[NTLK] Help me exfiltrate the Dash Board registration code generator from my last remaining Newton!

[Mason Mark]

Hello all, 

This is Mason, the author of Dash Board for Newton[1]. I want to make the registration code generator freely available for download, for anybody who wants to use that old software, but I need help.

(Some of you might recall that I "open-sourced" Dash Board a few years ago, but it is way too annoying to build for normal persons who simply want to use the app.)

I've been meaning to do this for literally years. But, I have three small kids now, and tasks that once took a couple hours take months to never... most likely never. 

The problem is, the source code to the reg code generator is lost. Probably a long story, but 21 years later, I really have no idea... 

Nevertheless, I still have it on my Newton. But I don't have my PCMCIA Ethernet card anymore, so my Newton can only connect to the Internet via dialup modem (which I don't have set up anywhere, of course).

So I slowly acquired the Keyspan serial adapter, and the latest driver that supposedly works, found an old Mac serial cable, tried to get NCU to connect... no dice. I don't know which piece of my gear is faulty and I am afraid that I will never find the time to figure it out and complete this mission. 

Meanwhile, my last Newton that still boots (the MP2000 I originally used to write Dash Board) is like... maybe not going to live much longer. He stutters when he boots up (via AC cable only, now) only reluctantly recognizes taps.

So I have a different idea. If some kind person who has a networked Newton available could send me a PCMCIA storage card in the mail (a 2MB card would be plenty), I will promptly copy the packages to the card, and then send it back to you in the mail. Then you can get the packages off the card, email me them, and then I will upload them to the old Five Speed website, and also put them on any other archive website that might make sense. 

That solution does seem ridiculous, I know, and I am not abandoning my dream of one day getting the contents of this Newton into Einstein so I can keep it forever, but that is far from a sure thing at this point. Whereas the old "PCMCIA card in the mail" plan is pretty foolproof, really.

If anybody wants to volunteer to do this, please contact me directly.

Cheers!

— Mason Mark


[1]: http://www.fivespeedsoftware.com 

P.S. I know that website says you can still buy it, but that has not been true since Kagi went abruptly bankrupt a few years ago 😬... will fix that when I can upload the reg code generator to that site instead).