Date   : Sat, 25 Nov 2006 10:56:04 -0000
From   : faz@... (neil f)
Subject: BeebControl Yahoo group started

Hi folks.

A short note to let the list know that I've just set up an
Acorn-centric computer-control discussion group on Yahoo.

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/beebcontrol/

It takes its name from my website at
http://www.anf.nildram.co.uk/beebcontrol/index.html but is
otherwise unrelated apart from the subject matter (and
moderator). The group is for specialised discussion and storage
of resources for anything related to Beeb (and RISC OS) computer
control topics. So if you've got a robot arm, buggy, turtle, etc
or you're into designing or interfacing your own projects,
stepper motors, controlling models etc, then BeebControl could
be the place to get answers to your questions (as well as here
of course). Coverage may also extend to some borderline devices
like plotters and eprom programmers (we'll see how it goes).

The new group isn't intended to cover any of the mainstream
topics normally discussed here on the bbc-micro list, in
particular the internal workings or programming of Beebs, second
processors, disc drives etc, etc.  Its focus is purely external
control technology with a Beeb/RISC OS bias. 

Long term, the resources element of the group may prove the most
important aspect. A lot of the 8-bit control technology
equipment still extant is missing manuals, schematics, software
etc and, although there's a smattering of stuff around on the
web, there's no central source or collecting point for the rarer
stuff. It's early days yet but we already have members from the
UK, Canada and Australia. So if you have relevant software you
could copy, manuals you could scan, or just know of some obscure
links or sources of supply, why not join and make them available
to a wider, specialised audience? 

I'd be happy to copy software for you, or scan and return
documents if you don't have the resources yourself.

As a lot of the 8-bit add-ons were cross-platform devices, I'm
hoping to attract a few members from other platforms too. So if
you know of non-Beeb folk who are into this topic, please pass
on details of the group. It's often the case that non-Beeb
documentation and software can be adapted or reverse engineered
to produce otherwise unavailable Beeb resources, and vice versa
of course.

Thanks, and hope to see some of you on BeebControl soon.

-Neil F.