On Thursday, December 5, 2002, at 11:42 PM, newtontalk_at_newtontalk.net
wrote:
>> At any rate we may just want to avoid the ROM copying/modification
>> just=20=
>> to satisfy the laws of Newton users in all their respective
>> countries.=20=
>> I've never truly understood the restrictions placed on what you can
>> and=20=
>> cannot do with ROMs. Anyone have more info?
> You can do plenty of things.
> Mostly:
> - define some hardware stuff to override the defaults. Like how much
> RAM, how fast, where.
> - define drivers for hardware stuff including a new implementation of
> the PlatformDriver. There are two implementations of it in NewtonOS,
> the Runt one in NewtonOS 2.0 and the Voyager one in NewtonOS 2.1. My
> suggestion is to write one for an emulator. And one for the battery
> driver for example. All this stuff work the same. I only know two
> exceptions of hardware stuff that isn't accessed via a driver that we
> can easily replace: the screen and the PCMCIA cards. I might have
> missed some others, though. Both are pretty obvious. I've decoded
> most of the PCMCIA controller flags and the screen is just video
> memory as Brian Parker noticed.
> - include packages like NewtWorks.
> - include patches like system patches that patch functions from the
> JumpTable.
> It's all I recall right now.
Okay, that's good. I actually meant legal restrictions on copying and/or
distribution, but that was another question I should have asked.
>>> Hence the emulation idea. It would have been crazy two years ago
>>> considering then hardware. But today hardware could handle that
>>> properly.
>> But what hardware will you put it on? Putting it on a tablet
>> computer=20
>> would cause it to lose instant-on capabilities, and all the
>> PocketPC's=20=
>> I've seen have screens too large for my wobbly, childish
>> handwriting.=20
> You mean too small?
Yeah, too small... Fear that in writing I would run my stylus off the
edge and stab myself in the leg. But I suppose I could always bite the
bullet and write smaller (come to think of it my handwriting fits 2
words per line max with portrait)!
>> Please prove me wrong! If there is a tablet that is the right size,=20
>> turns on instantly, and would run your proposed emulator than it
>> would=20=
>> be much better than my idea.
> Well, in any case we'll have to adapt to the current hardware or
> design our own. As I see it, an emulator would fit everyone needs.
> Most MP130 users here prefer its smaller size, so they might prefer
> smaller PocketPCs.
It would have to be adaption, since you've just been arguing that we
*can't* design our own. :)
> Plus between a dead Newton and a working PocketPC with a color but
> smaller screen running NewtonOS on top of NetBSD-hpcarm-big-endian,
> what would you choose? :)
The death of the final Newton would send me to paper and pencil,
honestly. The PocketPC has the power, but not the durability. I'd have a
$500 paperweight in a matter of weeks considering my day-to-day
activities (not to mention my clumsiness!).
> Building our own hardware, even from Compaq's plans, would cost more
> than what current hardware costs unless we build dozens of thousands.
What is your estimate based on? We can spit out numbers 'til our styli
snap, but until we do research they are meaningless. (Mr. PCBman, feel
free to jump in and give us a more realistic number.)
> Plus once this hardware will die, we'll be nearly at the start point.
Am I missing something, or isn't this true of all computer platforms?
But, nonetheless the other people on the list are leaning toward the
emulator, so in the end the majority rules. That's good, but I still
can't get over the fact that the Newton has a superior form factor. But
still, I'd be willing to bet that a new PocketPC will come around with
the durability, screen rotation, screen size, etc. before all the
Newtons are dead, so in my eyes the emulator idea is a good idea... as
soon as a viable hardware replacement is available.
-A
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