Newton FAQ

Part V: Software

  1. Where can I find software for my Newton?
    1. Software Archives
    2. Software Developers
  2. What software is available from Apple?
    1. Connection, backup, and package installer software
      1. Newton Connection Kit
      2. Newton Backup Utility
      3. Newton Package Installer
      4. Newton Connection Utilities
    2. Book creation and development software
      1. Newton Press
      2. Newton Book Maker
      3. Newton Toolkit
      4. Newton C++ Toolbox
    3. MacinTalk
      1. Does MacinTalk work on my Newton?
      2. Where can I find MacinTalk?
      3. How do I use MacinTalk to convert text to speech?
      4. Can I change the voice used by MacinTalk?
      5. Can I change the volume of MacinTalk?
    4. Newton Works
      1. Does Newton Works work on my Newton?
      2. Where can I find Newton Works?
      3. What word processing software can I use on my Newton?
      4. Where can I find spreadsheet, drawing, and calculation stationery?
      5. What spreadsheet software can I use on my Newton?
    5. Where can I find the software that came with my Newton?
  3. Software Problems
    1. I’m seeing an error message on my Newton. What does it mean?
      1. Negative Numbers
      2. Positive Numbers
    2. My Newton crashes or hangs at startup. What can I do?
    3. How do I get support for a software program?
    4. How do I help a developer fix bugs I have found?
      1. How do I create an error log?
      2. How do I create a list of installed packages?
  4. Internet
    1. How do I connect to the internet on my Newton?
      1. What do I need?
      2. What’s the difference between NIE 1.1 and NIE 2.0?
      3. Can my Newton share another computer’s internet connection?
    2. What internet software is available?
      1. Email
      2. Web
      3. Newsgroups
      4. Chat
      5. FTP
      6. Terminal Emulation
      7. Telnet
      8. VNC
      9. RSS
    3. How do I read AOL mail on my Newton?
    4. Is there a Sherlock equivalent for the Newton?
    5. Can I use my Newton as a web server?
    6. Are there any search engines I can access using a Newton?
  5. Fonts
    1. Where can I find Roman fonts for the Newton?
    2. How do I make a Newton font?
    3. Why don’t Newton fonts print properly?
  6. Audio
    1. What software do I need to play audio?
    2. What software do I need to record audio?
  7. International & Localized Software
    1. Where can I find software for non-Roman languages?
    2. Is there a web browser that supports non-Roman encodings?
  8. Data Transfer & Synchronization
    1. What software can be used to transfer data?
    2. What software can be used to synchronize data with other applications?

A. Where can I find software for my Newton?

1. Software Archives

2. Software Developers

There are several Newton developers who still actively support and maintain their products or at least have kept information and downloads available.

The following defunct developer sites have been saved in the Internet Archive.

B. What software is available from Apple?

1. Connection, backup, and package installer software

a. Newton Connection Kit

Newton Connection Kit (NCK) is an application that allows you to synchronize, backup, and manage data from a Newton device using a Mac OS or Windows computer.

NCK only works with Newton OS 1.x devices. For Newton OS 2.x devices, use Newton Connection Utilities (NCU).

Downloads

Documentation

See also: Where can I find user manuals and documentation?

b. Newton Backup Utility

Newton Backup Utility (NBU) can install packages, as well as backup and restore data between a Newton device and a Mac OS or Windows computer.

Downloads

See also: Where can I find user manuals and documentation?

c. Newton Package Installer

Newton Package Installer (NPI) does what it says. It installs packages on a Newton device from a Mac OS or Windows computer.

Downloads

d. Newton Connection Utilities

Newton Connection Utility (NCU) provides package installation, data backup, import and export of data.

NCU only works with Newton OS 2.x devices. For Newton OS 1.x devices, use Newton Connection Kit.

Downloads

Documentation

See also: Where can I find user manuals and documentation?

2. Book creation and development software

a. Newton Press

Newton Press can be found on UNNA.

See also: Where can I find user manuals and documentation?

b. Newton Book Maker

Newton Book Maker with documentation can be found on UNNA.

c. Newton Toolkit

See: Development: Newton Toolkit

d. Newton C++ Toolbox

See: Development: Newton C++ Toolbox

3. MacinTalk

a. Does MacinTalk work on my Newton?

MacinTalk only works with Newton OS 2.1 devices, including the MessagePad 2000, MessagePad 2100, and eMate 300.

Detailed information on using the various text-to-speech capabilities of MacinTalk can be found in the following articles:

If you have a Newton OS 1.x device, you can try John Saccente’s Yak instead.

b. Where can I find MacinTalk?

To use MacinTalk, you’ll need to install the MacinTalk and SpeakText packages, which are usually named macintal.pkg and speaktex.pkg respectively.

These packages are available here:

c. How do I use MacinTalk to convert text to speech?

In most applications, tap the action or routing button and select “Speak Text” from the picker. MacinTalk will begin speaking the text in the current window. A good place to try this is the Notepad application.

You can also use MacinTalk to speak the contents of a Newton Book.

See also: How do I use MacinTalk with a Newton Book?

d. Can I change the voice used by MacinTalk?

MacinTalk includes nine voices to choose from.

To change the voice, open the InOut Box, tap the “i” button and select “Speak Text Prefs”. Choose the voice you wish to use from the “Voice” menu.

The voice parameter can also be set programmatically using the [[svox]] syntax.

See the Embedded Commands section of More Newton Text to Speech for more information.

e. Can I change the volume of MacinTalk?

The volume is set to its maximum level by default. The easiest way to change how loud MacinTalk speaks is to change the volume on your Newton device. Keep in mind that if the volume of your Newton is also set to its maximum level, that is as loud as MacinTalk will get.

The volume parameter can be set programmatically using the [[volm]] syntax. Since the default volume setting is 1.0, it can’t be set any louder than whatever the maximum volume of your Newton device is set to. You can set the volume parameter to an absolute value between 0.0 and 1.0, or you can adjust the volume up and down using a relative value, such as [[volm +0.1]] or [[volm -0.1]].

See the Embedded Commands section of More Newton Text to Speech for more information.

4. Newton Works

a. Does Newton Works work on my Newton?

Newton Works requires a device running Newton OS 2.1, specifically the eMate 300, MessagePad 2100, or an upgraded MessagePad 2000. It won’t work on any other device. Some components of Newton Works are built into the eMate ROM. The various Newton Works packages must otherwise be installed separately on a MessagePad 2100 or upgraded MessagePad 2000.

Paper is the word processing component of Newton Works. It is designed to be used with a keyboard, rather than with a stylus. However, Standalone Software’s HWRWorks enables handwriting recognition to be used as an input method for Paper.

Andree Dettmer compiled a list of Newton Works links on his Newton Does It! site, including software that enhances its functionality.

b. Where can I find Newton Works?

Newton Works is included on the CD that came with the MessagePad 2000, MessagePad 2100, and eMate 300.

Newton Works is also available from UNNA.

See also: Where can I find the software that came with my Newton?

c. What word processing software can I use on my Newton?

Paper is the word processing component of Newton Works. It is the default backdrop application on the eMate 300.

If you’re Newton device does not support Newton OS 2.1, you can use AvailWorks by PelicanWare.

d. Where can I find spreadsheet, drawing, and calculation stationery?

There are several additional stationery packages for Newton Works. Works Calculations provides graphic calculator functionality, Works Draw provides drawing functionality, QuickFigure Works provides spreadsheet functionality, and EBase provides simple database functionality.

Works Calculations is included on the original eMate Connectivity CD. QuickFigure Works is included on the original eMate Connectivity CD and MessagePad 2100 CD.

See also: Where can I find the software that came with my Newton?

Various components and packages for Newton Works, including the Works Draw stationery, are available from UNNA.

e. What spreadsheet software can I use on my Newton?

PelicanWare made a spreadsheet application called QuickFigure Pro. They also made the multi-function productivity suite AvailWorks, which included a spreadsheet tool.

Macapa’s Napkin Calc is a application that lets you create sheets where you enter numbers and text, then perform calculations on that data. Napkin Calc supports more than one sheet on screen at a time.

5. Where can I find the software that came with my Newton?

Newton devices originally shipped with either a CD or a set of floppy disks containing software. Most of the Apple supplied software is available from UNNA.

Additionally, the Windows CD is available online:

C. Software Problems

1. I’m seeing an error message on my Newton. What does it mean?

There are two types of error codes that may appear on a Newton device.

a. Negative Numbers

These are errors generated by the Newton OS. The number usually provides some indication about the source of the error.

A complete list of these error codes can be found in the Newton Programmer’s Reference for Newton 2.0

Chris Frost also produced a Newton Book of Newton OS 2.0 Error Codes.

Victor Rehorst created an online database which includes an expanded list of error codes.

See also: What is the -10061 error?

b. Positive Numbers

An error with a positive number usually indicates a bus error caused by a bad reference to a NewtonScript object or an error in some piece of C++ code.

These types of errors may also be triggered by hardware problems, where the processor tried to access data at a certain address and the request could not be completed successfully.

2. My Newton crashes or hangs at startup. What can I do?

There is probably an incompatible or corrupted package on your Newton that is causing it to crash. You can try to solve this by deactivating all packages by performing a soft reset with extensions off. Refer to question IIIB2c for details on how to do this. Restarting with extensions off will allow you to start up your Newton and delete the offending package.

3. How do I get support for a software program?

I like a particular shareware program, but it requests that I enter a code to activate it. I tried to contact the author, but with no success. What should I do?

As a Newton developer, I would suggest you work to find the author. Ask the Newton community by a post in the newsgroups and mailing lists.

4. How do I help a developer fix bugs I have found?

a. How do I create an error log?

BugTrap by Tactile Systems creates a new note every time an error occurs, such as when you see the “Sorry an error occurred” message. The contents of this note can be sent to a developer to help troubleshoot the error. BugTrap is also available on UNNA.

b. How do I create a list of installed packages?

TrashPak from Atomic Software has several useful maintenance features, including the ability to create a list of all packages installed on a Newton device. This can help a developer determine if a package or extension is conflicting with another piece of software.

D. Internet

1. How do I connect to the internet on my Newton?

a. What do I need?

First of all, internet connectivity requires Newton OS 2.x.

The download speed when accessing email or newsgroups is limited more by the modem than by the Newton device. Accessing these services on a MessagePad 120 or MessagePad 130 can be done, but it does require a significant amount of memory for the Newton Internet Enabler and associated applications. Web browsing can be painfully slow of these Newton devices.

Sean Luke explains:

“The MessagePad 130 contains an ARM 610 running at 20 MHz with no pipelining, no superscalar architecture, no L2 cache, and a bytecode-interpreted programming language. When was the last time you surfed the web on a Mac Plus? A PC/AT? You should be amazed that Newt’s Cape runs at all on an MessagePad 130!”

You’ll need access to an internet service provider, a compatible modem, as well as the Newton Internet Enabler (NIE) package. This software was provided on the CD or floppy disks that came with your Newton.

See also: Where can I find the software that came with my Newton?

b. What’s the difference between NIE 1.1 and NIE 2.0?
Newton Internet Enabler 2.0 is a major upgrade from 1.1 and includes several new features, including:

Most importantly, NIE 2.0 only works on devices running Newton OS 2.1.

See the Newton Internet Enabler 2.0 Read Me support document for additional information.

c. Can my Newton share another computer’s internet connection?

According to Tom Sheppard, while you can provide MacIP (IP packets encapsulated within the AppleTalk protocol) connections over serial LocalTalk to another Mac OS computer, this apparently doesn’t work directly with Newton OS devices.

However, André Wismer notes that you can share an internet connection from another computer using ethernet. This requires some sort of router or gateway software running on the host computer, such Vicomsoft’s InterGate or Sustainable Softwork’s IPNetRouter. The Newton device is connected to the ethernet network using a LocalTalk to Ethernet bridge and the gateway provides the required IP address and DNS settings.

2. What internet software is available?

Steve Weyer compiled a list of internet related applications and tools as part of his Newt’s Cape browser page.

a. Email
b. Web

See also: Is there a web browser that supports non-Roman encodings?

c. Newsgroups
d. Chat
e. FTP
f. Terminal Emulation
g. Telnet
h. VNC
i. RSS

3. How do I read AOL mail on my Newton?

Basically, you can’t.

At one point Catamount Software’s Aloha allowed you to access multiple accounts, but as AOL dropped support for older versions of their client protocol, Aloha stopped functioning.

The current iteration of AOL Mail requires secure web access or an email client that supports SSL. Unfortunately, the Newton OS does not support SSL at this time.

4. Is there a Sherlock equivalent for the Newton?

Hemlock is a freeware program created by Sean Luke. It allows you to do searches similar to the original Sherlock, using the most recent versions of Steve Weyer’s Newt’s Cape browser. It also has extra capabilities, such as importing and exporting of plug-ins.

5. Can I use my Newton as a web server?

Believe it or not, yes.

Newton Personal Data Sharing (NPDS) is a software suite consisting of a web server and associated support modules for Newton OS 2.x devices. It provides web-based access to notes, names, calendar items, and more.

6. Are there any search engines I can access using a Newton?

FrogFind is a search engine designed specifically for use with vintage computers, including the Newton. It functions as a wrapper around the DuckDuckGo search engine, converting the search results into very basic HTML that less capable web browsers can understand. It’s quite brilliant, actually.

Pawel Piotrowski also put together a Newton-themed version of FrogFind, appropriately named NewtFind.

While not technically a search engine, the Sloop Web Directory is an organized listing of websites accessible by older computers.

E. Fonts

1. Where can I find Roman fonts for the Newton?

Free fonts:

Commercial fonts:

2. How do I make a Newton font?

The general approach to creating a Newton font is to start with an existing TrueType or bitmap typeface. It’s not a simple process, but the following resources provide information on how to accomplish it.

Some of Apple’s Newton font tools are also available on UNNA.

Sean Luke’s Fonts for the Newton page provides source code for both his set of laser printer compatible PostScript fonts and his customized Chinese language font.

For a more technical deep dive, Apple’s Newton Font Specifications describes the structure of Newton TrueType fonts.

Apple also provided some font source code.

3. Why don’t Newton fonts print properly?

The printing capabilities of the Newton aren’t very sophisticated. When printing to a PostScript printer, the Newton expects the printer to already have the necessary high resolution outline fonts built-in. If those outline fonts are not available, your text will either be printed in a “fallback” font, such as Courier or Helvetica, or may not print at all.

When printing to a non-PostScript printer, the Newton OS renders fonts as best it can. Due to limited storage space, Newton fonts are stored as screen optimized, low resolution bitmaps. Since the fonts are not available at a higher resolution, they’ll appear extremely rough or jaggy when printed.

F. Audio

1. What software can be used to play audio?

On MessagePad 2000 and MessagePad 2100 devices, you can record and play messages and sounds using the recording stationary located in the Notepad application and the built-in microphone.

Roger Milne’s ModPlayer plays .MOD music files on Newton OS 2.0 devices. A MOD file contains a set instrument samples, plus a list of patterns on how those samples are played back similar to MIDI. ModPlayer is also available from UNNA along with a large selection of MOD files.

Eckhart Köppen’s MAD Max audio player supports MP3 audio files. The recommended bit rate for MP3 files being played on a Newton device is is 32 kbps mono. According to Luiz Petroni reportedly offers the best balance between size and quality.

Sound Icon Maker by Deep Focus Designs lets you create your own Newton sounds from audio files.

Sound Off! by Deep Focus Designs lets you link sounds to specific actions and events.

There are also plenty of playable sounds available as individual packages.

2. What software do I need to record audio?

Audio recording requires a microphone or audio input using a serial or Interconnect port adapter.

See also: Are there any accessories that use the Interconnect port?

On MessagePad 2000 and MessagePad 2100 devices, you can record messages and sounds using the built-in microphone and the recording stationary located in the Notepad application.

VoiceNotes by Modasys dramatically improves the recording quality and uses memory more efficiently than the built-in recording stationary. (Also available from UNNA)

VoiceAlarm by Serg Koren allows you to record sounds which can be used as alerts. (Also available from UNNA)

G. International & Localized Software

1. Where can I find software for non-Roman languages?

At one time, C.W. Otto Sohn’s NEWTtools site maintained an exhaustive list of Fonts, Input Methods, and Font Tools. Be aware of dead links when perusing this resource.

Paul Guyot’s DictMgr allows you to disable system dictionaries and manage multiple user dictionaries, particularly for different languages.

2. Is there a web browser that supports non-Roman encodings?

Newt’s Cape supports Chinese, Japanese, and Cyrillic (in addition to English, French, and German).

H. Data Transfer & Synchronization

1. What software can be used to transfer data?

See also: How do I transfer data to and from a Newton?

2. What software can be used to synchronize data with other applications?

Most of the software listed below was originally designed to work with now obsolete operating systems and applications. Please keep this in mind when attempting any synchronization tasks. Also, make sure your Newton and its data is backed up.

To synchronize, import, and export on various Unix platforms, refer to Reinhold Schöb’s Linux & Newton Mini How-To (2000)

Additionally, Walter R. Basil put together a tutorial on synchronization with Palm Desktop.

See also: How do I transfer data to and from a Newton?