[NTLK] Newton-re on Linux comments

Sun Oct 25 12:23:02 PDT 2026

I'm going to be away for the next couple of days, but with any luck I should be able to look into the Dashboard crash when I get back. I'm assuming the software you are having trouble with is this one: https://github.com/masonmark/Dash-Board-for-Newton-OS

On Sun, Oct 25 2026 at 2:58:15 PM UTC, Don Zahniser via NewtonTalk <newtontalk at newtontalk.net> wrote:

Dashboard, when installed, has a couple of problems in newton-re. I was able to install it successfully (I installed Dashboard Prefs first), but it crashes newton-re:

 - Upon rotation 
 - Upon freezing

In both cases, it appears as though newton-re successfully performs the requested action, but then crashes. For example: When rotating, newton-re crashes, but upon restart, Dashboard is active in the rotated screen. When freezing Dashboard, newton-re crashes, but upon restart, Dashboard is frozen. I activated freezing using SBM’s Optionen package (appears as Options in Extras).

It appears as though all of the other things I reported have been handled. A correction, though - The physical keyboard’s volume keys are not interacting with newton-re; they are only affecting the computer system volume. Not advocating change here, just reporting what’s really happening.

- Don

From: Marisa Giancarla via NewtonTalk < newtontalk at newtontalk.net > Subject: Re: [NTLK] Newton-re on Linux comments Date: 10/25/26 8:13 AM To: Daniel Parnell < me at danielparnell.com >, NewtonTalk Mailing List < newtontalk at newtontalk.net > Here is the package i was trying: 
https://newtoncity.org/index.php/downloads/3-newton/26-utilities/566-dashboard-151 Let me know if you need more info... 
Marisa 
On 10/24/26 5:35 PM, Daniel Parnell wrote: 
> I have just release v0.0.4 that should deal with all the issues 
> mentioned here. Give it a go and let me know if you are still having 
> problems with the app. 
>> 
>> On 25/10/2026 9:28:45 AM, Marisa Giancarla via NewtonTalk 
>> < newtontalk at newtontalk.net > wrote: 
>> 
>> I saw all those issues as well. I also have an issue where at every 
>> start it goes to the setup sequence and doesn't remember my previous 
>> config... 
>> Marisa 
>> On 10/24/26 6:45 AM, Don Zahniser via NewtonTalk wrote: 
>> > I am testing newton-re on an obsolete (2009?) Intel iMac running 
>> Debian Trixie. I’ve used both a Kensington wired keyboard (Mac) and a 
>> Logitech Bluetooth keyboard (Windows), both with an Orbit trackball. 
>> I have tested both in the Cinnamon desktop and the IceWM window manager. 
>> > 
>> > Oddities and observations that are consistent in newton-re 0.1 
>> through 0.3: 
>> > 
>> > Screen calibration requires a tap and hold for longer than in a 
>> MessagePad 2100 , as noted by others. This also seems to apply 
>> elsewhere, such as positioning the cursor in Notes. 
>> > 
>> > During Setup, the first character typed in the First Name field is 
>> lowercase, regardless of the shift key position on the external 
>> keyboard. Subsequent keypresses do honor the shift key status. 
>> > 
>> > In the Time Zones app, using the Newton’s arrow controls scrolls to 
>> the end of the entire list or back to the beginning. For example, if 
>> I am in the ‘abc’ panel for cities, want Buffalo, NY, and hit the 
>> down arrow, it takes me all the way to the end of the city listing 
>> (Worcester). However, while sitting in the ‘abc’ panel, hitting ‘abc’ 
>> again scrolls one screen so that Buffalo can be selected. The same 
>> thing applies to the countries list. 
>> > 
>> > The Newton volume slider in the Extras drawer doesn’t change the 
>> volume, although the slider does change position and a tone is 
>> sounded. The volume keys on my external keyboards do change the 
>> volume, but the slider doesn’t move accordingly and no tone is sounded. 
>> > 
>> > In both external keyboards, there are characters missing, 
>> specifically: ` (left of 1) - = [ ] ; ‘ and their shift characters . 
>> > This means, for example, that if I want a dash in my phone number 
>> during Setup, I must type it on Newton’s internal keyboard. These 
>> external keys are unavailable system-wide in newton-re. 
>> > 
>> > On the external keyboards numbers keybads, the only key that works 
>> is the Enter key. 
>> > 
>> > Rotation is not available. Upon tapping the Rotate button, Newton 
>> tries to rotate, but the window dimensions don’t change, there are 
>> multiple alignment ‘X’s with pens, and the graphics are ‘faded’ 
>> compared to normal. Tapping on one of the pens displays the next ‘X’ 
>> in the sequence, but after the 3rd ‘X’, the pattern repeats. 
>> > 
>> > A differently named newton.store file is needed for each 
>> differently sized newton instance, because the pen calibration is 
>> stored in the newton.store file. This also means that user data 
>> stored in one screen size is not accessed from an instance of another 
>> screen size. So, if you want to use newton-re to store data, pick a 
>> screen size and stick with it. - Don 
>> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>> > 
>> > https://newtontalk.net >> > https://bitbang.social/@newtontalk >> > https://bsky.app/profile/newtontalk.bsky.social >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>> https://newtontalk.net >> https://bitbang.social/@newtontalk >> https://bsky.app/profile/newtontalk.bsky.social > 2966ac64-c5d7-4675-9cc7-5f25bba80df2 
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