[NTLK] Progress report : Apple NCU on modern hardware, and question about file distribution

[Tom]

Good news everyone !

https://rachaelandtom.info/photos/picture/21883-screenshot_20240407_190920[1]

In case a random image on some web site isn't the clearest introduction in the world, I have a (very retro) Virtual Machine that runs in VirtualBox(.org - that is a free way to run one computer inside another). 
I've been able to install Windows (for Workgroups !) 3.11, and the original Apple NCU utilities, *and* it connects to my MessagePad over one of the USB-to-serial cables from https://applenewton.co.uk/shop/ 

I've been able to install the Apple 1.3 O/S update over 1.2, and do several backups. Browsing notes etc inside NCU inside the Virtual Machine is fine.
There's enough of a network to use a FTP program in the VM to talk to a FTP server on the real machine, so I've been to then copy exports and backups out again. 
Exporting Notes as "WordPerfect v2" seems to load into LibreOffice fine, text and images. The raw NCU backups sort-of-kind-of work under WINE, as hinted in the FAQ. 

*NOW*, Windows 3.1 (or anything from last century) isn't going to be able to connect to a modern (SMB) network share without *serious* faff on the server, which I want to avoid, and FTP is only of limited retro-computing fun, so I'm also trying to build a Windows 98 image, which would a bit easier to use, and could replace FTP with modern SSH connections, but no luck so far - it fails to connect to the Newton.

There are gory details at https://rachaelandtom.info/content/newton-linux[2] and I'd be happy to talk it through and show a live demo (beware the demo curse !) at the online meetup. Book me a slot nearer the time so I can be sure to be around.

The very good news is you can be on Windows, Mac or Linux as your host (real) machine and VirtualBox will take care of it *fine*. So anyone should be able to use the original Apple tools!
I expect you could also install the newer NCK into the VM and it'd also work fine.

*BUT* before I start rewriting FAQ sections ( :-) ) it'd be a good idea to get someone else to confirm it works - you'd just need a known working serial cable (e.g. You can communicate to Sloup, so the original cable and a USB-to-serial converter, or the above modern integrated USB cable) and an install of https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads[3]

*And* this is where the question comes in. 

Obviously UNNA(.org) is distributing Apple's copyrighted software. Do they (we !) have a special arrangement to do so ? 
I have modified versions of the three NCU install disks (needed to work with VirtualBox) that would need hosting somewhere to simplify the process. 
Virtual Machines for Windows 3.11 are available on archive.org so I assume Microsoft are cool with using it too.

So as long as Apple are cool about NCU distribution, I could make a "golden" Windows image, and upload it to archive.org or Mega.nz or something and probably not get into trouble. You'd be able to import that into your VirtualBox and start using NCU straight away.

Would UNNA host these ? Who do I ask ?

What do people think overall ? 

-- 
Tom
MessagePad 110 owner and, in case it's not obvious, geek.

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[1] https://rachaelandtom.info/photos/picture/21883-screenshot_20240407_190920/categories/posted-monthly-list-2024-4-7
[2] https://rachaelandtom.info/content/newton-linux
[3] https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads