23/02/95 * Here is a tip for 1st Word Plus and Epson compatible printer users. Although that is has been mentioned in this column before I feel it is worth mentioning again as the 1st Word Plus package is now supplied as standard will all BBC A3000 Learning Curve Systems. 1st Word Plus require the printer to have auto-line feeds disabled, but this clashes with other Archimedes packages and therefore we have devised the following changes that can be implemented to the printer drivers which will resolve the problem. Entry 1 set to D Entry 23 set to 1B, 41, 0, D, 1B, 32 * Many Education establishments and Businesses often need to link their existing networked Archimedes computers to other standard networks such as Ethernet. Now with the introduction of the TCP/IP Protocol Suite it is possible to link other TCP/IP based systems to your network regardless of whether they are mainframes, minis or PCs. Many Archimedes computer users are familiar with networking through Econet - the low-cost networking system from Acorn. By using an Acorn workstation, fitted with both Econet and Ethernet interfaces to act as a gateway, it is possible for Archimedes computers to to communicate on both networks. A gateway can be set up using either a UNIX workstation, such as an R140 or R260, or an Archimedes computer such as the 440/1. Thus, existing Econet users can link up with, or add, Ethernet networks with Unix machines, and existing Ethernet users can add low-cost Econet networks to their installations. TCP/IP provides a number of services which include: - an NFS client service which enables the user to examine files and directories held on other network computers from the RISC OS desktop. - a VT220 terminal emulation which allows the user to view information held on a number of remote UNIX systems. - electronic mail facilities via a UNIX server to the international UNIX mail network. This is provided via the !MailMan application which is supplied with TCP/IP. * Acorn have released a new ROM for Acorn I/O Podule users. If you have an I/O Podule with a Serial Number before 'AKA10 1002682 then you should contact your Acorn Dealer requesting that they supply and fit the new ROM under 'FCO 2011'. Please supply both the Host and Unit serial numbers to the dealer who will require them to complete the service report. * Third party software, particularly games reconfigure the BBC A3000 and Acorn Archimedes systems to gain the maximum amount of memory possible, for instance by unplugging parts of the operating system, before running. This can however cause problems once you have finished using the software if the software has not configured the computer back to how it was before the software was run. The sort of problems you can experience are messages like 'SWI &xxxxx Unknown' which normally means that one of the operating system modules that normally provides this call has been unplugged. To find out which modules have been unplugged type *UNPLUG. This will list the modules which can then be reinstated using the command *RMREINIT eg. *RMREINIT FontManager.