Internet Suite

I seem to remember a long time ago that there were a few free “internet suites” for Acorns. I did buy one called Termite or something, and I seem to remember using one later on that was called Freenet?

Is there anything that is still free that does the same? I’ve read about PopStar, NewsHound and Pluto being possibilities for free internet software mainly for emails and news, if that’s still a thing, but the configuration instructions leave me bewildered. Surely an operating system that’s looking to attract new and new-old users should have something off the shelf that’s easy to configure without having to remember what you did at the turn of the millennium to set it up? I stress free, because I can’t think of any other system where there wouldn’t be something either built in or free to install.

Hi John,

Not sure which version of RISC OS you have , is it the stock ROOL one, the ROOL Pi version or RISC OS Developments RISCOS Direct version.

The later has some built in additions such as Otter browser and also TapirMail
that is a free email client. You can click on the link to download it if you wnat to try it.

If you click on the link you can try it out and it is I guess a bit easier to set up than Pluto/Popstar/Newshound.

However we are a helpful bunch here so you can always try both setups and ask for help as required.

The older suites mainly catered for dial up as that was the main set up when they were around and I don’t think there is a free alternative to RComp’s NetFetch now days.

RComp do bundle a free version of MessengerPro, which has feature limited Email/News Group applications, with their systems and they provide the ability to purchase a whole software bundle as a support package.

Anyway unless anyone else knows of any other free stuff similar to Termite/Acornet/Socketeer then you may not be lucky but I do agree some free version of say RComp’s NetFetch might be useful in one of the distributions.

I would also mention Thomas Milius’s ComCentre if you adventurous and want to add a USB based GSM/3G/4G stick to your machine to get internet access but I would say lets start at the walking level first :-)

Forgot to say that Chatcube
is available for Telegram based services as well if you like that sort of thing.

Hi Doug Webb,

Thank you for your most helpful and informative reply. I did download TapirMail and it does work for email, thank you, but I couldn’t work out how to use it for news. I did try to use Netsurf to browse Google Groups which didn’t work well, sadly reigniting the whole Iris/working browser issue for me. I guess I’m destined to wait an unspecified period of time for a resolution to that one, as I’m not prepared to buy a £250 Pi setup for access to a cutdown version. But anyway.

I currently use the RISC OS open Pi image which does all I need for the most part, along with some extra software that I used to use in the dim and distant. I was interested in the new version of Impression, but I can’t work out how that works. I read somewhere that it’s £60 a year, is that right? I tried to go to the website that’s listed on !AppStore to clear that up, but it looks like it’s been closed down by the hosting company. That doesn’t inspire me.

Anyway, I’ve wandered off. Although having read this forum for quite a while, that seems to be par for the course. I did try RISC OS Direct with RPC Emu but it did some very strange things and seemed to want me to use it in a different way to what I usually do. I like a clean desktop with a nice background, so that instantly put me off. All that clutter. But I’ll see if I’ve still got it on my PC and try to get some of the things off that you mentioned. Is it available for download for the Pi somewhere, or is it just about stealing it from the RPC Emu folder?

Socketeer I remember. A yellow bird on the icon bar. Used it with Freeserve, I think. I seemed to remember an outfit called Argonaut coming onto the scene, with their own software that was set up for you? That’s the kind of thing I’d like today but obviously wouldn’t need the squeal squeal ding ding dial up modem bits. Like back then I wouldn’t want it tied to one company. I do still think it should be an Operating System thing in this day and age. But then again, I think most stuff is web-based now, so maybe just a working capable browser would be enough as part of the core Operating System. I’ll keep waiting.

In the meantime, I’ll see where I get to with TapirMail (thanks for the link) and try to see where I get to with PopStar, Newshound and Pluto. But thanks for your help. You’re right, apart from the occasional spat, you do all seem quite friendly, from what I’ve read. Better than some of the stuff in the old days.

but I couldn’t work out how to use it for news.

Sorry it doesn’t work for News and the Pluto/Popstar/Newshound set up is better all round.

I did try to use Netsurf to browse Google Groups which didn’t work well, sadly reigniting the whole Iris/working browser issue for me.

No need if you have the ROOL Pi image I think you will see Packman in Apps.Admin so just load that and download/install Otter or Qupzilla browsers which work if a little slowly.

I was interested in the new version of Impression,

If you load up !Store, again in apps, then you can download Impression Style for free but you need to install and have Aemulor, available from store or may be on the Pi image, loaded as well for it to work.

Alternatively Ovation is available for free and is a capable DTP program.

Hope that helps.

Thanks again, Doug. I will try Impression Style and the two browsers you mention.

Thank you being so helpful.