From: DJ Vollkasko (DJ_Vollkasko_at_gmx.net)
Date: Thu Dec 22 2005 - 15:04:29 PST
Subject: [NTLK] An early Christmas gift from the Newton Museum
From: junkvenzon () mac ! com
Date: 2005-12-22 21:26:01
>Hello all!
>
>I dug into my archives from the Developer discs and found these two
little goodies \
>and put them up on the site, just for the Newtontalk group. Well,
really for anyone \
>who loves the Newton, really. I've upped my bandwidth so you guys
could download this \
>willy-nilly. Go crazy.
>
>http://www.newtonmuseum.com/goodies/Newton%20Solutions%20Guide%201.pdf
>
>and
>
>http://www.newtonmuseum.com/goodies/Newton%20Solutions%20Guide%202.pdf
>
>They are the PDF version from Apple for the last two Newton Solutions
catalogs that \
>shipped with the final Newtons. They are all hyperlinked and lovely.
Shweet! Thanks!
>NOW:
>
>The more important thing I want to discuss is the software I've
collected over the \
>years.
>
>While the person who buys the Newton Museum will have a huge
collection boxed with \
>manuals and the like, I took the time before I boxed it to archive
every disk that \
>was opened. I also archived the entire developer collection, plus all
the "Totally \
>for Newtons," plus... on and on and on.
>
>As a thank you to the group, I'm going to burn three DVDs that contain
all this and \
>send it to someone who can keep the software collection for anyone who
needs packages \
>or wants to marvel at the goodies I've found.
Excellent, and most generous!
>I worry, though about a couple of things.
>
>1. Software that is in my collection that is still being sold. I don't
think it's \
>fair to companies who are still developing their packages to lose out
of potential \
>revenue. If you can buy it, I don't think it should be shared. I would
only advocate \
>abandonware and documents.
Understood. That's why e.g UNNA doesn't freely process submissions, I
guess the admin wants to personally clear each package. Or at least
used to, as long as submissions were processed.
Same with the Temporary Newton Library. Marty Joseph, our kind host,
and I do not put anything up that seems to be available commercially. I
always ask people to get a clearance from the developer for their
submissions if the app is not obviously shareware or freeware, or
definitely abandonware, or under Creative Commons License or GPL or
what have you. Usually we copy the statements from the developer or the
submitter into the same folder of the app as About.txt. Should anything
be found to infringe (we had that once with an illustration in a Newton
ebook), it is removed (in this case, we got a copy of that title w/o
that visual).
>2. I will be swamped by people asking for this package or that, or
worse everyone on \
>the list will ask for copies of these DVD.
>
>VERY IMPORTANT: I will flatly turn down further requests for copies
or packages. I \
>helped Sonny out 'cause the poor guy was in pain! ;). Could these make
their way to \
>UNNA?
Try to get in touch with the UNNA administrator.
>Is there a newer site?
Talk to the undersigner.
>Just let me know who the keeper of the flame is, and \
>I'll send the set to them at my expense. Please don't contact me
directly, do this \
>through the list. I want everyone's input on this.
Temporary Newton Library currently looks ugly (but you know what they
can do these days by way of plastic surgery ;=} ), but is actively
maintained. Submissions are coming in on a regular scale from a staff
of regulars/volunteers such as Matt-the-K, Ducky, Sonny, Tony,... Matt
and Sonny are currently the top-notch legacy app developer hunters,
liberating formerly commercial apps to freeware status through special
permission of the developers.
TNL was started as bookshelf, since other public Newton archives did
not live up to expectations. Since then it has also started to contain
software (usually stuff that got mentioned at NTLK, or things people
submitted to me, or stuff I'd found on the web, or whatever Matt and
Sonny and others liberate for us). Feel free to take a look. Grab
something to read. ;=}
Another person who I could imagine to handle this well and who is
greatly respected is Frank Gruendel of http://pda-soft.de fame. He
doesn't have a library site as such, but knows how to handle
documentation and apps. He enjoys good relations to developers on both
hard- and software sides, has a solid standing with the regular
Newtonian on the street and is a great guy. If he would receive this,
you could be sure that he'd do right by it and get things into the
right channels.
Lastly, I could imagine that this could be a interesting hands-on
project for the World Newton Association, preserving this treasure for
Newtonia.
>3. Apple might freak out at the amount of Apple developer info and
come after me. \
>Well, I don't think this would REALLY happen, but who knows? The
people who I bought \
>from/were given these docs and discs must have signed some kind of NDA
that never \
>expire, right? Well..
On the other hand, the Newton *is* obsolete (not by the standard of
Dead Media Mailing List, but by legal terms), and other places have
featured N2 platform documentation AFAIK, and you never heard of
anything. Still, it might be good to make sure these things end in
responsible hands.
>Most of all I'd love for you all to read/see/enjoy what can be
archived here. Please \
>let me know through the list who I should send the DVDs to, and this
mystery good \
>Samaritan can pass it all out!
If you'd ask me, I'd vote for Frank. Great guy. Really.
If you'd point to me, I'd ask you to talk to Matt Kow. and Sonny H.
first, as they could preprocess by selecting what may be publicly
released, clear that with the developers where needed and submit it to
me in batches for release. Or ship that stuff to me and I'll split it
among the gang for processing...
If you'd like to go for the biggest existing archive, go to UNNA.
If you'd go for a non-partisan person/organisation, you'll want to talk
to Ronnie Simon, President of the World Newton Association (who'll be
in January in California...).
>PS. I don't think I can stop this auction, as it's been launched and
is generating \
>money and space for my family to remodel an area so my kids have a
place to play. \
> That's the reason for the auction.
Understood. Now, *if* Frank or Ronnie would declare on NTLK or offlist
to lead a consortium to save this for Newtonia--maybe as collection of
the WNA to be shown at the congresses and as library for members and
keep the museum online, too--I'd be willing to pledge something towards
that effort. Ronnie's WNA might even be able to give out receipts of
such donations that might be tax-deductible, which would make this
easier for others to join in, too.
So, what you all sayin'? Ronnie, Frank, can you get something going?
John, any of the above make any sense to you?
Sincerely,
D. Vollkasko
Librarian
The Temporary Newton Library
http://www.stillnewt.org/library
-- This is the NewtonTalk list - http://www.newtontalk.net/ for all inquiries Official Newton FAQ: http://www.chuma.org/newton/faq/ WikiWikiNewt for all kinds of articles: http://tools.unna.org/wikiwikinewt/
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