Who?

20-20 Software was a cover for all my (Tony Howat) spoddy operations before getting a full time job. Hence most of this stuff is old, however, any releasable bits of free stuff I concoct may appear on these pages.

Our projects

• A full e-commerce site with on-line ordering implemented from scratch in C
• Designing and implementing networked NT data server systems for production line tracabiliy at a large multinational company.
• Developing bespoke software (including OS work) for the Acorn NetStation and derivatives.
• Co-writing the terminal part of the Argonet Voyager internet suite.
• Developing an extremely fast networked database system (word by word search of 22,000 records from disc in under 2 seconds on an old 386DX40) for storing technical drawing records, using Linux as a multi-user server.
• PRTCalc - A utility for users of PT100 platinum resistance thermometers for Windows 3.1, 95 and NT. PRTCalc is now owned by Isotech/TDI, and is available for free download from their web site.
• N-Connect, a Amstrad NC100 to RISC OS Link available direct from 20-20.
• Z-Link II, a Cambridge Computers Z88 to RISC OS Link published by The Really Good Software Company.
  
  

I also worked for a year at Acorn Computers Ltd on their port of Java 2 to RISC-OS, primarily working on validation. They became Element-14 and in turn I finished my year at Pace Micro Technology, working on set-top-box projects.

Other stuff :

• Wrote a long series for RISC User Magazine covering RISC-OS programming issues, as well as having had some previous work published in Acorn User and Acorn Computing (now merged with Acorn User).
• Freeware - I have also released many pieces of software as freeware, most significant being FreeTerm a freeware version of Voyager Terminal which was co-written with Merlin Hughes. Other bits of freeware include a quirky WorkBone client for RISC-OS so you can play audio CDs on a linux box from the RISC-OS desktop, an old amateur radio callbook (appropriately named Dire :-) ) as well as Mailbot, an automatic mail response system. All of these pieces of software can be downloaded from ftp.demon.co.uk's Acorn heirarchy, apart from Dire which can be found on The RiscDisc II from Uniqueway. You can also download all my Acorn Internet based programs from the FreeNet pages (ftp://ftp.barnet.ac.uk/pub/acorn/freenet/t.howat/)
  

Degree Project

Stop me and buy one?

My two old commercial projects, Z-Link II and N-Connect are available for free download here:

• zlinkii.spk (32K spark archive)
• nconnect.spk (193K spark archive)

My RISC User toolbox programming article and software are probably available from the RISC Foundation.

e-mail:xargle@eh.org © 20-20 Software/Tony Howat 2003. E&OE, Trademarks acknowedged. Last Updated : 3rd March 2003