Updates

While I'm trying to get Mutt [1] compiled (it wants a version of iconv [2] so I have to find a version it likes—compile compile compile, hack hack hack, etc. Why mutt? Rob [3] has been trying to sell me on it for the past year or so, and Spring [4] has found elm rather … lacking and seeing how elm is no longer being maintained and all … ), I might as well make an update here.

Finally got all my stuff out of Condo Conner—nothing like moving furniture in a downpour (Saturday). But it's clean of stuff so it's been vaccum and cleanup time. It is also on the market [5] (woo hoo!) as of yesturday, so hopefully in a week or so I'll have it unloaded.

I was also lucky enough to aquire two Newtons [6] this week (great! Just what I need—more stuff)—a MessagePad 130 and a MessagePad 2100, both in working condition. I have one already, a MessagePad 120 which I thought was non-functioning (well, it would function if plugged into the wall, but wouldn't run off batteries) but I was mistaken (go figure—it now works). So I have three working Newtons.

I'm liking the Newton 2100—it's fast. And the backlit screen is great! I've always liked the Newton; never did warm up to the Palm Pilots [7] with their small size, non-existant handwriting recognition (it uses a simplified writing system call Graffiti—the Newton can read your writing however) and very minimalistic names and dates applications. The Newton (coming originally from Apple [8]) has a much better user interface than the Palm Pilot can ever hope to have.

But alas, Steve Jobs killed the Newton (may he rot in Hell).

On the plus side, the Newtons have retained their value [9] quite a bit (wow! Over $100 for a MessagePad 2100 … not bad considering it's about five years old now).

[1] http://www.mutt.org/

[2] http://www.gnu.org/software/libiconv/

[3] http://www.tragic-smurfs.com/

[4] http://www.springdew.com/

[5] /boston/2002/06/11.1

[6] http://www.planetnewton.com/

[7] http://www.palm.com/

[8] http://www.apple.com/

[9] http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&ht=1&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&ebaytag1code=0&query=Apple+Newton

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