Last update by Richard on 2010-04-26
All the executables available for download on this page are for Acorn computers only. None of them will work on a normal PC. (Some of the source code will compile on Linux/Unix systems too.)
raFS 1.16
This filing system allows you to have filenames of more than 10 characters in length and directories with more than 77 entries. Because the documentation is in HTML, you can look at it in English, German or Dutch. (However, it is also included in the archive.)
As of version 1.16, raFS is Free Software!
Download: raFS 1.16 program, raFS 1.16 source code
If you want to use the French version under RISC OS 3.1, here's a version of the Messages and Templates that's more suitable for the system font. Older versions of the program are still available: 1.15, 1.14.
draw2latex
Conversion of Draw files into a series of commands for LaTeX's picture environment. This small but flexible tool even allows you to comfortably insert any LaTeX commands you like at a given position in the picture. C++ source is included. The DVI file shows some examples of what can be achieved using the program. This is a new version with some bugfixes.
Download: draw2latex program & source, example output
PixelFont
A utility for converting sprite files in a special format intobitmap fonts. These can be used directly by the FontManager, e.g. as the system font. Examples are included, and the C++ sources are also available.
Download: PixelFont program, PixelFont source code
MyMenu
MyMenu is a program very similar to Director - it allows you to set up menus whose entries execute star commands. It is not as flexible as Director by far, but has the great advantage that you can define any key as a hotkey, e.g. Alt or even the mouse buttons.
Download: MyMenu
SwitchFont
This small utility enables you to switch on and off some of your outline fonts: After you have defined the directories which contain your fonts, you can add or remove each one by clicking on its icon in SwitchFont's window. Useful if you have many fonts.
Download: SwitchFont
Message File Utilities
Checking the consistency of translated versions of Message files and updating the translation made easy! Also includes dictionary en-/decoding utilities.
Download: MsgUtils programs, source code for MsgUpdate
UnplugRM
UnplugRM is a Wimp front-end to the *unplug command. I only recommend using it on RISC OS 3.1 machines with little memory (1-2 MB) for making some 16k more memory available to applications. The new version will now also work on machines with podules fitted.
Download: UnplugRM
Crib
This is a small BASIC program which takes a text file as input and produces a drawfile containing a scaled bitmap with very tiny characters. Three character sets, which were designed for maximum legibility, are included. Um, figure out for yourself what to do with this program... :-)
Download: Crib
Thrust
Thrust is a clone of the old game you have probably played on your 8-bit computer long ago. It was written mainly in 1994, but was not released because - well, - it wasn't finished, and it still isn't finished... However, the archive contains a playable version, with five levels and a nice ray-traced intro screen. (63k JPEG of the intro screen.)
You need a monitor capable of displaying 320 × 256 at 50 Hz. (You can run it in a 70 Hz VGA letterbox mode, but then it will run faster!)
Download: Thrust
Replacement system icons, 256 colours
This set of 8bpp sprites is an (almost) complete replacement for all icons contained in the RISC OS ROM, including the sprites for the background tiling. This is not "just another" icon set, it is the result of many hours of work!
Download: XIcons
Replacement system icons, 16 colours
This sprite file (first published on an Acorn User cover disc) contains new sprites for many filetypes, for the floppy/HD/RamFS icons and for the Wimp background tiling.
Download: Icons
M. C. Escher background tile
This is a beautiful sprite with the repeating pattern "Angel and Devil" created by the Dutch artist M. C. Escher. I did not just scan it, but instead created the image pixel by pixel in Paint. I also altered the design in some places - in particular, the devil looks different (and much more evil!).
Download: M.C.Escher background
German messages for ArcWeb V1.92
The archive contains an updated version of the German messages supplied with ArcWeb V1.92 beta by Stewart Brodie.
Download: ArcWeb messages