Latest news

Sharper Tools for Crafting Code

Posted by Steve Revill Sat, 25 Oct 2014 09:06:00 GMT

RISC OS Open are pleased to announce the immediate availability of release 25 if the Desktop Development Environment (DDE25). The DDE is the definitive set of tools you need to author applications for RISC OS, and indeed to build the operating system itself.

A considerable effort has been made to bring the DDE, C/C++, and Toolbox manuals back up to date. The Toolbox manual was last edited in 1994, so has some 20 years of catch up!

The examples provided are now clearer, and make extensive use of the shared makefile scheme, which drastically simplifies building the most common of application and module arrangements.

The tools themselves come with comprehensive change logs with fine level detail of bug fixes, but some of the highlights include:

• CC – the code generator can now optimise specifically for the ARM11 core, as featured on the Raspberry Pi platform, and accepts the #warning preprocessor directive to emit a throwback message
• ObjAsm – support for optional ARMv7 extensions and ARMv8 opcodes, plus stricter checking and more accurate warning reporting
• Linker – can now produce ‘Utility’ binaries directly from C object files
• DDT – the debugger now works reliably on Cortex-A platforms such as the BeagleBoard

Many of the new features and bug fixes are in direct response to
developer feedback so please keep it up!

Upgrading

Developers who have purchased a copy of DDE24 or refreshed their copy in the last 6 months will automatically receive an upgrade free of charge to their registered email address. These will be sent out over the next 7 days.

ROOL will also be attending the London show on Saturday 25th October 2014 where you can buy your copy for the special show price of £48 (inc VAT). It is also possible to refresh your copy for £24 (inc VAT) and the update will be delivered digitally after the show finishes.

The full DDE25 costs £50 (inc VAT) and can be delivered either on a fun ROOL branded memory stick in the post, or via download.

If you can’t make the show and wish to refresh your copy, simply email your developer number as described on the store page to qualify for £25 (inc VAT) half price upgrade.

NutPi users

If you have a copy of DDE as found on the NutPi product, this can be upgraded for just £12.50 (inc VAT) by sending your NutPi serial number, found by running the !PiSerial application, to the store email address. The NutPi version is almost identical to the full version, except that the tools only run on a Raspberry Pi – however the code they generate is suitable for any RISC OS computer.

Posted in New documentation, New product, Press release | no comments

Raspberry Pi Model B+

Posted by Steve Revill Tue, 15 Jul 2014 11:44:00 GMT

The folks at the Raspberry Pi Foundation have been busy producing an enhanced version of everybody’s favourite credit card sized ARM11 computer, to arrive at the “Model B+”.

This mirrors the line up that Acorn provided with it’s educational microcomputer range in the 1980’s – the cut-down Model A, the more common Model B, and an enhanced Model B+.

The Model B+ has a number of features including doubling the number of USB sockets and switching to a micro SD card for booting and storage.

Fortunately RISC OS Open have had the inside track on this new development ahead of time and Ben Avison of Piccolo Systems has been able to update the SD card filing system hardware drivers to talk to the changed hardware.

Users of the Model B+ should ensure that they use the RC12A beta release of the software, as this includes the necessary changes but is otherwise identical to the RC12 download.

To jump start your adventures into the Model B+ you might want to buy this on a ready-to-go micro SD card from the ROOL Store. The great value NutPi is also now available in micro SD card format.

Due to the popularity of anything new from the Raspberry Pi Foundation, please be aware that stocks may become exhausted quickly or be subject to longer than normal despatch times.

Posted in New product, Press release | 2 comments

Save a Frog!

Posted by Steve Revill Sat, 05 Jul 2014 21:29:00 GMT

Many users might remember playing the BBC Micro version of Hopper (Acornsoft, 1983) having loaded all its 8 colour goodness off an audio cassette.

Posted in Press release, New component, Community | no comments

Happy birthday, BASIC

Posted by Steve Revill Thu, 01 May 2014 07:24:00 GMT

To celebrate the 50th birthday of the BASIC programming language, we are very pleased to announce the release of “RISC OS Pico” [product discontinued]. This is a very cut-down RISC OS for the Raspberry Pi that boots directly into BASIC, just like on the Beeb.

Posted in New product, Press release | 3 comments