Epocdigest V1 # 499

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

Tips for Posting to the Digest and how to unsubscribe

at the end of the Digest

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

Epoc Digest Mon, 12 Apr 2004 Volume 01 : Number 499

************************************************************************

Sent to: 776 subscribers

In today's Epoc Digest 12 messages:

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

- CFs Again

- Wifi

- SevenTwentyfour, SynchML, .zip files, in-car charger.

- Re: Message from the Digest Team/Owen Morgan

- Spam again...

- Re: Pavia/WiFi/Teddy Bears

- nICQ

- 3-Lib updates

- Pavia (and Piacenza) / WiFi hotspots

- Sig comments

- OT / Coordinate Charting

- How to display Antony Booth's stereogram

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

Date: 11 Apr 2004 15:21:29 +0000

From: Andy Hayes

Subject: CFs Again

After the early self-congratulation that my unrecognised CF card was up and running again after a format in a Canon camera, it failed after I tried to copy over 130mb of data to it. The format in a Canon camera must have been a quick format as it was certainly too quick to have formatted it properly. What I now need is someone with a Win9x PC with a card reader or a Win9x laptop with a PC card slot to scandisk the card, format it FAT12 or FAT16, then copy a couple of hundred mb of data to it. My theory is that the scandisk will find what I believe are faulty clusters. Once they are marked and the card correctly formatted I might have a chance of recovering this 256mb CF card if it can accept a lot of data copied to it as a test. Can someone in the UK help me out here? I will pay the postage back and forth and if you let me know what you want for your time and trouble, that will be included as well.

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

Date: 11 Apr 2004 16:58:35 +0000

From: J. Hamwee

Subject: Wifi

Itamar Engelsman wrote:

>> [I] can use my mBook all over the house with my Wifi-card and wireless network

What card is that, and would it work on a S7? Thanks for any info.

Regards

Joseph Hamwee

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

Date: 11 Apr 2004 18:05:45 +0000

From: Trygve Henriksen

Subject: SevenTwentyfour, SynchML, .zip files, in-car charger.

Greetings!

In #496 this crap arrived:

> Date: 9 Apr 2004 06:52:27 +0000

> From: Roy at SEVENtwentyfour

> Subject: Broken link in www.mdegn.dk

> There appears to be a problem on this page of your site.

THAT is one annoying robot!

I've received several messages from this bunch of losers over the years, and what I can tell is that no matter what you tell them, they won't stop sending these messages.

I used to receive messages about a site I don't own or maintain, because that site linked to one of mine, and my site contained a recogniseable email address( the other site didn't)

I ended up having to blacklist them in my spam-filter.

I assume it picked up the first email addy it found when it visited a site, then didn't clear this information unless it found a new addy on the next site....

The other, and more sinister, possibility is that they've found a new way to harvest and confirm email addys for spamming purposes...

---

Arent kits wrote:

>>It's frustrating that Psions and SPVs don't chirrup to each other

directly. Instead I'll need to keep both of them synced to Outlook.>>

> Direct syncing between smartphone and PDA is still years away -if it

> ever happens

Agreed. And to my reasoning, the market isn't there.

>- probably we will see server-based solutions where Outlook is running

> on a remote machine and your PDA , smartphone and digital settop

>box use that to sync all the big carriers are mulling solutions along these

> lines The big barrier here is the way email and contact/calendaring info is

> stored Symbian uses maildir for mail and databases for contacts and

> calendar/todo, other platforms use various database formats

> SyncML is great in theory but requires more CPU horsepower than the

> current crop of devices can provide

The big carriers doesn't enter into the picture at all, unless you're stupid enough to entrust them with your personal, and possibly quite sensitive, information.

At the office (Norwegian Public Roads Office) we're implementing something like this already.

The 'office standard' for PDA's is winCE machines, more specifically, overly expensive and easlily breakable iPaq's, but for those who 'need' to read email while on the go, but doesn't want a laptop, the alternative is either an Ericsson P800/P900 or a Nokia 9210i.

This is because the centrally placed server can only serve SynchML clients.

I haven't managed to get my boss to buy me a 9210i yet, so I haven't had a chance to try it myself, but as he got himself a P900 just before easter, I expect to have to help him set it up correctly in a few weeks time, when he admits defeat....

As a curiosity, I can mention that the first Alcatel OneTouch COM 'smartphone' from waaaay back before the term was even coined could synch to a central server, or exchange info with another OneTouch phone using specially crafted SMS messages...

(I can write down and email the format if anyone is interested)

----

Andy Hayes wrote:

> I have a zipped archive which has been pasword protected. Is there

> any way to discover the password using a hex editor? I know that

> there are tools available for windows, but I only have doors!

I'm sorry, but the only way is to either remember the password, or to use one of the Windaft cracking tools as the password is not readable with a HEX editor.

> Is there a cheap source of in car chargers for the netBook?

Take a look at Vanson's products.

They have a 'laptop' type car-charger which can deliver up to 70Watts and has an adjustable voltage from 15 to 24V. Mine even came with a plug that fits the netBook... (It will work with most laptops which uses a round plug )

Sorry, but I don't have any links...

:-)

Trygve

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

Date: 11 Apr 2004 18:33:26 +0000

From: Wong Koi Hin

Subject: Re: Message from the Digest Team/Owen Morgan

To Itamar and the Digest Team,

I would like thank all of you for putting in the effort keep this digest going. Apart from a forum or 2 online (which I hardly visit anymore), this is my only source of epoc related info and discussion. I have found it useful and would regret its demise.

Contrary to possibly the majority of digestees, I personally have no problems with censorship, whether at the level of the post or poster. I personally prefer a list where there is moderation and the possibility of censorship whether at the level of the post or the poster for which the digest team perceives is in violation of the digest rules and/or etiquette. Remember, you decide how you want to run this digest. Those who cannot come to terms with your policies can always choose to unsubscribe.

So thank you again for giving me the Epoc Digest.

To Owen Morgan,

Dear Owen, hope you are still reading this. Why let one digestee upset you enough for you to leave the digest? Exactly what is being said that is so bad, that you must leave the digest? Or is your leaving the digest due to censorship of your posts from the digest team? Hopefully the digest team has clarified their policy in regards to this.

You did however mention cost as an issue and unfortunately that would be a good reason to unsubscribe.

In any case your presence will be missed should you decide unsubscribe. I, for one, would miss your Thoughts of the Day.

Warm regards,

Koi Hin

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

Date: 11 Apr 2004 19:44:33 +0000

From: Trygve Henriksen

Subject: Spam again...

Greetings!

Antony Booth

> If the EPOC email application was good enough I certainly would,

> but I get approx 200 emails per day, of which 190 are spam.

> To download these on my Netbook, even via a LAN connection

> takes forever. So long in fact that often, my connection to my mail

> account closes, even though I am still connected to the net.

Want sympathy?

Then I suggest you go elsewhere as you're not the only one to get a lot of spam.

The difference is that I decided to do something about it, and now use www.spamache.com to clean up the torrent. It costs about $50 for a year, and that it's worth. (I clean two mail accounts with my subscription)

Just add '.biz' to the blacklist and the digest to the whitelist and you're set to go. (I have yet to receive a legitimate email containing a reference to a .biz domain)

Other words like 'eBay' and 'PayPal' can also cut down on the spam, at least if you don't use the services...

(Just remember that the filters at spamache is case sensitive)

I also use the filter program from www.spamcop.net but mostly to view mails from the office. (To check spam that got through to find new keywords )

A quick question:

Do you have the mail storage on C: or D:?

Just asking, because keeping it on D: REALLY slows it down, and so does having a lot of emails in the system.

:-)

Trygve

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

Date: 11 Apr 2004 22:08:48 +0000

From: Keith Giles

Subject: Re: Pavia/WiFi/Teddy Bears

Timothy H.D. Williams recommended his novels. Tim, I checked our local library and they have 3: "The Red Citroën"; "The The Metal Green Mercedes"; and "The White Audi". I gather these are US titles. I'm an avid fan of "foreign" mystery/intrigue novels. I'm putting your "cars" in my Psion's (on topic) want list for the next time I go to the library. If I ever get to Europe again, maybe I can find some of your other works.

Peter Rand wrote:

> I think McDonald's is working on a scheme to offer WiFi access with each > purchase of a meal, which would actually be quite a good solution given > McDonald's global presence.

I don't use WiFi, but on the few occasions I go to a McDonald's, I'll check it out to see if they are offering McWiFis and report. :-)

Bob Hancock mentioned Teddy Bears. Bob, I have a Teddy Bear on my web site, Psion (on topic) link. I did that as a project when I took a

short course on PhotoShop. My other Teddy Bears are too shy to appear

in public. :-)

Happy Cycling,

Keith

Sunnyvale, CA

http://ohsix827.home.comcast.net

Thought For The Day:

All my outgoing e-mails have been checked by Norton Anti-virus.

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

Date: 11 Apr 2004 23:03:14 +0000

From: Andy Hayes

Subject: nICQ

I am trying to test my nICQ app is working. No-one seems to be responding who I am sending messages to. Has ICQ died a death in favour of Messenger? If you have nICQ (or ICQ) could you send me a message so that I can test nICQ?

Andy Hayes 53314000

Thanks a lot

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

Date: 12 Apr 2004 10:29:00 +0000

From: Steve Litchfield

Subject: 3-Lib updates

Just a pointer. Updated on http://3lib.ukonline.co.uk/ in the last week or so:

Steve Litchfield

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

Date: 12 Apr 2004 12:08:03 +0000

From: Gianluca Gallino

Subject: Pavia (and Piacenza) / WiFi hotspots

to Timothy H.D. Williams (and others)

Subject: Pavia (and Piacenza)

>>>For any lister interested in this part of the world...<<<

...please note that is an area characterized by fertile soil, with a like for good food

and wine.

Just a small anectdote about how it is linked with traditional, reliable products:

the day before yesterday I was checking a small, family-run electronic shop, well-reputed for his competitive prices, in a extremely small village called Gragnano Trebbiense, less than 15 kms out of Piacenza heading towards the direction of Pavia.

By doing so, I could not help but noticing a brand new 5mx on sale... I did not dare to ask about its price, but surely I kind of felt at home...

happy monday!

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

to Peter Rand (and others)

Subject: WiFi hotspots

> Would WiFi be a way to avoid high GSM-charges? I understand

> some hotspots are free, others not.

>>When you have access to WiFi, it's great. But when you're on the road, you never >>know whether you'll find a hotspot or not. GSM, while expensive, definitely provides >>better coverage, i.e., is much more reliable than WiFi at this point.

I remember to have read a short guide to free WiFi spots in Milan on some italian magazine. I might be able to find it as long as there is someone interested in it.

I would love to have similar pieces of information about such towns as Paris, London, NY, Hong Kong etc... In case someone knows of internet resources about this topic, PLS feel free to email me off-digest about that.

> What might be the members' opinion of

> which direction WiFi might take? Will there be a

> proliferation of free hotspots run by private individuals, or

> will it all end up in the hands of corporates which will

> charge accordingly?

I remember having listened once to an italian radio broadcast in which an expert said that if everybody of us could place a wireless access point close to a windowsill (together with plants and flowers) each one of us could benefit from free internet...

was he a dreamer perhaps, was he a visionary?

Sometimes reality goes far beyond than fantasy ;-)

cheers

Gianluca

(Pieve Porto Morone, Italy)

NB: please keep on supporting the petition for an EPOC/Symbian new netBook PRO on www.petitiononline.com/nbookpro/petition.html

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

Date: 12 Apr 2004 13:03:39 +0000

From: Chris S Handley

Subject: Sig comments

Dear all, Owen,

It saddens me that this discussion has degenerated to such a degree that it appears to have lost much of the original point, and that some members feel the need to use insults. As such, I don't hold much hope that we can continue this discussion in a useful way, which is a pity since it means the issues have not been resolved & will simply re-appear again in a few months - to the detriment of the Digest.

Part of the problem is that people have polarised to either "Owen is 100 percent right" or "Owen is totally wrong". In my view Owen has some valid reasons, but they don't fully justify everything he is doing. So I feel that Owen should continue to post his signature, but in a modified (and slightly smaller) form. Actually, I had already said something to this effect, but seemingly many people forgot or didn't notice this in the red haze of their emotions :(

I fully back Owen's use of Geographical & GPS coordinates, but you will notice that is quite a SMALL proportion of his signature, and that a lot of his phone/email/etc stuff is totally fixed & repetitive. The fixed/repetitive stuff should be stuck on a web page, and pointed to by his signature. IMO of course.

Dear Owen,

I cannot control what other people (unreasonably) say about your signature, but I hope you will avoid confusing those comments with mine. Although I have avoided it so far, I am now going make some personal comments - maybe a mistake (esp in light of your past responses), but I hope such observations might help in the end:

In both my attempted discussion about Thoughts for the Day & about Signatures, you generally appear to have taken my comments overly personally, and reacted in a highly defensive manner. As such you have tended to give some hurredly constructed counter-arguments, which don't properly match my original objections, moved the discussion into emotional territory, and also you appear to have disregarded ANY possibility that you might be even SLIGHTLY wrong.

In my opinion, this has resulted in both attempted discussions going totally off-topic, as some people inadvisedly jump to your total defense, while others totally lambast you. Neither camp is willing to admit they might be slightly wrong, and your decision to be part of one of those camps just perpetuates the problem until the moderators jump in to halt the unproductive flame war.

This is unfortunate, because I think you certainly have some valid points, and I think I had some as well, and if we were both able to come to some sort of compromise then the Digest would benefit as a whole.

There is really no need to leave this Digest in a huff, or to make some kind of point, but if you really cannot consider modifying what you do even *slightly* then maybe the Digest will be better off overall :-(

Regards,

Chris Handley

P.S. I only raised the sig issue because it WAS a big issue for me when you were making many many posts, and it gave ME one _more_ reason to consider leaving the digest. If I felt that way, I thought others might, and so thought it ought to be an issue worth raising. Failure to resolve this issue means that MORE people will leave the digest than if we had reached some kind of compromise between both sides.

P.P.S. Before anyone considers posting an emotional reply, perhaps they could take a deep breath first, write the reply, and then wait a day before posting it? It's worked for me in the past, when I wasn't so experienced at "instant internet arguments" (also known as flame wars). It is amazing how the instant (and impersonal) nature of the internet serves to blow arguments out of all proprotion...

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

Date: 12 Apr 2004 13:46:28 +0000

From: Manuel Campos Galvan

Subject: OT / Coordinate Charting

For those of you that asked in one of the past digest, whether there was a web page that could plot a location using coordinates, there is one that I know of, but it is more geared toward aviation. It calculates the great circle route, but will accept coordinates and it will pint point the location on the map. I'll try to follow Owen's travels from now on.

The website is http://gc.kls2.com/

Regards,

Manuel Campos

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

Date: 12 Apr 2004 14:13:23 +0000

From: Christopher Holly

Subject: How to display Antony Booth's stereogram

Antony, Maybe we can segue off the sig topic a little: Since I already have downloaded the digest with your lengthy stereogram signature, I would like to know how to display the stereogram. Do I need to cut and paste it into something else? I just got a lot of letters and symbols and end of line markers. --Chris

Chris Holly

830 S. Fess Ave.

Bloomington, IN 47401-4946

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

To reply or to send your own messages,

subscribe by sending an email to

subscribe address

with SUBSCRIBE in the subject.