Re: [NTLK] Developing for Newton under OS X?

From: matthiasm <mm_at_matthiasm.com>
Date: Mon Mar 03 2008 - 05:40:20 EST

On 03.03.2008, at 11:14, Stuart Mingay wrote:

> I'd like to tinker around with developing some software for my (the)
> Newton, an MP2100. Now, I'm an experienced developer in C, C++, C#
> and Java so I'm not bothered by NewtonScript, I'd just like to know
> the starting point for development under OS X and if it's possible.
> I've been slowly browsing through all the dev stuff on UNNA. There
> seems to be plenty of stuff around.
>
> Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I don't have Classic installed
> on any of my Macs (all running 10.5.2).
>
> Once you've all stopped giggling, could someone point me in the
> right direction?!

Nope, no giggeling.

Either get BasiliskII and install everything that is needed to program
in "C" and StrongARM, or try to set up a cross assembler on OS X. I
believe that there is a package maker for assembler code out there.

However, be prepared for a bunch of traps on NewtonOS when not
programming in Newton Script: remember that they squeezed the last bit
possible out of the hardware by using memory management that is
optimized for Newton Script only. You will have to deal with tiny heap
memory vs MMU-managed memory, vanishing memory blocks, virtual memory
management, mixing of "C". assembler and Newton Script dues to missing
interfaces, no C++ (or at least no true inheritance), and no more C-
Compilers in existence that will generate the right calling convention
for the Newton OS.

I suggest reading the inros to NewtonScript. It is a pretty cool
language! And since you know Java, you willl find a lot of concepts in
modern Java that were taken from Newton OS.

Matthias

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Received on Mon Mar 3 05:40:35 2008

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