Each week we hold up a mirror to the people of RISC OS and reflect the current topics of debate.
 
In this, the third exciting installment:

• Demo versions of software
• BBC iPlayer protests won't aid RISC OS
• Another user says goodbye

 

RISCOS Ltd have stated that they require 100 new subscriptions to RISC OS Select before they can make any commitment to producing an Iyonix version.

In order to provide some motivation, I've set up a pledge at PledgeBank where Iyonix owners can collectively register their interest. If you sign the pledge, please remember to contact RISCOS Ltd to register your interest officially. When the target of 100 is met, an e-mail will be sent to each of the signatories and RISCOS Ltd.

For more information about the features of RISC OS Select and the level of support needed to produce the Iyonix version, please see Paul Middleton's comments on the RISC OS Select mailing list.

Link: Iyonix Select pledge
 

Peter Naulls today released his RISC OS port of the Firefox web browser, having received his target amount of pledges.

Weighing in at a 9.5MB download, you will need at least 25MB of spare hard disc space, and lots of RAM to load it (Peter's help file suggests around 30MB to load, which can get to over 64MB whilst using it). You'll also need at least RISC OS 4 with long filenames and more than 77 files per directory. It is apparently possible to persuade it to load in RISC OS 3.7, but it's unstable if you do so.

People downloading this beta release of the browser are urged to fully read the !Help file within !Firefox before attempting to use it, as it contains usage information and bug reporting information.

This particular release is based on the Deer Park Alpha 1 browser, which was recently released by the Mozilla developers for testing purposes. Although it's not currently as responsive as other native RISC OS browsers, it does show that a lot of work has gone into porting the browser, and that there is still some work to do.

Links
RISC OS Firefox Port
RISC OS Firefox Beta Download
 

Peter Naulls has declared on Usenet in response to several abusive postings that "I will [go away], and I'll take my website with me for a period of time. As well the considerable help I provide to these groups."

This comes after heated debate over his recent guidelines.

The move makes his ports no longer available, and potentially puts the Firefox project in jeporday.

A few weeks ago it was pointed out to us that Peter was no longer on the Drobe editorial team.

Update: riscos.info has now disappeared in whole, and redirects to a well known RISC OS news site.

Update^2 riscos.info has returned in full with the porting project and a new Firefox Pledge-o-meter. Peter has also announced that he is to leave the UK for the USA in the summer.

Link: ArcSite coverage
 

With less than two days to the Wakefield Show, you'll already be looking forward to our show reports and usual collection of photos. Although some of The Icon Bar's news crew will be there, we want to get you involved as well! For the past two years monkeyson, our roving picture reporter, has sent us live photos from the show with captions using his camera phone.
 
This year, monkeyson will be taking photos and videos with his digital camera, and I will be roving with my camera phone. This time, however, we also want you to take as many photos as you can at the show, add appropriate captions and send them to us. You can also just send textual comments, or even just a photo. We've set up, at great expense to us, a number of different methods to get your photos and reports to us:
 
Email/MMS: news at iconbar.com
SMS: Text news at iconbar.com and then a space and then your message to 07766 404142
 
Your comments and photos will be sorted and displayed on our show page.
 
If you have a camera phone, you will probably realise that they don't give the best picture quality photos (when taking photos that are small enough to send in a MMS) as shown on the right. If you intend to take any photos, please read this article which gives some great tips on getting the best photos from your phone.
 
On Saturday afternoon I will be sporting an exclusive "The Icon Bar" T-Shirt (over a Jumper if it's cold), so if you see me, please come and introduce yourself and tell me what you think of the show.
 
Photo submission notes:
Your phone number and email address will not be displayed on the show page.
By submitting a photo and text you give permission for The Icon Bar to use it on their site.
 
Links:
Camera Phone Tips
Wakefield Show
Wakefield 2005 Live Show Report
 

As if you haven't guessed already, today is April Fools day. Here at iconbar, we're always up for a bit of fun, so here's the round up of what went on.

Over here on the iconbar, we morphed ourselves to either the I NOC BRA or the Paul Vigay Appreciation Society, depending on which way you were viewing the page. We also had a nice shiny new poll, with all of one option for you. The sharp-eyed among you will have also noticed that the random quotes on the top of the Paul Vigay Appreciation Society were all Paul Vigay related. Personally, I think he approved.

Drobe went with a very well constructed mock up of RISC OS Mobile (well, the article was well constructed - the device looked suspiciously like a 'phone with some electrical tape on it for that "prototype" feel). Demonstrated using screenshots and a video, they "ran" a few RISC OS applications on their mobile phone including Ovation Pro, Draw and even what looked to be a mini-glimpse of Chocky's FireFox port. Their commenting system appears to have a slight flutter too, "Comment interface disabled due to excessive load average" meant that you couldn't comment on the item for most of the morning.

Paul Vigay was also a busy bee last night, running RISC OS 5 on his iPod (cached screenshot, since he's now taken it down) for RISCOS.org, and promising that it'll be available "in time for lunch."

Of course, portable RISC OS isn't as new as Drobe and RISCOS.org would have you believe - Roger Wylde of Nifty Software did that 7 years ago...

Roger, being a RISC OS April Fools veteran, posted to comp.sys.acorn.misc with his new Case Porting Project, aiming "to port popular 'cool' cases from the PC world into the cosy RISC OS world". He has also included 5 sample cases for you to have a look at. Case number 5 is my personal favourite.

Screenshots of this years antics:
(Click for full size (and full length for iPod and Drobe) versions)


 

Several years have passed since the Omega was first announced (we're still unsure of the date that marks its official release) and it's quite surprising how infrequently we see the machine in public. So when Bryan Hogan brought his Omega along to ROUGOL's meeting earlier this week, everyone was wanting to know more.

Bryan demonstrated the Omega's networking, sound and floppy drive working flawlessly, running various applications as well as heavy graphic demos like Iron Dignity and Doom. The speed? "About twice as quick" as a Risc PC, said Bryan. One onlooker thought that "the desktop seems sluggish" compared to his Iyonix, despite being impressed by some fast PDF rendering. There was also praise for Microdigital's direct support and advocacy-free forum.

The presentation concluded with a demonstration of the Omega's USB capabilities. You'll probably have learnt by now that this involved no more than a USB powered light that requires no drivers or USB stack to work. The joke was more successful than anyone could have hoped for, as Drobe News got the wrong end of the stick and prematurely announced [archived copy] the completion of USB support! :-)

You can read ROUGOL's report about the Omega demo on their new look web site.

Related links
Microdigital
Drobe "we still have some reservations about its content" Launchpad
 

There is a few things that we have missed since the start of 2005, so I will quickly round them up in summary.
Our friends at Drobe have given three lucky RISC OS users a copy of Desktop Repton Plus after choosing them at random from those who voted in their RISC OS 2004 awards.
Microdigital have sent out a "well written" 60 page welcome guide for the Omega computer to owners which explains the basics of getting to know your Omega.
LAUG (Liverpool) and BAUG (Bottisham) both meet this coming Tuesday at 7:30PM. All a welcome. SAUG (Soton) meet this Monday at 7:00PM.
CJE Micro's are selling some rather nice 20 inch LCD monitors for 614 of our British Pounds.