Happy Birthday!

Today, in 1994, Acorn launched the RiscPC range.

So the first RiscPCs are now a quarter century old. ;-)

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So the first RiscPCs are now a quarter century old.

I knew there was a good reason for not stressing the PSU by switching it off for hours at a time – or minutes for that matter :-)

Which means I’ve been using an emulated RiscPC longer than I used a real one. Cripes.

Emulation is the future chaps, because emulation is the sincerest form of flattery.

I used a real one for a bit over twenty years, but I’ve never used an emulated one. Just moved on to a RPi.

Not sure how many years I used A310s, A540s and A5000s for. Each since they first appeared, up to various dates thereafter.

Anyone else discovered that a motherboard from an RPC will fit in the A4xx chassis?
Bit of fiddling with the power connection (and further fiddling with the panel at the back) and Robert is indeed ones mothers brother.

I wonder if any of the modern boards is as good a fit?

Still likely to keep the RPCEmu setup just because the laptop is nice and portable.

RPi is a nice handy size. But given that I’ve got it hooked to a 43" screen size not really an issue anyway… portable? Not really…

RPi is a nice handy size.

Rather than outright portability, which demands battery power and WiFi, I have been mulling over the possibilities of computing from my bed. I have a 20" screen (approx) but this is too unwieldy and definitely cannot rest comfortably on the stomach or on the pillow. At one point I tried a 10" Wimaxit screen, with the requisite 1920×1080 resolution, but unfortunately it emitted an annoying and ominous buzzing noise, so I returned it. The ultimate challenge is computing from a hot bath. Has anybody risen to it yet?

I have been mulling over the possibilities of computing from my bed. I have a 20" screen (approx) but this is too unwieldy and definitely cannot rest comfortably on the stomach or on the pillow.

There are, for a price, a selection of mount arms for display and keyboard/mouse which you could mount on a bedside table or similar. Building your main box (motherboard etc) into a base or the bedside table/cupboard keeps the rest tidy.
Thereafter, your main problems may be just bedsores, refreshments and ‘facilities’

The ultimate challenge is computing from a hot bath. Has anybody risen to it yet?

I can’t help wondering how many have tried and are somewhere on the Darwin Award list.
That’s not accounting for the effects of water vapour on the electronics or the fact that unless it was some spa/jacuzzi installation the water would be cold before you got anything meaningful done and Skype calls might be, erm, ‘awkward’

I find small screens really annoying, to the point of not even trying to use the laptop for anything but email and word processing. If I wanted to do more serious computing in bed, I’d arrange a swing arm bracket to support a decent (at least 32" 4K) screen.

If I wanted to do more serious computing in bed, I’d arrange a swing arm bracket to support a decent (at least 32" 4K) screen.

My modified bedside table/cabinet, as above, which follows the “nice racks” theme raised a few years ago by Jeffrey. The quoted text causing a lengthy diversion for Sprow :)

Clive, unless I crank the DPI way up, all that resolution would be wasted on me. Hardware anti-aliasing. You know?

The way I have access to RO mostly these days is that I have RO Linux running on my Orange Pi 3 headless with the RO VNC server running on it. The client is my Pinebook.

When I need actual hardware, I’m reduced to using a 5" lcd with an rpi3 in an electronic picture frame sort of thing with a cordless keyboard and mouse, and a Vonets elastic banded onto it.

The ultimate challenge is computing from a hot bath. Has anybody risen to it yet?

My Sony phone was certainly waterproof until the battery swelled so much the seals broke. But I can’t remember the last time I had a bath.

Too much information.

Those Sony screen seals are the worst to fit. Doing one on a Sony tablet still haunts me.

But I can’t remember the last time I had a bath.

Same here. Even seeing a bath, or even a non water saver shower head is somewhat of a rarity these days.

Tristan – I’m not sure I followed.

I actually use a 43" 4K screen ( http://clive.semmens.org.uk/RISCOS/Desk2017.html ) and often have a dozen windows with dense text in view, and/or one or several large, detailed drawings, pin sharp.

over the possibilities of computing from my bed

Been there, done it. I used the EeePC mostly from bed. My back didn’t appreciate it.

Now I use my phone from bed, but that’s mostly for watching videos.

The ultimate challenge is computing from a hot bath. Has anybody risen to it yet?

Not even remotely a problem, my last three phones (S5 Mini, S7, now S9) are all waterproof. I’d watch movies because water and touchscreen are… Interesting. ;-)

However I won’t. Because like sitting outside in the deck chair on a sunny afternoon, bath time is a time to leave all that stuff aside and think about something else. Birdsong, shadows in the trees, how long you can soak before the water gets too cold. When I’m relaxing I don’t think about code, problems, work, or anything other than when to feed the furry object (and that’s a thought pushed into my mind from an external source – namely said furry object).

Hardware anti-aliasing. You know?

I have built in anti aliasing (taking my glasses off). It’s great for helping to smooth over MPEG artefacts.

My “new” workspace. Not quite so tiny these days.
https://www.heyrick.co.uk/blog/index.php?diary=20131103

I can tell you were made in the same mould as I was. My desk was like that for ages. But I made my own blockboard desk when I got the 43" monitor (well, they sold it as a telly) and didn’t want to get a crick in the neck craning up to look at the top of the screen.

Clive nonchalantly mentioned at least twice

I actually use a 43" 4K screen

Wow. I’m suffering some kind of size-related envy. There’s a first time for everything.

Wow. I’m suffering some kind of size-related envy.

So that’ll counter Rick’s GIF envy on another thread!

They’re not expensive, Nemo. Even I could afford one. Get one if you’d find it useful. I love it.

You can even get a 32" 4K screen at a reasonable price now, if you don’t mind tiny pixels. I’ve not checked whether they can take 30Hz refresh rate or less, that’s the fastest my Pi manages at 4K.

You can even get a 32" 4K screen at a reasonable price now, if you don’t mind tiny pixels. I’ve not checked whether they can take 30Hz refresh rate or less, that’s the fastest my Pi manages at 4K.

I have an 28" 4K screen which is happy with 24Hz, 25Hz and 30Hz. Very good for RISC OS (old machines with 1920×1080 with not-too-big pixels, new machines with 3840×2160 which is just large enough for me), but I need 125% scaling on Windows.

It was a really cheap experiment, but I am quite happy with it: iiyama G-MASTER GB2888UHSU-B1. Sensor buttons, drives me crazy, but real buttons seem to be no longer available.

I have built in anti aliasing (taking my glasses off). It’s great for helping to smooth over MPEG artefacts.
Rick gets me. Used to work a treat on RealMedia and Vivo videos.

I’ve tried RO on a 4K screen. It decided it wanted to display at 1080p. I didn’t know how to change it. The End.

Great story, hey?

Today, in 1994, Acorn launched the RiscPC range. So the first RiscPCs are now a quarter century old. ;-)

A bit late with the birthday wishes, but I wrote some (German) text about the Risc PC’s history according to my memory:

http://riscosblog.huber-net.de/2019/04/25-jahre-acorn-risc-pc/