Risc OS

These are sites			I visit regularly

This site contains information, personal observations and some 'How to ..' relating to handling digital camera images (JPEGS)using computers using RISCOS.


Background	Digital Cameras	Graphics	For Sale	What I do

UPDATE Since my departure the school gave some machines away and dumped most of the rest in a rubbish skip. RiscPC's with RO4 and StrongArms in some cases - but kept 10 RiscStations - presumably because they looked more like 'real' computers. They have lost the plot in education in W.A.

Brief background From an educational background, where the Education Department of WA initially chose BBC Model 'B' as its machine of choice for primary schools, I have been blessed to only work in schools with RISC OS computers.

A grandmother helping a class - one of the mothers who assisted

Since the closure of Acorn Australia, then of Acorn itself, the picture has become grim. A battle between the platforms i.e. IBM compatible v's Apple looked like ending with an encouragement to offer a choice. However a 'coup' in Central Office saw the IBM or PeeeeCeeeee faction take command and educational reason flew out the window. No longer was the emphasis on educating children to be flexible, adaptable, lateral thinkers. We are now a Micro$oft training ground.

I was once admonished by the Principal because she could find no evidence that we were '.. teaching IBM.' After some discussion she refined it to a complaint that we weren't '.. teaching Micro$oft'. She then decided that she would '.. consult experts' and '.. Principal will make decision.' Guess what the decision was!

After some months sick leave I returned this year (Jan 2003) to find worksheets, 'How to insert clipart in Word' prepared for class lessons. How educational!?!?! The school is spending up to AU$100,000/£37,000 on replacing perfectly good RISC OS machines, that are under utilised in terms of their performance and capabilities, with high bandwidth to all classrooms so that video conferencing can be done. Of course this will require top end, high spec. IBM compatibles to operate. Children will be timetabled to ensure they get their turn to 'play' the 'educational' software to run on these new, expensive and unnecessary toys.

Some mothers helped children with their stories on PocketBook IIs before tranferring them to Textease

There are however a few stalwart schools and individuals using RISC OS for its brilliant educational features rather than just training children to consume Micro$oft products. They are turning this unfortunate trend to their own advantage and picking up RiscPC's for a fraction of their worth.

I had one school give me three RiscPC's because they couldn't be bothered to send me an account. Another school sold me 22 RiscPC's for AU$3000/£1110 (£50 each) With the machines came printers, scanner, video editing equipment etc etc - thrown in for nothing. The staff giving up the machines held a wake as they were saddened to see them go. The Administration made the decision for them without consultation.

For the past five years our school's system has been predominantly RISC OS on a HP server with NT and Citrix Metaframe. The RISC OS educational approach had its strongest support from parents in the Years 1-4 (5-10y.o.). This was because many of them helped in the computer room with 22 networked RISC OS machines.

The mainstays of our program were DrawWorks New Millenium, Resound, Magpie, Animator, Thump, Jcut, HTMLEdit and Textease. Our emphasis was on children producing rather than consuming. The producers of the future will EARN while the consumers will PAY.

Libby with her animation - a horse eating apples from a tree. A prolific producer this was one of many she did.

By Year 3 children were able to produce simple web pages, talking books as well as animations. The whole exercise begins with a simple 'Cartoon' plan and is then produced in components before assembly in either Magpie or Animator. Some of the results were amazing. Children who didn't seem capable flourished while some who seemed self confident floundered.

Contact - info@denmarkwa.com.au

Unauthorised use of images

There is no authorisation of any infringement of Intellectual Property Rights in the images on this site. "Intellectual Property Rights" includes all intellectual and industrial property rights, including copyright, moral rights and trade marks, whether or not they exist at the moment and whether or not they are registered or may be registered and includes any right to apply for registration and all renewals and extensions.

More about RiscOS - the Productive Operating System

Created and maintained using Risc OS4 and HTMLEdit on a StrongArm powered RiscPC

Last updated: 1 December 2003