_protoReality
The North Atlanta Newton Users Group Newsletter



Volume 1, Number 5
Summer 1994


Notices
Apple, the Apple Logo and Newton are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the United States and other 
countries.  MessagePad is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.  All other products mentioned herein are copyrighted/ 
trademarked by their owners.  

The editor and the NANUG (The North Atlanta Newton Users Group) staff are responsible for the opinions expressed 
in this newsletter, unless specifically by-lined.

NANUG cannot be held responsible for any damages that occur due to use or misuse of the information contained in 
this newsletter.  It must be distributed free of charge, and the original contents remain intact.  Portions may be 
reprinted, quoted, or adapted as long as proper credit is noted.  Individual portions may bear the copyright of their 
original authors, who should be contacted directly.  All such copyrighted material appears in this newsletter with 
permission of the original author.


Contents

How to Contact NANUG
NANUG Membership Application Form
Introduction
NANUG Overview
Minutes of the Summer Meetings
NANUG Membership Statistics
Newton User Groups
	Chicago-area
	Philadelphia-area
	Toronto-area
	Australia
	The NANUG UG Affiliate Program
Views and Reviews
	A Second Glance at the Newton
	Jigsaw Puzzle
	Dyno NotePad
	See-through MessagePads
	New NewtonMail Modules
The Real World
Tips, Hints, and Secrets
The Sharper Knife
InBox
Want Ads, Classified, and Cork Board
NANUG Member Bios


Contact Information

For more information about NANUG, meeting times, or newsletter submission guidelines, please 
write:

Mark Underwood
President
The North Atlanta Newton Users Group
3381 Claire Circle
Marietta, Georgia  30066
USA

or E-mail:

InterNet:		marku@aix3.ema.com
AppleLink:		EMA.COMPSV
NewtMail:		MarkU
eWorld:		MarkU


NANUG Membership Application Form

On the next page is a customized membership application to join NANUG.  There is currently no 
membership fee.

The benefits of joining, as opposed to just reading the newsletter?  Well, you get on our exclusive 
mailing list ;-) and can take advantage of our user group discounts on hardware and software (soon 
to be published).  Even better is the general idea of belonging, donUt you think?  ;-)

You can also join by obtaining our membership package from our ftp site, ftp.amug.org (thanks 
to our best friends at the Arizona Macintosh Users Group!).  After logging in anonymously, 
change directory down to:

/pub/newton/nanug

The sub-directory RmembershipS contains a copy of the membership card and instructions on how 
to join us.



NANUG Membership Application Form

Name:									

Address:								

City/State/Zip:							

Country:								

Phone:						

Fax:							

NewtMail:						

E-mail address:										

You can:

% Print this page and mail it to:

Mark Underwood
NANUG Membership
3381 Claire Circle
Marietta, GA 30066
USA

% E-mail your personal information to Rmarku@aix3.ema.comS with a subject of RNANUG 
MembershipS


From the Orthogonal Office

Mark Underwood

Summer, summer, summer...
With the advent of summer comes vacations and plenty of changes--but not an awful lot of new 
Newton news.

ThatUs not to say that Summer wasnUt busy for NANUG--far from it!  We added a lot of new 
members, gotten a few more feet in the electronic doors of a couple of e-homes, and seen the 
release to members of our first group programming project app!

Membership

We now have over 400 members!  This makes us the largest Newton Users group in the world!  
Congratulations to the NANUG members, and we hope to reach 500 by the end of the year!

eFeet in eDoors

Most (if not close to all) of you reading this downloaded it from an on-line service.  ItUs a sure sign 
that the so-called RglobalS village is an electronic one.  With that in mind, I thought I would talk a 
little about NANUGUs presence in that eVillage.  Below is a list of the places you can find our 
newsletters, membership files, or more.  This information is changing daily, and if youUre a 
member, youUll be notified of new offerings as they arrive!

America On-Line	(E-mail:  NANUG)
	Keyword: PDA

	PDA Software Libraries
	Palmtop Paperbacks
	Ezine Libraries
	PDA/Palmtop Publications
	Newton Format Ezines
NANUG newsletters, Newton Book format
	
	PDA Software Libraries
	PDA-Newton Library
NANUG newsletters, text/MS Word format

	Message Boards
	PDA-Palmtop Resources
	NANUG
NANUG and NANUG/AOL event messages

AppleLink	(E-mail:  EMA.COMPSV)
	Newton
	Newton User Discussions
	Freeware, Shareware & Demos
NANUG newsletters, all three formats

CompuServe		(E-mail:  None)
	Go Newton
	DL 10   [Miscellaneous]
NANUG newsletters, all three formats

InterNet
	(E-mail:	marku@aix3.ema.com
	  AMUG Contact: ashley@amug.org)
	ftp.amug.org
	/pub/newton/nanug/newsletters
NANUG newsletters, all three formats

	/pub/newton/nanug/membership
NANUG membership materials

	/pub/newton/nanug/projects
NANUG group programming project files

	/pub/newton/nanug/best_of
NANUG RBest OfS files


Future plans include:

%  A large, full service area on eWorld, to be located under the UGC (User Group Connection) 
keyword

%  A HTTP (WWW) server, which would allow us to put the newsletter RliveS on the InterNet

%  InterNet Relay Chat (IRC) conferences, and possibly a fixed RchannelS for weekly discussions

%  A First Class-type BBS

Anyone wishing to help on any of these projects should drop me a line at:

marku@aix3.ema.com or marku@eworld.com

Group Programming Project

Posted on our ftp site, under the /projects sub-directory, is the beta of Uwe HauckUs Newton 
Dragon (or NDragon) D&D style adventure game, in two versions:  one with sound effects (about 
800K) and one without (about 300K).

NDragon is the first RbetaS of the results of our initial group programming project.  Despite 
severely conflicting schedules, the general mix-up caused by the release of NTK 1.0.1 final, and 
the usual glitches associated with programming, Uwe was able to combine several stunning 
features into a game that is well worth playing!  The next version will be even better, and it in 
limited release at this time--but with a lot of luck (and his return to Newton programming), Uwe 
will have it ready for review in next monthUs issue!

Things To Come

WeUve been quiet lately, and we mean to make up for it in a big way.  In the next few months, 
NANUG will be releasing:

% The first RproductionS version of NDragon, NANUGUs first programming project, from Uwe 
Hauck.

% A RBack to SchoolS tutorial on NewtonScript programming, in a series of Newton Books, with 
practical examples you can actually execute to see how they work!

% A Rmail orderS service for eWorld and NewtonMail subscribers that will allow you to get a 
current list of NANUGUs RBest OfS files, check off the ones youUd like, and then have them mailed 
to your Newton!

All this and more!  Please stay tuned!


A NANUG Overview

Mark Underwood

Founded in October of 1993, NANUG was created with these ideas in mind:

% To provide timely and correct information about the Newton and all of its accessories, software 
packages, and other Newton-related products

% To assist new and experienced Newton users in getting the most out of their purchase

% To provide (hopefully) an un-biased forum for the exchange of user tips, hints, and suggestions

% To provide free or low-cost resources for small to medium Newton development projects

There is currently no membership fee to join NANUG.  Meetings are normally held the second 
Tuesday of the month.  We also hold Ron-lineS conferences from time to time to allow our remote 
members to participate directly.

_protoReality, our newsletter, is published one a month (normally during the third week of the 
month) in three formats:  a Newton Book Reader package, a Rbinary enhancedS text document, and 
a RplainS text document.  Each format strives to convey as much information as possible within the 
constraints of the media.  The RplainS text version, for example, is posted to InterNet, while the 
RbinaryS and Rbook readerS formats are posted to on-line forums and ftp sites that support binary 
up/down loads (AppleLink, CompuServe, America On-Line, etc.).

NANUG also has a shared InterNet ftp site, ftp.amug.org, where we post all of our files--
including membership materials and Rbest ofS selections.  The site supports anonymous log in, and 
is located in the directory:

/pub/newton/nanug


Minutes of the Summer Meetings


June Local Meeting

Meeting was called to order at 7:10 PM on June 14th.  Old business consisted of trying to find a 
new, semi-permanent meeting location.  One of our newest members, Robert Prince, has offered 
the services of his current employer, Turner Broadcasting, and we will be holding our next 
meeting down at the infamous CNN Center!

We had a brief demonstration of AppleUs new on-line service, eWorld.  eWorld has a special 
attraction for Newton owners, as itUs e-mail is also NewtonMail, and everyone who has a 
NewtonMail account also has an eWorld account!  All you need is a Macintosh and you can call 
Apple OnLine Services at 1-800-775-4556 to request a free eWorld subscription kit.  An eWorld 
client for PC/Windows will be available soon, and a Newton client is also in the works.

NANUG already has the newsletters posted out there, and we will soon be a permanent resident 
with a whole NANUG file and conferencing section!

Henry Littleboy, one of our remote members, recently donated his old Sharp Action Manager to 
the group.  The Action Manager is very much like a Newton--but itUs only sold in Japan, which 
means everything was in Japanese!  Luckily, Jennifer Minge, one of our founding members, is 
studying the language, and has offered to both translate the basic instructions and provide us with a 
future review!

Meeting was called to a close at 9:30 PM.


July Local Meeting

Meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM at the CNN Center, our new home!  Thanks to the 
wonderful efforts of Robert Prince and the people at Turner Broadcasting for the use of their 
terrific facilities--and location!  Now we can have our meetings and listen/watch to Skip, Don, Joe, 
and Pete host the BravesU games (for as long as baseballUs in session, so to speak!).

Our eWorld facilities should be ready by mid-August, thanks to the efforts of Raines Cohen, UGC 
Manager of UG Relations.  Raines will be attending our August meeting.

Discussion of the new version of the Connection Kits followed.  The new version for the Mac is a 
much better product--however, the new Windows version isnUt out yet--but it is in beta, so expect 
a review soon.

Discussion then turned to a fairly serious topic--instituting annual membership fees.  Since itUs 
inception, NANUG has been totally free--but with our increased size (over 400) and presence in 
Cyberspace, some members would like to address the issue.  My personal opinion is that you 
should only have to pay what you get for, so if we were to start charging, it wouldnUt be more than 
$5 US a year--given the number of members, that would provide us with over two thousand 
dollars.  With that kind of money, we could begin to support mailing materials to those members 
who donUt have e-mail addresses, as well as sponsor a more robust presence at such things as 
MacWorld and the Newton DeveloperUs Conference.

It was decided to put the issue to a full vote--so current members will be receiving an e-mail vote 
form, and those who donUt have it will receive either a faxed form or a mailed form.  Voting will 
run from now until the end of August.  As the US is still a democracy, the majority will decide 
policy.

Meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM.


Details on locations and times of all local and RremoteS meetings will we posted to all NANUG 
locations and sent via e-mail to members.


NANUG Membership Statistics 


Total number of members:	400
	RLocalS	35
	RRemoteS	365

Members by state (US):

	AL		1
	AZ		4
	CA		58
	CO		6
	CT		2
	DC		3
	DE		1
	FL		15
	GA		35
	IL		13
	IN		3
	IO		1
	KS		2
	KY		1
	LA		1
	MA		17
	MD		10
	ME		2
	MI		7
	MN		6
	MO		4
	MS		1
	MT		1
	NC		4
	NE		2
	NH		1
	NJ		5
	NM		3
	NY		24
	OH		6
	OK		1
	OR		2
	PA		12
	RI		1
	SC		1
	TN		3
	TX		20
	UT		4
	VA		9
	VT		1
	WA		7
	WI		5
	WV		2

Members by country:

Argentina		1
Australia		13
Austria		4
Belgium		2
Canada			18
Croatia		1
Finland			2
France			3
Germany		13
Hong Kong		3
Italy			3
Japan			5
Macau			1
Malaysia		1
Mexico		1
Netherlands		2
Poland			1
Singapore		2
Spain			2
Sweden		1
Switzerland		3
UK			8
USA			308


Newton User Groups

Mark Underwood

This month, instead of the regular interview, we decided to let some of the other Newton User 
Groups around the world put their 2" in, with the idea of making their presence known through a 
larger audience than what they might normally have.

In each RreportS is an e-mail address that you can send a message to for more information, or you 
can contact us here at NANUG!


ChiIL NUG

Chicago, Il Newton Users Group

Initial announcement

After much deliberation/consultation have decided on the location for the First Chicago Newton 
User Group Meeting, our office.  Date; 5/31/94, Time; 7:00 to 9:00?, location; McCarthy & 
Magee, 9950 West Lawrence Avenue, Suite #200, Schiller Park, IL 60176, VOX 708.671.0444, 
FAX 708.671.0499.  Had considered a computer superstore, limited by hours, (before 6:00pm), 
and not too keen on us using their computers for shareware downloading, or a memberUs home, 
which unfortunately was not too centrally located for all the respondents.  We are located on the 
immediate eastern side of OUHare Airport, the Northeast corner of Manheim and Lawrence 
Avenue.  We have a conference room capable of seating 12 people, plus ample space with seating 
spread throughout for as many as 20 more.  More importantly, the space is free, accessible at night 
unlike the computer superstore, has two Macintoshes, two Windows, and three DOS machines, a 
demonstrable Macintosh Local Talk Network for the Newton, and a 9600 baud modem with 
eWorld and CompuServe access.  Please email me back if you are interested in attending, or if you 
can not due to your schedule, so we can send a note on the minutes.  IUm planning on charging 
nothing for membership.   

ChiILNUG Minutes: 5.31.94

RIf you build it, they will come.S  Our first meetingUs genesis:  had found myself trolling on-line 
for Newton shareware, top ten lists, sending information to Mark Underwood publisher of the 
NUG standard digital book, _protoReality, NANUGUs monthly newsletter, evangelizing to work 
acquaintances about Newton.  Searched eWorld for RNewton, ILS, got fifteen matches, surprised 
by the strength of the response, and found as in RField of DreamsS; they will come.

Schiller, Park, IL, May 31st, 1994--Undeterred by the holiday weekend Newtoneers arrive for the 
first ChiILNUG.  Some time spent on introductions, diverse backgrounds, company president, 
college student programmer, die hard end users, developers.  Common pure motive:  Newton. The  
first ChiILNUG meeting was analogous to a birthday party for fifteen children at Chuckie Cheese, 
somewhat chaotic.  People beaming, talking, comparing styluses (or styli), trading Newts to try 
different apps (Hey!, is this my Newt?), in and out of the meeting to download, it was great!  Due 
to this, note that these minutes are a collaborative recap of several attendees.  FWIIW (for whatever 
it is worth), we had a ratio of 20/80% original/110Us represented.

After some introductions, without bothering to move to the conference room, (Dennis Fraser who 
administers the digital book forum on AOL was sitting on a safe), we started comparing 
accessories, cases, pens.  Showed a fax from KISS on their solar Newton cases (note:  we will 
have a demo to show of their product at our next meeting on 6.28.94), compared different pens, 
PDA PanacheUs Gold, Write Ware, Stealth.

Adjourned to some chairs with cold caffeine with a discussion of the on-line Newton resources; 
CompuServe, AOL, eWorld, Iowa, Usenet.  Some felt that AOL was the most active Newton 
commercial resource.  IUve personally enjoyed CompuServe, but have since joined AOL. Some 
side discussion of eWorld, some members beta testers, others could not get a beta, or have ordered 
but not received yet.  Some discussion re a comparison of the email, searching, and posting 
functionality of the different services.

Quoting one of the developers in attendance re Iowa RThe Newton archive at University of Iowa 
(newton.uiowa.edu) is, for those with InterNet access, probably the best bet for software. While 
the Arizona Macintosh Users Group (AMUG) has allowed space on their server for both newton 
files and a NANUG section, there is never a wait for an anonymous FTP hook-up at uiowa, and it 
would seem that their selection is larger (those this will of course change with time.) FTP to 
newton.uiowa.edu and login as anonymous. All new files are in /submissions, others may be 
found in the /pub/newton/software directory.S Another attendee administers Usenet, a local BBS 
for Newtoneers.  We will have a more detailed description next month from Steve as they are 
expecting any second their second child.  Questions re this BBS can be directed to SteveM1043 on 
eWorld.

Next, a discussion of some of the members cards, tried attendees fax/modem card in different 
Newts, downloaded a 1.5 MB digital book to a 4MB card, tried some commercial cards.  Note that 
we will have a member demo Digital OceanUs wireless Grouper card at our 6.28.94 meeting.

Next some demoUs, Ben Gottlieb demoed Icon Editor and previewed an adventure game he is 
authoring RBladeS.  Dennis Fraser showed his digital book on Newton Software complete with 
kiosks, or galleries for navigating to different chapters.  Note that we will have a demo at our 
6.28.94 meeting by Dennis on some of the digital books available.  Kerry T. McCarthy showed a 
recent download RNewtcaseS.

From ICS, you got to love it, takes apps off your System Heap by archiving them.  You are 
presented with two scrolling windows; active and archived apps.  Archiving seldom used apps 
takes them off your heap, and Newtcase shows you how much this has increased you heap space.  
I tripled! my heap space in short order.

Archived are easily and quickly reinstalled (more quickly than Connection Kit 2.0).  You can 
imagine that this will cause less out of memory restarts for you.  There was some technical 
discussion from some developers as to how this works.  Note that there is a thread on 
CompuServe re Newtcase and Soups.  I need to find out if I need to remove archived apps soups 
or not, etc. I highly recommend this app, try it and see for yourself. Fee $15, contact the company 
at ICS@indirect.com

Wrapped up by setting up our next ChiILNUG meeting, 6.28.94, 7:00 PM, International 
Technology Group, 5400 Newport Drive, Suite 19, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008, VOX 
708.259.1129, FAX 708.259.1130, courtesy of Steve Morris:  his email address is eWorld, 
SteveM1043.

Hope you can see us on Tuesday June 28th!  Questions?  Contact Kerry T. McCarthy at 
CompuServe 72520,1334, eWorld/Newton Mail/AOL KTMcCarthy, VOX 708.671.0444, FAX 
708.671.0499. 

Second meeting announcement

The second Chicago, IL Newton UserUs Group meeting will be held 6.28.94 at 7:00 PM at 
International Technology Group, 5400 Newport Drive, Suite 19, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008, 
VOX 708.259.1129, FAX 708.259.1130, courtesy of Steve Morris:  his email address is eWorld, 
SteveM1043. How was it?  Beaming info to everyone, discussing the on-line service of choice, 
which share/commercial ware do you use?, trying the same software on the spot on anotherUs 
newton (hey! is this my Newt, or yours?), discussion of one of the attendees bulletin board 
service, seeing/trying all the different accessories for the Newton in use, instant tech answers from 
developers in attendance, a discussion/demo of the Newton Book Technology from Dennis Fraser 
who administers this forum on America On Line, developers sharing insights with each other, 
faxes from companies with discounts on their product as part of a NUG.  It was outstanding, it 
was everyone talking/beaming at once, people from totally different backgrounds sharing the same 
pure motive-the love of the new technology, it is the Newton potential realized; a personal 
communicator.  Hope to see you on Tuesday, June 28th at 7:00 PM!  I can also be reached at 
CompuServe 72520,1334, eWorld/Newton Mail KTMcCarthy, VOX 708.671.0444, FAX 
708.671.0499.    

Second meetingUs minutes

Newton.sys, previously known as PDA Brian, described his position with Apple as follows, RIUm 
responsible for the timely distribution of Apple and StarCore content to online services. This 
content includes Newton OS updates, demo software, product information, press releases, and any 
other relevant information. The online services I work with include AppleLink, eWorld, America 
Online, Compuserve, Genie, and AppleUs Internet sites. 

In addition to distributing content, I directly manage the Newton forumUs on AppleLink, eWorld, 
and InterNet sites. eWorld is probably the most work. I have to determine what Apple and 
nonApple information gets posted, virus check and release shareware, schedule guests for online 
conferences, host online conferences, and monitor discussion board content.S

Brian was in Chicago for a wedding, and we took advantage of the opportunity to throw out some 
questions regarding Apple.

Is Apple selling Newton to Nippon as in MacWeek? No (Vehemently-KTM)

When will Applelink addresses migrate to eWorld? 1-2 Years

Can one access eWorld internationally? Yes, if you have established an eWorld address in the US.

Can one send files on Newton Mail for direct downloading? Yes but limited to 16K, don't 
compress.

World Wide Web? Next month we will have a recap of a discussion re eWorld/The World Wide 
Web, between a member and Brian.  

Additionally, here are two developers perspectives on BrianUs answers;

1) Brian was very close-mouthed about the NewtUs future (as he should be)
except to say that Apple is not abandoning the Newton technology (unfounded
rumors about the sale of the Newton Division to Nippon). I guess if anyone is
really curious, they should do what Kent Sandvik suggested in a recent UseNet posting: send 
email to NEWTON.DEVS@applelink.apple.com and request an NDA...

2) AppleUs representative at the meeting, PDA Brian (now newton.sys-KTM), was a model of 
AppleUs policy of revealing nothing before its time. There was a lively discussion of existing and 
future eWorld potentials and a pointed one-way discussion of AppleUs intentions regarding 
Newton. Three developers caucused with Brian after the meeting and hopefully their concerns 
about support will be conveyed to whoever it is that cares at AppleUs core. Clearly more 
information would have been available regarding Newton from MacWeek or TidBITS.

Thanks to Keep it Simple Software for the eval unit of their Solar Pak, a solar panel/ Newton 
Case.  This is a neat product, I was able to try it in a variety of conditions, from our deck in 100 
degree heat, to on the car seat at the junction of the Edens and the Kennedy in Chicago(can you say 
traffic?).

I liked the product enough to buy one after we returned the eval unit.  KISS makes two Solar Panel 
products, both charcoal gray, a basic unit with a large pocket on the back, and a RbriefcaseS model 
with a fold over cover secured by clips, two small pockets inside, and one large pocket outside.  
Both units have a easy to use cord storage compartment.

The panel worked well for me, with no degradation of battery power in sunlight.  KISS 
recommends a utility called Battery Brain, for battery level feedback, I did not review this utility.  
Even in indirect sunlight, you extend battery power.  For me, in outside sales, the extra power in 
the car is great.  The cord on the panel is long enough to reach the deck under the rear window.  If 
you put the panel on the front seat and exceed the posted speed limit, it will assume a certain 
aerodynamic quality.  I found myself leaving Newt on all the time, rather than on/off as I drove 
around.  

One needs to define how you use your Newton before deciding whether to go with the Panel/Case, 
or the Solar Panel by itself.  Personally, I have to generally carry a briefcase, and did not need the 
deluxe Solar Panel.  Even the basic panel does have a pocket large enough for the external modem, 
the Newt(in the standard case, not a deluxe one), etc.

KISS also claims that the panel will recharge the Apple rechargeable power pack when inside your 
Newton in the same amount of time in direct sunlight as it takes in an outlet, i.e. four hours. It will 
not recharge regular Ni-cad, or alkaline batteries, including Renewal batteries when they are 
installed in your Newton.

The one thing I didnUt like about the RbriefcaseS unit will be changed per KISS.  The two pockets 
inside will not accommodate a Newt in a deluxe case, and will be made into a large pocket. 

KISS offers a 30% discount to NUG members, and can be reached at VOX 406.442.3559, FAX 
406.449.8946, or AOL at KISS4. 

More thanks to Digital Ocean for the eval unit of their Grouper, our review follows.

A presentation was made to the assembled Newtonites of the new Digital Ocean product, Grouper. 
Grouper is a wireless AppleTalk system using the new 900MHz frequencies allocated for such 
communication. Digital Ocean has produced the 100MP model for use with Newtons giving 
complete network portability to the PDA. Downloads from a MAC/PC to Newton, printing to an 
AppleTalk printer, and transferring files from Newton to a desktop unit (i.e. database) are all 
possible. This product seems to be an ideal alternative to hard-wired systems, temporary network 
needs and any situation where wiring would be a problem or portability is a need. The Digital 
Ocean system accommodates 16 users per group and has an operating range of 800'. 

And thanks to Ex Machina for their eval copy of PocketCall, a terminal emulation program for 
Newton access to Compuserve, AOL, etc.

There are two parts to this program, the package itself, and the RservicesS, or the means to set up 
Compuserve, etc.  Note that the demo available online is only the package, and will not allow you 
to call into Compuserve, according to Ex Machina, the demo will only give you the look and feel. 
(Without someone suing you?)

The manual is well written, with a specific example on how to set up an automated log on to 
Compuserve via a neat scripting function.

The scripting is in my opinion the best part of this app, there are pick lists for all the commands 
one sees in Compuserve, that you can easily drop into QuicKeys style sequences.

Once online, one can go to the Newton forum, check for mail, check the message boards, send 
messages, etc.  There is a navigational tool for moving around if the text is too large for the NewtUs 
screen.

There is a resizable dialog box for Handwriting, which works well for commands such as go 
newton, exit, etc.

I think that this product while promising, needs some polishing to really shine. The manual stops 
with the logon to Compuserve example.  Most people will want to recieve/send mail, and in the 
case of CUserve, switch to the Newton forum to recieve/send mail.

I think the manual should have the mail script spelled out, and even more, they should have this 
specific script included with the cost of the product.  They need to emulate Newton mail, easy 
on/off mail.  I did not try sending batch mail, although both AppleUs partial solution, in the new 
beta modules, and Bulk Mail do mass mailing easily.

To this point, Ex Machina said that they will have for sale specific packets (PocketPacks) such as a 
recieve/send mail one.  As above, this should be part of the PocketCall package in my opinion.

Ex Machina can be reached at VOX 800.238.4738 FAX 718.832.5465   

Top Nine Shareware

Our list is a polling of the members to each come up with their favorite app, some apps received 
more than one vote (NewtCase), note they are not ranked from top to bottom.  As such this list will 
change dramatically from month to month.  Also, the tenth item was subsequently dropped due to 
some concern online, and from the developers in our group that this app corrupts files.

Top Nine: NewtCase, Sleep Aid, Date Utility, Newtris, Solo, Keyboard Pro, Pop Memo, Bulk 
Mail, Pocket Money

FWIIW:  This monthUs wanted to advise you that according to Apple tech support, and my 
personal experience, there is apparently no way to access newton mail from the public data port 
phones(get your email from an airport)?!?!?  

I tried to put my calling card/access number, etc. in the text string for the Newton Mail phone 
number, and for some reason this does not work.  I have sent faxes from these phones, but there is 
not the same routing slip with the email.  Apple please tell me that the person I spoke to was 
confused, that mobile users can get their email from these phones.  

Hopefully the new Newton Mail modules posted on 7/15, which I downloaded after this unhappy 
experience have already addressed this oversight.

Also, I am playing in the first eWorld Open, a chess tournament using the fine NChess program 
available online.  This event was organized by NM Paul on eWorld, and IUm currently playing five 
games concurrently. (IUd like to say I even winning one of them).  

If you like chess at all get NChess.  It allows you to play a game by mail, by fax, by beam.  You 
can even fax a graphic of the board plus all the moves all spelled out in chess notation to someone 
who does not have a Newton, or a computer at all!!!

When you first open NChess, youUre greeted with a cool splash screen, just tap to continue.  The 
next screen has three buttons, matches, players, and history.  According to the author, Robert 
Duran Jr., in this beta version, the history button, and the review match feature is still under 
construction.

To play, you tap on the player button, add name, how you'll be playing (local for beaming), email 
address, fax number, and optionally their chess rating.  Then tap on the matches button, name your 
game, whoUs white and black, and optionally a time limit.

Now youUre ready to play, select a match, and select play.  You get a nice 2D view of the game, 
and click drag for your move.  If youUre playing by mail/fax, close the board view, select the 
match, and select mail or fax.  You can even uncheck the text only option in your email routing slip 
to send a file which NChess will allow Newton users to receive as a move automatically.

You can take back moves, IUve tried only up to two, for when I misinterpreted an opponents 
previous move.  The game takes back moves automatically.

In the minor complaints area, wish that when one is black the black pieces were at the bottom of 
the screen, according to the author this was a feature which would consume mega memory.  Also, 
one can cause a minor error if trying to make a move in response before the checking.. message 
disappears. (The program makes sure a legal move has been made). If one moves in response too 
quickly, the game still shows that is the wrong persons move.(There is a message always on the 
screen as to whose move it is).

I highly recommend this fine app.  I had found myself quickly loading the app via Quick/Run and 
Newtcase (which it works flawlessly with), stuck in traffic in Chicago, and making a move.  The 
shareware fee is a reasonable $15, and Robert responds quickly to email, he is on Compuserve. 
Even though still beta for now, the program works very well, even on my overloaded original MP 
upgraded to a MP100.

The only address Robert provides with the app (put your email address, phone, fax on this 
screen), is Robert Duran Jr., 101 S. Rainbow #28-217, Las Vegas, NV 89128

Third meeting announcement

ChiILNUG Meeting 8.9.94 7:00PM

RMr Sulu, Warp Factor EightS  A pause before Scotty romps on it.... One leaves the ChiILNUG 
meeting with that sense of anticipation before warp eight, of what the future will hold, of being in 
the right place at the right time, of the sheer fun of beaming. Look for our minutes to follow 
featuring a guest appearance by Brian, Newton.sys on eWorld, and Apple employee.     

The third meeting for the Chicago IL Newton Users Group will be held at International 
Technology Group, 5400 Newport Drive, Suite 19, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008, VOX 
708.259.1129, FAX 708.259.1130, eWorld, SteveM1043 courtesy of Steve Morris.

The site is two stoplights east of the intersection of routes 53 and 62.  Go south on Newport (you 
can see the Atrium and Don Moi restaurants on the south side of 62) to the end of the street(3-4 
blocks).  5400 Newport is the last building on the left.  Suite # 19 is on the east side of the 
building.

Hope you can see us on Tuesday August Ninth!  Questions?  Contact Kerry T. McCarthy at 
CompuServe 72520,1334, eWorld/Newton Mail/AOL KTMcCarthy, VOX 708.671.0444, FAX 
708.671.0499.    


Philadelphia-area NUG

About six interested members have held the first meeting of a new (as yet unnamed) NUG in 
Philadelphia.  All present at the first meeting agreed that two prerequisites for a meeting site are 
more light and pitchers of beer (or was that more light beer?).
 
The group will hold its next meeting on July 13, location to be announced.
 
For more information, or to join, email Lawrence Husick at Law.ALF1@eWorld.com
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lawrence A. Husick, Esq.
Intellectual Property and Technology Law and Consulting

Law.Husick@AppleLink.Apple.com
 
	Law Offices of Lawrence A. Husick
	P.O. Box 587
	Southeastern, PA  19399-0587
	(610/296-8259 Voice)
	(610/296-5816 Facsimile)


Toronto-area Group

The Group of NEWTON Users in Toronto (GNUT) meets every two months to discuss topics and 
issues relevant to NEWTON users and developers. To contact the group please send email to: 

John Marman
GNUT Organizer 
CIS: 70410,1257
(or by InterNet 70410.1257@Compuserve.com)

Please email nominations for the next Top-10 shareware list to me before the end of September!

The 1st RGNUT TOP-10 Shareware ListS is:
(Names in parenthesis are the file names on CompuServe - Ed.)

1) List-It (LISTIT.SIT 75K)
2) Keyboard (TRMKYB.SIT 29K)
3) CopyMachine (COPYMA. 7K)
4) StewPot (STEWPO.SIT 25K)
5) Resto 1.3 (RESTO.BIN 35K)
6) Date Util (DATEUT.SIT 10K)
7) Solo (SOLO12.SIT 50K)
8) Newtris (NEWTRI.BIN 29K)
9) Convert Metric (CNVRT.SIT 24K)
10) Hot Buttons (HOTBUT.SIT 14K)

The 1st RGNUT TOP-10 Commercial Software ListS is:

1) RAccountableS by Nomadic Technologies
2) RPocketCallS by Ex Machina Inc.
3) RExpense PlusS by State Of The Art
4) RMobile CalcS by MobileSoft
5) RNetmailS by WorldLinx
6) RDay-TimerS by Slate Corporation
7) RNotionS by Eidetic Inc.
8) RFodorUs 94 Travel ManagerS by StarCore
9) RContactPadS by Pastel Development Corp.
10) RPresenterPadS by Avalon Engineering Inc.


Newton Developers Conference in Australia

The inaugural Newton developers conference was held in Wollongong, Australia on June 1-3.  
The well attended conference was organised by Robin Simpson (fellow NANUG member - Ed.) 
with support from Apple Australia and included a number of keynote speakers from major 
manufacturing and information service industries such as Motorola, Bell-South, Telecom (Aust) 
along with a host of smaller independent software and hardware developers. The conference was 
designed to give developers and interested parties an opportunity to display their technologies and 
to increase the awareness of the  impending applications that are or will be available for the 
Newton. The conference was also designed to assist and encourage aussie developers to  take the 
lead in niche software areas.

A strong flavour of the conference revolved around wireless  communications which  have been 
slower  to appear in Australia than in the US due the inherent problems associated with a relatively 
small population spread over a similar size area as the whole of the US.  However, the 
communication infrastructure is being implemented at a fast rate, in part driven by the potential that 
could be utilised by PDAUs as the Australians love for mobile phones have shown in the last 5 
years.  In a country of only 17 million people there are one  million mobile phones!  In particular, 
the Motorola spokesman displayed wireless e-mail by mailing Bill Clinton. Unfortunately, because 
the infrastructure for wireless communication was not in place in  Wollongong, the tiny PCMCIA 
card (Called the Eagle) also required a small van with about a ton of sophisticated electronics to 
work.  At least it is Rmobile and wirelessS if you own a truck.

Other features of the conference was the MessagePad 110, which  every delegate was given for the 
duration of the conference.  A special deal was organised so that if you bought the NTK you got a 
110 thrown in for free.  It was a very good deal and many people accepted gleefully, especially 
after the offer of a free Newton T-shirt and bag was also  offered.  

The developers thread was hosted by Kent Sandvik while Apple PIE (USA) was fronted by Philip 
Ivanier.  Both  displayed a marvelous and infectious RloveS for the Newton that made the sessions 
fun and informative. 

The conference ended with a look at the more fanciful Newton products that may (but probably 
wonUt) arrive.  All in all a very  enjoyable conference.  One thing I kept thinking about through the 
whole conference was that this is what it must have been like back in the middle eighties when the 
first Mac was released.  The excitement and  economic possibilities that the technology  will 
provide in the next few years makes the future very interesting. One things for sure, Apple have a 
very good record when it comes to  this type of RvisionS  product. Now itUs up to the software 
developers. 

Gerard Hammond


The NANUG UG Affiliate Program

Introducing a new service from the folks here at NANUG!

If you have a Newton Users Group (or thinking of creating one for your part of the world), and 
youUd like to provide your members with lots of news and other neat things, but you donUt have a 
lot of resources, weUd like to help!

By registering your user group as a NANUG RaffiliateS, you can:

% Provide NANUG co-membership for all of your members.  TheyUll be treated as if they were full 
members of our group, and so receive our mailings and special offers.

% Receive access to all of our membership materials, both for your own use and the use of your 
members.  For example, youUll receive the source to our membership card Newton applet, which 
you can modify to put in your groupUs information.

% Have your meetingUs minutes published in our newsletter, as well as any upcoming meeting 
announcements you may have, making them reach a larger audience.

% Get the source for our RgenericS Newton Book newsletter, to help create a customized one for 
your group.

% Receive access to all of our areas on the on-line services for your members.

And thatUs just the beginning!  In the future, we plan on extending our member services to include 
such things as discounts on hard/software, on-line joint meetings with your group and ours, and 
even joint programming projects!

If youUre interested in becoming a NANUG affiliate, please drop a line to:

Mark Underwood
NANUG Affiliate Program
3381 Claire Circle
Marietta, GA  30066

or by e-mail (with a subject of RNANUG AffiliateS) to:

marku@aix3.ema.com

Please include the following information to make it easier to get in touch with you:

Your Name
Your Address
Your e-mail address (if you have one)

Your GroupUs Name
Your GroupUs Contact Person
Your GroupUs e-mail address
(this needs to be an address which can receive lengthy messages)

ThatUs all there is to it!  WeUre looking forward to working together with your group!


Views and Reviews

NANUG Members


A Second Glance at the Newton

Rick Nickells

Introduction

Let me introduce myself as a strong fan of AppleUs PDA vision and supporter of the Newton 
Message Pad, even in its earliest incarnation. Although I donUt think IUm really a Newton fanatic, 
my wife might disagree.  On the job, I attend a lot of meetings, travel extensively, use my Newton 
exclusively for scheduling (Dates) and have over 600 entries in my Names file.  In this article, I 
try to articulate my vision of what the Newton should be.  It is my belief that it is only through use 
over an extended period that we can begin to sort out what we need/want our Newtons to do. I 
wanted to title this article RA Penetrating Analysis of the Newton after its First Year", but I 
wrestled my ego aside and settled on RA Second GlanceS because it reflects my opinion only and is 
restricted to my specific application needs.  However, I believe there are many others out there 
who have similar needs.  

I got my Newton the week after MacWorld in Boston last August, so I definitely qualify as an 
early Newton adopter.  Initially, just about any commercial software that came out ended up in my 
Newton until repeated disappointments temporarily shut down funding for that line item on my 
budget.  I also downloaded just about every piece of shareware which showed up on America 
OnLine, much of which has been of higher quality than the early commercial software.  By the 
way, I think the tide is turning and we are beginning to see much better quality apps from the 
commercial developers, particularly as they come to grips with Release 1.3 of the Newton OS.  
With almost a years experience, I have formed a clear vision of what I want my Newton do for me.

The Vision Thing

Picture coming into your office from a trip, dropping your Newton into a cradle by your phone, 
and your Newton automatically synchronizes with your desktop computer (Mac) and downloads 
any new files to your Mac.  While you are in the office, it connects to your phone to function as an 
automatic dialer while remaining connected to your desktop computer for continuous 
synchronization.  It is your primary scheduler and names file.  I learned a long time ago that I am 
personally incapable of keeping multiple calendars synchronized, so my Newton is it, my only 
scheduler.  Other people have told me they have the same problem.  There is nothing worse than 
walking into the office and having your secretary ask why you arenUt at the operations review.  
What operations review you ask?  Then you find out that your boss had personally scheduled it 
with your secretary, but you didnUt get it on your portable calendar.  Since weUre automatically 
uploading and synchronizing, it would also be useful to upload my NewtonUs calendar to the 
officeUs Meeting Maker (maybe ON Technology will implement importing someday).  Gosh, I 
think that means IUd be able to keep two calendars aligned.  The Newton must also keep my one 
and only ToDo list, given some needed enhancements which will make it easier to keep a record 
of what youUve done to accomplish that task.  I think Dyno NotePad will answer that need.  More 
on NotePad later.

On the road, the Newton also serves as your Digital Reader, providing instant access to a 
veritable plethora (I love that phrase) of information you might need while on your trip.  Let me 
state emphatically that we seriously need an inexpensive, easy to use version of BookMaker.  I 
have been amazed at how useful the Newton is as a repository of information.  I took the time to 
make a Newton Book of a very complex product spec, including graphics. I actually did it as a 
learning exercise.  But I find that I frequently have access to answers to technical questions our 
experts donUt even have at the tip of their tongues.  Newton Books are much more easily searched 
than DTBs (Dead Tree Books as opposed to digital books which donUt require paper).  The 
Browser and the Find function make the information much more accessible. 

Away from the office, the Newton becomes your E-mail link to the rest of the world.  Whether 
that link is plugged into the phone system through a jack or through the ether (not net) using 
cellular or PCS will depend on your needs for instantaneous communications.  Personally, 
plugging in meets my needs.  My ego is not inflated to the point where I believe instant access to 
my messages is necessary for my employers survival.  Whatever e-mail system you use (we use 
QuickMail), we should be able to simply dial in, down load all new messages, and logoff.  You 
could then read and respond to the messages at your convenience.  Sounds like the way 
NewtonMail works, doesnUt it.  Speaking of dialing into a server, my company has an 800 number 
with an ID and multiple passwords for access to QuickMail.  So I need the capability to write a 
fairly complex macro which can be modified to suit each hotelUs PBXUs dialing plan.  When in the 
office, you will want to painlessly transfer mail to your Newton to read while on your next trip.  
Another thought - roughly half of my Quick Mail messages come with attachments.  These 
attachments have been generated by PowerPoint, Word, or Excel.  It is very important that I be 
able to read these messages AND their attachments.

The Newton canUt be a full-blown PowerBook and still fit in your inside coat pocket.  The 
NewtonUs screen is too small and it has no keyboard, so it is not really suitable for any significant 
text entry.  However, this doesnUt stop me from wanting to have some functionality which 
compliments the applications I use on my office Mac.  In roughly descending order of priority, the 
applications I spend most time with at the office are QuickMail, Microsoft Word, MS PowerPoint, 
and MS Excel.

I covered QuickMail in the e-mail discussion above, except for the keyboard thing which I will 
cover later.  Assuming, for the moment, that your Newton doesnUt have a keyboard usable for text 
entry, an outliner could let you get the hard part of your job done.  A good outliner would allow 
you to still let your creative juices flow, outlining letters, memos, reports, or organizing and 
managing projects while you are out of the office.  However, the outliner must readily export and 
import outlines (as outlines) to MS Word to really be useful.  Dyno NotePad looks like it is the 
answer but the first release is too flawed to be usable. Hopefully, by the time you read this, their 
promised update will be out and their basic data integrity and performance problems fixed. 

An outliner would also interface well with PowerPoint for the creation of new presentations.  I 
havenUt yet decided how a PowerPoint chart viewer/editor would work on the Newton, but I do 
need to view PowerPoint attachments which are received via QuickMail.  A viewer would have to 
use scrolling to navigate around a chart and that seems a bit clumsy.  I donUt know how much you 
can shrink charts and still read them on the Newton.  If the presentation is mostly word charts 
developed with the PowerPoint outliner function, the outliner described above would be adequate.  
Graphics charts would demand scrolling, particularly if they have fine details. 

It would also be great (many would argue necessary) to have an Excel Lite (or a Lotus 1-2-3 Lite) 
for the Newton, which would allow you to develop applications on your desktop, and run them, 
complete with macros, on your Newton.

I am sure there are killer applications still waiting to be developed.  I, for one, would like to input 
organizational charts using the outline paradigm, which would also link to the Names application.  
For those of us who work for or with large companies, this type of hierarchical directory, with the 
expand and collapse capabilities of an outliner, plus the Find function, could justify the Newton all 
by itself.  You could easily identify a personUs managers and get their phone numbers or any other 
important data youUve included in the file.  If your company is getting re-engineered or re-
organized frequently, as many are, this might be the only way you can keep up with the changes.

The Product Thing

The MessagePad of today is a good start and is much more functional than the original 
Macintosh at its introduction ten years ago.  There is no doubt in my mind that ten years from now, 
weUll all wonder what the fuss was all about.  There will be PDAs in almost everything we do.  I 
pray Apple will have the staying power to see their vision carried to fruition.  However, that 
doesnUt detract from the fact that the Newton needs more of almost everything - more speed - more 
memory - more power - more contrast - more shrinking.  Let me expand on these RmoresS, one at a 
time.

The Newton needs more speed.  Actually what we really need is for the Newton applications 
to be more responsive.  A faster processor seems to address only part of the problem.  I intuitively 
suspect that the Newton OS and/or NewtonScript need tweaking for speed. IUve seen several 
comments in P.I.E. Developers Magazine and on InterNet about specific programming techniques 
which are much faster than alternatives.  It may well be that many of the early applications will be 
made more responsive as these techniques are discovered, documented and implemented.  A faster 
processor should also improve the handwriting recognition, either by speeding up recognition or 
allowing more complex, but more accurate algorithms.

The Newton needs more memory - more heap memory, more system memory, and more 
flash memory for applications and Newton Books.  Because I prefer the form factor of the MP100, 
I donUt have the additional system memory of the MP110.  I suspect that the extra system memory 
goes a long way toward reducing the need for restarts which I continue to have.  But I still donUt 
understand why the heap and system memories canUt be increased by using memory located on a 
PCMCIA card.  In addition, if Intel can package 20 Megs of flash memory on a PCMCIA card 
(and is now providing the chips in a board-mountable package), Apple should be able to put some 
flash memory on the NewtonUs motherboardPsay 4 Megs worth.  This would go a long way 
toward solving all our memory problems. I also donUt know why Apple has a 4 Meg limitation on 
PCMCIA memory cards.  I use a 10 Meg card in my Newton and, with Integrated Computer 
SolutionsU NewtCase, havenUt had any problems - that I know of.

The Newton needs more power.  I know there are a lot of trade-offs when it comes to 
choosing batteries for portable electronics; such as size, weight, cost, memory effects, and 
availability.  IUm certain that the P.I.E. engineers have spent many hours agonizing over their 
decisions.  But I donUt like the increased weight and thickness caused by the move from AAA to 
AA-sized batteries in the MP110.  The lump caused by the MP110 under my coat begins to look 
suspiciously like a 9mm.

I wonder what the cost impact of using Lithium Ion batteries would be.  They are lighter, have 
more energy density than alkalines and are rechargeable.  It should still be possible to have both 
lithium packs for normal operation and standard alkalines for back-up.  That, to me, would be the 
best of both worlds.  The new Sony MZ-E2 Mini-Disc player uses a Lithium-Ion cell thatUs only a 
little larger than an AA cell but still provides 50% of the capacity of three AA alkaline cells.  The 
other advantage of Lithium cells is that they can be made in any form factor, to maximize power 
capacity to the space available, while not compromising the form factor.

The Newton needs more contrast.  The screen of the original MP and the MP100 is not quite 
good enough, because under certain lighting conditions, it becomes unreadable. The problem is 
that its contrast ratio is too low.  The screen of the MP110 is even worse as Apple has changed 
vendors.  I donUt know if there is a better LCD technology available or if back lighting is needed.  
If itUs the later, the power problem is made even worse.  As long as we are wishing, we might as 
well wish for a color Newton as well.

The Newton needs more shrinking.  The MP Classic (and MP100) are a little too wide for 
some inside coat pockets.  The reason is the stylus holder. Take it off and there is no problem.  
The MP110 got thicker, taller, and heavier while losing a little width.  Give me a Newton which is 
the thickness of the MP100 and the width of the MP110.  I can live with a little more length, but 
not the extra weight.

The built-in applications need up-dating to improve their utility.  The Dates function needs 
usable alarms.  I would also like to be able to glance at the Day View and see if something is 
scheduled through out the entire 24-hour day. Currently you must scroll through the dayUs 
schedule or bring up the weekly (or monthly) view to see if something is scheduled outside the 
eight hours currently displayed.  I would also like to see an indicator on the little monthly calendar 
when there is something scheduled for each day.  A period at the bottom of the date, left side for 
am and right side for pm meetings would be great.  These are features my Sharp Wizard had and I 
expect nothing less from Apple.

The ToDo function is too rudimentary to meet my needs.  Many of my to do items are like mini-
projects.  Even a simple RCall SamS needs a reminder of what you want to talk to Sam about, his 
phone number, and a history of the attempts you both have made to actually talk ear-to-ear, as it 
were.  IUd like to be able to collapse everything but RCall Sam 555-1234S so I can scan the ToDo 
list and reaffirm how overworked I am.  Again, Dyno NotePad has an excellent enhancement to the 
NewtonUs ToDo function.  The outline paradigm of collecting the data as sub-items (children in 
outline-speak) and collapsing it until it is needed works for me and it probably would for you too.

The Names functions lacks important capabilities.  Many times, I want to use a single 
Names entry for a couple or family and still capture everyoneUs names, birthdays and anniversary.  
For a business contact, I might like to note their secretaryUs name and number or some other 
personal data.  It seems to me that having different Card views is really a gratuitous feature.  
Instead, let us create and store customized Rall infoS forms we can select by tapping and eliminate 
the card views all together.

Finally, we get to the keyboard thing, as I promised.  The Newton needs a keyboard but not 
the way you might be thinking. IUm sure youUve noticed e-mail is at the top of my priority list and 
wondered how I was going to input lengthy responses, which are sometimes unavoidable.  I could 
wait until I get back to the office to respond on my Mac, but that defeats the purpose of e-mail in 
the first place.  Today, handwriting recognition technology simply is not good enough to replace a 
keyboard for lengthy text entry.  Letter Express by PenMagic offers one alternative approach to 
this problem.  Letter Express uses snippets to readily access blocks of text, along with Assist-like 
forms.  A short trial with the demo version was very promising.  I also noted in AppleUs 
TapWorks Press Release that it too offers the capability to create Rtext macrosS for frequently used 
phrases.  But ultimately, the snippet/macro approach will be limited to common activities and 
phrases. Regardless, I still want a keyboard for occasional use.

Picture a keyboard, almost full-sized, which folds up into a rugged little package you can 
throw into your suitcase without worrying.  Maybe it also has another PCMCIA slot, a modem, 
more memory, extra batteries or an AC adapter built-in.  If you could have one MessagePad-sized 
accessory to carry on trips, what features and functions would you want?  Let Apple know!  For 
that matter, let me know and IUll let Apple know.  LetUs run a survey and see what we all want in 
our Newton mini-Dock.  IUll compile the results and weUll publish them in a later issue of 
_protoReality and pass them on to Apple.  My e-mail addresses are:

KarensRick@aol.com or RickN@eworld.com 

To summarize, the current MessagePads are a great first start.  I love my Newton and couldnUt 
live without it.  It has become indispensable and almost runs my life.  I call it my brain and my 
wife says thatUs truer than I think.  However, this article is my attempt to ensure that Apple has a 
clear vision (thereUs that Vision Thing again) of how I want to use the Newton.  IUve tried to clearly 
describe my Newton needs.  IUve also given my well considered (in my humble opinion) thoughts 
about what Apple and other vendors need to do to meet those needs.  How about you?  What do 
you need?  Send me an e-mail describing them and again, IUll summarize the inputs for Apple.  In 
numbers lie strength.  Get me your input!


Jigsaw Strategy

-or-
 From Two Old Ideas A Brand New Game (and itUs FUN too!)

Ervino Cus

Creator and programmer: David Dunham
Programmer: Scott Shwarts
(C) Pensee Corporation
Publisher StarCore
Version: 1.0
Price: ??? (I dunno in the USA)

Once upon a time there was two very famous (at least here in Italy) games:  Reversi (or Otello, if 
you prefer) and the jigsaw puzzles (we spaghetti-men call them simply RpuzzleS).  They were 
different in nature and somewhat complementary: a strategy >aggressive< game the first and a 
(much) more quiet and relaxing kind the
second.  They lived quietly for years, barely (if at all) aware each other. Then, a good day (for us 
players) to upset this peaceful landscape come a creative game designer.

RHeyS - he said - Rwhy not take out of the shelves those dusty buddies and smash them in this 
little-bitty new hand-held, easy-to-program, black box (namely the Newt, off course!)?S  As he 
said, he did, with the addition, for more flavor, a pinch of Dominoes and a scent of GO. And then, 
suddenly POOF, JIGSAW STRATEGY was born!

Of course I donUt have the first idea if this was rely the way in which David Dunham created JS: 
itUs only, well, let me call it >fiction<.  The important fact is that David has done a really pleasant 
job, and that the game he created (and programmed with Scott Shwarts) is really fresh and amusing 
to play. LetUs take a look at it together.

JS is played on a 5x5 squares board.  The pieces are tiles shaped like jigsaw puzzle pieces--namely 
they have four sides that can be straight or with holes or pegs.  Besides this, each side of a tile is 
marked with a symbol that can be a triangle, a circle, a diamond or a square. The mechanism of the 
game is very simple.

Each turn, a player places a tile (chosen between five possibilities) on the board by dragging it with 
the pen to where he wants it to go.  Besides remembering them, the tiles must also fit each other 
like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle--Straight edges have to go on the edge of the board, and each 
new tile must interlock with the adjacent ones. The symbols donUt have to match to make a tile 
placeable, but is better if they do (see later).  The player can rotate a tile before moving it by 
tapping the tile.  If a player doesnUt have an interlocking tile, or if he doesnUt like the tiles he owns, 
he can discard and substitute all five tiles at once, but in doing this he loses a turn.  When a player 
places a tile with a symbol that matches an interlocking tile, he captures both tiles. Captured tiles 
change color and are added to the capturerUs score.

The interesting twist of the game is that, when a tile is captured, it too can capture any adjacent tiles 
with the same matching symbol.  This is called chaining. For example, suppose you capture a tile 
by matching triangle symbols.  If the captured tile has any other triangles on it that match adjacent 
tiles, those tiles are also captured.

You win the game by being the player that has more tiles of his color when the board is full. ThatUs 
All Folks!  Really simple mechanism, as you can see, but all the stuff for a quick but furious match 
against the Newton or an other human player.

The Newt isnUt a too challenging opponent (I beat it eight times on ten matches), but with an other 
human player the story can be, of course, totally different.

One nice feature of JS is that the board is laid down to be used by two players playing each in front 
of the other, without the necessity to turn the
Newton.  A feature instead that I wish to see introduced in an future version of the game is the 
possibility to modify the dimension of the board (7x7, 9x9 and so on).

I personally find the idea to use the Newton like a super-portable all-in-one game board very very 
good. At least you CANUt loose some pieces of your favorite game!  Who knows, maybe a day 
weUll see ourselves, old and at peace with the world, playing JS, chess and other games on 
newtonized game board in some quiet and
shaded park!

O tempora, o mores!  Four Newts on my personal scale.


Dyno NotePad

Rick Nickells

Somehow, I managed to finish Creative Writing courses in High School and College without 
becoming a user of outlining.  I even had an early copy of Think Tank, which was an outliner, for 
my Fat Mac, but just never got in the habit of using outlining.  Within the last year, however, IUve 
become an ardent outliner because of the built-in outliner in PowerPoint.  The company I work for 
could well be sub-titled RChartsarus.S We do much of our work in PowerPoint.  Using the built-in 
outliner is a great way to lay out a presentation, paper, or letter.  It is also an ideal application for 
the Newton, as it doesnUt include much text.  Most importantly, the Newton will be with you when 
that great idea strikes and your creative juices start gushing.

So when Dyno NotePad was announced, I immediately began to salivate.  Having lived with it for 
a few days, I think I can provide a reasonable overview of the product.  NotePad allows you to 
create outlines with up to eight levels.  You can promote, demote or move items by dragging.  You 
can collapse or expand the outline or individual items with a single tap.  NotePad provides a 
floating icon that is available to open NotePad, no matter what application you may be using, 
without having to open the Extras drawer.

You can create any number of outlines besides the two that are built-in.  NotePad provides a link to 
the Newton CalendarUs ToDo list, and allows you to add sub-levels to organize a project or track 
your progress on each item.  Since one of my early criticisms of the NewtonUs ToDo function was 
the inability to link each item to a Note, I found this feature to be particularly appealing.  There is 
also a Done list that to collect ToDos that are completed.  According to the manual, which is a 
typical StarCore mini-manual, items that are checked AND have no sub-items are moved to the 
Done list twenty-four hours after the last modification to the item.  It just doesnUt work that way.  
As far as I can tell, the rules are applied randomly, as I have had unchecked items mysteriously 
move to the Done list without any human intervention.  I wish that they really were completed!  I 
donUt know why they donUt simply move checked items each time you open the ToDo list.  

Unfortunately, this is the first of a fatal series of flaws.  NotePad is glacially slow.  I donUt know if 
thatUs because the Newton is slow, which it is, or if PortfolioUs script is subPoptimal.  The 
deadliest flaw is that NotePad loses outlines.  I was working on another article for NANUG and 
the outline just disappeared.  I was not a happy camper!  On the Net, Dyno NotePad is also known 
as DynoDud.  Rarely have I seen such flawed software.  I do not understand how Apple/StarCore 
could allow a product with such major flaws into the market.  You wonder if they do any testing at 
all.  Yes, certain people complained about the Newton, but it worked and didnUt lose your data.  I 
had such high hopes for NotePad that it really makes me angry that itUs not usable.

The good news is that Portfolio is hard at work fixing NotePad.  The latest from Apple is that they 
expect the next release toward the end of June.  I hope they also fix what I see as a major 
omissionPthe inability to import or export outlines-Pyou can only print outlines, which I was unable 
to test.  You are also supposed to be able to fax outlines, but Apple and I couldnUt get that feature 
to work either.

For me, being able to export to MicrosoftUs PowerPoint or Word would be absolute heaven.  
Another useful feature would access to frequently used telephone numbers.  A large percentage of 
my ToDos is to Call somebody.  I would like to write RcallS and tap a button that showed the ten or 
fifteen most frequently called people AND then only have to tap their name and have their name 
and telephone number appear on the ToDo list.  IUve looked at other alternatives such as list 
managers, but they donUt feel right to me.  In the meantime, I will be waiting with fingers and toes 
crossed hoping that Portfolio gets it right this time.  I really do like the product.  I just wish it 
worked properly.

See-through MessagePads

Steve Sande

Apple always does their best to keep developers happy at the annual WorldWide Developer 
Conference, so it isnUt unusual to see special t-shirts, giveaways of new software development 
tools, etc.  At the last conference, however, there was a RspecialS at the 1994 WWDC (May 16-20 
in San Jose, CA) that really caught the attention of the Newt-heads in attendance.

Eager to supply developers with one more reason to start developing for the Newton platform, 
Apple sold special WWDC RCommemorative EditionS MessagePad 110s at the conference for 
$499.  Not only was the price great, but the MessagePads were made of clear plastic, not unlike 
the RVisible HumanS model kits that were such a hit back with morbid teenagers back in the sixties!  
Being a hard-core Newt-geek, I just HAD to have one of these see-through Newts.  Word has it 
that there were about 275 of the special MessagePads made for sale at WWDC.

Some interesting items you can see through the case -- a date-of-manufacture grid that is just under 
the Names icon and just left of the Apple logo. There is another one of these just above the battery 
door.  Both have the numbers 93 through 98 at the top, and 1 through 12 down below.  Does this 
mean that they'll be manufacturing the MP110 through December of 1998?  Probably not...  The 
clear plastic collapsible stylus is rather nifty as well, but when you see how it is held into the 
MP110 case by a notched plastic ring, you wonder how long it will take before the ring wears out 
and the pen refuses to stay put.

You can see a lot of discrete components and a few chips, but the ARM processor appears to be 
hidden between the LCD screen and the PCMCIA slot.  It is also interesting to see how many 
wires and flexible connectors snake their way around the innards of a MessagePad! 

Apparently, the IR beaming window doesnUt need that red-tinted plastic you see on the regular 
MessagePads, since the window on this device is clear as well.  What you DO see is that the 
beaming LEDs and detectors are mounted on the main circuit board pointing up (towards you, as 
you use the Newton).  There is a tiny mirror mounted at a 45 degree angle that reflects the outgoing 
and incoming beams and sends them out the window.

A short chat with one of the APDA folks at WWDC noted that the clear pads were Rselling like 
hotcakesS.  Who knows?  Maybe between the lure of a see-through Newt and the special APDA 
was having on the Newton Toolkit, weUll really start to see a big increase in the number of killer 
Newton apps coming to market.


New Newton Mail Modules

Mark Underwood

One of the main reasons I bought my Newt was for communications.  Early on, I became a beta-
tester for NewtonMail, and I found the idea of getting all my mail wherever I went a reality.  I 
began to set up my other services to automatically forward mail to my Newt--and immediately 
found a few problems.

For one thing, there was a limit to the size of a message--about 16K--which meant only a few 
RpagesS of text.  If youUve received forwarded mail or mail from the InterNet, you know a lot of 
that message can be the header, which traces the path of the message from the sender to the 
recipient.  And forget attachments.  Then once you got a message, you couldnUt take the message 
and do much with it.  If you wanted the text in your NotePad, you had to cut/copy/paste it--which 
was a must if you wanted to print the mail!  You could reply to the item, but it was a clumsy 
process.

There were some obvious gaps in the interface as well.  For example, there was no way to mail a 
single note to multiple names unless you went to the trouble of addressing each one over and over.  
I wrote a quick little app, RBulk MailS, that got around this by faking the Out Box that you had 
done exactly that--and it enabled me to run NANUG from my Newt for awhile before I reached the 
point that my 1 Mb card was full of names.

Apple release earlier in the year a set of changes to the basic mail interface, and after a few bugs, 
theyUve released version 1.0 officially to the Newton Community.  HereUs what it adds:

% The ability to mail multiple items to a single recipient

% The ability to mail a single item to multiple recipients

% You can now print, fax, or save a message to the NotePad -- i.e., the regular RroutingS slip is 
available when you view a message

% The size limit of a message has been increased to just about the available internal memory

% You can save the details of the senderUs address information into your Names soup

% When you reply to a message, the original text is placed at the bottom, as is in the RnormalS 
mailer convention

% You can mail Newton applications from Macs/PCs/InterNet as attachments (as long as they arenUt 
compressed), and when they show up in your In Box, youUll see an RInstallS button!

With the full package, you get a Rread meS file that gives you the details of installing the new 
modules.  The only trick is that the RNewtonMail Extension 1.1S must be installed in the internal 
store--not on the card.  The other modules, which add the group/many features and the new 
routing options, can be installed either on the card or internally.  These modules donUt show up in 
the Extras drawer, so they donUt take up icon space--but they will be listed when you select 
RRemoveS.

These modules, which are an essential if you do much with NewtonMail (or eWorld, as your 
NewtMail account is also an eWorld account, and can fetch your eWorld mail), make the Newton a 
more robust mail station than just the plain, built-in mail.  The module package is available on 
AOL, eWorld, AppleLink, CompuServe, and the other usual sites.  Be sure to get it right away!

The Real World


Every month, weUll hear from members who are doing day-to-day things with their Newton.


I am a Pediatrician in a small town and rely heavily on my Newton.  I keep my telephone messages 
on my Newton to document my telephone advice to the patient.  I keep all important phone 
numbers and keep track of my Contacts.  I use Hippocrates in conjunction with MediMac software 
from Health Care Communications.  We have used MediMac for 2 1/2 years, for our accounting 
and billing as well as scheduling appointments.  

With Hippocrates I can now download all of my appointments onto the newt and make notes on 
each patient.  I can upload these back onto my Macintosh at the end of the day.

All I need now is an electronic drug reference as complete as the PDR!

Larry Ganz, MD
Kanyon Kids Pediatrics
Canon City, Colorado



Tips, Hints, and Secrets

NANUG Members


From Todd Wilson:

Be aggressive with training your Newton to recognize your handwriting.  If you find that the Newt 
fairly consistently misinterprets one word for another because of one character (RfSable instead of 
RtSable), go to Prefs->Letter Styles and see if you have styles for writing RfS and RtS set similarly.  
If you do, and if you have more than one way of recognizing RtS or RfS set as RSometimes", try 
setting one way of writing RtS (or Rf", whichever you prefer) to RRarely".  For example, I have 
found that, even though I sometimes write the 12th RfS (left to right, top to bottom, cursive and 
print activated), I write the 6th RfS more often.  And, I find that I write all styles of the Rt", 
including the 9th, which is very similar to the 12th RfS.  So I have kept all RtS settings as ROftenS 
and set the 12th RfS to RRarelyS.  My RtSs and RfSs are now better differentiated by the Newt.

From Bill Kearney:

Tips for Successful Inspecting

Keep this in the header of you Inspector file:

printDepth:=0;

breakOnThrows:=true;
breakOnThrows:=nil;
exitBreakLoop();
stackTrace();
getSelfFromStack(2);
self;

When an exception occurs, go to the Inspector and move the cursor to the breakOnThrows:=true; 
line and then hit enter.  Repeat the action until the exception is thrown again.  Then move to the 
breakOnThrows:=nil; line and hit enter again.  Now, move to the StackTrace() line. Quickly hit a 
Enter and the End key.  This will send the command and move you the end of the text.  This will 
cause the Inspector to begin listing at the end of the document and this is usually a bit easier than 
trying to decipher it all in the middle of past Inspector results.

You'll have to clean up the header after these steps, but itUs a lot easier than retyping the commands 
all the time.  Of course, you could also use QuicKeys for this stuff as well.

For everyone thatUs seen my RI HATE PRINTDEPTHS thread on comp.sys.newton.programmer, 
you know what I mean, but for everyone else, hereUs another tip.  Be sure to set printDepth to 0.  
It keeps the printing of frames to a minimum.  There are occasions to need it, but they're rare.

If you're going to do something that might involve the Newton returning the contents of GetRoot() 
here a way to prevent it.  Simply add a nil; to the line before you hit Enter.

HereUs and example, try this first:

GetRoot().a:="this is a test";	[enter]
 ....the root....
RemoveSlot(GetRoot, 'a);	[enter]
 ....the root....

Now add the nil; after each line:

GetRoot().a:="this is a test"; nil;	[enter]
#2       NIL
RemoveSlot(GetRoot, 'a);  nil; 	[enter]
#2       NIL

THATUs more like it.  I rarely want to see the results of the GetRoot() work and when the 
Inspector spews forth all that text, it wastes a lot of time.  Now take care that adding this nil; 
returns a useless value.  If you need to see the actual results of a command, donUt add the nil;.


If you do something to a frame, many times the frame is passed back to you as the result.

An example is, GetRoot().  You type it and it returns the root frame.

LetUs say you're hacking about and you want to do something to GetRoot() like RemoveSlot().

YouUd do this to get rid of some Inspector-assigned variables.  ThatUs to say, if you did something 
like a=getroot().|yourApp|.someView;  youUd want to clean up a by removing to from GetRoot().

So, you type

RemoveSlot(getRoot(),'a);

And the Newton merrily spews back getRoot() LESS the a slot.  And you wait for it all to scroll 
by..

HereUs the tip, instead of just typing:

RemoveSlot(getRoot(),'a);

Type this:

RemoveSlot(getRoot(),'a); nil;

Then instead of just tapping Enter on the RemoveSlot... line, select them BOTH and hit Enter.

This will just spew back the nil.

This, coupled with printdepth:=0;, saves me a bunch of frustration waiting for the Inspector to 
scroll all that text.

ThatUs it! 


From Steven Nygard:

I did not discover this feature, it was shown to me by one of the Apple Newton programmers.

In the notepad write:

call Steven Nygard 623 8077
(or any name that IS NOT in your Names currently)

then tap Assist and when the dialog comes up for dialing, tap on Call.

After the call is placed you will be prompted if you want to add that name to your Names File.

Also, any upgraded MP Classic or 1.3 ROM MP should dial the phone better.  The original touch 
tones were bad samples and are now 'clearer' in the new ROMs.


From Steve Sande:

HereUs a tip for Newt-heads who want to get wireless, but donUt want to wait for new and 
expensive cellular modems to finally appear on the market.  Looking for a way to use the fax and 
E-mail capabilities of my Newton from a pay phone, I recently purchased a Konexx acoustical 
coupler kit ($149 mail order). Not only did the kit provide me with a handy way of keeping in 
touch from just about any phone in the world, but I found an extra added benefit-I could use my 
Newton and cellular phone to send Newton Mail from all those places without pay phones!  

The coupler is adjustable end can be made to fit almost any cellular phone. There are a few tips to 
follow to assure a reliable connection while using this low cost Newton cellular capability:

1) Be sure that your phone and Newton are stationary and that you are receiving a good strong 
signal before you attempt a connection.

2) When sending a fax over the cellular connection, be sure to specify manual dialing. Enter the 
phone number into your cell phone, attach the coupler to the RJ-11 jack on your modem, seat the 
coupler onto the phone, and then press the Send button on the phone. When you begin to hear the 
warbling fax carrier tone, tell your Newton to begin sending the fax. Be sure to press the End 
button on your phone when the transmission is completed to avoid running up a huge bill with 
your cellular service provider.

3) Newton Mail has no built-in facility for manual dialing, but there is a way to get around this 
limitation. Simply enter R1S as the Newton Mail access number, then tell the Newt you wonUt 
require a dial tone. Now enter the access phone number into the cellular phone, and attach the 
coupler to the phone and modem. Bring up the Out Box at this point and send the mail document. 
Once you hear the modem beep once to signify that it is dialing the local Newton Mail access 
number, press the Send button on your cellular phone to actually dial the number. The modem 
should then connect, send your queued mail, and pick up any messages that have been mailed to 
you.

if you have a Newton, a modem, and a cellular phone already, you owe it to yourself to buy the 
Konexx kit and get into the wireless world today. You can reach Unlimited Systems, makers of the 
Konexx kit, at 619-622-1400 (voice) or 619-550-7330 (fax). Their address is 8586 Miramar 
Place, San Diego, CA 92121. APS Technologies also sells the Konexx kit for $149. 


From Mervin Miller:

To everyone traveling with a Newton, a comment on airport X-ray machines.

I work at a commercial nuclear power plant.  We have the same x-ray equipment set at the same 
intensities as US airports.

My Newton 110 has been zapped five days a week since late March. It is usually turned on to an 
electronic ink scrawl saying Rgood morning security".

Early on I called Apple to ask about radiation effects.  I was told that strong magnetic fields, such 
as the X-ray tube uses to focus the electron beam pose a greater danger than the X-rays.

My experience supports this statement. My Newt is running strong.  The 2MB flash card shows 
no ill effects. And the dose my Newt has taken would match passing through 40 airports. Even for 
the Frequent Flyer this is the better part of a yearUs traveling.  So take heart, the NewtUs one tough 
companion.

p.s. - donUt be surprised if you need to hit the reset button after a strong lightning storm. Out of 4 
recent storms one strike was within 2 blocks. And my Newt was pretty groggy.



Below is the pin-out to convert a Macintosh standard modem serial cable to a PC serial cable.  This 
will allow you to connect a Newton to a PC via the Newton serial port and the PC serial port in the 
back of the box.  It will support Connection Kit for the PC.  It will support Typematica from the 
Figgles Utilities.

The DB9 and DB25 connectors are available at Radio Shack and any other radio supply store.  The 
cable, (if you donUt have one already) is available at most computer stores (I got mine at Best Buy).  
Make sure you connect the shield braid of the cable to the metal bodies of both plugs.

This adapter was concocted by myself by taking ohm readings on an Apple-supplied serial cable 
which came with the PC Connection Kit.  I have been using this adapter/cable arrangement for 2 
months without problems.


	DB9		DB25
	1		4
	2 		2
	3		3
	4		7
	5		5
	6		20
	body		body



A tip for those using a PC and Typematica to download to their Newt:

On the PC open a finished document and ALT-TAB open your communications application.  Jump 
back to the document, SELECT ALL and COPY.  Jump to the comm app and perform a PASTE.  
Nothing will appear on your PC monitor, but the text will, herky-jerky, appear on your Newt.  

Have your TEXT TRANSFER setting at 1 character at a time with a 1/10 second delay (usually the 
shortest time delay the app will allow)  Use a generic modem setting.

You will get some interesting RgremlinS characters if you transfer anything other than a PC *.txt 
file.

If some stealth-ninja programmer out there is looking for a BIG challenge, figure out an app that 
lets us convert text into a NewtonBook without having the Development Kit AND that will run on 
a PC.


The Sharper Knife

Elaine Barrett

This monthUs guest editorial is from Dave Saitta, fellow RlocalS member.

I believe that Apple has a wonderful technology that is poorly marketed.  The Newton has been 
positioned to people in the consumer market, not the vertical and corporate market.  The business 
market is traditionally the early adopter of technology.  Also, the Newton can create a tremendous 
cost/benefit analysis for corporations.  For the past year, PDA Dimensions has completed custom 
program development for the corporations looking to save money to time, or to generate money 
because they are now in a competitive position.

Apple introduced a new paradigm, but made a classical error.  In order for new paradigms to be 
accepted, one must bridge the new concept with something that they are familiar with.  14,000 
people in this country each day purchase cellular phone.  If the cellular phone was integrated into 
the Newton, then people would understand more clearly that this new device will assist their 
efforts to be more productive.  With a commission buy down, (everywhere except California), the 
extra cost for the consumer is negligible.  All of a sudden, not only can you talk into the Newton, 
there is two-way wireless data communication.

I believe in Newton, and the concept of PDAs.  I want the technology to succeed.  That is why I 
feel compelled to write this editorial.   

- Dave Saitta 


InBox

Our first official letter finally arrived!  Not quite the warm, heaping, glowing missive of praise IUd 
half-expected, though.  ;-)

Folks -

As the creator of Mystery Capers, I must say that your review in the May 3rd issue of 
_protoReality is so thoroughly filled with errors and erroneous statements that I am forced to re-
think my overall favorable impression of your newsletter.

First, your reviewer never actually used the product he so glibly reviewed - his comments were 
based solely on a look at the Demo version.  Not surprisingly, most of his errors reflect his lack of 
understanding of the product itself.  For example, he complains that the puzzles are Rlame and 
simplistic".  Did he ever stop to think that the examples in the Demo were intended to be on the 
easy side so as to demonstrate, without benefit of a manual, how the game works?  He states that 
the sound effects were Rincredibly annoying", yet there is a preferences option in the actual game 
which turns off the sound effects completely!

Although he rants and raves that Mystery Capers RdoesnUt save the state in which you left the 
gameS (I think Rrant and raveS is almost an understatement here - RListen up, Newton 
Developers!", RSave Your State!", etc.), in fact Mystery Capers DOES keep track of your 
preferences and indicates which of the 40 mysteries you have played, finished, and solved. 
Although each of the mysteries must be played from scratch, they are all bite-sized (by design); 
starting over canUt possibly take more than a minute or two, and in the process more information 
might be gleaned from the clues.

He claims that the machine re-booted frequently during play, although he fails to point out that the 
real game, coming on a 2MB card, will rarely, if ever, experience the same behavior (How could 
he know? He never tried it.)

What you have done here is the equivalent of publishing a movie review based only upon seeing 
the trailer.  ItUs not fair to us or your readers.

Regards,

Marc Blank
Blank, Berlyn & Co.

p.s. As an aside, we would have been happy to send a copy of the actual game, if anyone had 
taken the time to ask. 

I passed this along to Erica Sadun, who had performed the product review (yes, the RheS 
mentioned in Mr. BanksU letter was indeed Erica), with some reservations on publishing the letter, 
since it was a little strong.  WeUre a user-centric group, not some professional technical magazine, 
and so the authors who submit materials for publication are surely entitled to their opinions, no 
matter whether theyUre good or bad, under the First Amendment (as well as common sense).  User 
Groups exist because people want to exchange ideas about different things, and this dialog is 
always more honest than a vendor or corporate sponsored event, since people are allowed to be, 
well, people, and not some sort of marketing or employee statistic.

Erica wrote back to me:

Mark:

Please print their letter.  They deserve the option to respond to what they perceive is an erroneous 
or unfair review.

But--you may wish to mention the heaps of good press they got from my previous columns in 
which I had first heard of the game and was especially eager to review it.

However, 1. I stand by the review.  2. I made sure to review it on a  new-booted completely empty 
2MBy card.  3. I stick to the comments about the sounds, etc.  They are really annoying, even if 
they *can* be turned off. and with regards to the stuff about state, I will state 4. that it is *vital* to 
save your state. Each mystery may be solvable in 5-20 minutes but one may have to answer phone 
calls, take down messages or otherwise interact with the newton in-between those times.  I 
*fervently* believe that saving the state of the puzzle between successive openings will make the 
game far more playable. 

I would be happy to run the game through a few, more formal, sessions in our usability lab here if 
you feel the need to defend our stance.

Finally, IUm surprised about the Rwrite for a copyS thing.  Do you think that companies will 
respond to that?  IUm not sure how big a readership we have on our user group and IUve never tried 
this.

IUm going to try to cc a copy of this letter over to them, so they know whatUs happening over on 
this side.

Later,

Erica


ItUs definitely our policy, as Erica so aptly states, to let people express their views, no matter what.  
IUd like to add that I personally invite, as the President of the group, any commentary you might 
have, either as a letter or a full-blown article.  NANUG can only continue to exist as long as its 
members and readers remain interested in making a difference.



Want-Ads, Classified, and Cork Board


-%-


Our previous memory management utility, HeapIt, introduced MP  Classic users to a new way to 
free up more of their heap space.  They  could install more packages, use more applications, and 
even back up  their MessagePads when they couldnUt before.

ICS is proud to announce NewtCase, our latest memory management  utility for the Newton.  
NewtCase lets any MessagePad (Classic, MP100,  MP110) user archive his/her Newton 
applications to reduce heap memory  requirements, alleviate conflicts between applications, and 
clean up  his/her Extras drawer.  Archived (or RNewtCased") applications do not  show up in the 
Extras drawer, but can be reinstalled at any time using  NewtCase.

With NewtCase, you can temporarily deinstall applications without  having to remove them from 
your MessagePad.  You could even keep a  hundred applications on your 4 Meg card without 
overflowing your heap  space or Extras drawer.

NewtCase will be available by June 1st on CompuServe (GO NEWTON), America OnLine (GO 
PDA), the comp.binaries.newton newsgroup, and the major Newton ftp sites.  If you cannot locate 
a copy, you can have one e-mailed to you.  Send all requests to ics@indirect.com. 

-Tom Collins and Dan Rowley
Innovative Computer Solutions 
Makers of SleepAid, HeapIt, and NewtCase 


-%-


The latest update of my FAQ is available.

IUm afraid there wonUt be a NewtonBook version in the near future, the NTK is way too expensive 
for me. But if somebody wantUs to do the conversion itUs fine by me....with thanks !

Here is the ToC of the FAQ:

1 Table of contents.
2 Version history of this list (whatUs new in version 2.5).
3 Should I buy a MP ? (pros & cons of the Newton MP).
4 Where can I find Newton software and information ?
   4.1 ftp site: Newton.uiowa.edu
   4.2 NANUG, AMUG.
   4.3 Other ftp sites.
   4.4 Using Gopher.
   4.5 Apple helplines.
   4.6 Usenet groups.
5 Major Newton Bugs & Problems.
   5.1 I have installed a lot of packages but I canUt see some of them in the RExtrasS drawer. How 
can I use them ?
   5.2 RThe application does not have enough memory...S error messages.
   5.3 Synchronization with the Newton Connection Kit 1.0 (Mac).
   5.4 Everything the MP has learned about your handwriting may be lost.
   5.5 Unreliable alarms.
   5.6 Slow flash cards.
   5.7 CanUt back-up to my PCMCIA Card (error -48016).
   5.8 Security issue (password).
   5.9 Dialing from the MP speaker.
   5.10 Bug in Repeat Meetings.
   5.11 Shareware-caused problems: soups.
   5.12 Schedule reminders after reset ?
   5.13 Printing a note longer than one (printer) page
   5.14 Clipboard problems.
6 Minor problems
   6.1 My MP wonUt let me remove the PCMCIA card.
   6.2 Accessing RStyles".
   6.3 User dictionary.
   6.4 Moving packages from the internal memory to a PCMCIA card.
   6.5 Deleting ToDo items.
   6.6 Calendar notes & RDelete meetings older than".
   6.7 Note separator ReatingS previous note.
   6.8 Note separator double trouble.
   6.9 Non cumulative styles.
   6.10 Names overview.
   6.11 Birthday (in Names).
   6.12 Erasing one occurrence of a repeating event.
   6.13 Empty notes donUt automatically update the date stamp.
   6.14 Moving the keyboard.
   6.15 Add 'xxxx' to word list.
   6.16 Overlapping packages names.
   6.17 More calendar bugs.
   6.18 Black line in the upper left corner of Dates.
   6.19 French Canada numbers.
   6.20 Out Box out of memory.
   6.21 Undo-ing a Rdelete".
7 Wish list.
   7.1 Calendar.
   7.2 Filing calendar items or ToDo items.
   7.3 Note scrolling.
   7.4 Loading long text files and pictures.
   7.5 Abbreviations recognition.
   7.6 A better Assist 'Remember'.
   7.7 Keyboard input in Names.
   7.8 Digital ink.
   7.9 MP permanent buttons design.
   7.10 Guide-lines on a blank screen.
8 Technical information.
   8.1 OMP / MP100 / MP110.
   8.2 Details on OMP -> MP 100 Upgrade (in the US).
   8.3 Details on OMP -> MP 100 Upgrade (in the UK).
   8.4 RAssist", the Official Newton User Group in the UK.
   8.5 Newton Connection Kit 2.0.
   8.6 Newton Solution Packs.
   8.7 Newton ToolKit in the UK.
9 Various FAQs.
   9.1 Can I add a new time zone and city ?
   9.2 Can I add countries to the popup list in the Names file.
   9.3 Connection Kit 1.0 for the Macintosh: Hardware limitations.
   9.4 How can I move items from card to internal memory ?
   9.5 NiCd batteries.
   9.6 PCMCIA cards: Flash vs. Static RAM.
   9.7 Modem questions.
   9.8 Cleaning the MP screen.
   9.9 MP transport.
   9.10 Software showing screen irregularities on MP110.
   9.11 I canUt fax notes from a PCMCIA card using a PCMCIA fax/modem, can I ?
   9.12 Can the MP be used as a remote control ?
   9.13 MP110 <-> OMP IR beaming.
   9.14 Black line in the upper left corner of Dates.
   9.15 Upgrade OMP or buy MP110 ?
10 Tips.
   10.1 Automatic power shutdown.
   10.2 Shareware problems.
   10.3 Backup to PCMCIA card.
   10.4 Preserving your MP screen.
   10.5 Undo -> Redo.
   10.6 Drawings.
   10.7 Access to last 4 Newton RmessagesS.
11 Unsolved questions: anybody have a suggestion?
   11.1 Impact of TlocaleU on recognition.
12 Easter eggs.
   12.1 Find Elvis.
   12.2 About Newton.
   12.3 Graceland.
   12.4 Thermometer.
   12.5 Serial debugger.
   12.6 July 20, 1969.
   12.7 Happy Hour Fri.
   12.8 IconDeux / IconDrei.
   12.9 Moon phases.
13 A quick Best Newton Software Guide.
14 Not checked yet ...
15 Software: Applications.
16 Software: Newton Books.
17 Software: Games.
18 Software: Utilities.
19 One word about supporting shareware.

Remember that IUm not NewtGuru, there are probably some (if not many) mistakes in my FAQ.

Hope it will still be useful.

----------------------------
Jean-Christophe BOUSSON
j.bousson@ic.ac.uk
----------------------------


-%-


QuickFigure Pro (Version 2.0) is available now! New features include scrolling, resizable 
columns, import/export, graphing and charting, and various other things.  (For a review of 
QuickFigure, please see the April 94 issue - Ed.)

Discount for NANUG members:

The retail price of QuickFigure Pro is $39, plus $3 shipping and handling for US/Canada ($7 s&h 
elsewhere).  PelicanWare, Inc. is offering QuickFigure Pro to NANUG members for $30, plus the 
standard shipping & handling (still $3 US/Canada, $7 elsewhere), a $9 savings!

Please contact PelicanWare for more information and ordering.


-%-


Newtonware BBS
708 259 1618

Currently we have only one line (14,400), and it is up from 5:30pm-8.00am Monday-Friday, and 
24 Hours Saturday and Sunday.  If we get a bigger user base I will make it available 24 hours a 
day and add 2 more lines.

Stay in touch!
Regards,
Steve Morris

E-mail:  SteveM1043@eworld.com


-%-


Clear Lake Research has recently introduced ChessPad for the Newton.  ChessPad is a 
combination of a digital chess book and a portable chess set.  It contains 28 chess games chosen 
carefully from over 100 years of chess history to be the most exciting, instructive, and the easiest 
to understand and appreciate.  The collection of games includes at least one game from each world 
champion since the world championship was established in 1886.  Each game is annotated in detail 
so that beginning as well as advanced chess players can learn from them and appreciate their 
brilliance.  ChessPad also includes 100 chess problems ranging in difficulty from problems a 
novice can solve to those that would challenge an experienced tournament player.

Reading a chess book normally involves setting up a chessboard and playing over games.  When 
variations of possible move sequences given in the book are too hard to visualize in your head, you 
have to play them out on the board.  To continue with the game you then have to reset the board to 
the game position.  This is very inconvenient. With ChessPad, you can play over alternative 
variations by moving the pieces on the Newton.  With a single tap, the game position can be 
restored and the game continued.

When used as a portable chess set, ChessPad allows you to play another person.  Naturally you 
can save games and take back moves.  ChessPad also contains a built-in chess clock so you can 
play speed chess on your Newton.  Best of all, the pieces are guaranteed not to fall off the board!

Demo versions of ChessPad are available on America OnLine and CompuServe. 

SPECIAL OFFER:  Members of Newton user groups who mention this special offer can order 
ChessPad for $35 which is 50% off the suggested retail price of $69.95 (and still well below our 
introductory offer of $59.95). 

To order or for further information contact us at:

Clear Lake Research
2476 Bolsover, Suite 343
Houston, TX  77005

(713) 242-3494
DavidL62@AOL.COM

We take MasterCard and Visa.  Orders through email, by phone, or US mail are welcome.

Thanks,
David Lane 

-%-

New Pricing Options on 
RThe Chemistry Set 1.0"

Highlands Ranch, Colorado -- June 9, 1994 -- SanSoft today announced a reduction in the retail 
price for RThe Chemistry Set 1.0,S its first commercial Newton product.  The Chemistry Set digital 
books provide an extensive reference library of hazardous material and general chemical 
information.  Originally shipped at $99.95, SanSoft is now offering the complete set of Chemistry 
Set applications for $49.95.

RAfter our initial success with The Chemistry Set in the higher education and emergency response 
markets, we felt that we needed to reach the business and consultant markets as wellS, noted Steve 
Sande, SanSoft President.  RDiscussions with the initial purchasers indicated that the package did 
indeed meet their requirements, but that the price was a barrier to entry for some buyers.S

RWeUve met that challenge by offering the package at a new low price point, as well as by offering 
individual components of The Chemistry Set for purchaseS, said Sande.  RBuyers may now 
purchase those digital reference books with the most utility in their line of work.S

Designed for use by a varied market -- chemists, engineers, hazardous materials workers, 
students, and fire and emergency response workers -- The Chemistry Set uses the pocket-sized 
portability and RISC power of the Apple Newton MessagePad to put thousands of pages of 
information in the hands of these individuals.

The Chemistry Set consists of five modules:

* Periodic Table of the Elements: A listing of the elements, complete with Name, Atomic Number, 
Atomic Symbol, Atomic Weight, Electron Configuration, Melting Point, Boiling Point, Specific 
Gravity, Year Discovered. Root of Name, and Oxidation States.  Package size is 55K on the 
Newton, and purchase price for this individual reference is $4.95

* Chemical Critical Properties Reference: Consists of Name, Chemical Formula, Freezing 
Temperature , Boiling Temperature, Critical Temperature, Critical Pressure, Critical Volume, 
Critical Compressibility Factor, and Acentric Factor for each of 699 organic compounds.  Package 
size is 274K on the Newton, and purchase price for this individual reference is $9.95

* DOT Guide Materials for Hazardous Substances: This digital book contains 66 of the DOT 
guides which correspond to the Hazmat module.  For each of the Guides, data on Fire or 
Explosion Hazards, Health Hazards, Emergency Actions, Fire (firefighting tips, suppressants to 
use, etc.), Spills or Leaks (what actions to take during a spill) and First Aid ( how to treat victims 
of exposure to a hazardous substance) is included in detail.  Package size is 239K on the Newton, 
and purchase price for this individual reference is $9.95

* Hazmat - A Listing of 2,636 Hazardous Materials by UN Number: Each of the materials listed 
includes a reference to the DOT Guide for additional information on how to respond to a 
Hazardous Materials incident.  For a number of the materials, evacuation distances are detailed and 
diagrammed on a pop-up map.  Package size is 465K on the Newton, and purchase price for this 
individual reference is $24.95

* Extremely Hazardous Substances Reference: Provides an electronic reference to all of the 406 
substances named in the Community Right to Know Act of 1986.  For each material, the substance 
name, official Chemical Abstracts name, CAS number, Merck number, RCRA, RTECS number, 
UN number, reportable and threshold planning quantities, and synonyms and trade names are 
provided.  Package size is 268K on the Newton, and purchase price for this individual reference is 
$9.95

Pricing for the complete package: $49.95 (includes postage and handling).  Please specify 
Macintosh or Windows disk.  Check or money order drawn on a US bank required for payment.  
Dealer and site licensing available.

Availability:
Available now direct from SanSoft.

System Requirements: 
Apple Newton MessagePad, MessagePad 100, MessagePad 110 or Sharp ExpertPad, 2MB or 
4MB Flash RAM card (for the complete package of five references), Newton Connection Kit (for 
Macintosh or Windows, including connection cable).

For More Information: 
For quickest response, contact SanSoft at one of the E-mail addresses listed above.

Company Background:
Sande Software Systems (SanSoft), headquartered in Highlands Ranch, Colorado., develops, 
publishes, markets and distributes useful content-based software products exclusively for Newton 
technology devices.

Newton, MessagePad and the Newton Connection Kit are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. 
ExpertPad is a trademark of Sharp Corporation. Windows is a trademark of Microsoft 
Corporation.

SanSoft
Steven P. Sande
President
892 E. Quail Pl.
Highlands Ranch, CO 80126-2137
(303) 947-6406
InterNet: ssande@csn.org
NewtonMail/eWorld: SanSoftUSA
AppleLink: SANSOFT

-%-


Would you like to post an ad or other Newton-related classified item in _protoReality?  If so, 
please send your ad copy, via e-mail, to:

marku@aix3.ema.com

with a subject of RNANUG AdsS.  Items will be carried in the current monthUs issue is received 
before the 15th of the month, otherwise it will be in the following monthUs issue.  NANUG 
reserves the right to refuse publication if the content is deemed unsuitable for our audience.

Currently, there is no fee to list an item.  Please limit the size of your text to no more than two 
Newton Book Reader sized RpagesS (about a single typed page).  If you want to include graphics, 
they should be no larger than 3Sx 4S (8 x 10 cm).


NANUG Member Bios


Mervin Miller

Am a graduate of Hyman RickoverUs school of hard knocks, and rode submarines in defense of 
my Country.  No one told me the Country would change.  Too bad. Now I work for a nuclear-
based Midwest Utility out of Chicago (enough hints?) at a plant on the Mississippi river.  ItUs fun 
watching your livelihood slowly erode into nothing due to over-regulation by bureaucrats at the 
direction of a public with less of an education level every year.  Too much belly-aching?

IUm also a sometime artist working with sandblasted glass and mirror, and have recently been 
experimenting with bending Corian, the DuPont countertop material.  Makes wonderful jewelry 
boxes.  Of course IUm smack dab in the middle of antique country, so I canUt sell much.  Anyone 
want scrimshaw (whalers art) on Corian, give me a call.

Other than that IUm living the American dream; stuck in the Heartland, in debt to the second 
generation, and greying away.

IUm using my Newt 110 to track over 200 individual items for Management action due to an 
inspection of Umy' plant by the NRC.  Upper Management is kind of conservative around here (we 
still use a mainframe system from circa 1970).  PCUs just made into the work place about 4 years 
ago.  And I felt the need for a machine to challenge the egos of the 'old men' around here.  I can 
build reports fast, and IUm portable.

Recently IUve been experimenting with cc:Mail thru InterNet to NewtonMail, and back.  Works 
great.  All of the nuclear industry needs this technology when making presentations to the NRC in 
Washington, D.C. (read 'far from home').  So sometime in the next decade the company may 
supply Newtons to the top boys, only.

Hope I didnUt bum anyone out too much.  But reality can suck.

Rolf Jeger

I live in Switzerland, at the lake of Zurich. One reason for joining NANUG: I bought my first 
Newton in Atlanta (in Nov. 93) :-). I work in the advertising department of an international Airline. 
The Newton is a fantastic tool and now I canUt imagine how I managed my job before. However, I 
sometimes could get desperate because Newton Mail is very important for me but not available in 
Europe. I love traveling.

Drew Commins

I work for Hayes Microcomputer Products as a Software Engineer and have been here almost 10 
years. Most of my time is spent working on a management system that controls a rack full of 
modems. In my spare time, I do freelance photography for a small local paper. It was my photo 
work that prompted me to get a Newton. I take it with me on assignments to keep track of what 
shots are on what roll and frame, names of people and places, mileage to and from assignments, 
you name it. I use Notion! to keep most of the information and will eventually use custom lists as 
invoices which I will fax directly to the paper. Another thing I enjoy is amateur radio and IUve 
found the Newton is a great way to keep the station log of my contacts.

IUm glad I found this group, it looks like a great source of information and I look forward to 
meeting and/or hearing from other members.

Darin Duphorne

My name is Darin Duphorne.  I am an attorney in Texas and I use my newton to keep track of 
names and appointments.  My primary purpose is to keep track of time spent on individual clients 
and projects and any associated expenses.  However, I have not found an application that suits my 
needs.  I have been pleased but not altogether satisfied with the number of shareware titles 
currently available.  

Scott Portis

I am the Director of Information Solutions (IS) for NewOrder Media, Inc. in Nashville, TN.  
NewOrder is an interactive solutions firm that develops multimedia products and CD ROM titles 
for Mac and MS Windows.  I graduated from Auburn University in '89 with a BS in Computer 
Engineering.  After that, I went to work for EDS in Detroit and later Atlanta as a software engineer.  
I contribute to this newsletter every now and then, and am a RlocalS member of NANUG, even 
though I donUt live there anymore.  I have developed an app or two for the Newton, but I have not 
posted them anywhere.  One that may be worth posting is a score card application for the dart game 
RCricketS that is played in many bars in the U.S..  If anyone reading this could use a Newton 
Cricket score card, let me know and I will tweak the app and post it.

When I am not working, I enjoy the outdoors.  My goal this year to re-up my SCUBA certification 
and to learn how to kayak, as well as getting my amateur (ham) radio license.  Volleyball, golf, 
and basketball are the sports I love to play.  My wife and I just bought a house, so yard work and 
house maintenance just moved up my list of to dos, but, you know, I really donUt mind.  If you are 
ever in Nashville, look us up.  I will give you a tour of our company or even of Nashville - or just 
come and relax in the shade of the big Oaks in the back yard.  Later.    

John Samuels

I run a start-up communication management consulting organization.  My MP 110 keeps me 
focused as I use it for names/addresses, client billing, expense tracking, e-mail, calendar, to-dos, 
just about everything associated with my business life.

Michael Scott

IUm a relic of the early days of hardware and software hacking.  My first experience with 
computers was with an electrical/mechanical analog machine in 1962.  I graduated to full-electronic 
solid state analog computers in 1963 and was introduced to and programmed my first digital 
computer in 1964.  I have seen mercury delay memory tubes in action.  Nowadays, my 
preferences run to Macs, LocalTalk, Ethernet, the datasphere, InterNet, Newtons and the theory 
and practice of information busting loose.  IUm degreed in electronics and computers and hold a BA 
in Cultural Anthropology.  IUm married to a wonderful woman and we have a 5 year old who reads 
baseball box scores in the daily paper.  I fly fish compulsively when I get the chance and tie my 
own flies.

Hardy Macia

Name: Hardy Macia   
Hobbies: Snowboarding and mountain biking   
Newton developer :  AssistCalc, MPG, and PocketMoney.   
Living in : Wynnewood, PA   
Employment : Computer engineer at Naval Ship Systems Engineering Station, Philadelphia

User group info: We started Philadelphia user group - we are still in the process of picking a name 
and making it official.  Can send inquiries to HardyMacia@eWorld.com

Andrew Halls

Hello, IUm Andrew Halls of Gaithersburg Maryland.  The first computer I programmed 17 years 
ago sucked in punched cards and spat out reams of green lined paper. I loved the ability 
programmers have in empowering people to harness the computer for their own ends.  There is 
nothing quite like seeing the thrill in people when they come back with stories on how they used 
your software in ways never imagined in the userUs guide.  The last 7 years I have worked 
primarily in the C language on engineering workstations.  IUm looking for a more engaging 
medium and IUm finding my forays into Newton refreshing.  To carve out more time to spend with 
my Newton I am launching a consulting practice to develop Newton applications. (Shameless plug: 
call me if you have a need for a Newton programmer)  Look for a shareware package in the Fall.  
In addition, IUm the chairman of the NewtonSIG of the Washington Apple PI.  We are a group of 
avid Newtoneers getting together once a month to explore the new technology.  Come join us if 
you are ever in the area.

While IUm not programming -- my wife, two boys and I spend a good portion of our time outdoors 
roller blading, biking, playing ball and now that the warm weather is here, swimming.  The boys 
love playing with DadUs Rlittle 'puterS and they are starting to move beyond Newtris and TapBoard 
to explore Newt.

You can reach me at ahalls@digex.net or 301.990.3725.

Don Nease

I am a Family Physician on the faculty at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.  I 
have been a Newton owner since September, and IUm constantly looking for ways to incorporate 
Newton into medical practice.  To date IUve yet to find a real practical aid, but IUm still looking.  I 
first got into computers in high school doing BASIC on a PDP-11.  I finally got a Mac of my own 
during residency, and IUm a true Apple flag waver.  IUve really enjoyed the NANUG newsletter.  If 
anyone has any killer medical app ideas let me know.

p.s. IUm proof that Newton can recognize even a doctorUs handwriting.

John Lark

Married, father of two delightful girls, wife openly tolerates  addiction to new technology and 
gadgets.  My Sharp RWizardS  began to get AlzheimerUs in March, and I began to look at a  
replacement.  At a local (Compucenter) store, they had the  Sharp, and the MP100 on at the same 
price ($600 CDN). I became  interested, and was quickly told that a new Newton would be  
released Rshortly".  I immediately called a local Apple  supplier, who knew nothing.  Undaunted, I 
went to my old friend  CompuServe, and told it to RFind Newton", and I joined the  Newton\PIE+ 
Forum (the + means it costs extra !!) I soon found the NANUG  newsletter, and found it to be 
exactly what I wanted.  I (as a  technology junkie who has been burned by vapour products and  
product promises) wanted to hear from actual users, and to  learn as much as I could about the 
MP100 and the MP110.  Within  a day I had more than enough, even a GIF picture of the  
RLindy". I also learned about RPersonal Electronic NewsS and  took out a subscription.

Over the past 3 months I have continued to be a MP110 RvoyeurS  on CompuServe.  I have read a 
lot of message traffic, (better to  upgrade the 100??) and have read the ads for $1,500 worth of  
Newton stuff for $600.  I am sufficiently confused about the  information highway, that I am 
unsure how you ensure that you  get the product without losing your money.  I was also  intrigued 
to learn the whyUs of the people selling.  Especially  as Apple has that wonderful 30 day return 
(which by the way is  not available from Apple Canada !!!). I also got to RmeetS Jen  Kuiper at 
Tiger Software, and just bought the Miracle Piano  system for my eldest (turning 5) daughter from 
them [see, I  told you I was a technology junkie !!, there is a full CompuServe  RthreadS on the 
Miracle system on the MIDI+ Forum]

The good news is that I have stopped studying and taken the  leap. I have ordered an MP110, and 
am anxiously awaiting its  arrival.  I must say that a recent article about PDAUs in RInfo  CanadaS 
and technology newspaper up here that said Compaq was  delaying its PDA until 1995, and the 
Apple was going to let  Newton Rswing slowly in the breezeS hasnUt impressed me (but it  didnUt 
deter me either). I see the Newton as the first true PDA computer after having used  Sharp stuff for 
8 years or so.  Finally a new operating system  without a whole new device, finally PCMCIA 
cards instead of  proprietary ones.  I only wish that the WCK 2.0 had been  released, as I 
REALLY like keyboards.  I like them because I  have awful handwriting, so a month or 2 from 
now, I will tell  you how the MP 110 works out for a keyboard junkie with bad  handwriting.  I 
also want to be able to upload all my existing  (800) names and addresses from MS Access into the 
Newton  without writing them all out !!

I am delighted to be a member of NANUG, and although there  apparently is a Toronto users 
group, in these Cyberspace times,  being a member of an Atlanta organization that has all its  
meetings in Denver (?) seems just fine to me. I may actually  take the InterNet plunge to save 
CompuServe charges !

See you in the Newsletter!

Ervino Cus

I was born in Trieste (Italy) in 1961 and I live still there.  I have a bachelor in Philosophy, with a 
thesis in experimental psychology.  My fields of interest (besides the Newton, of course) are SF 
literature and films, RPG and games in general, 
high-tech gadgets, and cats (the black ones, especially).  IUm very interested in a mail (snail or 
electronic) exchange on these topics!

Ervino Cus
Via Girardi, 3
34100 Trieste, Italia
ervino@psicosun.univ.trieste.it
ecus@uts340.univ.trieste.it

Todd Wilson

Todd Wilson is a 25 year-old, fourth year graduate student in political science at Harvard 
University.  He saw his first Mac shortly after its introduction during a loaner week from Apple at 
his high-school (Sidwell Friends in Washington, DC), but was disappointed to learn that his 
school later bought IBM PCs to replace their Apple IIs.  While a student in International Affairs at 
Princeton, Todd worked a short time at the universityUs computer support center, where he became 
a RMac SpecialistS and then was hired by Apple to be a Student Rep on campus.  While at 
Princeton, he also worked two summer internships with AppleUs EducationUs groups and then one 
with SunUs.  His Mac specialty became HyperCard programming, a hobby that he still keeps up.  
Once at Harvard, Todd worked again as a Student Rep for a couple of years.  Now, frustrated with 
his dissertation, Todd has picked up an MP110 in order to stay organized and also vege.  
Fantastic! (but his screen is scratched).  He has been living in France for the past year with his 
fiancee, Valerie, and Alix the Wonder Cat.  He plans on returning to the States this fall.  His 
hobbies include: skiing, biking, and HyperCard programming.  He can be reached in Paris by 
phone at (33) (1) 42.28.63.83, and by e-mail at wilson3@husc.harvard.edu.
