Autopart An autopart is a package that either has no icon (on a Newton 1.3) or is stored in the Extensions folder (on Newton 2.0.) These packages usually install some sort of enhancement, perhaps a button in the status bar, or modify dome existing behavior (such as Scroll Menus.) Since they do not have a 'base view', or main window, they are usually not good canidates for freezing. Disabling Packages If you are experiencing problems with your Newton, you may want to restart with to restart and disable all packages before they can load. This can be done by resetting (see below) and holding the pen on the left edge of the screen. A window will open, asking if you want to disable packages on the store "Internal". Tap "Yes". If you have a card inserted, keep holding, and another window will open, asking the same thing for the card. After doing this, if you go into your Extras Drawer, all third party applications will have a big "X" through them. To load an application, simply tap it's icon; the X will disappear, and it will open. It is usally best to reset your Newton after doing this, as that way all your packages will reload. Freezing By freezing those packages you don't use very often, you can eliminate their heap usage altogether (except when they are running.) The downside is that most extensions, and any application that installs buttons in your status bar (such as DateMan) or otherwise modifies your system, will be turned off, removing the modification until it is thawed. In order to make use of freezing, you must install a package that turns it on, such as Package Popup or Freeze Utils. You can remove both of these packages once installed, and freezing will still be enabled. Heap All packages installed on a Newton take up a small amount of what's known as System Heap, or just Heap. On a MessagePad 120, you start off with about 100k of heap, and about 200k on a 130. The more packages you have installed, the more heap they take up, and the less is available to applications (you can think of heap as analagous to RAM on a Mac or PC...programs must have a certain amount to run.) Ideally, you should keep your heap above 40-50k, but the more you have, the less it will have to be cleaned up, and the snappier your Newton will feel Resetting (also Restarting) If you are experiencing problems with your Newton (such as frequent error messages or slow operation,) it's probably time for a reset. This does NOT hurt any stored data (your handwriting recognition data, names, notes, etc, are all saved.) This can be done by pressing the reset button in the battery compartment, or using either Backdrop Plus or Package Popup. This is different from a Hard Reset, which WILL erase all your data. To perform a hard reset, hold down the power switch and tap the reset button. Keep holding down the power switch until a window pops open on screen and asks if you want to remove all data. This CANNOT be undone, so do it carefully. Soup A soup is the basic method of data storage on a Newton. Each application on your Newton usually has one or more soups associated with it (such as the Names soup and the Notes soup.) A soup is composed of multiple entries. Each entry is a discrete piece of information, such as an individual name or note. Some applications share soups with others. For example, the Date Book, DateMan, and Wake Up Week all use the same set of soups. Stationery On Newton 2.0, the NotePad supports a new kind of autopart called Stationery. A stationery item is a new type of note. The Newton comes with three types of stationery built in; Note, Checklist, and Outline. Certain packges, such as Graph Paper, add a new type of Stationery. You can create a new note based on a particular piece of stationery by tapping the "New" button (or, in Backdrop Plus, tapping and holding on the Quick Note button.) System Soup This is the soup where installed packages store their preference information. In addition, the system stores your configuration, handwriting recognition data, and other settings here. Since most applications install their preferences here, and few remove them (since it's difficult to determine when an application is being removed because the user is sick of it, or because they want to install a new version) the syetem soup can get cluttered with preference entries. These entries each take up only a few hundred bytes, but if you want to get rid of them, you can use Prefs Cleaner to remove them.