Archive Magazine CD 1995/Archive Magazine CD 1995.iso/discs/pipeline/abacus/p_line/1stReadMe

Text File | 1995-04-29 | 7.9 KB | 174 lines

%OP%VS4.13 (28-Apr-92), Gerald L Fitton, R4000 5966 9904 9938
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%OP%PDPipeLine
%OP%WC2,1238,176,1748,0,0,0,0
%CO:A,12,72%
%C%An Introduction to PipeLine and Abacus Training
%C%by Gerald L Fitton
%L%Keywords:
%L%PipeLine ZLine ILine FireLine Fitton


%L%What is PipeLine?

PipeLine is a User Group; it is mainly, but not exclusively, a support
service for Colton Software's PipeDream package.  It is a forum for
those want to share their knowledge, improve their techniques and
discover how others have done those things that might be considered
impossible with other packages!  Thanks to the recent reduction in
price of PipeDream 4, the 'freebie' PipeDream 3 and PipeDream 4
packages and the reduced price of upgrading from PipeDream 3 to
PipeDream 4, the membership of PipeLine is still growing.

The 'support' which Colton Software can give to PipeDream users has
diminished since Robert Macmillan left them in the Summer of 1993.
With Robert went a great deal of expertise and knowledge about the
various uses of PipeDream.  Here at Abacus Training we are finding that
Colton Software are referring many users with PipeDream 'problems'
directly to us even if they are not subscribers to PipeLine!  Nearly
always we find that we, or one of our members, can help them - then we
do our best to persuade them to become members.

The current version of PipeDream 4 is 4.13.  In October 1993 I was told
by a senior member of Colton Software that, within a year, they would
be issuing an upgrade.  This is no longer the case; although I am still
trying to persuade Colton Software to upgrade PipeDream 4, even if they
have to charge for it, in answer to my direct question they have
confirmed that there will be no more new versions of PipeDream 4.  This
is sad because PipeDream has many features that Fireworkz doesn't.

When a supplier ceases to 'support' a product with upgrades then User
Groups become more important.  This too has contributed to the increase
in PipeLine membership.

Perhaps the most important benefit to members of the User Group is the
postal Technical Help service.  I regret that I'm not able to give a
telephone service; the reason is that I have a full time job as a
Lecturer at Swindon College so I'll probably not be at home if you
ring!  Anyway, if you send me your problem on disc then it does make
it much easier for me.

The second benefit for members is that, each year subscribers to
PipeLine receive four discs which contain PipeDream applications
written for users by users.  The discs also contain articles which
might be of more general interest such as articles about RISC OS,
booting, printing, viruses and the occasional review of packages we
think might interest you.


What is ZLine? - What is FireLine? - What is ILine?

ZLine is another of our User Groups; in a similar way to that in which
PipeLine supports PipeDream, ZLine supports Colton Software's FireWorkz
integrated package.  FireWorkz includes Wordz the word processor,
Resultz the spreadsheet and Recordz the database.

ILine is yet another of our User Groups; it supports users of
Impression Style and Impression Publisher.  The first disc was issued
in January 1995; it was well received and, although (up to now) we have
advertised it only to members of our other user groups, membership of
ILine is growing rapidly.

FireLine is another of our User Groups; it supports users of Fireworkz
for Windows on a PC.  We have put FireLine on hold until Fireworkz Pro
for Windows becomes available.  The earliest projected date for the
release of Fireworkz Pro is June 1995.

Since PipeLine, ZLine, ILine and FireLine subscriptions are the same
price, at any time you may convert the outstanding part of your
PipeLine subscription to one for ZLine, FireLine or ILine - or, if you
wish, you may subscribe to more than one of the user groups.

Also, if you wish, you can convert any outstanding part of your ZLine
subscription to one for PipeLine discs - rather more subscribers than I
expected found that they prefer PipeDream to Fireworkz and have taken
up this option.  Now that Impression Style and Publisher exist I
believe that many of you PipeDream 'fans' will prefer the combination
of PipeDream and Style to Fireworkz.

All of these developments auger well for the future of PipeLine.


%L%What is our relationship with Colton Software?

Although we are completely independent of Colton Software we have an
excellent working relationship with them.  They will recommend us, our
user groups, our quarterly discs and our support service.


%L%Can anyone contribute?

Yes!  Write to us with your hints, tips, criticisms, comments and
worked examples of using PipeDream.  If you believe that you have a
major contribution to make then let us know what it's about (so that
there isn't too much duplication) and we'll see where we go from there.

It makes it easier for us to publish your comment (or your problems) if
you let us have it on disc.  If you send a disc then, if you can,
please include a self adhesive address label and return postage.  If
your contribution is published then you will receive a free copy of the
disc in which your contribution appears or, as is more often the case,
if you have paid in advance then we shall refund the disc price.


%L%How do you find what you want?

Except for the first two files ([0thReadMe] and [1stReadMe]), the root
directory consists only of directories with descriptive names such as
Contents and OtherDiscs.  The Contents directory contains a file with
the same name as this disc which contains a description of the
contents.  I suggest that you open the Contents directory and read the
'contents' file before you do much else.  Choose something which is of
interest to you and make a note of the directory name.

In nearly every directory on this disc there is a [ReadMe] file - it
might be the only file in the directory.  Double click on the [ReadMe]
file to load it into PipeDream - it may be an article or it may contain
instructions about the use of the other files in that directory.

To avoid screen display problems which arise if you don't have
particular fonts such as Acorn's Trinity, Beebug's Paladin or EFF's
French, all PipeLine's [ReadMe] files and nearly all the text files use
the System font.  A consequence of using the System font is that you
can print the [ReadMe] files quickly using a PipeDream printer driver.

To print PipeDream 4's charts you need RISC OS printer drivers and to
print with RISC OS drivers you need Acorn's outline fonts.  To make
these charts files available to the widest 'audience', for the present
at least, we are limiting the fonts used in charts to Acorn's Trinity,
Homerton and Corpus.


%L%OtherDiscs

The directory OtherDiscs contains contents files for other discs in the
PipeLine series which we can supply.  The OtherDiscs directory also
contains our current price list.


%L%How did PipeLine start?

PipeLine started life in 1989 as a monthly column (called PipeLine) in
the Archive magazine.  I still write for Archive but under the heading
of Gerald's Column.  In 1990, Robert Macmillan, one of Colton
Software's directors suggested that the material from the PipeLine
column should be made available to a wider readership.  With the
blessing of Paul Beverley (who runs that magazine) and with technical
support from Colton Software (the authors of PipeDream) I was
encouraged by Robert Macmillan to produce the PipeLine discs quarterly
for PipeDream users.  PipeLine rapidly became a User Group.

Although it exists mainly to support Colton Software's PipeDream we do
not regard that as its only purpose.  We welcome contributions from
subscribers about the DeskTop, RISC OS, printing, printer drivers,
Paint, DrawPlus, BASIC, multisync monitors, colour printers, general
reviews of other hardware and software, etc, indeed, anything which
subscribers may have in common or may wish to know about.