Cumana reports on promising RISC OS return to education By Chris Williams. Published: 24th Jan 23:32:48 | Permalink | Printable
Earlier today, Nigel Taylor of long time RISC OS hardware company Cumana, posted a very promising and positive message to the drobe forums. Below is the full post for you to enjoy. If you wish to comment on his post, feel free to use the forums.
Just following up on what David saw in the article and some basic information that might help people.
More and more software house are producing their titles just as HTML. So, with Oregano on your system you will find a vast amount of new software availble to the RISC OS platform! I came across at a show in Doncaster recently over 50+ new titles from AVP. A few slight changes are needed from Castle's side but in general they seem to work. We just need to prove that the technology that these are run under is better, more reliable etc.......
From the BETT show it does seem most of the software houses are giving out this negative quote ' Oh, we've stopped Acorn development ' but they are not saying we are converting most titles to HTML versions which in fact is a massive step really for our platform. The message has to get through to people and that's is down to companies like ourselves to tell people.
As a compnay we are competitive, we do win business over the likes of RM, TIME, Viglen etc..... Even to the point of reps from both TIME and VIGLEN coming up to us at BETT interested in what we are doing with Acorns and Citrix and commenting on how well the systems operates that they have seen!
All in all I think the market is changing if the BETT show is anything to go by. The amount of schools that came up to us saying they have had enough of the PC's, non-support contracts (hence RMs Irish decision!) that they have been tied into for the last 2-3 years and they now need to either switch back or add addtional technology to what they have to implement the RISC OS platform again.
From our point of view we have mailed over 20,000 of our brouchures in the last 4 months. Two lots of 10,000. In the 28 page catalogue we advertise both Castle and RiscStation (not Micro Digital as no one can be bothered to talk to us). Schools should know the situation and this is without what Castle and RiscStation do off their own backs.
We have some very influential people knocking at that govenments door. Michael Wills certainly knows about the situation and I think you will start seeing a change. The biggest problem is this flaming BECTA list. There is so much red tape and it seems impossible to get on the listing for approved suppliers. I think its unfair but I understand why they do it.
We are striking up a new campaign with the tag line of 'Don't limit yourself, you have a choice' and we need to prove that these RISC OS machine whereever they come from are good, reliable, (I hate to use this phrase) but industry standard compatible. We need to promote to govenors, lets face it, they are the people who basically make decisions in schools these days! Right......get off that soap box Nigel!
RISC OS machine will get back into the fold of things but we have three years to catch up first. We need to go along with the flow, show alternatives, meet the requirments (hence Citrix is so bloody good) and then when they come to buy new equipment they have an option, and hopefully the likes of Castle, Riscstation, MicroDigital, us and anyone else who might produce machine will be able to sell their technology again.
Nigel A.Taylor
Cumana/Cannon Computing
RISC OS Centre of Technology Authorised Silver Citrix Reseller and Partner
Tel:+ 44 (0) 1279 730900/800
Fax:+ 44 (0) 1279 730809
www.cumana.net
Drobe Forums: www.drobe.co.uk/forum/
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