- Re: Printing emails, GlucoMon

- Re: Fair, Fairness, Freeware

- two machines, Data Adaptor?,

- Re: Fair

- Freeware morality

- Re: email question

- Configuring Wireless Access

- "urgent" answer needed please

- Fair, Fairness, Freeware, Generosity,

Date: 14 Apr 2005 14:30:09 +0700
From: Ian Chapple <address truncated>
Subject: Re: Printing emails, GlucoMon

Jack,
>>I have no pb printing incoming msg with nB + HPdeskjet350 although in very small font size...even Date and Priority reads.<<

If I print emails, they are also printed in a very small font size, but there are also problems with one line of text being printed on top of another. It's not a massive problem, as I don't need to print emails that often, but it's just a bit strange.

>>Does "print to File" via General work with your msgs?<<

I haven't tried this.

>>PS1 Does your useful GlucoMon will oneday be transposed to mx or revo?<<

I am thinking about this, but the small screen size could be a serious problem/restriction; all or most of the dialogs are bigger than all but the netbook/S7 screen, and the graph would be virtually unusable on a Revo. I will however have a look at how practical this is...

Cheers, Ian.

Date: 14 Apr 2005 15:26:30 +0700
From: Keith Giles <address truncated>
Subject: Re: Fair, Fairness, Freeware

For Edo: While I'm one of those who don't seem able to use your app and feel I need a Help file, I think you, the author, can do whatever you want with your app. It's really my problem, not yours, that I don't how to use the app. If I don't know what I'm missing, I'm not likely to worry about it.  :-)

Happy Cycling,
Keith
Sunnyvale, CA
http://ohsix827.home.comcast.net

Thought For The Day: Poverty is no disgrace - it's just inconvenient.

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

Date: 14 Apr 2005 17:36:04 +0700
From: Itamar Engelsman <address truncated>
Subject: two machines, Data Adaptor?,

Answer to: Kevin Thorne

Re.: two machines - Your message made me try to envisage how I would handle changing from my mBook to a 9500. My main usage of the mBook is:

- emailing :  This I could do as well on the 9500 although typing would be somewhat slower due to the smaller keyboard

- ABP banking : I am not sure there is already a version on the 9500 but how many lines would I see on the screen ? Would it be feasible to work efficiently with it on the 9500 ?  I am not sure

- Money :  I run the bookkeeping of my photography business on my Mbook. I don't believe there is a replacement for this on the 9500 ?

- Route planner :  I use my mBook together with a Garmin GPS when driving to unknown addresses or countries. Is there already software that runs on the 9500 for this, and could I safely balance a 9500 on the dashboard or is there a car holder ?

- Spreadsheets :  I have several stock spreadsheets on my mBook with almost 100 lines and 30 columns. Would I be able to browse these sheets and properly read and see them ?

I don't have the answers to these questions, but maybe 9500 owners could give their opinions ?

Answer to: Eric Lindsay

Re.: Data Adaptor? - I can confirm that my SE P910i can work as a modem for my mBook. I use it regularly with GPRS to check my emails when traveling. I suppose the same is valid for the 9500/9300 but can't be sure.

Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
London, UK

Date: 14 Apr 2005 20:15:23 +0700
From: Rolf Brunsting <address truncated>
Subject: Re: Fair

Dear Itamar,


<< I don't think there are set rules or standards about free software so it leaves the correct or just way. Now, the problem is that what is correct and / or just is very subjective to different people >>

It's logical to focus on the 'free' in freeware and say that you can't expect much from something that's supplied for free. Now, Korean car manufacturer Hyundai has started a promotional campaign in the Netherlands. TV and newspaper advertisements mention that you get a free LCD TV when you buy a new Hyundai. And even though the LCD TV is supplied for free you do have some reasonable expectations about it. Of course, it doesn't have to be the very best LCD TV in its class. But you do expect that the LCD TV works on the 230 Vac 50 Hz power as used in the Netherlands. You also expect that the LCD TV is electrically safe, comes with a manual in the Dutch language, etc. In other words, that the LCD TV complies with general product requirements as well as the more specific requirements for electrical goods.

I'm afraid the same applies to freeware. That it's supplied for free doesn't mean that it's exempt from the general product requirements and the product specific requirements that define a minimum standard. One of the reasonable expectations defined in the general product requirements is that the supplied product is free from defects. And that the supplier will take corrective actions when a defect is found. General product requirements therefore say that the obligation to fix bugs isn't limited to the suppliers of commercial and shareware applications. Freeware developers have to fix bugs as well. When you find a bug in a freeware application you can contact the author, report the bug and expect that it's fixed.

Whether you actually expect that the bug is fixed is a personal matter. General product requirements don't mention that the user has to be strict with the supplier. You can insist that the bug is fixed but can also report the bug and leave it at that. Practical situation is that people are more lenient towards freeware authors than towards the suppliers of commercial applications. However, the freeware author who thinks that (s)he's not necessarily obliged to fix bugs is making a mistake. Nor can (s)he rely on the user always being lenient.

<< Having read no. 728, Phil, how can it be not allowed to give away something faulty ? If you accept to receive something faulty from me, no-one can stop me to give it to you >>

You've answered your own question - the recipient needs to be aware of the type and extent of the fault and accept that the product is
supplied with this fault. To give you and example, I bought a waxcoat at the factory outlet store of J. Barbour and Sons in South Shields which has a production fault. The coat had a red label attached to it mentioning the fault - needle marks below the right hand bellows
pocket. These needle marks were so small that the sales lady had difficulty finding them in order to point them out to me. I found the marks acceptably small and therefore bought a Beaufort model waxcoat
for UKP 125.= less than it would cost me in a high street store.

---
Kind Regards,
Rolf Brunsting - Beilen - Netherlands

Date: 14 Apr 2005 20:18:51 +0700
From: Phil Aypee <address truncated>
Subject: Freeware morality

Hi Folks,

Edo, if you include a strong disclaimer and release the software on that basis, including a specific statement that it is incomplete, I see no problem. It is the lack of any disclaimer that causes problems.

Ian (Chapple), I don't think "disingenuous" applies but I see your point.

My point, the first part of which you seem to appreciate, is that the freeware registration requirement is both silly (you didn't say you thought it so but . . . ) *and* wrong. I think it is legally wrong, I suspect it is morally wrong and I believe it is unfair. Abandoning the software, free software, *without* freeing it of encumbrances may not make the situation worse for some - but it can not make it any better.

Your other point, about the lack of suits, does not mean there is no obligation, merely that there has been a lack of suits. Legally this area is difficult; copyright applies in theory but hasn't been properly understood in this context yet. Copyright is difficult enough in much older areas.

This is why I think that a moral approach is better. I think it usually is.

Happy days,
Phil.

"Old engines with their primal anger gone
Their fire and fury rusted quite away
No longer chuffing into Platform One,
Butchered to make a scrapyard's holiday.
Don't think they will not take take it hard at Hatch,
Thornfalcon, Donyatt, Chard, their summary despatch."

http://www.philaypee.co.uk/index.html

Date: 14 Apr 2005 23:29:06 +0700
From: Alan Morris <address truncated>
Subject: Re: email question

Ian Chapple <address truncated> wrote:-

> I also have a question about printing emails from a netBook; does anyone
> else have problems doing this? I have found that the only way to print the
> text of an email reliably is to copy&paste it into Word, and then print it
> from there.

Ian, I found the problem and solved it by changing the size of the paper and margins, keeping A4 paper in the printer.

But your solution is better.

But in Word, I now find that at times (but not seen on a 5mx), I get a page throw part way down a page, so that the bottom of the page is blank (apart from a trailer, in the correct place).

Editing does not solve the problem.  Changing the template for Word, may also change this odd effect, if the text is copy/pasted to the new document.

Alan.

Date: 15 Apr 2005 04:01:44 +0700
From: g y reyes <address truncated>
Subject: Configuring Wireless Access

At 10:11 PM 4/14/2005 +0800, you wrote:
>Date: 13 Apr 2005 19:05:03 +0700
>From: Kevin Thorne <address truncated> >Subject: Setting up data connection preferences
>
>I'm pleased to say then that the Nokia 9500 can go one better than this as >it can already do this straight from out of the box - no 3rd party >software required :-)
>
>Regards
>Kevin Thorne


Kevin,

That's true.  But in my case, because of my pattern of usage of electronic gadgets, I prefer my PDA separate from my phone.

As they say, to each his own. :-)

Gary

Date: 15 Apr 2005 09:12:28 +0700
From: Franco Cozzani <address truncated>
Subject: "urgent" answer needed please

Hello,

Martin wrote:


From: Martin Maxwell <address truncated>
Subject: Re: Communicator 9500 and Other Psion Wanna-be's

Answer to Rolf Brunsting

>You're not going to get your Psion back for the simple reason that the only >company that designs and builds Psions is : Psion.

Not entirely true.

First, Psion has ceased to build Psions, as we know them, i.e. EPOC/Eikon based Psions. Meanwhile, Clove (www.clove.co.uk <www.clove.co.uk> ) is remanufacturing the
Psion Series 5mx Pro, with improved screen and lasting screen-cable. So the only existing manufacturer of such Psions today is, in fact, not Psion.


Can I get more info on what he means with "improved screen and lasting screen-cable"? Apart from a more solid screen cable, do these machines have brighter screens? Higher res screens? Or what else, to say they have "improve screen"?

Any feed back from Martin + other fellow-Epochians who bought the 5 MX is much appreciated.

PS: My 3 1/2 yrs old, could-not-live-without and once-repaired MC 218 went fibrillating this week in Amsterdam and I need to decide fast whether to order a Clove machine or bid farewell to Psions once and for all and move forward. And, as I wrote on these pages, I do not much like Nokias 9500 & 9300.

Regards,
Franco COZZANI

Brussels

Date: 15 Apr 2005 15:32:00 +0700
From: Itamar Engelsman <address truncated>
Subject: Fair, Fairness, Freeware, Generosity,

Answer to: Edo Vucurovic

Re.: Fair, Fairness, Freeware - I don't understand your question really. You released a piece of freeware with the statement that it is taken "asis" without a help file. So the users can choose whether to download and try it out anyhow or to pass on it. It is their choice and IMHO you don't have to feel bad at all.

Answer to: Phil Aypee

Re.: Generosity - But if state clearly that I give you a 5MX with unreliable CF contacts and you accept it as such, you cannot claim afterwards that the CF contacts don't work properly. And furthermore, if that was not the case I could not guarantee you that the CF contacts will work forever in the future either. A gift you accept in the state it is in.

Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
London, UK