Epocdigest V1 # 520

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Epoc Digest Sun, 09 May 2004 Volume 01 : Number 520

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Sent to: 773 subscribers

In today's Epoc Digest 20 messages:

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- Problems with Digest

- Netpad batteries

- RE: >>Microsoft own so much of Apple that they are effectively Microsoft anyway<<

- Problem with Altair ESD

- Wireless Connection

- Cell Phones

- Re: Apple

- Hourly internet coupon in London

- Macs

- Wanted..... & For Sale ;¬))

- Sale of Psion's stake in Symbian to Nokia

- Richy's Sketch Uncertainty Principle

- WAP directory

- RE:WiFi Broadband

- Re: Richy's Sketch Uncertainty Principle

- calling T-online Germany from abroad, Mobile access, Alarm+,

- The further adventures of Sara Psion (and her friends)

- Ref: airtime / Hotspots at Starbucks

- Lurking / music

- Travel Revo.

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Date: Sun, 09 May 2004

From: Digest administrator

Subject: Problems with Digest

Fellow Readers:

You may have experienced recently with digests 518 and 519 a problem consisting in truncated messages.

There appears to be a problem with Freeserve truncating the digest after their move to Wannadoo. We have contacted them, but in the meanwhile we suggest that anyone with Freeserve should temporarily subscribe with a different email address.

Thank you for your consideration while we sort these issues out.

With best regards

Manuel Campos G.

The Epoc Digest Team

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Date: 7 May 2004 21:26:08 -0500

From: Timothy H.D. Williams

Subject: Netpad batteries

What is wrong with the Netpad batteries?

When they were new, three months ago, they were recharging at just under 100 percent, My batteries were were down to 42 percent a couple of days ago. They're now down to 39%. Does this mean I have to buy new batteries every six months?

Is this what Psion means by ruggedized?

US GO HOME! - and take me with you!

Graffitti on wall, Kingston, Jamaica

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Date: 7 May 2004 22:02:58 -0500

From: Neil Thompson

Subject: RE: >>Microsoft own so much of Apple that they are effectively Microsoft anyway<<

I've obviously come into this late but had to pick up on the following:

>>Microsoft own so much of Apple that they are effectively Microsoft anyway<<

From Apple's 2003 SEC filing:

"In August 1997, the Company and Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft) entered into patent cross license and technology agreements. In addition, Microsoft purchased 150,000 shares of Apple Series A nonvoting convertible preferred stock ("preferred stock") for $150 million. These shares were convertible by Microsoft after August 5, 2000, into shares of the Company’s common stock at a conversion price of $8.25 per share. During 2000, 74,250 shares of preferred stock were converted to 9 million shares of the Company's common stock. During 2001, the remaining 75,750 preferred shares were converted into 9.2 million shares of the Company's common stock."

So Microsoft own 150,000 shares out of a total of 367,734,960 issued. I'd say that effectively makes them Apple's owners too!

Neil

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Date: 7 May 2004 22:08:24 -0500

From: David Steer $Plus$

Subject: Problem with Altair ESD

Each time I run ESD against any drive (mainly CheckDisk) the application says that it can't as the disk is in use (C drive).

Does anyone have any experience with ESD not working under a similar situation?

Do I need to ensure that all applications are closed down? Should I even be checking the C Drive on a netBook?

Regards

David

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Date: 8 May 2004 03:55:11 -0500

From: Bob

Subject: Wireless Connection

Thanks for all the help and advice on the wireless cards. As I mentioned earlier, I have this D-Link card and I haven't got it to work yet. I have probably messed up all the settings. You know how you keep pushing buttons and maybe one of the combinations might work. If that is true, I haven't found it yet. I had an email from Freesurf and I appreciated his info very much. I have decided to take my D-Link card back and have ordered the Cisco Aironet 350. And yes its a lot more money, but Freesurf said that they are good for my wireless network at home and also work well in the Hotspots. So maybe the cost is worth it. Now I have to figure what the initial settings were on my Netbook as I have all kinds of combinations now, unless when I put my card in I just put the menu into the Cisco mode and maybe it will bring up the correct settings for it.

We will see how it goes.

Thanks,

Bob

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Date: 8 May 2004 04:24:08 -0500

From: Keith Giles

Subject: Cell Phones

Chris Holly wrote:

> I thought I was the only American without a cell phone.

You are not - I don't have one. :-)

> It seems like everywhere I go people are on the phone "interacting" > with the people that are not around them.

A few years ago I went to a funeral and some guy in a couple of pews ahead of me was whispering into his cell phone - is there no end to this?

Happy Cycling,

Keith

Sunnyvale, CA

http://ohsix827.home.comcast.net

Thought For The Day: It's always darkest just before it blacks out completely.

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

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Date: 8 May 2004 04:28:25 -0500

From: Dick Chatjaval

Subject: Re: Apple

To: Timothy Williams

<<A screen hang is extremely rare in Mac OS X>>

I wish I had waited till OS X came out as I also heard from my friends that it is very stable.

<<Have you ever had a worm or a virus or a Trojan Horse in Windows? Apparently security is a problem for MS and they are putting Longhorn off until 2006.>>

I was recently infected with the Sasser worm on my laptop. I had turned off my firewall (Zonealarm Pro) for a couple of hours to play a MMORPG and when I turned it back on was notified that a program called Avserve2 was trying to access the internet. Up till then I had never installed any Windows patches and had not updated my antivirus for 2 weeks. Very silly of me. Fortunately, the worm did not do any major damage and was quite easy to

fix. I am now updated and patched up to my eyeballs <G>.

Best regards,

Dick Chatjaval

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Date: 8 May 2004 04:42:45 -0500

From: Dick Chatjaval

Subject: Hourly internet coupon in London

Hello,

I may be visiting London next month and would like to ask a couple of questions about internet connection.

1. Can I buy fixed hourly internet package coupon/cards from stores in London? In Bangkok, ISP's sell 20+ hour cards in places like 7-Eleven. I saw on the internet that companies such as BT Openworld and Freeserve (Wanadoo) sell pay-as-you-go, but will charge the phone bill.

2. Are internet calls charged by the minute like normal telephone calls?

Any help is much appreciated. Many thanks.

Best regards,

Dick Chatjaval

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Date: 8 May 2004 05:20:35 -0500

From: Timothy H.D. Williams

Subject: Macs

On 7 May 2004, at 21:42, Andy Hayes wrote about Macs.

Andy,

You may well need an anti-virus for your Mac but I have never heard of

an infection on a Mac. But as the Norton Macintosh site says about the

Norton anti-virus for Mac:

> Now it also finds and removes PC viruses to ensure that you don’t

> spread infections to friends and colleagues.

As for rebooting a Mac, the procedure is different with different

machines. But I must repeat, MacOS rarely, if ever hangs. A programme

can freeze but in MacOS, this doesn't bring the system down.

Something which I rarely do but which is recommended is to leave your

machine on overnight so that it can tidy up the files.

Seen on the MacHome Hottips letter:

> Brainwise writes:

> You can also run those prescheduled maintenance tasks manually to

> clean up old log and cache files. Fire up Terminal

> (Applications>Utilities>Terminal) and execute the following commands

> one at a time. You will need the administrator password to use the

> sudo command:

> sudo periodic daily

> sudo periodic weekly

> sudo periodic monthly

> If you have never run them before, it will take some time. It may even

> look like you system is hanging up on you--stay calm! The task is

> finished when the command prompt returns. After the third task

> completes, reboot your Mac.

Finally I must recommend the freeware Java Psion Link for connecting

your mac to your Netpad. I'm assuming your Netpad battery hasn't given

up the ghost !!

http://website.lineone.net/~john.montgomery/psionlink/

Best

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

Date: 8 May 2004 08:09:18 -0500

From: Gary Jenkinson

Subject: Wanted..... & For Sale ;¬))

Hi,

I’m fairly sure this will raise a smile amongst some of the readership, if

not a chuckle, or two.

Well, the old adage of “not knowing what you’ve got until it’s gone”

(reminiscent of some ex-wives!) is very appropriate in this situation. ;¬))

About 6 months ago I managed to convince myself that it was time to move on

from using EPOC, so in my own inimitable fashion I spent far too long away

from my studies researching what I wanted and as a consequence

wholeheartedly committed myself to my new operating system (PPC 2003) of

choice. After much deliberation I ended up buying the most comprehensive

machine I could find at the time. I settled on a Dell Axim X5 because not

least of all it could take Type 1 & 2 CF cards, so I bought one and every

conceivable extra, e.g. CF Card WiFI, Bluetooth, Modem, FM Radio, spares of

everything, including even the docking station, etc., etc., “just in case

anything broke down” of course. Oh, don’t forget the bucket loads of

software too!!

Part of the process involved selling my netBook, and giving my as new,

unused 5mx away to my brother, as well as all the “extras”, both software

and hardware that you tend to amass over the years. I felt confident in

doing this because there was no need to keep anything, was there? Clever,

aren’t I…..not!

I found the PPC 2003 screen far too small to be usable for anything else

other than checking an agenda entry or an address in contacts and how I

missed a usable keyboard. I did buy a Dell folding keyboard which is fine

when you need to do some heavy inputting, but pointless for making a quick

agenda entry.

So, what to do? You’ve guessed it; I’ve just bought a 5mx from eBay and

waiting for it to arrive. Oh, the joy of transferring everything back to the

EPOC o/s to look forward to!!

Do any readers of the Digest have any 5mx Psion accessories, hardware and

software that they too have amassed over their time of ownership and are

otherwise gathering dust in a drawer that they’d like to sell? If you have,

please send any responses to me off-digest using

garyjenkinson(AT)email(DOT)com please? If you can, please try to keep your

message from sounding as if you’re gloating over and enjoying my discomfort

too much please as I feel stupid enough as it is!! ;¬)))

BTW, anyone want to buy a PPC 2003 machine, hardly used, one careful owner

before I give it to my 11 year old daughter as a toy?!

Regards to all, it feels as if I’ve come back home!

Gary Jenkinson

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

Date: 8 May 2004 09:33:55 -0500

From: Chris Cooper

Subject: Sale of Psion's stake in Symbian to Nokia

Picked up via Google news alert:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/business/articles/timid77926

Symbian sizzles

THE latest numbers from Symbian, maker of smart phone software, raise fresh questions as to why David Potter and Psion were so keen to off-load the company's stake.

In the first quarter of this year, the British software concern saw shipments of mobiles incorporating its technology more than double to 2.4m units, against 1.2m in the first quarter of 2003.

The consumer is starting to recognise that the added functions which come with Symbian, from clear photo images to e-mail, are worth having. Indeed, there are increasing signs that Symbian software could yet become the dominant provider of operating systems to the big mobile makers.

Earlier this year, Potter forced through the sale of Psion's 31% stake in Symbian to Nokia for £136m in the face of vociferous opposition from 13% shareholder Phoenix Asset Management.

But that is not the end of the story. The deal is being held up by the German competition authorities, who have expressed concern about the potential for Nokia's domination of cellular phones with the Symbian system.

They are not alone in their concerns. Sony-Ericsson, another Symbian investor, has seen increasing success with its new mobile units which incorporate Ericsson's knowledge of mobile phones and Sony's famed success in developing easy to use, reliable electronics.

So there is an intriguing possibility that other investors may yet choose to exercise their pre-emption rights and tell Psion that they are not prepared to go along with Nokia snapping up what appears an ever more valuable property.

Potter's deal looks more flawed by the day.

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

Date: 8 May 2004 10:11:11 -0500

From: vlad a

Subject: Richy's Sketch Uncertainty Principle

> David wrote on 8.5.2004 3:42 Uhr:

> Subject: Richy's Sketch Uncertainty Principle

>> I always said: the Psion lives ;-)"

> ... unsteadiness principle of hand...That's the science. > Really Psions are ticklish!

Aha! I must've been so impressed by this sign of life I forgot I must've nevertheless gone on breathing - thanks for reminding me ;-)

best,

vlad

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Date: 9 May 2004 21:01:43 -0500

From: Bob

Subject: WAP directory

I used to have a small directory for the internet sites when the web started to get popular. Now that WAP is getting more popular I would like a director of WAP sites as its hard to know who has them and what they are. I saw a WAP directory on some book web site and it was from England becuase the book was Pocket WAP Directory for Four pounds. But, it said not in stock and the other part is----I forgot where it was :o). So, if anyone knows maybe they can let us all know.

Thanks,

Bob

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

Date: 8 May 2004 23:22:23 -0500

From: David Steer $Plus$

Subject: RE:WiFi Broadband

To: Andy Hayes

Subject: WiFi Broadband

Netgear do an excellent one box solution of an ADSL modem an wireless router. Check it out at: http://www.netgear.co.uk/ look for the DG834G device.

Regards,

David

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

Date: 8 May 2004 23:44:56 -0500

From: Alan Morris

Subject: Re: Richy's Sketch Uncertainty Principle

vlad a wrote:-

> What Sketch seems to do if you touch two points simltaneously

> .... is: Sketch seems to build an average position and reacts

> apparently erratically. .... if it had two processors or at

> least a faster one, you would trace a straight line I

> suppose: a computer is a discrete apparatus, if I understand

> processing correctly .... Anyone a technical explanation

I don't know exactly how the Psion hardware is designed, but this is my suggestion, knowing how early touch screens worked.

The software will scan rows by applying a voltage across each row in turn. It will also scan vertical lines by measuring the voltage on each vertical.

This will enable the X-Y coordinates to to found for a single point on the screen. Early hardware used a set of lights shining across the screen.

It is not intended for measuring more than one point at a time. By touching the screen in more than one place, causes the apparent erratic results, but it will be consistent.

Alan R Morris, G4ENS.

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK.

Using a Psion netBook & Nokia 6210e.

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

Date: 9 May 2004 01:25:38 -0500

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: calling T-online Germany from abroad, Mobile access, Alarm+,

Answer to: Armin Podtschaske

Re.: calling T-online Germany from abroad - That is the reason I keep my Compuserve connection for about 6 pounds a month. Whenever I am outside the UK I can almost always dial into Compuserve with a local access number, costing a lot less. This is less so for mobile phones, but a lot less when using a modem card in a hotel room. With my mobile I use GPRS.

Answer to: Bob

Re.: Mobile access - The usage of mobile phones in the UK is truly "amazing". We still oldfashioned eat the evening meal with the whole family every night and I have banned mobile phones from the table so at least for 30 minutes there is family communication instead of mobile phone one. When I come home from work my mobile phone is switched off, as I am reachable at home. Sometimes I get angry calls the next day why my mobile was switched off, so let it be !

Answer to: Phil Aypee

Re.: Alarm+ - Sorry to hear about the stroke, but at least you are mentally still "there" ! My mother-in-law had a stroke, is paralised on one side of hoer body and is mentally not "there" anymore, very painful as she was a very active person, ex accountant, active on the stockmarket. Count your blessings ! I use the programs "Start-up" and "Sysback" for these two functions, one to restart the programs I usually run and the other to reset the system settings.

Best regards,

Itamar Engelsman

London, UK

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

Date: 9 May 2004 12:22:31 -0500

From: Richard

Subject: The further adventures of Sara Psion (and her friends)

I very briefly considered scrapping Outlook, and working solely from my Psion. I realised that (for me) Outlook would be a far superior choice for reading emails etc...

I have been synching perfectly between Outlook for a few weeks, and I am doing what I have often read is is impossible - keeping 4 email apps, calendars and contacts files synched with each other.

The synching is aways between gadget and Outlook (never gadget to gadget), and if I had to keep everything absolutely up-to-date and had made changes on two or more machines, I would need to do multiple passes between Outlook and the gadgets.

The M$oft Activesync that comes with the SPV (and others) is a dream. It's very fast, 99.8% maintenance-free and I think it irons my shirts while I'm sleeping.

To be fair, PsiWin has also been behaving very well, but I feel I'm always on a knife edge with it, waiting for the Big Feck Up.

Anyway, what's the purpose of this message? It's just to say that I hve found that synching beteen multiple machines, but always referring back to Outlook, is easy, reliable and hassle-free.

So there,

Richard

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

Date: 9 May 2004 16:11:12 -0500

From: Thomas F. VAN DER ZIJDEN

Subject: Ref: airtime / Hotspots at Starbucks

Hello group,

As Antony warned me: it is indeed awkward that incoming calls cost money.... and I didn't even think about telesales persons !

Which is why I can confirm that the price per minute is fairly comparable with the European price per minute, but the minutes themselves are consumed at a scary high speed.

And for us Psionists it is also awkward that a data call is charged per minute, even when the Psion screws it up in the first 5 seconds. :-(

I am glad that my mBooks "freezing era" was in Europe and not in the US

By the way, shouldn't Starbucks have WiFi Hotspots ? I have been in 4 Starbucks already (the only American source for decent coffee <g>) and I haven't seen a notice on hot spots.

I kind of hope that those hot spots have the same undocumented feature as the hot spot in this hotel: the browser does not work withou payment, but the e-mail does !

Yours truly,

Thomas van der Zijden

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Date: 9 May 2004 18:33:20 -0500

From: Owen H. Morgan

Subject: Lurking / music

Hi.

A number of people have enquired about me both in private mails to me and to the digest team. I'm still lurking here, but am trying to limit my e-mail costs as I'm on a very tight budget at the moment and e-mailing by GSM with a pay as you go SIM card is not cheap.

I have also just got a new crew member, a small black kitten named Tita, and it's difficult to type when she insists on attacking my fingers on the Revo keyboard!

PS. Does anyone have any suggestions for Freeware or Shareware music software for WindoZe? I'm looking for something where I can write in the score and have the software play it as written. It would also be useful to be able to print both the score and individual voices as well as turning the music into MP3 for playback on an MP3 player. Offlist replies please.

Thought for the day:

Dogs have owners, cats have staff.

Owen H. Morgan, Yacht "Naomi J.", LD-9311

At anc27°46.28'N 15°41.65'W

Anfi del Mar de Gran Canaria

Phone and SMS:

In Spain: +34 620520079

I Norway: +47 92053097

http://home.no.net/naomij

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

Date: 9 May 2004 18:56:50 -0500

From: Timothy H.D. Williams

Subject: Travel Revo.

I have decided that the Revo is my main machine. Netpad has major battery problems and the 5mx serie has gone down ro the screen cable problem for the second time in one year. Neither machine was a good investment timewise.

What is the lightest way I can travel with the Revo, so that I can back up to a Mac? I don't want to have to lug the very heavy mains adaptor about.

Best

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'It was very good of God to let Carlyle and Mrs Carlyle marry one another, and so make only two people miserable instead of four.'