~~~ On 2008/05/12 20:07, Martin Joseph at NT@stillnewt.org wrote ~~~
> There are many people on the list that have spent there time and
> effort to try to improve things. What about the incredible, amazing
> efforts of Simon Bell with regard to MailV? How about those
> contacting developers and attempting to get stuff released, which is
> a worthwhile activity. Many developers don't even know where the
> sources are any longer (boohoo) unfortunately.
You're right about that, Martin. In this community (helpfully maintained by
List-Dad and others down the years, lest we forget), we have people
developing or adapting hardware that didn't even exist when the Newton was
discontinued, we have as you say people tracking down software developers to
get it unlocked, we still have active software people, we have people who
not only are skilled at repairing our Newtons (even rebuilding the
rechargeable battery packs) but who post instructions so we can learn how to
do at least some repairs too. I'd love to name the few I know about, but
for every person any of us can name off the tops of our heads, there are 2
or 3 or even 4 more we're bound to forget or didn't know about.
Frank, I think we all know what you're saying here. Some days I wake up and
I think it is beyond the realms of reason that something as amazing as the
Newton should not only have been discontinued but that so much of its
software isn't even supported anymore. I scarcely have words for how
frustrating and idiotic it feels to me -- it's as if we realized we had the
ability to feed the starving of the world with all our massive food
surpluses but decided instead just to store it in food mountains and let it
ro- oh wait, never mind.
It's discouraging to feel I'm watching the Newton slip slowly but surely
into extinction, and to find that as new functions and services become
available for computer users generally, they aren't available for my Newton,
but for now at least I can't see anything that can match the Newton in the
things I like about it. For me, I guess you could say I stick with the
Newton because of everything it does and is, and I don't sweat what it
doesn't do and isn't.
A bit like being married isn't it? ;)
Shalom.
Christian
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
łAny sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from a Newton.˛
-- what Arthur C. Clarke meant
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1ZzpdPJ7Zr4
(With thanks to Chod Lang)
http://tinyurl.com/29y2dl
http://www.diyplanner.com/node/3942
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
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Received on Mon May 12 19:49:30 2008
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