[NTLK] Someone Wants Excitement

[Lord Groundhog]

~~~ On 2012/01/14 23:01, Forrest Buffenmyer at newtonphoenix at mindspring.com
wrote ~~~

> Sounds intriguing...but the result would probably bear little actual
> resemblance to our Newtons.
> 
> Also: it's been pretty rare, historically, for Apple to admit a mistake or
> even a misstep...closest I can recall recently has been Steve Jobs admitting
> that the botched MobileMe launch several years ago was "not our finest hour".
> While we as Newton users would likely disagree, the general perception of the
> Newton was as a failure. In my mind, to reintroduce something called "Newton"
> would be to admit that it was a mistake to discontinue it in the first place.
> 
> I really the rest of the concept and idea...just don't call it a Newton.
> 


Oh, I wish!  If Apple does go this route, I really hope they'll ask us for
input.  Of course they won't, but it's what would be necessary to make the
difference between a this "toy" Newton that Kendrick writes about, and a
true successor to the Newotn.


For me Forrest, the trouble with what is suggested in the article is that it
offers 90% of our Newton experience, but I really, really need that other
10%.  It is, if you'll forgive me for desecrating mathematics, a "big" 10%
that I need to make the "tiny" 90% worth having.

Without the option of integral stylus/HWR functionality, the rest of what he
describes here is not a Newton for me.  No matter what it's called, it would
be little good to people like me if its input is limited to dictation or
virtual keypad (or even a cumbersome external keyboard, requiring sitting
down and setting up).   I just don't need a "work solution" that will "let"
me set up a pocket-sized screen and a clunky keyboard and thus tie me down
to a desk again.  I already have a laptop.   And I don't need a "work
solution" that will only allow me to enter/edit confidential data if I can
find sufficient privacy.  I often have to work in situations where I cannot
avoid being overheard.    Nor do I need a "work solution" that won't let me
talk to someone and at the same time make discreet notes about the
conversation.  I just have to make notes as I converse on the phone or in
person or in meetings; simply recording everything just is not an option.


And then there's the whole matter of integrating the data as with the
Newton's system of soups.  Especially now that I've enhanced my Newt with
programs from SilverWare (I recommend their software to anyone who still
hasn't tried it) I'm able to integrate and use my data in ways that aren't
possible on any other platform I've ever tried.  Whatever this hypothetical
retro-Newt turns out to be, will it do this?  Without it, it's not a Newton
for me.  



As for the name, they can call it "Isaac" for all I care, just so long I can
keep using it to do all the things I do now with my Newt.  ;-)


 
Shalom. 
Christian 

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

³Any sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from a Newton.²
            -- ref.:  Arthur C. Clarke

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1ZzpdPJ7Zr4
(With thanks to Chod Lang)
http://tinyurl.com/29y2dl
http://www.diyplanner.com/node/3942


~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Fight Spam.  Join EuroCAUCE: http://www.euro.cauce.org/
Get MUGged and love it: http://www.oxmug.org/
Join today: http://www.newtontalk.net/