Epocdigest V1 # 408

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Epoc Digest Wed, 24 Dec 2003 Volume 01 : Number 408

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Sent to: 795 subscribers

In today's Epoc Digest 18 messages:

==============================

- New freeware released

- Re: Psion emulator

- Re: Weeknumber in Agenda

- Re: Spot a Psion, nConvert

- RE: MnetBook

- Re: USB to RS232 (?)

- Re: Mbook/Backup/Digest Archive

- Re: Thanks for all the MONEY!

- Backups Again

- Re: MNetBook

- Psion Computer Journal

- EpocSync (for Jim Watson-Gove)

- Opera: proxy server

- Ebook

- Re: Yet another card format

- MONEY, Back-Up Battery, EPOCompatibility of printers,

- Revo turns off unexpectedly

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 01:20:19 -0500

From: Euan Mee

Subject: New freeware released

I've just made two more pieces of freeware available at www.gawnsoft.co.sr

One is a (not very interactive) version of Conway's classic 'Game of Life', in which cells live or die depending on how many neighbours they have.

The other is TouchClock, a toy I made so that my toddler has something to do when he sees working me on the Psion, and

wants to join in. It displays some big bold shapes on the screen, and they appear and disappear in response to being touched. Plus

it locks off the keyboard, to help avoid accidental over-typing by enthusiastic little fingers.

So that's now 4 applettes, 9 eNovels and 5 non-fiction eBooks now available.

If anyone has any particular favourite classic novels they'd like TCR'd (or even PalmDOCed), email them to me this.blueyonder.antispam.co.uk), and I'll

process them and make them available from the web-site, if they're genuinely out of copyright.

The next applications made available are likely to be genuinely useful ones. I'm starting to home in on how to handle

asynchronous events, such as noticing pen-taps while at the same time calculating whether cells live or die. :-) And I expect I'll have some time on my hands over the next week or so!

Cheers,

Euan

xlucid

this).sf.(antispam.)net

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Date: 24 Dec 2003 01:26:09 -0500

From: Euan Mee

Subject: Re: Psion emulator

On 23 Dec 2003, at 8:25, "Nicole Carbonara" wrote: > Someone recently mentioned in this Digest a Psion emulator that allows

> seeing non convertible Psion files (especially Agenda and Contact) on a

> PC. I made a search on Psion emulator and downloaded EMU48E but then found

> out in reading the ReadMe file that this was something to install in the

> Psion.

> I should be grateful if someone could tell me where I can find a Psion

> emulator that allows seeing non convertible Psion files on a PC.

The emulator is part of the Software Developer Kit (or SDK) for

Epoc.

Go to the OplSDK page on the Symbian/Epoc Wiki

http://html.dnsalias.net:1122/OplSDK

It gives the latest known download URL, as well as hints and tips

on setting up the emulator on your PC.

Cheers,

Euan

xlucid

this).sf.(antispam.)net

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 03:27:15 -0500

From: Andrew Gregory

Subject: Re: Weeknumber in Agenda

To: Itamar Engelsman

> This is one of those years again that the week number in the EPOC agenda > is 1 off. For example, in all other diaries the week starting with 25/1

> is week 5, however in the EPOC diary it is week 4.

> Is there any way to change the EPOC diary to show the correct number ?

Short answer: set your start-of-week to Monday.

Longer answer is that the ISO standard for date/time (8601)

<http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/iso-time.html> dictates that the week starts on Monday. That's what the printed diaries would appear to be using.

Andrew Gregory, <URL: mailto:andrew

<URL: http://www.scss.com.au/family/andrew/ >

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 03:32:53 -0500

From: Andrew Gregory

Subject: Re: Spot a Psion, nConvert

> A file without the <HTML> tag in the beginning is NOT a valid HTML file.

Not strictly true! If the nConvert is choking on the HTML files in question because they start with a <!DOCTYPE, then that must be an nConvert bug. Doctypes have been required for a long time in HTML files.

Andrew Gregory, <URL: mailto:andrew

<URL: http://www.scss.com.au/family/andrew/ >

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 05:33:02 -0500

From: Wong Koi Hin

Subject: RE: MnetBook

Reply to Jim Watson-Gove

JW>I assume that there is some sort of general warrantee. Do I register with Telelogic or Psion?

Neither, actually. I hope you are not under the impression that the MnetBooks are warranted by Psion/teklogix. The Mnetbooks were surplus stock in a failed school project in Malaysia. Apparently a company called SITA bought up most of the stock and resold it. Any warranties would be from them. (Unless the person you bought it from has other arrangements) Their policy thus far has been 1-year warranty dated from the date of purchase from them. Let me know if you need the address.

JW>I have a small laptop carrying case (padded soft case) - what is recommended for a case for the Mbook itself?

I personally use a fanny pouch for my Mnetbook. It fits in very snugly behind the first seperator, and the rest goes by other stuff that I find useful when out on trips. Actually its more of a waist-pouch than a fanny pouch as when you buckle it around your waist, the pouch rest mostly above one's posterior. I call it a fanny pouch to give you an idea of its size. I prefer this position of being above one's fanny as I go cycling pretty often and occasionally bring my MnetBook. The rest of the time when I am not on my bike, I am more likely to buckle the pouch, and carry it on one shoulder like a small backpack.

Warm regards,

Koi Hin

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 05:44:22 -0500

From: Wong Koi Hin

Subject: Re: USB to RS232 (?)

Reply to Owen Morgan

Dear Owen,

OM>Is there such a thing as an IR or RS232 to USB converter? I.e. the opposite way of what those who have bought newish laptops use to connect their Psion to their RS-232less computer.

Hmm, if I understand you correctly, you are looking for a device that can convert a RS-232 into a USB connection? Somehow I doubt that (but I would be most happy to be refuted) as USB connection must be able to supply considerable power as well to the devices it is connecting to. Also the USB communicaton protocol is far richer than RS-232, so while it is possible to get a USB to emulate an RS-232, the reverse would be difficult.

Warm regards,

Koi Hin

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 05:56:53 -0500

From: Keith Giles

Subject: Re: Mbook/Backup/Digest Archive

Jim Watson-Gove wrote:

> I remember one Keith Giles had for his 7 that

> looked pretty good - what are you using Keith???

I have an Mbook and the case was one of those Wetsuit neoprene soft cases I got on eBay. Edward Hasbrouck suggested it on his web site. Nothing like the hard case protection for my 5mx, but handy with its handles if I carry the Mbook anywhere (not often, though).

Steve Hodgson wrote:

> My ideal would be one that copies and _zips_ data to avoid

> inefficient use of disk space.

You might take a look at Rick Gillyon's "Zippy"

http://www.gillyon.com/psion.htm

You have to have RMRZip. If you want it to be automatic, you have to use CronTab.

Happy Cycling,

Keith

Sunnyvale, CA

http://ohsix827.home.comcast.net

Thought For The Day: If at first you do succeed, it's too easy - try something else.

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 06:04:53 -0500

From: Wong Koi Hin

Subject: Re: Thanks for all the MONEY!

Reply to Nils Langeland

NL>Hello, and thanks to all that responded to my plea for MONEY.

Had I known the Digestees are such a generous bunch, I would have made a similar plea for MONEY as well. Wonder if its too late? ;)

Warm regards,

Koi Hin

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 08:44:26 -0500

From: Andy Hayes

Subject: Backups Again

Hi All and Merry Xmas to you all.

I also have wondered about zipping up the backed up files, but tests that I did failed to work. No error message, I think that the netBook just ran out of disk / memory space to work in and the app just froze. I tried RMRZip installed on all 3 drives. EPOCBackup does have a compression ability though, and it will back up single or multiple files, in fact it is just like FastBackup in many ways with an easier to use interface. It is shareware though - 20usd + tax. I haven't been able to get it to run unattended backups with CronTab yet. The fault lays with either the netBook or the CronTab app though as the netBook switches off before the backup is properly run :-(.

Andy Hayes

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 10:15:03 -0500

From: Chris S Handley

Subject: Re: MNetBook

Jim Watson-Gove

> I assume that there is some sort of general warrantee. Do I

> register with Telelogic or Psion?

Jim, I think you are in for a nasty surprise :-( . One reason for the Malayabooks being so cheap is that Psion provide NO warrenty. I am surprised & saddened that this was not made clear when you bought it.

If you are lucky, the company you bought the Malayabook from will provide some kind of warrenty, but most likely it will only be for a few months (6 at the outside).

So there is still some value in buying a brand new Netbook, especially given the notorious screen cable problem (which is only properly fixed in the newest Netbooks anyway). Unfortunately I think stocks of new Netbooks must be very low by now (?) since IIRC they haven't been manufactured for a year.

Personally I would have suggested buying a new Series 7 (now scarce as hens teeth) if you could also get a Personality Module cheap, as you still get a warrenty - although Psion's commitment to *consumer* warrenties is only (I think) to the end of 2004 (or was it 2003 ?).

Regards,

Chris Handley

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 10:49:25 -0500

From: Mike Dyer

Subject: Psion Computer Journal

Hi all,

my first copy of the new Psion Computer magazine arrived in the post this morning. I sat down for five minutes to flick through it and have just lost an hour!. I'm contemplating replacing my ailing Revo+ with a remanufactured 5mx whilst I still can.

I've come to realise that I want to carry a proper pocket computer around with me, not a glorified mp3 player/gameboy/crap camera with no keyboard and a tiny screen, and this is the sort of publication that I want to read.

I shall still subscribe to 'Palmtop' whilst it is still going but the latest issue seemed thinner and less relevant than even the last of the Psion specific issues.

It's a damn shame, rather like the cessation of production of Psion epoch computers.

(just my 5p worth)

Mike Dyer.

Now off to reinstall Win98 and wondering where all the driver disks are...

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 12:36:56 -0500

From: Owen H. Morgan

Subject: EpocSync (for Jim Watson-Gove)

Howdy!

Jim Watson-Gove wrote (> ):

> That sync program that everyone seems to use kept

> crashing halfway through when I tried to sync between

> the Mako and the 5mx.

I assume you are referring to EpocSync? I find it sometimes gets stuck when transferring files over a couple of hundred Kb. What is really annoying is that instead of trying again or allowing you to retry or skip the failed file, the application closes on one machine, and on the other it gives an error message and then closes. EpocSync then has to be restarted on both machines and the sync process started again from the beginning.

In my case, there are usually only one or two files big enough to cause problems, typically the SaveMail e-mail archives and my PhoneMan file. I've found it useful to place the files that are known to cause problems at the start of the sync process so that the crash will happen right at the beginning rather than half way through. Then I know that once I'm past the first few files, the rest of the process will run without me watching it If I try again, it'll usually work OK the second or third time. Another "solution" is to transfer the biggest files "manually" by IR before I restart EpocSync.

It's also possible to run EpocSync over cable instead of using IR. I don't know whether this solves the problem, but I believe it is an IR issue so it probably does. What you need is either a special "nullmodem" cable with connectors for your Psions at the ends or your original PsiWin cables with a nullmodem adapter between them. I'm sure someone will but in with an explanation or a link for how to knit your own. This also has the advantage of being able to place the machines side by side so you can see the screens on both machines. If you want to have them side by side when using IR, you can place a mirror or a sheet of white paper vertically behind the machines. (If using a 5mx and a Revo/Mako, place the Revo to the left an 5ive to the right to get the Ir ports as close as possible.)

It's a pity the software author hasn't fixed this problem. Even if he finds himself unable to fix the IR transfer problem, he could have improved the error handling so that the program would re-establish the connection and retry a couple of times when there was a problem transferring a file. If the transfer still failed, the program could inform the user which file(s) had failed to transfer at the end of the process. Another thing I don't like is the fact that when the sync process has been successfully completed, EpocSync simply exits on both machines. A dialog box, maybe with some statistics would have been useful.

Still, I find EpocSync is on the whole a very useful application which makes life with two EPOC devices or a Psion and the EPOC Simulator on the PC a lot easier.

PS. Remember that syncing the e-mail folders direct will leave you with a backlog of old messages that have been deleted from the e-mail application, but will be present and taking up space on both machines. The solution is to rename or move the Mail folder on the machine with the oldest copy before syncing. Once the sync is completed and everything looks OK, you can delete the renamed folder, or maybe keep it as a backup and delete it the next time you sync. Having an older copy of the e-mail folder has saved my bacon on a couple of occasions.

Owen

Thought for the day:

Get your facts first... then you can distort 'em as much as you please.

- Mark Twain

Owen H. Morgan, Yacht "Naomi J.", LD-928°07.85'N 15°25.66'W

Las Palmas, Gran Canaria

http://home.no.net/naomij

Phone and SMS:

In Spain: +34 620520079

In Norway: +47 92053097

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 13:11:55 -0500

From: howkins

Subject: Opera: proxy server

Jim Watson-Gove asked how to get Opera to work when the message "cannot find proxy server" appeared. It sounds like the "use proxy server" box is checked, so do the following: start Opera, then >Menu>Preferences>Connections>>Proxies, and uncheck the 'use proxy server' box. Then >OK and >OK again to save the new settings.

Hope that works, Jim.

Robert Howkins

Taiwan

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 13:18:37 -0500

From: howkins

Subject: Opera: proxy server

Hope that works, Jim.

Robert Howkins

Taiwan

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 13:18:39 -0500

From: howkins

Subject: Ebook

Gunter Aigmueller asked about Simon Quinn's e-mail address. Sorry, I can't supply it, but if the reason for asking was because you wanted to know the registration code for his Ebook software, it's XM32349101. He's made it freely available.

Robert Howkins

Taiwan

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 15:37:28 -0500

From: Owen H. Morgan

Subject: Re: Yet another card format

Howdy!

Itamar wrote (> ):

> Re.: Yet another card format - Maybe it is because

> different machines have different needs and size

> limitations ? A CF card is great for a camera, 1,

> 2 or 4 Gb, but a small PDA does not have space for

> such a card and needed a smaller size, with less

> capacity.

This doesn't explain why my new Fuji S5000 camera uses the xD cards whilst the Fuji S602 which is only marginally larger and has very similar specs has slots for both CFII and SmartMedia and my old Fuji 4700z uses SmartMedia. The Fuji S5000 which is a semi-professional camera with the capacity to save phtographs in camera RAW format would in my opinion have been better served by CF. (And then I could have popped the card into my 5mx to e-mail photos.)

There are around half a dozen card formats on the market and as far as I know, every one of them has been used in some brand of digital camera. What it seems like to me is that the camera manufacturers have been having trouble making up which standard to adhere to.

My main gripe with the xD cards apart from the fact that I couldn't use my existing cards and that a new type of card will always be more expensive than a card of the same capacity in an established format is that the cards are so tiny that they could very easily be lost. The tiny xD cards might be a useful format for a small item like a PDA or smartphone and would be ideal for something like the rumoured reworked Revo, but my Fuji S5000 camera is only slightly smaller than a traditional SLR camera.

> Or maybe just different producers trying

> to conquer a majority market share ?

Or maybe deliberately forcing users to buy new media when changing their hardware?

Alan Morris wrote (> ):

> Does it have the ability to 'copy' an existing

> high resolution frame to a smaller resolution?

No, it can crop an image and save the result in a new file, but not change the resolution of an image. What I would REALLY like is a camera that could be set to automagically save two copies of each image, one in high res for printing and one smaller and well compressed for e-mail and web.

> If this is not available, then you could reduce

> the resolution and take extra shots for e-mail

> use, but this is probably a bit clumsy.

And dangerous. I've done this before, and forgotten to change the resolution back. The result was that I ended up taking important images at too low resolution.

> Do you have to use the camera's maximum

> resolution?

Yes. Many of my images will be used professionally and one of the reasons I bought a new camera was that the 4mp images of my 4700z gave me very little latitude with images that needed cropping.

> I don't as laptop display is all we

> need (or LCD projection), in fact the only use I

> can (personally) see for having a high resolution

> is as a zoom facility.

Try printing a few of your images at A4 size on a good printer and you'll find out why the resolution of cameras keeps going up. For acceptable quality at A4 paper size, you really need at least 4mp resolution. 1024x768 is OK if you only want to print 4x5" prints for your own use, but no good if you want to hang an enlargement on the wall or it is going to be printed in a magazine. Also, it leaves you nothing to work with if the images need to be cropped or perhaps rotated to correct a slanted horizon which is not uncommon for me when quite a few of my photos are shot from a moving boat.

> I've not investigated

> built-in camera digital zoom, but I would expect

> only the central pixels of the CCD to be used

Digital zoom does nothing that can't be done better in software on the PC with the added advantage that on the PC you can crop in the comfort of your home and get exactly what you want. Some cameras acheive digital zoom at high resolution by interpolation. Fuji have got the right idea. Both my Fuji cameras disable digital zoom at high resolution and at lower resolutions it is done by using, as you say a smaller portion of the CCD.

Owen

Thought for the day:

Always yield to temptation, for it may not pass your way again.

Owen H. Morgan, Yacht "Naomi J.", LD-928°07.85'N 15°25.66'W

Las Palmas, Gran Canaria

http://home.no.net/naomij

Phone and SMS:

In Spain: +34 620520079

In Norway: +47 92053097

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 16:46:16 -0500

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: MONEY, Back-Up Battery, EPOCompatibility of printers,

Answer to: Nils Langeland

Re.: MONEY - I played around a little with the program. You can create a new file on D disk whcih will save all the details of the old file into the new file. After that you can delete the Money.dat file on the C disk. However, do NOT delete the file Money with the $ sign in it as it keeps the record where the files are situated. If you use Save-as it will only save the file Money to the D disk but not the data file.

Answer to: Eric Cohen

Re. Back-Up Battery - Your problem is an old one. Just put a small peace of cardboard between the battery and the plastic above it to push the battery down a little and it will keep the contact. However, I don't think this is a reason for the Psion to need a hard reset.

Answer to: Owen H. Morgan

Re. EPOCompatibility of printers - In general for photographic work Epson and Canon printers are better than HP, they give better quality prints. I am sure there is an Epson printer where you can put your CF card in the printer and print straigth from it. As to your question "Would it be crazy to expect REAL professional photo quality from a €94 printer?" I think the anser is "yes".

As to photopaper, I found the smaller cards all to be of inferior quality and mainly use A4 sheets to print 4 photos per page.

Best regards,

Itamar Engelsman

London, UK

*++++++++++&

Date: 24 Dec 2003 18:41:37 -0500

From: Edward J. Curtis, Jr.

Subject: Revo turns off unexpectedly

Lately my Revo has taken to turning itself off while I am using it. The on-off switch doesn't work and I have had to plug it

in to get it going again. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme

or reason to these unexpected power offs, though they seem to occur when the battery is below 50 percent. Is there anything to bump or jiggle on the Revo to get it going again without plugging it in? Thanks for your response.