RE: AvailWorks vs. NewtonWorks with Draw, etc. (was NTLK MOD/QFWorks...)

From: Steve Vander Ark (vderark@bccs.org)
Date: Tue Mar 28 2000 - 08:36:23 EST


> Anyway, I just thought I would see what some of you guys thought
> about these
> two programs. Do you keep both around? Is there a way to get NewtDraw to
> show a "Fit to Screen" where you can still move things around on
> the screen?
> Am I missing something about one or the other? Etc.?

One of the big reasons why I have a Newton is so that I DON'T have to lug
my laptop around. I write scripts for my church drama team, I create
presentations and lesson plans, I work on budgets and other spreadsheet
projects, and I do this stuff all the time, all day, as I run between
classrooms and school buildings. I always have another form to design or
another article to write. When I have my 2100 and keyboard, the laptop can
sit in its case. My Newton starts up immediately, which makes it a LOT more
of useful tool when I'm on the run between facilities, and now that I have
Works, QuickFigure Pro, and AvailWorks, along with NewtCase and SimpleMail,
I can do my work whenever and whereever. The big concerns for me are
connectivity of documents between my Newton apps and Office on my laptop and
printers, and XPort, Twerx, and QuickFigure Exchange make that happen. I use
an ethernet card to access the Internet wherever I go in our two school
buildings (there are data ports everywhere) and a modem to access the net on
the road. Sure, Office is where I finish a lot of my work, but having such
powerful tools to use on an extremely portable and user friendly device like
the Newton is perfect for my kind of work.

But just as important, maybe moreso, is the ability to sit and plan and
think using Notes outlines. So many of my articles and curriculum plans
start out that way. I'll be sitting in my easy chair or in the yard or on
the beach (next week!) or waiting in the doctor's office or sitting through
yet another boring staff meeting and "thinking in digital ink," as I call
it. Those outlines become Works documents and presentation outlines and
email and book request forms and all the other things that I product all the
time. Eventually many of them migrate through Office on my laptop, but only
for finishing off or for storing in my file system there.

I would hate to part with any of these tools on my Newton and have to tie
myself to my laptop. My Newton gives me all that power instantly and
portably! And then add solitaire, crossword puzzles, and ModPlayer, and I'm
all set!

Steve Vander Ark
Library Media Specialist
Byron Center Christian School
Byron Center, Michigan

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