[NTLK] Hello - rediscovered MP 110 & Linux

[Tom]

Hi everyone,

I've just resurrected my MP 110 (bought when at University, circa 1998 !). Really fun seeing notes from decades ago still there. My parents recently unearthed a *fax* I'd manged to to send to my Dad's workplace from it sometime last century too.

Good news is that generic Power Owl rechargeable batteries from Amazon seem *fine* and the Newton dock reports they are charged, and charging.  I just put in the bottom metal bracket from the official battery holder to press down the little button :) 
These are NiMH which http://newtonfaq.com/newton-faq-hardware.html#IIB6[1] warns against using because it could hurt the Newton. Anyone know why ? The linked thread here just says you might trash the battery, not the Newton.

Less good news is that when I opened the battery door the plastic was fragile and one of the clips at the front has broken. Not so bad I as I won't be taking it out too much. Still sits in the dock fine, but won't close correctly any more. Oh well :-/

Are there any other common tasks I should be looking to do ? 
I'm at geek, but terrible at electronics, so re-capping it would be beyond me, but I've changed the button cell today too.

Also, long shot maybe, but is the author of the Linux HOWTO - Reinhold.Schoeb at gmx.net -  (https://newtonlink.sourceforge.net/Newton_and_Linux-mini-HOWTO.html[2]) here ? Or at least contactable does anyone know ?

All my machines are Linux, so as soon as applenewtonfan's USB-to-Newton cable arrives I hope to be able to use native tools, or at least NCK in emulation, to get a backup, and then wire up as much as I can function wise. Outbox-to-email seems plausible to attempt

You can track progress here https://rachaelandtom.info/content/newton-linux[3] but I'll be posting again and trying to update the Linux and main FAQs as I go; one PR is already in on GitHub to update some URLs.

-- 
Tom

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[1] http://newtonfaq.com/newton-faq-hardware.html#IIB6
[2] https://newtonlink.sourceforge.net/Newton_and_Linux-mini-HOWTO.html
[3] https://rachaelandtom.info/content/newton-linux