Epocdigest V1 # 435

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Epoc Digest Thu, 29 Jan 2004 Volume 01 : Number 435

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Sent to: 804 subscribers

In today's Epoc Digest 17 messages:

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<- printers, humidity, production date, NetBook power supplies,Mac to NetBook,

- MNetBook bag, USB to IrDA, Cameras and CF

- Relational database, keyboard shortcuts

- FrreNote, AtomicTime, Apple Newton,

- CronTab, spam? Pulster?!,

- Re: crypting; netBook problem

- Re; Microsoft/Virus OT

- Re: Netbook with Scandinavian keys/characters

- "Why I hate Microsoft" - interesting reading

- EC standard plugs

- Communication problem

- Re: Micro$oft

- Ronnie Barker's Dictionary (OT - very OT!)

- EC standard plugs,

- Re: Random numbers

- Bacing up Psion when asleep. Scare tactics re.spams

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Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2004

From: Digest administrator

Subject: hrberg

Your mailbox has been full for the last week and it returns the digest. We unsubscribed you for a week and request you, if you read this via another source, to solve the problem.

With best regards

Itamar Engelsman

The Epoc Digest Team

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Date: 28 Jan 2004 03:50:53 +0000

From: Eric Lindsay

Subject: printers, humidity, production date, NetBook power supplies,Mac to NetBook,

>Epoc Digest Fri, 02 Jan 2004 Volume 01 : Number 415

>From: Trygve Henriksen

>And if worst comes to show, STAY AWAY from inkjets that only have one or two ink cartridges. They got a worse printing economy than a five year old kid using oil-colours as finger-paint...

Unfortunately, such printers include the Canon BJC80 (and 50, 55, and 85) that work so well via IR from a Psion. Luckily you probably can't drive them in colour from a Psion, so you can just use the black only cartridge. They are much more suited to light duty use. If you do lost of printing, and can manage it, get a laser printer. My HP 5MP finally gave feed problems (after about 8 years), but has worked so well with my Psion that I'll look for a second hand one (the new models don't have IR).

>From: Wong Koi Hin

>Subject: MnetBook screen problem (or not)

>I have since isolated the cause (or at least I think I do) which is it was the extreme high humidity in Singapore which was causing the screen to act up.

I also live in the tropics, and agree that there is much more probability

of strange reactions from MnetBook when the humidity has been high for

several weeks during the wet season. This is when I really want it to work (because by then my PC has been refusing to boot in less than two hours).

I've taken apart my Psion 7and fixed the screen cable problem. It takes a little time, but if you follow the instructions (from Trygve?) it all

works. The connector for the cable seems a little wimpy to me, but

otherwise much like you find in any notebook style computer.

>From: Wong Koi Hin

>Subject: Re: netBook ID

My Series 7 is 817, and my MnetBook is 850. Maybe all the MnetBooks were

made at the same time?

>From: Jim Watson-Gove

>Subject: Netbook Freez and Power Transformer

>I have finally located a power transformer that looks like it will work

just fine as a US to UK line current converter (or visa versa)

For future reference, I wanted to let NetBook owners looking for a power supply know that you can usually substitute a regular "universal voltage" laptop computer power supply. The only thing is they need to be 15-16

volts. Lots of Toshiba and IBM ones are just fine. I'm too remote to get

a second hand one, so I just bought a commecial switch mode supply from

Amtex (an Australian company specialising in industrial electronics and

power supplies). They sent me one built by Artesyn, model SSL40-7615,

which takes 100-240 volts, and dumps out 15 volts. Output power is 2.6

amps, which is way more than a NetBook needs, but I couldn't find a smaller model in the Amtex catalog. Someone in the USA would do a lot better.

Some points that are worthwhile. Try to get one with an IEEE power socket

or a figure 8 power socket and a removeable power cable. That way if you

take it to a different country, you can just buy a power lead and plug it straight in. I've rather liked some of the IBM laptop power units, as

their output cable also plugs into a socket. Means if the cable gets

wrecked, it is easy to replace it. Now the DC output connector may be

wrong from your NetBook. Radio Shack (or someplace with a more

comprehensive range) can supply a socket to suit the DC plug you will have, and a DC plug to suit your NetBook. I did mine as a plug in extension

cable so that I could make other output devices (for example, my camera

needs 12 volts and a different plug).

>From: David McCorquodale

>Subject: Mac to Psion

>As an aside, do you have any idea how I can connect my netBook to my iMac. The iMac only has USB connectors and even if it were connected would I be

able to down load psion programs from the web and install them onto the Psion.

How about getting a USB to CF card adaptor (very cheap), and transferring programs (and doing backups) via the CF card?

Eric Lindsay lists at ericlindsay com www.avalook.com

Box 640 Airlie Beach Qld Australia ph +61 7 4948 0435

http://www.ericlindsay.com NEW Airlie-SF-Psion-Epoc

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Date: 28 Jan 2004 03:51:57 +0000

From: Eric Lindsay

Subject: MNetBook bag, USB to IrDA, Cameras and CF

>Epoc Digest Tue, 23 Dec 2003 Volume 01 : Number 407

>From: Jim Watson-Gove >Subject: MNetBook

>I have a small laptop carrying case (padded soft case) - what is recommended for a case for the Mbook itself? I remember one Keith Giles had for his 7 that looked pretty good - what are you using Keith???

I've been using Eagle Creek shoulder bags. Several models have space for an MBook, and a bunch of the other stuff I tend to carry. No padding however, so some might be nervous. You could use a padded sleeve inside it however.

>From: Owen H. Morgan

>Subject: EPOCompatibility of HP 7260 & 7660 printers

>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.

Probably not. The whole idea of USB is that there is a Master device (Intel, Windows) controlling a bunch of Slaves! The Master isn't the Psion, and the printer is certainly the Slave, so it can't run the USB end of an IrDA link.

>From: Alan Morris

>Subject: Re: Yet another card format

>I chose the Nikon as it was the only small camera, in the shops I visited, that also used standard CF cards (I have 10) and 2 x AA batteries - yes, 5mx compatible!

Apart from several Canon models, the Pentax GS range also use CF cards for memory, and 2 x AA batteries for power. I went through the same quest for devices that had the specifications I wanted, rather than what the makers wanted me to buy.

Eric Lindsay lists at ericlindsay com www.avalook.com

Box 640 Airlie Beach Qld Australia ph +61 7 4948 0435

http://www.ericlindsay.com NEW Airlie-SF-Psion-Epoc

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Date: 28 Jan 2004 04:48:27 +0000

From: Eric Lindsay

Subject: Relational database, keyboard shortcuts

>Epoc Digest Wed, 07 Jan 2004 Volume 01 : Number 419 >From: Andy Hayes

>Subject: Database / Digest Re-send

>Have you considered the instructions in Relatabase? I wouldn't normally print someone's work, but I know that you don't have any net access. >

>************

> Your Relational Database. (by Mark McGimpsey)

Now that is a nice Data setup!

>From: Adam Carter

>Subject: User Apps Keyboard Trick

>While holding the CTRL Key press any of the user application shortcuts (left hand side of screen 1-4) and the application associated with each shortcut is displayed in similar fashion to the Extra's pop up.

You can find this (and many more keyboard tricks, potentially of use to people with touchscreen problems) on my page

http://www.ericlindsay.com/epoc/mkeys5.htm However I'm always looking for more tricks to add.

Eric Lindsay lists at ericlindsay com www.avalook.com

Box 640 Airlie Beach Qld Australia ph +61 7 4948 0435

http://www.ericlindsay.com NEW Airlie-SF-Psion-Epoc

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Date: 28 Jan 2004 08:12:57 +0000

From: Eric Lindsay

Subject: FrreNote, AtomicTime, Apple Newton,

>Epoc Digest Mon, 19 Jan 2004 Volume 01 : Number 427 >From: Philip Bister

>Subject: To all FreeNote users

>Users of my FreeNote note repository program for EPOC32 may like to know that version 3.08 is now available from my website. >www.philipbister.ukonline.co.uk

Philip, how about giving some hints about what extras are included? Now allows all typefaces to be mirror imaged! Now allows Elvish fonts! Plays Rule Britannica when you open the file! Tell us more!

>From: Itamar Engelsman

>Subject: Atomic time & Crontab

>I downloaded the Atomic Time program which works nicely. However, it creates a problem when you have Crontab on all the time as whenever you update the clock with Crontab active, the next alarm goes off (a known bug on Crontab). Did anyone have the same problem and found a way around it ? If I first have to close Crontab before and open it again after each time I connect Atomic Time will not be functional.

Doesn't that mean it is time for a macro to do that for you?

>From: Will Green

>Subject: Apple Newton & Psion

>Other than admiring it's girth though I have to admit I can do very little with it. It didn't come with the connection to PC link cable or software, the email facility is Apple's own and is now abandoned and it's storage facility (PCMCIA) cannot be read by a PC.

Try the HP 200LX groups and Thaddeus (spelling?) Computing for the PCMCIA linear memory cards that the Newton needs. Since the Newton groups were active, it wouldn't surprise me if a CF driver wasn't also available, although the Newton had a strange (read, Palm like) method of keeping its data and heap.

Eric Lindsay lists at ericlindsay com www.avalook.com

Box 640 Airlie Beach Qld Australia ph +61 7 4948 0435

http://www.ericlindsay.com NEW Airlie-SF-Psion-Epoc

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Date: 29 Jan 2004 00:40:49 +0000

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: CronTab, spam? Pulster?!,

Answer to: Andy Hayes

Re.: CronTab - The simple task you described of running a macro or programs during the night is not a problem, CronTab does exactly that. Each morning at 4.00 am my S7 "wakes up", sets the diary to "today" and "goes to sleep" again. The problem is that there is a bug in the proram concerning the time function. Every time you touch the time settings, home city, summer / winter time, etc., the first upcoming alarm goes off and resets itself to the next occasion it should go off. As we all know the author stopped the development of the program and there is no hope this will be corrected. We'll have to live with the bug.

Answer to: vlad a

Re. spam? Pulster?! - AFAIK none of the operators have as yet deleted any messages but for one particular discussion a long time ago. There are currently no plans to change that.

Best regards,

Itamar Engelsman

London, UK

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Date: 29 Jan 2004 01:59:47 +0000

From: Jack

Subject: Re: crypting; netBook problem

To : Owen

>>>..I keep all my registration details for EPOC software as well as Internet settings and codes for WindoZe software in dedicated files in CodeSafe.<<<<

A PGP or java crypted .txt file can be read on any OS;

in case of psion failure codesafe format is problematic.

--------------------------------

To: Tony netBook problem

>>>...screen full of garbage. All the file names had been replaced with symbols and little lines. Trying to open one got the dreaded error box but I couldn't read it. A soft reset resulted in the system hanging at the opening screen so it was on to a hard reset...... Could there be something coming loose inside which would cause this problem? Also I live near Boston, MA where it has been very cold lately and with the cold there has been more static electricity around.<<<

Similar prob. (file and name corruption...Hard reset) happened to my old nB during a temperate summer (48°52 N).

I suppose it was some loosening near the battery contacts (after shaking or sliding the machine); similar problem has been related during a possible "depressurised" period of flight.

Should we slide a piece of cardboard on the rear of each battery? ;-)

By now it's rather frosty here... my nB stay fortunately stable

Jack

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Date: 29 Jan 2004 02:42:05 +0000

From: "Wong Koi Hin"

Subject: Re; Microsoft/Virus OT

Reply To: Alan Morris

Dear Alan,

AM>So why is the world still suffering from the virus problem that is only active because of Micro$oft and only on Micro$oft products? Micro$oft could very easily remove this problem but it has not because it makes a lot of money from it.

Viruses exists on most popular platforms including open-sourced ones. Your wording seems to suggest Microsoft is responsible for the viruses themselves. (?)

AM>It's interesting that a very recent news article reported that Micro$oft will be releasing a new software product that will stop the virus problem. Another way of extracting cash from the poor user.

This statement further reinforces the opinion. I think its unfair to suggest MS is responsible for the viruses. Viruses hurt them more than anything else. A while back a particularly virulent virus that exploited holes in MS IIS server was the major reason for several insitutions here in Singapore and elsewhere in Asia choosing Sun Microsystems for their future projects or migrating to them. I would indeed be very interested in seeing this new product that MS is coming up with that can stop the virus problem. You wouldnt have an idea how this wonderful product work, would you?

Warm regards,

Koi Hin

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Date: 29 Jan 2004 03:09:29 +0000

From: Andrew Gregory

Subject: Re: Netbook with Scandinavian keys/characters

> can the version with Scandinavian keys be found anywhere?

On my English MalayBook, here's how I get the following:

¿ : Fn+q,q (press fn+q, let go, press q) (inverted question mark) æ : Fn+q,e (ae)

» : Fn+q,r (right double angle quote mark)

þ : Fn+q,t (thorn)

ø : Fn+q,o (o, slash)

å : Fn+q,a (a, ring)

ß : Fn+q,s (sz)

ð : Fn+q,d (eth)

« : Fn+q,l (left double angle quote mark)

¡ : Fn+q,x (inverted exclamation mark)

ç : Fn+q,c (c, cedilla)

For uppercase versions, hold down shift while pressing the second letter.

For accented characters use the following key combination, followed by the letter:

Fn+z : diaeresis

Fn+x : grave

Fn+c : acute

Fn+v : tilde

Fn+b : circumflex

Eg, Fn+b,a gets you : â

And if you've been looking for the "pipe" | character, it's Fn+\

Andrew Gregory, <URL: mailto:andrew

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

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Date: 29 Jan 2004 08:15:26 +0000

From: Marcus von Cube

Subject: "Why I hate Microsoft" - interesting reading

For all you MS haters and for everyone who wants to know some facts about the success of Windows, here is my favorite reading:

http://www.euronet.nl/users/frankvw/IhateMS.html

Marcus

http://www.mvcsys.de

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Date: 29 Jan 2004 08:36:52 +0000

From: Ian Chapple

Subject: EC standard plugs

To Antony:

> >> ... The big disadvantage of a British plug is that it hurts like hell if you tread on one with bare feet... <

There is another. Whilst safer than most, having an Earth connection to protect against short circuits, it also increases the amount of wiring required in a premises. This is a further cost to add to an overall standardisation.

There are simply too many factors to justify standardisation. What's wrong with a travel plug?

Stupid European Beaurocrats. If it aint broke don't fix it. <<

I agree with the comment about travel plugs, but not necessarily with the first part. In my old flat (I live in Holland), all of the mains sockets, apart from those in the kitchen, bathroom and landing were unearthed; in

my new (3 year old) house, all of the sockets are earthed. I'm not sure whether the law itself has changed (Rolf may know more about this), or whether the builders themselves decided that it was better, but I'm certainly happier with this arrangement.

Cheers, Ian.

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Date: 29 Jan 2004 09:49:08 +0000

From: Antony

Subject: Communication problem

To: Hoffman, Susan

I solved my connection problems by creating a Hyperterminal connection The Hyperterminal connection will show a repeated string when the PDA attempts to connect.

When there are connection problems, I simply close the .exe, launch the Hyperterminal shortcut. When the string starts to repeat, close hyperterminal and attempt to connect again by clicking the 'My Psion' shortcut or something. This works every time.

Antony Booth

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Date: 29 Jan 2004 09:57:05 +0000

From: Antony

Subject: Re: Micro$oft

To: Alan Morris

A little light reading to cheer you up and reinforce your point.

http://www.euronet.nl/users/frankvw/IhateMS.html

Antony Booth

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Date: 29 Jan 2004 10:35:07 +0000

From: Philip S. Adkins Potter

Subject: Ronnie Barker's Dictionary (OT - very OT!)

Hi Folks,

"Fletcher's book of rhyming slang" by Ronnie Barker, illustrated by Malcolm Poynter and cover illustration by Robin Bootell, Pan books, falling-apart paperback, 0 330 25980 6, 80 pence in 1979 - and I believe he actually wrote it!

"'Hello, me old cock!' Cock: cocksparrow = barrow: barrow of soil = boil: boil and bake = cake: cake and jam = ham: ham and pickle = tickle: tickle and touch = Dutch: Dutch plate = *mate*. Simple, isn't it."

Mine's a first edition, yah, booh, sucks. But it's post "Two Ronnies", I'm afraid. It' not the only jocular dictionary I've got either.

Happy days,

Phil.

"Futtocks End" rules.

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Date: 29 Jan 2004 13:59:44 +0000

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: EC standard plugs,

Answer to: Antony

Re.: EC standard plugs - It happens to be that my Company sells electrical switches and sockets to the European market and it is a real pain that there are so many different types in Europe. one type would undoubtedly bring down prices further. There is nothing wrong with an adaptor but if you travel to different countries for business you might need several adaptors .... ! But more worrying is that most Chinese materials claim they are safety tested but in fact are of inferior quality and unsafe to use.

Best regards,

Itamar Engelsman

London, UK

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Date: 29 Jan 2004 14:27:47 +0000

From: Chris S Handley

Subject: Re: Random numbers

Hello Alan,

I am afraid we have both fallen foul with the poorly chosen word "random" in relation to OPL's RND function; both your idea & my explanation of why it would not work.

What we should say is that RND is "pseudo-random", which means it always generates exactly the same sequence of numbers for a given RANDOMIZE seed. It is in this context by which I used the phrase "fixed (non-random)". At the risk of repeating myself, I'll try to rephrase my explanation below.

Alan Morris wrote:

>>> You could double RANDOMIZE; that is RANDOMIZE a second

>>> time using the first's result as seed.

>> I am afraid that this will not work! Counter-intuitive I

>> know, but think about it:

>> If RANDOMIZE is fed a fixed (non-random) number, then RND

>> will always generate a fixed number, and if you feed this

>> fixed number to RANDOMIZE, then you have not managed to

>> make it any more random!

> Chris I did not suggest using a fixed number as the seed, you

> did! Call RANDOMIZE with a time related seed, as all have

> used so far. Then use the result as the new seed when

> calling RANDOMIZE a second time.

> This will make it _more_ random as initially required.

The point I was trying to make (and failed dismally:) was that we are dealing with a pseudo-random sequence, which crucially is NOT really random:

For a given seed "S", the first pseudo-random number will always be "X". Using "X" as the seed will always cause the next pseudo-random number to be "Y". There, whenever you algorithm is fed "S" as the initial seed, it will always output "Y" as the first random number. This is no more random than always outputting "X" first, and therefore you have gained nothing.

If this does not convince you, imagine a situation where you are using an INCREDIBLY limited seed - say just one of possible 3 values. Your algorithm (using a pseudo-random number as a seed) will still only generate 3 possible pseudo-random sequences for the 3 initial seeds. So where is you increased 'randomness'?

BTW, this argument assumes a proper pseudo-random generator, where there is no (linear) correlation between the initial seed and the generated pseudo-random sequence. Which means the only requirement of a seed is for it to be unique (I.E. it does NOT need to be random). But I still expect my argument to hold for all but the most atrocious "pseudo-random" generators; where a seed N would generate say the number 4N +/- 1 as the first pseudo-random number (then your algorithm would indeed magnify the tiny 'randomness' in a useful way).

> I can't vouch for it's efficiency in OPL, but it worked for

> me about 25 years ago, when I first used this trick.

How have you been measuring randomness? And on which system(s)? Really old programming languages apparently often used appalling pseudo-random algorithms.

Regards,

Chris Handley

P.S. I wrote this before reading Marcus's explanation. Personally I think mine is easier to understand, but they are both equally correct, so choose whichever one you prefer...

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Date: 29 Jan 2004 19:43:52 +0000

From: Stephane Sage

Subject: Bacing up Psion when asleep. Scare tactics re.spams

Hello all

To Andy Hayes:

try Backup from Ralph Sprenger (www.psionwelt.de/ralphsprenger). Never had a problem. It will backup (whole disk or specific files) for you at preset times, even with Psion at rest.

To Keith Giles:

don't worry about Arent's "scare tactics" on spams invading yr mailbox whichever protections you may have set. That seems to be his style, just as he keeps predicting Micro$oft final victory over Symbian, with dubious arguments as ever...Happy skiing (;-))