Re: [NTLK] The future of Newton--What's your best vision?

> In your opinion, what technology, what platform,
> what simulation environment, whatever (and
> please give lots o' links)...what's the current,
> best-of-breed for most likely and successfully
> jump starting (reviving) a 3000 version of the
> Newton?
>
While every other response to this question so far has been based on
commercial products, my contribution is more conceptual. For me, the answer
is not to be found in what we can buy today, but what we might do in the
near future.

The first step is to free such a product from the constraints of commercial
profitability. The iPhone is the way it is because Apple predicts that a
lot of people will buy one. Open-Source software is a perfect example of
this process: FreeBSD is the way it is because a team of volunteers wanted
it that way. Same for Apache, and Linux, and FireFox, ...

The next step is to extend the technology to solve the unique problems of
education. Apple realized this early on, and made the Apple II the standard
computer in the K-12 market for many years. The Newton eMate was poised to
enter this market just as the plug was pulled.

Now put those two ideas together. Open-Source development methods and
personal hardware especially useful in education.

That is what my Open Slate Project is all about. We are still small, but we
are growning. Please visit our web site and join our mailing list, "Open
Slate Brainstorms."

Gary Dunn
Honolulu
Open Slate Project
    http://openslate.net/
73 BMW E9 (3.0 CS) 2213583 (rust repair research project)
    http://e9erust.blogspot.com/

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Received on Mon Jun 30 20:25:30 2008