Stop Press... Fireworkz Pro updated, and ARMini/RISCube/Book news

[A Rawnsley]

Sorry everyone - we hadn't expected to do another news posting prior
to the show, but we'll hope you'll agree that this news is worth an
extra posting!

R-Comp is pleased to announce that after nearly 10 years of being
"missing in action", Fireworkz Pro, the integrated Word Processor,
Spreadsheet and Database system for RISC OS, will be returning to the
market in a new release, compatible with all RISC OS machines,
including our RISCube and ARMini systems. Obviously Iyonix, A9 and
RiscPC systems will also be supported :)

When the Iyonix release was made in the early 2000s, the "Pro" portion
of Fireworkz somehow disappeared, and fell through the cracks, and the
database portion (aka Recordz) seemed lost without trace.

Over the last few months, R-Comp and Stuart Swales have been doing
some major updating of the database code, which was originally spun
out of pre-release DataPower 1 code (it was originally half-way
between junior database and DataPower 1). We have taken the code and
modernised it for 32bit/ARMv7 compatibility, leveraging the much more
recent code that forms our DataPower Home product. The net result is
a spruced up Recordz, raring to go on modern hardware!

Meanwhile the Wordz and Resultz components (word process and
spreadsheet respectively) have seen regular updates, and have also
been modernized to cope with the latest hardware developments.

Fireworkz Pro brings together the full versions of the Wordz, Resultz
and Recordz products (each of which retailed for about 80-100ukp) into
one integrated RISC OS office suite. The "integrated package" is an
area that has always been a bit of a weak link in the RISC OS armoury
with many still using the ancient Acorn Advance product!

The new version contains many tweaks and enhancements over the years -
for example, the spreadsheet has gained basic import Excel .xls
spreadsheets, and the new version includes additional templates get
you started quickly.

Fireworkz Pro will be available this weekend for just 35ukp inclusive,
making it a veritable bargain given value of its components. Existing
Fireworkz owners can claim a fiver discount upon proof of ownership to
get it for just 30ukp. Please understand that since Fireworkz wasn't
previously an R-Comp product, this isn't an "upgrade" price, but
rather a gentle acknowledgement of your previous purchase from Colton.


Meanwhile, the basic Fireworkz product is now supplied as standard
with every ARMini / RISCube as part of the standard disc bundle.
It'll also be available as part of our Beagleboard Support Scheme
announced previously.

Handing over the baton, former Fireworkz "front man" Gerald Fitton
said... "I hope that R-Comp do well with this; they have continued to
support the RISC OS community for a long time now." We thank him for
his kind words and long efforts on behalf of PipeDream and Fireworkz,
especially his monthly Archive column.



In other news, we'll have various RISCube and RISCBook models on
display at the show, with some great specs/prices. We should have
some rather tasty RISCBook Pro's at ordinary RISCBook prices, if we
can get them built in time!


Now, back to work... gulp!

Best wishes, to all,

Andrew

--
R-Comp
22 Robert Moffat, High Legh, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6PS
Tel: 01925 755043 Fax: 01925 757377 http://www.rcomp.co.uk

--
n.g.b...@durham.ac.uk, Backup Moderator of comp.sys.acorn.announce
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