From: MKow1234_at_aol.com
Date: Thu May 13 2004 - 13:00:57 PDT
Hello Everyone:
While searching for educational software for kids, I came across a software
title called, "Writer's Toolkit" for the Newton eMate. I followed the links to
the parent company's website in Scotland; they still make the software, but
it seems that it was "only" available now for PC and Apple platforms. I wrote a
brief inquiry as to the availability of the software for the Newton platform,
and the possibility of releasing it as freeware or shareware. To my delight,
I received a very nice reply.
They are giving consideration to making it publicly available through the
www.unna.org archive sometime in the future. The main hurdle seems to be the
unavailability of the original user guide. I wrote a polite "thank-you" note and
offered to help create some new user documentation for the program.
Hopefully, we'll see this educational software made publicly available sometime in the
near future. Keep your fingers crossed.
This brings up an interesting (at least, I think it is interesting) point.
I imagine that after Apple dropped support for the Newton platform, an
initiative was launched to contact all of the former software developers, to
encourage release of their programs as freeware or shareware (I'm guessing that is
where most of the current batch of free software came from). Still, there were a
lot of companies and products that just vanished. Somebody has to have a
valid contact for reaching former members of companies such as Pelican Software,
Sunburst, etc.
Now that some time has passed since Apple pulled the rug out from under the
Newton, perhaps it would be a good idea to launch a new initiative? What do
you think? Should we research some of the big names in Newton software and
try to track down some of these folks, in hopes they could be persuaded to
contribute to our community?
Am I beating a dead horse? Stay tuned, viewers...
Matt K.
-- This is the NewtonTalk list - http://www.newtontalk.net/ for all inquiries Official Newton FAQ: http://www.chuma.org/newton/faq/ WikiWikiNewt for all kinds of articles: http://tools.unna.org/wikiwikinewt/
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