Re: [NTLK] Future Newton directions

From: Sonya Hipper (sonyalynn_at_earthlink.net)
Date: Sun Sep 12 2004 - 17:03:24 PDT


I realize that I'm barely qualified to weigh in on this discussion,
being neither a developer nor a particular expert on handheld hardware,
but I did read the conference notes and slides, and HAVE been following
this thread closely, sooooo...I'm going to anyway, of course! ;-)

(And no, I'm not going to mention licenses. Annoying Paul and Nicolas,
who're basically offering every last one of us a hope to keep using
something recognizable as a Newton device as current real-world
technology leaves the actual Apple/Newton Inc. MessagePad+NewtonOS
behind strikes me as just plain rude, and somewhat insane! If they
wanna use the proverbial ham sandwich as a license, I'm totally fine
with that!)

With all that preamble, here's what I think...

Native code on ARM CPUs, with a fixed and small number of supported
hardware platforms sounds like the best bet for making this project
really see daylight. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't
implementing P-Classes within this context remove the limitations that
currently prevent us from using SSL/SSH, stereo sound drivers, color
support, and other goodies?

As far as the form factor, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree
with Jon (who's been a VERY great help with my Newt-ification over the
last year or so...woulda offered you something Newty to help out if I
had any to spare, Jon!) on the Yopy. The form factor really isn't
grabbing me as long as there's no pen-based input.

Something like the Zaurus (which says touch-screen, so I'm assuming
stylus is there or at least usable), or the Zodiac appeal most, with
their "notepad"-style form-factor. In essence, handhelds that most
closely mimic the Newt in mode of use.

Anyway, that's $.02 from me. Though, I'll be happy as long as I can
keep using a NewtonOS device of some sort for a long, long time.

-Sonya

==
     "I urge you all today, especially today during these
times of chaos and war, to love yourself without reservations
and to love each other without restraint. Unless you're into
leather. And then, by all means, use restraints."
                                                 —Margaret Cho

Sonya Hipper
sonyalynn_at_earthlink.net
AIM: SonyaLynn
Yahoo: thesonyalynn

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