Tips for Postings to The Digest and how to unsubscribe
www.psioneering.co.uk/digests/Tips.html
The Digest Sat, 16 Oct 2004 Volume 02 : Number 612
************************************************************************
Sent to: 760 subscribers
In today's The Digest 23 messages
=============================
- Re: Windows (Microsoft) vs Linux (choice)
- RE: Can Deleted Files on a Psion 5mx be Retrieved
- For Itamar: UIQ multi-tasking
- natural screen cleaner # 611 (2)
- Screen Cleaning, Deleted Files, Bluetooth Keyboard, V1 # 610 (6) &(13),
- Re: Open Source (was DOS better than Windows)
- P910 - Handwriting recognition
- Re: Never-ending OS discussioins
- Re: Can Deleted Files on a Psion 5mx be Retrieved
Date: 6 Oct 2004 18:19:04 +0100
From: Rolf Brunsting
Subject: Re: Windows (Microsoft) vs Linux (choice)
Dear Antony,
<< Your complete rant is based on the false premise that Linux development is controlled by a single entity, like Windows is by Microsoft >>
I'm afraid I have to ask you to read my message again. First, because it wasn't not a rant in the true meaning of the word. I've tried to explain my idea(s) as best as I can in response to what you wrote. And, please, note that I'm writing in a foreign language which can make it difficult to get my ideas across. Secondly, because I clearly talked about the Linux development collective. Three words to describe what you write in the sentence following the one quoted above : "... hundreds of different voluntary groups as well as many commercial organisations that collectively contribute to Linux development ...". We therefore agree that you can't pinpoint Linux to an address in Redmond, Washington State, as you can with Windows. Nor can you create an organisation chart for Linux as you can for Microsoft Incorporated. We also agree on the fact that, when Linux takes over the position Windows currently has, we're no longer dealing with an operation system which development direction(s) is/are determined by a single company.
That we're not dealing with a single company is sufficient for you to say that a Linux dominance won't be similar to the current Windows dominance. I have my doubts about that. You have, for example, modified the subject title of this discussion to "Windows (Microsoft) vs Linux (choice)" and are talking about Linux having "... enormous variations and flavours to pick and choose from ...". Well, flavour is, indeed, the right word as the choice we'll have is between packaged variants based on a common technology - the so-called Linux distributions. In other words, it's equivalent to the choice between farmhouse yoghurt, bulgarian yoghurt, yoghurt with banana, yoghurt with chopped walnuts and maple sirup, greek yoghurt, yoghurt with strawberries, etc. While the choice between Symbian OS, Windows Mobile, Linux and PalmOS is equivalent to the choice between between farmhouse yoghurt, chocolate mousse, tarte tatin and cinnamon cake. Making the choice between the various Linux distributions a rather diluted form of choice.
It's also questionable whether these Linux distributions will have a roughly equal market share. It's much more likely that some distributions will become popular and will take the lion's share of the market. With market share comes market influence. What the most popular Linux distribution contains will become the de-facto standard. Developers of Linux applications will take account of this and will adapt their applications to match this distribution best. The pressure is then on the suppliers of other distributions to conform so that these applications also run well on their distributions. I'm afraid that the rise of Linux will go hand in hand with a consolidation in which most Linux distributions will either disappear or be relegated to small niche segments. The winning distribution(s) will then have an influence equivalent to that of Microsoft.
There's another side to choice in the fact that Linux users can't escape Microsoft technology at the moment. It's almost a given that when somebody sends you a document or spreadsheet that they'll be in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel format. Making it mandatory for a Linux word processor to read and write Microsoft Word files and for a Linux spreadsheet to read and write Microsoft Excel files. Something similar will happen when Linux takes over the position of Windows as the file format of the most popular Linux word processor and spreadsheet applications will become the de-facto exchange standards. The people who don't want to use Linux won't be able to escape the influence of Linux as their applications have to support these formats.
<< To state that Linux dominance would be in any way similar to Microsoft Windows dominance, merely shows a complete lack of understanding about what Linux is >>
Well ... do you really want people to understand it? You've already used the approach of Linux not being the product of a single company and it hasn't worked. Wouldn't it be better to take other approaches - to use examples and analogies and/or to draw parallels with other developments - rather than to restate what you've said previously?
There's another side to it. That you don't see how the growth of a product that's produced by a very diverse and very loosely organised collective can still result in a form of dominance that's not exactly the same as that of Microsoft Windows but a very close equivalent. That not being the product from a single company isn't such a strong guarantee as you think it is. To understand why may require that you look outside the world of software. To investigate what happened to small cooperatives that grew and grew, merged with other cooperatives and became a dominant player, for example. When you see that these cooperatives started to behave more and more like corporations during their growth you can ask the question whether it's really possible for Linux to avoid this pitfall. Could very well be that Linux' market share needs to stay below (say) 30% in order to remain the Linux as you know it. And that a growth beyond the 30% mark unleashes forces which inevitably change Linux to the extent that it will become more and more Microsoft-like.
<< No one can control it without owning it and anyone attempting to get a stranglehold on the intellectual property will be bypassed by customers choosing a Linux flavour from some other source >>
That customers have the opportunity to bypass a very dominant Linux distribution doesn't necessarily imply that they will. Please note that Linux' very small share of the desktop and laptop market means that
most Linux users are fully behind or very sympathetic towards the 'Linux ethos'. Linux needs to steal market share from Microsoft Windows in order to grow. Meaning that the new users are former Windows users. People who bought Windows donkeys years ago and stuck with it - upgrade after upgrade. I think it's likely that most of these people will look for safety in numbers, as they did in the past, and will select the (then) most popular Linux distribution. To the effect that Linux'
growth will mainly be fueled by the growth of one, two, maybe three Linux distributions. And, true to form, that these people will stick with the distribution they chose. That it's their chosen distribution which is now the dominant player won't bother them. They're the people who presently say "Why should I switch from Windows to Linux"?. They'll be the ones who say "Why should I switch to another Linux
distribution?" when Linux has largely taken over Windows' position.
I therefore think that it's not very clever to say that "The problem with Microsoft users is they simply don't know any better" as it's an expression of disinterest. It shows that you're not really interested
to know why it is that these people started to use Microsoft Windows - why they're still using it - why Microsoft's overbearing dominance doesn't seem to bother them - why they're not switching to an operating system you consider to be far superior. While it's very good to know
the answer to these, and other, questions. First, because it allows you to check the effectiveness of your pro-Linux message. Could be that
your arguments in favour of Linux press the wrong buttons and pull the wrong levers. That it's not a question of not understanding Linux but one of your big plus points not being plus points for them. Secondly, you'll get to know the people you expect to be the future Linux users. People who may not behave the way you expect them to behave when one Linux distribution becomes too dominant.
---
Kind Regards,
Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands
Date: 13 Oct 2004 12:43:31 +0100
From: Trygve Henriksen
Subject: RE: Can Deleted Files on a Psion 5mx be Retrieved
Greetings!
Terry Waller asked:
> I accidentally deleted a file. Is there any way to get it back?
Not really...
The OS doesn't have an 'undelete' function.
But...
If the file was on a CF card, and you haven't done ANYTHING to the card
afterwards, Atelier's Essential Disk Utilities might be able to restore
the file.
(IF you don't have it, maybe someone on the list can help?)
But it won't be easy...
I've only succeeded in that once, and that was several years ago, so I
don't remember the details.
:-)
Trygve
Date: 13 Oct 2004 12:44:11 +0100
From: Martin Maxwell
Subject: RE: P910i - Calendar
Answer To: Itamar Engelsman
Subject: RE: P910i - Calendar
Dear Itamar,
To your comment:
>>In general it worked well, but I now see more and more how "spoiled" we are / were with our EPOC machines. The calendar is missing >>several quite essential features :
It's even sadder when you know that the P800/P900/P910 Agenda *is* in fact the EPOC Agenda as we're used to in the Psions. It is a later version of the same piece of software. And they have actually *removed features*...
Best regards,
Martin Maxwell
Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia
Date: 13 Oct 2004 13:36:00 +0100
From: Steve Litchfield
Subject: For Itamar: UIQ multi-tasking
No, Symbian/UIQ is still multi-tasking. Download and install SMan to see it all in gory detail 8-)
What happens is that apps revert to a neutral state when sent to the background, i.e they save anything that's unsaved and usually go back to their 'home' position.
So, not as good as the Psion's multi-tasking, but still way better than Palm OS, as at least here the apps don't have to load from scratch each time 8-)) ____________________________________________________________________ Steve Litchfield, 3-Lib, http://3lib.ukonline.co.uk/
Software and features for Psion/Symbian handhelds and smartphones
Also PocketInfo, useful files - http://3lib.ukonline.co.uk/pocketinfo Journalism: sub-editor and/or senior contributor to:
Palmtop User - http://www.palmtop.co.uk/
PDA Essentials - http://www.paragon.co.uk/mags/pdaessentials.html
PC Basics - http://www.paragon.co.uk/mags/pcbasics.html
Reviews editor, AllAboutSymbian - http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/
Date: 13 Oct 2004 14:29:33 +0100
From: Vlad A
Subject: natural screen cleaner # 611 (2)
> The Digest wrote on 13.10.2004 15:43:
> ...nose oil..... This is applied (with
> your finger) to the screen.
<g> don't! The trick is very good for a pipe but not what you want for your camera (it may damage modern lenses) and no use for your screen. Its purpose originally was NOT to clean the lens, but to replace a blur-filter - a pro-tip in the old days of photography...
best,
vlad a
Date: 13 Oct 2004 14:37:30 +0100
From: Bernard Hill
Subject: Re: The Digest V1 # 611 (7)
In message <K2C2CWZcgHRk.YTtCL2C3...., The Digest <thedigest.... writes
>
>One interesting info I found on page 15 of the instruction booklet : >"The current application automatically closes and the data is saved >when you return to the stancby view or switch to another application". >So it appears after all that you can't have more than one application >open at a time (just tlike the Palm) ?
Yes and no. The documentation for sman makes it clear that applications which have been used in the past are simultaneously running in memory, and when the machine gets short of memory it issues a "commit suicide" instruction to one (?the largest?) and it then closes down fully.
So it's actually multitasking... but you can't multitask yourself. However, isn't that the situation with the 5 and S7 etc? You have to switch between running programs - there's not enough screen to see more than one at once.
--
Bernard Hill
Braeburn Software
Author of Music Publisher system
Music Software written by musicians for musicians
http://www.braeburn.co.uk
Selkirk, Scotland
Date: 13 Oct 2004 17:21:12 +0100
From: Kevin Thorne
Subject: P910i calendar
Itamar Engelsman wrote:
Subject: P910i - Calendar
<Yesterday I connected my new phone to the PC at work and did a synchronisation with Outlook after first doing a synchronisation with my Palm. In general it worked well, but I now see more and more how "spoiled" we are / were with our EPOC machines. The calendar is missing several quite essential features :
1/ there is no list view.
2/ there is no "go to date" function to jump to a specific date
3/ there is no entry without time. There is an "appointment", a "reminder" and an "all day" event. The last one highlights all the times in a vertical line.
4/ there is no "to-do" in the calendar program, these are in a separate program called "Tasks" and can be copied or moved to the calendar. This will than show in the calendar as a reminder. However, and this is a big minus, reminders do not move from day to day if you don't take care of them as in the EPOC agenda. >
Yes, it is this lack of funcionality (missing features) I find most lacking in all the other PDA machines I have tried, particularly with diary software. Indeed, as you said, we have been spoilt with EPOC Agenda as, in my own experience, there is very little that can be improved on it. Apart from the Psions the only other dairy software I have found meeting my requirements for simplicity with functionality is on the Nokia Communicator, which of course is EPOC derived anyway. I've found your experiences with the P910i most interesting so do keep up those reports please and keep us all informed! Hopefully I may aquire a Nokia 9500 when it becomes readily available so will be able to return the reporting favour in the not too distant future!
Regards
Kevin Thorne
Date: 13 Oct 2004 17:57:08 +0100
From: Mike Dyer
Subject: Re: p910 etc
Hi Itamar,
I had fun and games porting my contacts across as well and had to do a lot of editing by hand. Many of the categories on the phone have drop down menus so you can customise weather a number is (w) work or (h) home for instance.
The instruction book on the p800 was collossal as well, I've read mine many times from cover to cover but I'm still discovering features that I didn't realise were there.
You can definately multitask, I often read using Mobipocket Reader and have some classical music playing on the built in mp3 player, or use Quickword and still take an incoming call on the speakerphone.
Regarding the bluetooth keyboard, well of course you still need to be able to read the screen, but I've had the p800 sat on the included stand that comes with the stowaway keyboard on the passenger seat of my car, or the dashboard!, and the keyboard on my lap, it's much more flexible not to be tied to infra red.
The speed dial is fun, I've snapped many of my friends and family so their pictures appear on the buttons.
You won't have to pay for Quickoffice is does indeed come 'free' with your p910.
Regarding the built in calendar application -
YOU NEED ACTIVE DESK!!!
I cannot stress enough how brilliant and vital this program is for the UIQ user. All your appointments, tasks, and messages are brought to your attention as soon as you open the flip, you get extra user definable shortcut icons as well.
You should be able to use any sound file as a ringtone, as long as Vodafone hasn't crippled it with their own software as they have done with the K700i...
Regards,
Mike Dyer. (more enthusiastic about his p800 now he has his bluetooth keyboard)
Date: 13 Oct 2004 18:13:51 +0100
From: Itamar Engelsman
Subject: Screen Cleaning, Deleted Files, Bluetooth Keyboard, V1 # 610 (6) &(13),
Answer to: Keith Giles
Re.: Screen Cleaning - Not only breath and underwear, we now all have to eat more dairy products as well to clean it properly .... no Atkins diets anymore !! <G>
Answer to: Terry Waller
Re.: Deleted Files - No, I am afraid a deleted file has gone. However, very regular back-ups will safeguard you against loosing too much information.
Answer to: Mike Dyer
Re.: Bluetooth Keyboard - Mike, what is your impression on the battery usage when using bluetooth a lot ? The manual of the P910 warns that continuous usage of bluetooth will drain the battery faster and I found that my battery goes down quite rapidly. For example, took it of the mains at 12.55 pm, went to the car, switched on bluetooth, went for lunch with my son, came back to the office at around 2.15 pm and 10% of the battery power had gone, made exactly one short call and did not use it afterwards.
Answer to: Alan Morris
Re.: V1 # 610 (6) & (13) - The problem with no. 608 has been solved, everybody got another copy. In general, some operators' ISP will not allow more than a certain number of CC's to be used, like 50 or 100, and Rolf's program splits up the digest in several messages to solve that problem. Other operators do not have that problem in which case the digest is sent out in one message to all subscribers.
Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
London, UK
Date: 13 Oct 2004 19:31:51 +0100
From: Phil Aypee
Subject: Deleted files
Hi Terry (Waller),
The simple answer is "I can't do it".
But there is certainly a way though only with a CF card. You need a utility like Atelier's Disk Editor (EDU). You have to hope that any file saved later hasn't overwritten the deletion. You should take out the CF card until it can be done.
Using EDU you then need to locate the file - often easier said than done - and write the appropriate code *over* the code that tells the filing system the space is available. You may need to do this several times if the file is fragmented but that depends on the filing system. I've never had to do an undelete on a Psion.
I imagine that it'd be easier with a text file as formatting can obscure the file's content. It was under DOS/Windows.
There may be simpler utilities but they can't do much more than locate the file (pieces) for you - the basics have to be the same.
If you're not confident but need the file then a professional can probably do it but the *physical* CF card will be needed (and the same caveats apply). And you'll probably have to pay through the nose.
But if the file was on the main RAM (usually the C: drive) then it's gone. That RAM is volatile and memory released by deletion is usually given back to the system just as program memory is when a program closes. Actually it's the same physical memory. If it's not given back to the system it's still usually inaccessible except to certain utilities that 'jog' the system into absorbing the memory (but it's usually program memory that misbehaves this way).
Sorry.
Happy days,
Phil.
"Bluebell line with trippers teeming,
Primrose leads the trippers' train.
Tender first, and poorly steaming,
Barred from reaching Horsted Keynes,
Ghost of Dovey Junction dreaming
Of Talerddig in the rain."
http://www.aypee2.net
Date: 13 Oct 2004 21:26:49 +0100
From: Rolf Brunsting
Subject: Re: Open Source (was DOS better than Windows)
Dear Chris,
<< If you were hoping to beat me into submission, by sheer volume, then you've very nearly succeeded >>
Which was never the intention. Why I prefer Linux not to reach a 90% plus market share was expressed in a few sentences. You can't escape expanding on them when your ideas appear not to come over well.
<< There is nothing to stop many existing (or new) sub-groups of Linux developers from releasing their own version of Linux, heavily modified for their own particular goal. Surely multiple (and possibly incompatible) versions of Linux prove that it is not possible to have one single collective group of Linux developers who own 90 percent of the market? >>
I think it's not a good idea to extrapolate what Linux is at present to what Linux will be when it has reached a 90% market share. Linux needs to attract people from outside its traditional user base in order to grow that big. People who don't necessarily think along the same lines as traditional Linux users and don't necessarily react to events the
way traditional Linux users react. The Linux developers and users of today may, indeed, not like a Linux distribution to become too
dominant. The developers who split off and devise their own distribution can count on it that many users will follow them. This may no longer be the case when Linux has reached a market share of (say) 30%. Developers who split off may find that they're followed by a group of traditional Linux users. However, that the bulk of the 'newcomers' simply stay with the dominant distribution. What's inconceivable now
can be the real-world scenario of tomorrow.
Note that the group of computer users who have very strong ideas about operating systems and applications is rather small. They're well outnumbered by those for whom a computer is nothing more than a tool. These people bought a Windows PC because that's what most people were using, therefore a safe bet. Guess what these people are going to do when they see that the computer world is changing to Linux - they're going to pick the most popular Linux distribution. This makes the most popular distribution even more popular -> snowball effect. The scenario in which one Linux distribution gets the lion's share of the market is therefore not so far fetched. I think it's a more plausible scenario than the one in which the Linux world remains rather fragmented.
<< It would be unthinkable that someone other than Microsoft release their own version of Windows, because Microsoft is a commercial entity which benefits from maintaining a monopoly, and which has full control over the source used to make Windows >>
I don't see anything wrong with a commercial operation protecting its intellectual property and taking full advantage of it. Intellectual property doesn't guarantee that a commercial operation will become the (by far) dominant player on the market. Having the intellectual
property is one thing, translating it into a good product a second, having the capabilities to sell the product a third and being able to counter the moves from competitors a fourth. And you need a bit of
luck, of course. It's through a combination of sheer ambition, smart moves, luck and a weak and ineffective competition that Microsoft has obtained a dominant position. Needless to say that Microsoft wants to remain in this position as its earnings largely depend on it. After
all, it is a commercial operation.
<< The only thing that you said, which has a serious chance of countering my arguments, is that non-programmers (such as Hospital workers) do not get a direct say in how Linux develops, so that Linux cannot guarantee meeting their needs. Certainly there is a grain of truth there, but it is misleading. As is current practice, those who manage (say) Hospital workers are perfectly free to pay a group of commercial developers to modify Linux to meet their particular specialised needs, should they feel they are not being met >>
It's not really misleading because I talked about individuals while you're talking about organisations, in this case a hospital. And what you write underlines what I wrote. When you apply for a job and get it means that you're going to use the computer hardware and software your employer places on your desk. It's the ICT department of the organisation that has a very strong say on which hardware and software the organisation uses. They're also the people who decide whether a suggestion or request by employees will be honoured and implemented.
<< If another group of non-programmers has neither the financial clout, nor the organisation, to do such a thing, then I feel it is
unreasonable to expect Linux to guarantee meeting their needs - as such a group will probably never have a say in anything, whether it be
Linux, political, or whatever >>
A statistic published in one of the major Dutch newspapers a few weeks ago : 40% of the computers sold in the Netherlands are sold to private individuals. I trust you recognise that private individuals don't have much influence on the way operating systems are developed. They have to see whether the next release has the new and/or improved features they like to have. The next release currently means the next Windows as that's what the vast majority of them are using. Which will change to the next Linux release when Linux has take over Windows' position. The only private individuals who'll have some say on the direction(s) in which Linux is developed are those who do some Linux development.
It's all a question of dependency. The Linux developer who has to go to hospital depends on the hospital's medical and nursing staff. The orthopedic surgeon who has a Linux PC at home depends on the Linux developer. Replace 'Linux' by 'Windows' and the previous two sentences remain true. Which is one of the reasons why I question the benefit of Linux taking over the position of Windows and gaining a 90% market share. The vast majority of us don't have much of a say about the computer hardware and software we use at work. Nor do we have much of a say about the hardware and software we use at home. The way hardware
and software is developed is decided upon by ICT people. A move from Windows to Linux doesn't change this.
<< Certainly Linux has a far greater chance of meeting any chosen group's needs, because it is already developed by a a huge variety of groups, including some businesses - whereas Windows is only developed
by Microsoft for it's own agendas >>
I find it strange that it's always Microsoft that has the agendas. Surely, when you like to see each and every Windows PC replaced by a Linux PC and want to steer people towards Open Source software you do have your agendas as well. Having agendas isn't limited to those who supply proprietary software, Microsoft in particular.
I'm afraid that proprietary versus non-proprietary and single supplier versus multiple suppliers clouds the issue of what will happen when
it's Linux that has 90% of the market rather than Windows. The idea is that a single power, Microsoft, is replaced by several powers in the form of the various Linux distributions. That these distributions are competitors and will therefore keep each other in check. That they're competitors is true. What's also true, however, is that what the
various Linux distributions, and the people behind them, have in common far exceeds what divides them. Which isn't only shared source code but also
shared ideas and/or ideals. It's not to be expected that the various Linux distributions are going to oppose each other on what they have in common. They're going to oppose each other on what they don't agree on.
This can be compared to a party political scenario in which there are (say) four parliamentary parties which are (say) Conservative. They're going to vote as a single Conservative block on issues all four agree on. What they're going to vote differently on are exactly those issues that make them individual parties. When the four parties gain a
majority in parliament we can be sure that the country will be run along Conservative lines. When the four are Socialist rather than Conservative the country will be run along Socialist lines. Something similar is going to happen when Linux has a 90% market share. The ideas the Linux distributions have in common will be implemented as that's what all Linux distributions will vote for, so to speak. There won't be any real opposition to this as the group that has markedly different ideas has only 10% of the market and is, itself, divided.
It's also a situation that remains stable when what you write about distributions splitting off is true. A Linux distribution which turns Microsoftish will come into conflict with the other Linux distributions as it moves towards the 10% group idea wise. Developers and users will then abandon this rogue distribution, switch to other distributions or start a distribution of their own. Result is that the rogue
distribution will become a member of the 10% group while those that split off remain members of the 90% group. The mechanism you describe
is therefore equivalent to Microsoft taking actions to retain its 90% share of the desktop/laptop operating system market.
I'm sorry, Chris, but a 90% market share inevitably means that Linux will rule in a Microsoft-like fashion. Shared ideas means shared interests, shared aims and shared agendas. Linux' rule will be
different in character than Microsoft's because of the differences in ideas. Still, it will be a very dominant one - a semi-dictatorship.
It's therefor fine with me when Linux gains market share as Microsoft's dominance will be eroded. But I don't want to see 90% Windows change to 90% Linux. That's equivalent to Russia changing from a Tsarist dictatorship to a Communist dictatorship.
<< If you cannot see this, then I'm sorry, but you really do NOT understand Open Source >>
It's not a question of not understanding Open Source or not understanding Linux but a question of assessment. You think that the diversity of Linux distributions and the people who work on them effectively guarantees that Linux won't be Microsoft-like when Linux
has 90% of the market. I think it will because the various Linux distributions aren't sufficiently diverse for that. You think that
there will be various Linux distributions when Linux has gained 90% of the market. I think we'll see a consolidation and that there will be handful left. What's more, that there will be one distribution that's going to dominate.
Please note that what you write is mirrored by what I hear from most pro-Linux people I've talked to. They don't understand why people are (still) using Microsoft Windows when there's Linux.
---
Kind Regards,
Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands
Date: 14 Oct 2004 03:26:24 +0100
From: Michael Kosarin
Subject: 5mx to Mac using VPC
Anyone out there have direct experience with connecting their 5mx to their Apple Macintosh computer using Virtual PC? Just got VPC 2.3.3 with Office, and thought I'd give it a try. First attempt met with no success, and a web search found nothing terribly useful or up to date, so thought I'd ask. Directions would have to be for someone with *no* Windows knowledge. Using Keyspan as a USB adapter....
Thanks!
mkosarin
Date: 14 Oct 2004 14:18:35 +0100
From: Itamar Engelsman
Subject: P910 - Database
Unfortunately the Symbian software does not come with a database program and if you want to store DATA on your phone, you will have no choice but to buy a third party program. After some research I settled on the HandyData program. I need a database program that is fairly simple, easy to use with a PC converter to move DATA between my mBook, PC and phone. I bought however the Handy Tools 2004 set of programs that contains HandyData, HandyDay (calendar program), HandySafe, HandyBook and HandyExpense. As a present you get Handy Desktop with it as well, which however I did not yet succeed to download (the website does not recognise my registration).
The program is very straightforward, much like I am used to from the DATA program in Epoc. Upon opening the program you get a list of all the DATA files present to choose from (it comes with a sample file called World Cities). When opening a database you get a choice of list view or card view with the list at the bottom changeble in size. It has got all the usual functions like view and label preferences, sort by label, find by label, change labels, rename, copy, send the file, export as text file, edit entry, new entry, etc. etc. At the bottom it has several icons for the main functions. You can also create catergories within a file to further divide the file into sections (for example, in a CD database you can have different types of music). I can't see any great thrills in the program, it does what I want it to do, looks nice.
However, to move my data over from my Psion to the phone was a different matter and took considerable effort and trial and error. First of all you have to export the data file into a .CSV file. This type of file can than be converted to a data file for HandyData with a converter program that comes with it. However, the conversion is not that straightforward and you have to play around with all the settings in the converting program until you get the desired results. Once you have done one, the rest is easy. What took me a very long time was to get the business addresses from Outlook as a datafile on the phone. synchronisation will move these into the Contacts file, but I don't want them there in order to keep business and private separate. So I had to synchronise Outlook with my mBook into a DATA file, export that again to a .CSV file and convert that again into a phone datafile. The main problem was with Outlook and how to direct the Psiwin synch. to the right datafile in Outlook. In the end I learnt how to shuffle the data around between the different files in Outlook and succeed with the default setting. If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll go into more details. It was even more difficult to move the databases on my Paml to the phone as the desktop program that came with HanDBase did not export all entries in a database but only one or a few. I just now found out that I can do it however by converting them to an excel file instead of a .CSV file and the only problem appears to be that I loose the description of the fields (changed to F1, F2, F3, etc.).
Altogether I can say that I succeeded, with some difficulties, to move my data over from my mBook and my Paml to the P910.
Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
London, UK
Date: 14 Oct 2004 14:18:36 +0100
From: Itamar Engelsman
Subject: P910 - Handwriting recognition
The handwriting recognition program is a definite plus and improvement on my Palm, although I appreciate that this is a very personal matter. You have to get the hang of how to write the letters, but it is all quite straightforward and no need to learn special signals or symbols.
When you get to enter details, the screen is divided virtually in two halfs with a arow in the middle on the right hand side. The top half is for writing numbers, the bottom half for writing lower case letters and the middle part on the height of the arrow for writing capital letters. You write a letter or number on the screen which disappears immediately again and is entered in the line of the data entry. You don't have to first write the word and than transfer it to the entry line, it goes there straight away. A dash to the left is space back, a dash to the right is forward space. You write the same lower case letter in the middle and it will appear as a capital letter, no need to write the capital letter "in capital". It works extremely fast and the % of mistakes is a lot smaller than when I used my Palm. Also, as you write on the screen of the program there is not part of the screen that disappears to make way for the handwriting recognition, you just write anywhere in the half over what you see.
I did not yet get the hang of holding the P910 by it's flap and type with 2 fingers on the thumbboard. Somehow I find it easier to hold it in one hand and use my other hand to type.
Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
London, UK
Date: 14 Oct 2004 14:18:37 +0100
From: Itamar Engelsman
Subject: P910 - Handy Day
Last one for today <G>.
The agenda program Handy Day is a big improvement on the calendar program that comes with the P910, and I can only wonder why they could not give it a better agenda program, given that it existed already on the EPOC machines.
First nice touch, I set it to come to the foreground whenever I open the flap, so I open the phone and there is my diary, no need to search. The screen is divided in 3 parts, the diary, tasks and messages. You see your appointments, any tasks from the Task program. And he, WOW, I set my Task to two days ago and it still shows up in this diary program, a major plus again, now I will not forget to-do's from yesterday I had not time to act upon ! There are 2 views, a day view and a week view. The calendar program does not show any details in the week view, not so Handy Day. In the wek view it shows you the same as the EPOC agenda, each day smaller with the appointments for that day. It has several more icons at the bottom for different functions: - Task Manager, - Control Panel, - create new task, appointment, sms, etc, - shortcuts to a program, a contact, a call, a file, an URL, etc.
The program has a Task Manager included just like SMan, it has a desktop screen to put shortcuts, it has wallpapers for some extra fun. It also gives you an icon at the bottom in the tray which will allow you to start from any point or program and open a list of choices like "close all", "close current", "close all but current", and gives also the list of applications from the main screen. In the "Start" option you will find again the shortcuts from the main page of Desk View.
This is a real killer program that everyone should have on this machine !
Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
London, UK
Date: 14 Oct 2004 14:21:05 +0100
From: Rolf Brunsting
Subject: Re: Never-ending OS discussioins
Dear Stéphane,
<< To Rolf (Brunsting): could you possibly answer DIRECTLY to Martin,
Chris or Anthony whenever you feel offended or tickled in your
developer's own convictions ? I am not in the least (and presumably
not the only one within this Digest...) interested by (exceedingly)
lenghty discussions on the past and future of some OS or other, not to
mention Dr Potter's right or wrong managing decisions . Only EPOC/
SYMBIAN are the matter here. Thank you. >>
Well ... as you message doesn't contain anything about EPOC or Symbian,
except the words Symbian and EPOC, it can be argued that you should
have followed your own request by sending the above to me personally
rather than posting it on the Digest.
Secondly, though I respect your view that the subjects of Linux / Open
Source and Dr. Potter don't belong here I do wonder why you're picking
me out when there are other people involved in these discussions. I
also wonder why you react about half-way a discussion when it's better
to prevent discussions on non-EPOC or non-Symbian subjects by
responding to the very first posting about such subjects.
Thirdly, nothing's served by writing "... whenever you feel offended or
tickled in your developer's own conviction" as you're addressing the
person rather than the issue. When you think that it's better for a
discussion to be moved from the Digest to private e-mail than, please,
say so and leave it at that. When you question somebody's motives for
participating in a discussion and/or put the perceived motives in a bad
light you will only achieve the opposite of what you'd like to achieve.
Fourth, we both have to accept that the Digest format implies that
there will be discussions on subjects that don't interest us. We also
have to accept that Digest subscribers have different language skills.
Some have the ability to get their idea across in a few short
sentences, others simply need more words for that. And, please, note
that English isn't the native tongue of many a Digest subscriber.
---
Kind Regards,
Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands
Date: 14 Oct 2004 18:06:39 +0100
From: Antony Booth
Subject: RE: Windows OT
To: Wong Koi Hin
>Even if Dell is still selling to consumers machines with Linux installed, it is certainly not obvious from their website, almost all their offers
aimed at home users comes with Windows XP installed. However, I think the point here is that the average consumer would still probably choose a system with Windows pre-installed rather than Linux.<
You're probably unaware, but Microsoft have recently been taken to court by the U.S. government who won the case that M$ are forcing vendors to only advertise Windows only desktops as a means to prevent competition. Companies like Dell are dependant on Microsoft OEM licenses because, as you say, most people want a Windows desktop by default and don't even consider any alternative. For this reason, Dell cannot afford to lose its licence agreement and so will not advertise any Desktop platform other than a Microsoft one. That doesn't mean you can't get one, it just means you have to phone Dell sales and order one, rather than click an advert on the Dell website. It is this monopolisation by Microsoft of the Desktop market that has a stranglehold on both the hardware vendor and the customer, who are blissfully ignorant that Microsoft is deliberately denying them the choices they should have.
The fact that consumers will choose a pre-installed windows desktop without considering the alternatives is very sad, because they are paying over the odds for a product owned by a company that has successfully manipulated the market so the customer doesn't even realise there is a real alternative.
Here's the hard read of the Department of Justices final judgement:
http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/cases/f205700/205751.htm
Note: I am referring to section B (MDA). In essence, it says the MDA (Market Development Agreement) can no longer prevent the advertisement of non-Microsoft products and Microsoft can no longer prevent OEMs from recommending other operating systems if they so choose. Without agreeing to the MDA, OEMs cannot sell Microsofts products with the OEM discount and so effectively preventing their resale of Windows. As the only other way of aquiring the OS would be to buy it at the same price the consumer would, this would make them uncompetetive.
Antony Booth
Date: 14 Oct 2004 23:06:34 +0100
From: Alan Morris
Subject: Re: Windows v. Linux
Itamar Engelsman <itamar.... wrote:-
> If a PC costs today below 500 pounds, you cannot convince me
> that hundreds of these pounds were for the Windows OS system.
I've read in the last few days in a PC trade journal that the most expensive 'part' of a windows PC is the OS.
It was the cheapest.
--
Alan R Morris, G4ENS.
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK.
Using a Psion netBook & Nokia 6210e.
Date: 14 Oct 2004 23:06:42 +0100
From: Alan Morris
Subject: Re: Can Deleted Files on a Psion 5mx be Retrieved
Terry Waller <t.waller.... wrote:-
> I accidentally deleted a file. Is there any way to get it
> back?
Are you using FastBackup? I guess not.
If it's on the CF card, then using a card reader on a desktop machine, you could use Norton Utilities.
Recently Carol bought a windows floppy disk home from work and I dug out my old DOS 486 and used DOS NU to recover the lost file completely.
--
Alan R Morris, G4ENS.
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK.
Using a Psion netBook & Nokia 6210e.
Date: 15 Oct 2004 00:51:18 +0100
From: Itamar Engelsman
Subject: P910 - Handay Day II
I have meanwhile found out a few more interesting features of this program:
- when you press the jog dial you get a popup menu which has the choice "Today". Press the jog dial again and it moves you directly to today's day.
- in week view you can toggle between a 7-day view and a 3-day view
- in the tray menu I wrote about before you also see all the currently running programs nd by pressing on any of them you will move to that program.
- it is also possible to do some keys mapping to connect different programs to the hardware keys (internet, camera, jog dial forward en backward) and different ones also when the flap is open and closed.
Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
London, UK
Date: 15 Oct 2004 03:59:57 +0100
From: Mark Kenepp
Subject: P910 Multiple Apps & Bluetooth Keyboard
p910 and Multiple Apps:
I would assume that the p910 is no different than the p800 in this aspect. The problem is not that when you switch to another app the closes, the problem is that apps do not close automatically and eventually fill up your memory (like Pocket PC). I just tried it on my p800. Turned on some music using Unreal Player and switched to my email application to see if the music was still playing, it was! Admittedly that is not a true test of multitasking but it is a small example. If you want to be able to manually close apps running in the background, you will need to get a third party application like SMan.
Stowaway Bluetooth
I have had mine for about two months now but have not used it much. I got it to take with me to Ireland but it didn't arrive until I got back.
I have had no problems with it running on my HP iPaq 2215 and I was able to get the keyboard to work with my p800, but... After I installed the keyboard app on my p800 I was no longer able to access the program list on the phone. It just wouldn't load the list. I was able to run apps through tracker with out issue but I removed the keyboard app from the phone since it was causing the problem with the app list. Has anyone else had this problem?
TIA
Mark Kenepp
San Francisco, CA
Date: 15 Oct 2004 09:55:24 +0100
From: Nigel Elbourne
Subject: Ghost Icon
Clever friends,
A neighbour has ditched his Psions [fool!] and has had trouble removing the "My Psion" icon from his PC.
He told me "The problem I have is a 'ghost' icon on the desktop. I uninstalled PsiWin under Windows XP SP1. The uninstaller left a lot of debris including the 'My Psion' icon on the desktop. I deleted various Psion files but could not delete this icon. I went through the registry and removed such Psion debris as I could recognize and felt (moderately) safe in so doing. The result is a non-functional icon looking like a folder which I can position anywhere I like on the desktop but cannot move from there nor delete. I can rename it. Windows XP is now at SP2."
Help!
Nigel Elbourne
elbourne....
Date: 16 Oct 2004 11:21:51 +0100
From: Chris S Handley
Subject: new TubeRoute released
I am very pleased to finally announce the first FreEpoc release of TubeRoute, which is far more tested & polished than any previous public release. You can get it from:
http://www.freepoc.org/viewapp.php?id=60
TubeRoute is a program that will find you the best route between two stations on an underground railway system (aka "subway" or "tube" or "metro"). It can also handle trams, and even buses!
Some of TubeRoute's features include:
* A user editable database to describe the subway system, so that you can correct mistakes, update it, or even create a database for an entirely different subway!
* Supports an optional graphical map, which can be used to choose stations and display the suggested route.
* Various route-finding algorithms can be chosen, depending on how fast your Psion is and how short you want the route to be.
* Automatically adapts to different Psion models, from the Revo to the Netbook.
* User-friendly, partly thanks to feedback from many beta-testers.
* Totally free, without warrenty, and provides the source code under the GNU GPL license.
Currently there are databases for London & Vienna, and thanks to a beta-tester one for Munich should be available in the near future. Further city databases depend on demand, but other users are most welcome to contribute a database for another city - and are in fact encouraged to do so! TubeRoute is designed to make the creation of a new database as easy as possible, and the author of the Munich database said it took him less time than he expected.
---
Chris Handley
P.S. I'm sure Rolf B will still have fun finding some fault or other with it ;-) , but I do ask ANYONE discovering a bug to please email me privately, if at all possible.