From: David M. Ensteness (denstene_at_mac.com)
Date: Wed Jan 28 2004 - 09:46:13 PST
Well, it sorta does have a description in that ReadMe's are included
with any software that had a ReadMe. Its not the perfect system by any
breath of the imagination though.
Avi's Backdrop is pretty awesome. It replaces whatever else you use as
a backdrop and gives one tap access to the backlite, volume, clock,
battery condition, owners and workgroups, Dates, rotate, and clearing
of heap RAM. On top of that it provides a sliding bar on which apps can
hang buttons so you can have fast access to Styles Plus, Font Drive,
Pocket Money, HyperNewt, and whatever else you might enjoy. Above the
sliding bar you can post a grey scale picture [there are a bunch on
UNNA] and up coming dates such as birthdays and anniversaries are
posted for you. Below the sliding bar you have a pad to draw or write
on, you can have the contents of that pad posted to Notes, printed,
faxed, or beamed whenever you like.
Dashboard gives incredible control and access or Extras and the Button
Bar. Dashboard provides you with a sorta upside down Apple Menu down on
the Button Bar that you can customize and tweak to your heart's
content. It also lets you customize the Button Bar adding further
control over icon size and position and a bunch of buttons on the lower
side of the Button Bar giving one tap access to backlite, battery
condition, clearing of heap RAM, rotate, and some other things. My demo
ran out and I need to find me $25 to buy a copy with ... its a great
application. Oh, and you can reduce it to a floating bar if you want so
you can actually get a larger screen, which ROCKS!
You mentioned surprise at commercial products in a post not long back I
think ... my thoughts:
I am a big Newton freeware fan. I don't really like that SilverWare
still charges like $80 for MoreInfo so long after the platform has been
discontinued, the number of customers can't be climbing very fast for
them and they aren't releasing any maintenance updates. At this point
Newton users tend to turn to each other for support so I have a hard
time believing that there is a huge benefit to owning it so you can
call for tech support. At the same time, I have to say its one of my
most loved applications, I use it more than anything else. Its not that
its not deserving of the money, its just that as a Newton user I find
it difficult to spend that much on a company's product. On the other
hand, Dashboard is something I think of as pretty reasonable in price
and it gives incredible functionality just like MoreInfo. Basically if
MI was only $30-35 I would be telling everyone to buy it. Leverage is
also one of the few "still charged for" applications. And without
playing with the demo more I guess I don't know about it. But I do know
that while its like $90, that is a big price drop from its original
price the Newton was a current product [50% or something I think].
Also, when it comes to random guy working to give the Newton community
something I think you find people far more willing to pay money for it.
I am very thankful for all the freeware like NewtSync, eBase, the Glass
Onion plug-ins, etc ... They really make the experience for me. But I
would never say that PCB Man should make me a SER-01 for the cost of
parts. Nor do I frown on the wireless driver costing a little. Though I
do shy away from the ATA driver registration because I find that for
the cost of the driver plus an ATA card I could get a really big linear
flash card anyways, not as big, but as big as I need.
David
On Jan 28, 2004, at 10:51 AM, Newtopia wrote:
> David - thanks! I wish that the UNNA repository had a brief
> description to
> each of the files. I think I saw a request for volunteers to add
> comments to
> the achieve? This would be a great enhancement!
>
> If you could expound on Dashboard and Avi's Backdrop, where I've read
> reference to Avi's Backdrop - I don't know what it is...
>
> Regards,
>
> Paul Curtis - USA/OR
> MP 120 v2.0/130/2100
> Michigan State Spartans - Go Green! Go White!
>
>
> Well, here is what I can contribute to the list:
>
> MoreInfo 5.0.5 [many people who want something more than the built-in
> Dates
> program find they love MoreInfo]. MoreInfo is pretty powerful and can
> be
> overkill for many. Dateman and ActionNames are two other alternatives.
> For
> me, its all about MoreInfo but ActionNames is great on pre-2.x
> Newtons. Only
> issue with MoreInfo is that its still being sold and its expensive.
> Something like $80 I believe.
>
> Dashboard [I really, really, need to save up some money for this -
> anyone
> know what it even costs?].
>
> Avi's Backdrop is probably the most universally used software on 2x00
> Newtons.
>
> NewtWorks is the Word Processor and often the Spreadsheet of choice.
>
> If you don't use Dashboard then TaskList is a great little extra that
> allows
> you to choose between open applications if you are someone who has a
> lot
> open at once like me.
>
> Just yesterday a new little extra came out that used in conjunction
> with
> TaskList gives a chunk of the same functionality as Dashboard ...
>
> SmallExtras 1.0 lets you access your Extras Drawer without opening it,
> pretty handy.
>
> Notion is a list maker [sorta a wanna be database]. Some really love
> it.
> Sadly it also has a price tag attached.
>
> eBase is another database option, its more of a database than Notion
> but its
> still pretty basic and rather limited. Its now available as freeware on
> UNNA.
>
> Leverage is spose to be just the cat's meow of Newton databases but to
> get a
> working demo you have to e-mail the author and last time I got a
> working
> demo I didn't install it until after it had lapsed ... so I can't tell
> you
> if its true or not ... I really need to e-mail him again ... Since its
> a $90
> database ... one wants to demo it a little before buying.
>
> NewtSync is sworn by by most of us who sync with Mac OS X.
>
> For financial applications PocketMoney is the best around. Using its
> Exchange program you can even upload and download QIF files from
> current
> Quicken versions.
>
> Bills to Pay tracks just that, CheckPlease works with Bills to Pay and
> PocketMoney, the three are very nice when used together. CheckPlease
> will
> compute tips, split bills, etc ...
>
> StylesPlus is a nice formatting tool for text, it is widely available
> throughout the Newton and you can choose your fonts and formatting
> including
> a select all function. I like it personally.
>
> HyperNewt is an awesome application that acts as either a second
> notepad or
> a replacement for Notes. Its very powerful and quite nice.
> It has a host of directory options.
>
> MoreFolders is a great extension to allow unlimited nested folders on
> the
> Newton. The only problem is that it costs a bit for what it is. Its the
> sorta thing you just love when you try it but then you have a terribly
> time
> trying to justify paying for it.
>
> Extensions like ExtrasSelect all are very useful, anything that adds a
> select all button to a Newton application is simply awesome.
>
> I personally love TapBar, it adds a button on the side of the Newton
> or a
> floating button that lets you access common functionality, like
> different
> keyboards, the backlite, power, etc ...
>
> Hope that helps,
>
> David
>
> --
> This is the NewtonTalk list - http://www.newtontalk.net/ for all
> inquiries
> List FAQ/Etiquette/Terms: http://www.newtontalk.net/faq.html
> Official Newton FAQ: http://www.chuma.org/newton/faq/
>
>
>
> --
> This is the NewtonTalk list - http://www.newtontalk.net/ for all
> inquiries
> List FAQ/Etiquette/Terms: http://www.newtontalk.net/faq.html
> Official Newton FAQ: http://www.chuma.org/newton/faq/
>
-- This is the NewtonTalk list - http://www.newtontalk.net/ for all inquiries List FAQ/Etiquette/Terms: http://www.newtontalk.net/faq.html Official Newton FAQ: http://www.chuma.org/newton/faq/
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