Acorn's Enhanced Operating System - More Power for the User!


Acorn Computers has added many new features to its operating system being used in 
the new A5000 computer. 

RISC OS 3, which is being unveiled at the same time as the launch of the A5000, has 
many new features which mark a new chapter in the development of Acorn's 
operating systems. 

The key factor behind RISC OS 3 is the ease of operation that the new system brings 
to its users. Many applications, such as !Edit, !Paint and !Draw have been put into 
ROM and considerably improved; 12 commonly used font styles as well as the outline 
font manager, which offer an unlimited selection of point sizes,  are also to be found 
in ROM, and the font manager has been significantly speeded up.

Multitasking has been extended to allow functions such as Copy, Delete, Move, 
Format and Verify commands to be carried out in the background whilst other tasks 
are being performed; and command line instructions such as SetType, TimeStamp and 
a new command - Find (a file search utility) - can now be given from the desktop.

Printer Driver software, with major code written into the ROM, offers a more 
rationalised interface for end users so that now they can select their printer from an 
extensive list of named products, or even set their own printer definition for 
individual models.  It even allows different drivers to be loaded at the same time 
allowing, say, easy switching between draft mode and LQ mode from the desktop.





A new utility, !FontPrint, allows any Acorn outline font to be sent to a Postscript 
printer without the need to convert them first into Draw files;  machine configuration 
has been eased with a greatly extended !Configure program;  !Pinboard not only 
allows files and applications to be placed anywhere on the WIMP desktop, but can 
also change active windows into icons permitting an easier and tidier desktop 
environment; and a desktop save utility obviates the need to write a special file for 
start up - it is now done automatically. 

Acorn's Technical Director, Malcolm Bird said "There are over 300 separate 
improvements to RISC OS which when combined together give even more 
functionality to the end user, but in a way so subtle as to preserve their investment in 
training and experience. "

Acorn's Marketing Director, Mike O'Riordan enthused about the extensive list of new 
facilities. "The key message for A5000 users is that their desktop world has now 
become easier, more productive, tidier and much more versatile. 

"With major applications and operating system extensions in ROM, there is now 
typically 150KB of extra memory for programs to utilise; and those applications now 
offer major improvements in quality for all end users. "

Commenting on the availability of RISC OS 3 for the rest of the range of Archimedes 
computers, Acorn's RISC OS Product Manager, Neil Gardner stressed that the first 
priority had been to get it right for the new A5000.  "Now that the operating system 
has been thoroughly tried and tested on the new platform we would envisage that 
RISC OS 3 will be available for the rest of the  range in the new year, and, of course, 
upgrades will be offered to all current users as soon as possible. "


Issued by:
Brian Salter
Corporate Affairs Manager
Acorn Computers 
Tel 0223 245200