That sounds good, if there is a need for a Newton program at all. I
> >think the major lack is at the desktop side. Which program has all the
> >features of the Newton? I miss so many things, like MoreInfo links or
> >multiple clipboards with the easiness of NOS on my WinNT box and also
> >some on my Mac and that keeps me using my Newton as more or less
> >standalone device.
I, too, have sync problems. I use a B&W G3/400 and 8.6. I use a Keyspan
double serial adapter. I’m not sure if the problems lie with the Keyspan,
NCU, the Mac or me. What I do know, is that the only time I have a chance to
sync is on first startup. Not after a restart, but after a shutdown, wait
for a minute and startup again. Even this method will not work all of the
time.
In fairness, I just bought a Visor Deluxe, hoping to end the sync problem and
just use the Visor for the small stuff, the Newton for real work. I didn’t
like the idea of carrying two PDA’s, but, considering battery life and all,
that is still preferable to me over carrying a PowerBook. Alas, the Visor
has the same kind of sync problems. I bought Consultant to use over Palm
desktop. I had read that it had more “Newton like features.” That was a big
joke. The Palm sync operation is superior to NCU, when it works. Backups
via USB are fast and relatively complete. The problem is in getting it to
work on a regular basis.
Maybe I’m wrong but my current thinking is to go to a Windows CE device
simply to make syncing easier. Of course, that would mean abandoning the Mac
in favor of a Win PC desktop, so I am looking for any option short of that.
I am a limited knowledge user. I get very frustrated when something is
supposed to work and it doesn’t. My lack of technical knowledge prevents me
from figuring out why these things happen when they’re not supposed to. I
rely on advice from people on lists like these. I don’t post often, but I
read every post, every day. I have picked up so much from the generous
support, freely given on these lists, that I have had to revisit some of my
thinking on “Man’s inhumanity to Man.”
Technology in and of itself is the problem. It must be made to be user
friendly. I don’t mean user friendly if you read a hundred books and
countless manuals, attend seminars, buy tutoring CD’s and acquire enough
knowledge to gain an IT degree. Some programs learning curves are so high as
to scare people away. What good is that for the mass market? How long does
it take a child to figure out how to use the telephone? Hello? Enter
cellular phones. Some of them require a genius just to program.
Yes, I understand that these are interim steps that must be taken before we
get to the point where there is nothing you need to know. Just pick up the
phone. It will happen with today’s technology too, I just wish it were here
already. I’ve got enough things keeping me away from spending time with my
kids. And as far as that goes, technology has made me understand that
quality time is a bunch of malarkey. You see, I’ve tried to be good at lot’s
of things by spending quality time at the effort. Instead, I have realized
that it is both the quality and the quantity of time and effort spent. I
never made it to the PGA Tour by employing a limited “quality time“ of
practice. I am woefully inadequate at understanding technology though I have
spent quality and quantity time trying to. I guess talent is important, too.
Maybe that’s why I have a 12 handicap.
This rant (sorry) is intended to touch some of you in the technology
industry. Money isn’t everything. I once had an opportunity to ask Steve
Case (AOL President) at Comdex several years ago, how a market could be
beating down his door with so many people complaining about the service, and
yet with full knowledge of the problems, raising exponentially. He smiled
and said, “Great business to be in, isn’t it?” Evidently, this is the price
we must pay. If true, the toll is too great.
Deflating an ideal to make it marginally passable, is a blow to humanity.
Look at the auto industry in the 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s. The blow to
mankind is still being felt. Revolutionary changes resulted in a lot of heart
ache and despair. This has become an accepted norm in the technology sector.
We have come to expect products that do not work as intended. Oops, we
didn’t get it right, we will in the next update. Oh, buy the way, that will
be $49 for the upgrade. Yes, that is a generalization, but it is not far
from being the truth. Yes, but I want it, I need it, I got to have it, says
the alcoholic who is destroying him/herself. How many technology products
can you name that have performed less than admirably? How about the second
time around? Third? What’s that you say, it is the nature of the beast?
Bull, we have allowed it to happen. We are continuing to be victims. In
fact, we can’t get enough of it. Only game in town, you say? These are the
same type of rationalizations that give us Bill Clinton, or Bill Gates, or
for that matter, Steven Jobs or Jim Baker. As proof that it can be done, I
offer the chemical industry. Do you ever wonder when you take an aspirin if
it will work? You may wonder if it is strong enough for the world class pain
your in, but you never doubt the effectiveness of the product. If it does
not work properly, I know several lawyers who would like your name. Why
doesn’t that happen in the technology sector?
One of the reasons I continue trying to learn enough to be a knowledgeable
user, is because there are people who are truly trying themselves. Steve
Weyer, Dan Rowley, Way Chung, Rich from This old newt, Stacey (Newted) and
countless others, like Robert Benschop, Laurent, Ken Wong, heck you know the
names if you follow this list, stand out from the crowd in the such an
unusual way, that they inspire me to keep on keeping on. Again, all I’m
trying to do is use what they create. It is the nature of life that
everything changes. Life is now at the point that everything changes, but
changes so fast that before we can make the necessary change it changes
again. A viscous cycle. My head is now spinning so fast, I don’t think I am
making any sense.
What I am really trying to say is....yes, I would love a way to continue to
use my Newton. I need some way of consistently being able to do what it was
intended to do. I am willing to pay for what in the technology sector is a
luxury. I will pay luxury prices for something that works and works well.
Oh, by the way, you know those assembly instructions that are easy enough for
a five-year-old? I need those too.
One final thought. I have a Farrallon Ethernet card that I bought as an
alternative to using the Keyspan. Found out about them from this list.
Waited till one came along and bought it. On first attempt, I couldn’t get
it to work either. I know all about Victors Ethernet step-by-step page and
one day I will try again. I found out about the page by reading this list.
My point is this: there have been discussions on how to answer the same
questions that pop up over and over again. If you follow this list, you know
what I am saying is true. People monitor the list and select what to read
when they need it. It’s hard to read about making the largest NewtonBook,
when you‘re still trying to figure out how to cope with 10061 even with the
patches. If you didn’t quite understand the metaphor, try reading this
again, latter, maybe when you turn on and roll over at 3:00am.
Climbing walls while sitting in a chair,
Bob Adamson
******************************************
This month's NewtonTalk brought to you by:
EVOTE.COM, the ultimate Political Junkie site on the 'Net.
The Clinton Administration, the George Bush
2000 Campaign, and almost every other major
U.S. politician has said something nasty
about us at some time. Find out why at:
http://www.evote.com
******************************************
Need Subscribe/Unsubscribe info?
Visit http://www.planetnewton.com
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Feb 01 2000 - 00:01:04 EST