Re: [NTLK] Linux on Newton 2100?

From: Karel Jansens (kareljansens_at_tiscalinet.be)
Date: Tue Sep 17 2002 - 14:06:58 PDT


On Monday 16 September 2002 07:16, Jeff Sheldon wrote:
> On 9/15/02 9:27 PM, "Ed Kummel" <tech_ed_at_yahoo.com> wrote:
> > Newton IS the OS...don't replace it, extend it!
>
> My comment to this is that while yes, I agree with this statement,
> there's only going to be so much continued support down the road. I
> honestly would like to see my Newton last me much longer than another 15
> years and there's not enough programming skill directed towards making
> that happen. The last thing I'd want to see is a bloated X-windows
> screen running FVWM-95, but a Linux core could mean a more Newt-centric
> outer layer. This would give us more say about where things could head
> down the road, including hardware enhancements. There's no reason why
> the entire Newton OS couldn't be re-written as open source and still
> operate the same. Someone crafty enough could possibly even keep Inkwell
> running through the original binary support. At the very least, it
> couldn't hurt to try.

Reading this, one thing struck me: Wouldn't it be smarter to work the
other way around? Meaning: Try to develop a Newton-like User Interface
that runs atop a linux kernel?

Like you said, I would really _hate_ being without my Newton, but reality
tells me that the hardware can only go downhill. If, OTOH, we have working
software, we could rebuild the Newton platform on any hardware that
supports linux.

How about a Zaurus running NewtUI <TM>? Or one of them new-fangled tablet
PCs?

I do like linux, but I also know that the Newton's User Interface (not to
mention its HWR engine) is by far the best pen-centric interface I've ever
come across.

-- 
Karel Jansens.
"Cognoscens me, cognoscens te, aha."
(Turba cantorum Abba)
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