp.sys.acorn.misc usenet group about the possibility of moving RISC OS shows away from their current ‘real world’ space, and into the online world – taking them virtual. In a reversal of the proposed direction, the RISC OS User Group of London (ROUGOL) plans to follow-up that online discussion in the real world, by making it the topic of their next meeting, which takes place from 7:45pm on Monday, 18th March – tomorrow – at the usual location:

The Blue-Eyed Maid (upstairs in the restaurant),
173 Borough High Street,
London,
SE1 1HR.

News nybble: AMCOG Development Kit version 1.08 now available

Mar 132019
 

The AMCOG Development Kit, designed to make it much easier to write games for RISC OS computers in BBC BASIC, has been updated. The new version is available to download from !Store by existing customers.

Version 1.08 brings with it an extended library, including procedures from AMCOG’s Island of the Undead and Stunt Drivers games, the addition of three new example programs, the latest version of RDSP, and more.

News nybble: Midlands User Group hardware workshop – 16th March

Mar 112019
 

The next Midlands User Group meeting, which will take place at 2:00pm on Saturday, 16th March, will be a hardware repair workshop, featuring practical demonstrations from some members, as well as hints and tips for dealing with general hardware issues. There is a small entrance fee to cover costs, and refreshments will be available – and the venue to head for is:

The Methodist Church Hall,
Greenhill,
Blackwell,
Bromsgrove,
B60 1BL.

Please note: This will probably be the last meeting at that venue – so keep an eye out for news of a new venue for future meetings.

News nybble: Bristol meeting – 13th March

Mar 112019
 

RISC OS Users in the Bristol area can once again enjoy a pie and a pint, along with a chat about all things RISC OS and beyond on the evening of Wednesday, 13th March, starting around 7:30pm. The informal meeting is free to attend, and is open to anyone with an interest in the operating system or Acorn computers of old, so if you wish to join in head for:

The Eldon House pub,
6 Lower Clifton Hill,
Bristol,
BS8 1BT.

News nybble: New version of RDSP pitched

Mar 072019
 

AMCOG Games has released an update to the RDSP module, which enhances the RISC OS sound system and provides a virtual sound chip with 16 channels, easy sample playback, ENVELOPE command support, and much more.

Now at version 0.87, the software can now record and save its output to a WAV file, making it possible to create sound effects on a suitable RISC OS computer for use elsewhere. The RDSP web page includes a number of example WAV files to illustrate what the module is capable of – and there is also now a PDF manual available to download.

News nybble: Stunt Drivers ramped up

Mar 072019
 

The most recent title from AMCOG Games has seen an update. Stunt Drivers, first released at last year’s London Show, is now at version 1.06. New features include a new racing circuit, and a car selector with a choice of up to eight different cars.

The update is free via !Store for those who have already purchased the game, otherwise the game costs £9.99 – and if you want to see a demonstration of the game first, check out this Wi-Fi Sheep video from the recent Southwest Show.

News nybble: Southampton meeting – 12th March

Mar 072019
 

The next meeting for RISC OS Users in the Southampton Area will take place on Tuesday, 12th March at 7:00pm, in the usual location: The Sports Centre of Itchen College, Deacon Road, Southampton. Look for the open area with tables and chairs next to the Sports Centre Reception desk. (There is a car park, accessed from Deacon Road, opposite Whites Road.)

Anyone is welcome to attend the meeting, for which there is no admission fee – simply turn up to discuss RISC OS, show off, discuss, or seek help with a piece of software or hardware, etc. There should be at least one small RISC OS network, hopefully with an internet connection.

News nybble: Wakefield gathering, 6th March – Pot-pourri

Mar 042019
 

The next meeting of the Wakefield RISC OS Computer Club will cover a number of different topics. To kick things off, Terry Marsh will be demonstrating Pi3D, using Python. This will be followed by Chris Hughes showing how Impact can be used to create databases of photos, stamp collections, etc. Chris also hopes then to be able to show a 20-minute demonstration of Jan Vibe’s graphics programs, updated for modern kit by Richard Ashbery.

With an entry fee of £3.00 for non-members, discounted by 100% for members, the meeting runs from 7:45pm on Wednesday, 6th March, at:

West Yorkshire Sports and Social Club,
Sandal Hall Close,
Off Walton Lane,
Wakefield, WF2 6ER.

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