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Epoc Digest Sun, 30 Jun 2002 Volume 01 : Number 023
Sent to: 392 subscribers
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In today's Epoc Digest 15 messages:
==============================
- IrDA and Win2k, 2gb PCMCIA, IR printing
- Screen cable
- External Battery Pack
- Re: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 022
- CompuServe in France
- vReader
- EPOC Anti-Virus software...
- 9210, Digest macros, Promotion, Outlook rules, CIS France, Psion repair, Disinfo
- MochaPPP
- VReader, TCR and Jotter
- Rotating Psion Screens et al
- SCREEN ROTATION / YOUR EPOC / ROLF'S RANT
- Compuserve in France
- Re: Turning on "out of the office" but not affecting the Digest?
- Netscapeonline
*++++++++++&
Date: 28 Jun 2002 04:04:09 +0000
From: Eric Lindsay
Subject: IrDA and Win2k, 2gb PCMCIA, IR printing
>From: "Martin Guthrie" >Subject: EPOC Sync'ing / Infrared /
>I spent a long time trying to get my Psions to talk natively with Windows 2K over PsiWin. I managed it with Win'95/98/Me but eventually concluded that Win2K/XP have been 'knobbed' by Microsoft.
Microsoft actually did announce on their site (somewhere) that they would not continue to support the optional legacy IrCOMM feature of IrDA
in Windows from 1998 on. So NT never had it, and 2k up will not have
it. Only 95/98/ME have the correct support. The reason this bites us is that PsiWin has never supported IrCOMM; it is a matter of IrCOMM imitating a serial port, so PsiWin does't really know the difference.
I think plBeam is the only way to go if you move past Win 98.
>From: "AndyHayes"
>Subject: 2gb PCMCIA Hard Drive
>I took out the CF/PC card adaptor which carries an 80mb CF out of the slot on my netbook and plugged in the 2gb CF card. I CTRL+Q'd to the E: drive and guess what ....... Drive not Found. You hear it spin up momentarily and then it clicks and nothing happens. I have tried it with the power plugged in just in case it made a difference, but it didn't.
My guess would be that the 2gb hard drive isn't PCMCIA, but is instead a CardBus device. Pinouts are about the same, but it expects a different software approach. I don't have any evidence, but I bet Psion support
only PCMCIA, and not CardBus, whereas later versions of Windows have CardBus support, as well as PCMCIA. The terms are normally used interchangeably,
as far as I can see, but probably should not.
>From: "vlad
>Subject: Infrared printer link
>Problem: just bought the Psion Infarred Printer Link. It doesn't.
Symptoms: led blinks, the printer's also do but that was it. No print. What I tried:
Try testing your Printer link by just sending a file direct to the
printer without using the Psion printer drivers. You can do this from
the Comms application with the text sent as text.
I'd try first with a text file.
Then I would make up a hand written Postscript file, and
send that. At least that way you can establish whether the link
is working at all.
Eric Lind www.avalook.com
Airlie Beach, Nth Qld, Australia ph +61 7 4948 0450
http://www.ericlindsay.com NEW Airlie-SF-Psion-Epoc
*++++++++++&
Date: 28 Jun 2002 04:46:56 +0000
From: Eric Lindsay
Subject: Screen cable
>From: Wajira Perera
>Subject: Screen Cable of Psions and Ericssons >In spite of these companies (or at least Psion) knowing that the screen cable is the 'weakest link' of these machines, they have done nothing to soften the blow for the owners. Every time you have a cable problem, it means replacement of a perfectly good screen as well, at a terribly high cost, particularly for those of us living in the Third World countries. I cannot see a good reason for not redesigning the cable to be a separate item, replaceable by itself, which would have cost GBP 10 at the most, rather than being nearly ten times dearer as it is now, except for the motive for making more money.
My guess is that Psion were not in a position to demand a custom LCD display and perforce had to accept whatever models were available, and design their machine around it. This certainly appears to be the case with the Series 7 (I identified the display), however I have not been able to positively identify the original source for the Series 5 displays. If I am correct, the LCD makers are the ones who decided not to have a replaceable cable (probably because contacts are usually the weakest point in a design, and the one most likely to cause problems.
I noticed Rolf addressing this very issue at length in a later Digest, and have
some additional comments. Back when I was playing with gadgets, I heard
that the
production cost of components vs the selling price had to be more like 4, rather
than the 2 to 2.5 ratio Rolf mentioned. If I am closer to the figure, that makes
it even harder for the manufacturer.
The big one is reliability. Unless you have an exclusive, you can't afford to be
reliable. If you saw the Segway transporter specs, you may notice it has redundent
wiring in the motors, and a bunch of computers and gyroscopes. I will bet that the
very first imitation or licenced model to appear will drop every single bit of that
redundency, and cut their prices a heap as a result. Early IBM PC style computers
had a lifespan that could reach 10 years, however as soon as competition
hit, that
dropped. Hardly anyone used a ten year old computer.
Eric Lind www.avalook.com
Airlie Beach, Nth Qld, Australia ph +61 7 4948 0450
http://www.ericlindsay.com NEW Airlie-SF-Psion-Epoc
*++++++++++&
Date: 28 Jun 2002 05:23:36 +0000
From: Eric Lindsay
Subject: External Battery Pack
>From: "Walker, Jan" >Subject: Revo/Mako battery pack
>
>This is a website for purchasing a portable charging pack (contains 4 AA batteries) for $11.00 U.S. It has an on/off switch and plugs into the Revo/Mako for recharging when an electrical outlet is not to be found. It looks pretty useful.
>
>http://omicrontech0.tripod.com/products.html
Hmm, given that the 5mx runs off a 6 volt plugpack (and I believe the Revo can accept the same), why not just find a suitable connector, and
then run wires to alligator clips that you connect to a lantern battery? This should cost about US$2-3 It isn't all that much use with a Psion
5, because the power LED draws about 11 mA, however I don't recall
seeing an LED on the Revo, so the drain should be lower.
Eric Lind www.avalook.com
Airlie Beach, Nth Qld, Australia ph +61 7 4948 0450
http://www.ericlindsay.com NEW Airlie-SF-Psion-Epoc
*++++++++++&
Date: 28 Jun 2002 06:50:08 +0000
From: BJ Amsel, MD
Subject: Re: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 022
>Subject: Order of macro's
>
>Answer to: Bram Amsel
>
>Re. Order of macro's - Hi there, trust all well with you and family. You omitted to write which program you use. With Assistant you get an alphabetical list and typing the first few letters will jump to the requested macro. In Macro5 you can arrange the 3 panels in such a way that only the ones you use most will appear.
Thanks for your interest, Itamar. Best wishes from me to you, too.
Also thank you for your answer, but perhaps I did not make myself clear. I use either ExAb (i.e. the <menu>-J combination) or a macro5 hotkey that starts "run macro". I then press the first letter of the macro I want and
push it as often as I need to get to the right macro. Let's say I have three macro's starting with the letter A, called A1, A2 en A3 and that I use A2 a lot, A3 less frequently, and A1 rarely. How do I get A2 after pressing A once,
A3 after pressing A twice, and A1 after pressing A three times?
My second question was whether the recently opened documents (<control>-J from the system screen) can be
edited.
Thanks again.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
[] Bram J Amsel, MD
[] Univerisity Hospital of Antwerp
[] Wilrijkstraat 10
[] B-2650 Antwerp-Edegem, Belgium
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
*++++++++++&
Date: 28 Jun 2002 10:13:28 +0000
From: Mike McConnell
Subject: CompuServe in France
To: Christopher Marwood
<<Can anyone help me set up a friend for Compuserve access in France? Mike's website lists a transpac script, but there are no Transpac numbers listed on Compuserve's site. Only UUD Dial Access Network. Does anyone either have working numbers for Transpac or a script for UUD?>>
Although I no longer belong to CompuServe, it was my belief that UUD could be accessed with the normal CIS script. There certainly didn't appear to be any different instructions at GO LOGON. Transpac, I suspect, may have been discontinued in a similar way to many of the Equant nodes.
If Nicole sees your post, I'm sure she'll be able to keep you right with CIS in France :-)
--
Regards,
Mike [Dundee, Scotland] __________________________________________
Mobile Phone & SMS: +44 (0)7947 655778
Mobile Fax: +44 (0)7941 679797
Web: http://www.mikemcc.net
__________________________________________
*++++++++++&
Date: 28 Jun 2002 10:38:21 +0000
From: Rick Gillyon
Subject: vReader
> Date: 27 Jun 2002 00:31:26 +0000
> From: Trygve Henriksen >
> Subject: VReader, rotating the netbook screen, Zip files...
> It tends to crash without warning when you open some files. (Particularly > ..TCR)
> it also tends to display a lot of garbage from these files. It's almost as > if the creator didn't really study the file formats...
There were a *lot* of problems with garbage and crashes in vReader v2.00, they were extremely annoying. But if you can get hold of v2.01 those problems (for me at least) were totally fixed. Most sites *still* seemed to be offering v2.00 even after v2.01 was available, so many people got the wrong version.
Check Tucows for v2.01.
Bye,
Rick
http://www.gillyon.com/
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*++++++++++&
Date: 28 Jun 2002 15:30:30 +0000
From: Itamar Engelsman
Subject: EPOC Anti-Virus software...
MESSAGE FROM MIKE FELLHAUER
>"Shlomo" wrote: >
>I don't know how many of you are aware to the fact that there are some >special EPOC viruses on the web. Try this link
>http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/e.shtml and roll down until you find the >Epoc stuff. Interesting!
The thing about EPOC viruses (up to now) is they've been programs that you've had to install and run yourself, unlike the PC ones which are self loading and running and have been mostly nuisance viruses rather than malicious (things like changing the owner's name of the machine, turning the backlight on and off randomly, printing messages to the screen "Leave me alone", pretending to be formatting, etc.). In fact, Norton classifies all the EPOC.xxx as joke programs and not really viruses but they still recommend removing them (especially the ones that shorten battery life).
There have been one or two companies who have tried to prey on the fears of EPOC owners by advertising separate programs for EPOC users by saying things like, "Even with the best PC anti-virus software in the world, your (EPOC) system is vulnerable to attack by a virus every time you sync your handheld and your PC." But as can be seen by the above link, PC anti-virus programs also protect you from EPOC viruses. Actually Norton lists and protects against a few more EPOC viruses than the F-Secure.
Of course if you don't have a desktop computer, or you connect your Psion to the internet you may want an EPOC anti-virus program. As more handheld devices connect to the internet you may have to think about this, even for your internet enabled cellphone/communicator. Especially as the operating system in these devices gets more complicated and able to load in programs.
Mike Fellhauer
Secretary of the Psion Enthusiasts Association of Toronto (PEAT)
http://www.phaedrav.com/peat/
_________________________________________________________________
Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com
*++++++++++&
Date: 28 Jun 2002 15:30:35 +0000
From: Itamar Engelsman
Subject: 9210, Digest macros, Promotion, Outlook rules, CIS France, Psion repair, Disinfo
Answer to: Andy Hayes
Re. 9210 - I did see people use the 9210, and anyhow how many people did I see using the 5MX ? Very few, at work only a client from Denmark. For me it is not so important how many people use it (but for the durability of the platform) but more whether it will do the job I want it to do.
Answer to: Trygve Henriksen
Re. Digest macros - Thanks to Rolf the macros have developed into a full fledged program. At this stage we will take out these messages by hand (with abt. 20 messages per digest that is not a problem). Sometimes I prefer not to get "over automized" and to leave some matters for the "grey mass between my ears". (By the way, with that holiday allowance, any jobs available at your place of work ... ?)
Re. Promotion - The only thing I can think of at the moment (and don't have the time myself) is to follow the Psion webring and write to each website to add a link to this digest and the website mentioned at the top (recently added).
Answer to: Walker Jan
Re. Outlook rules - Go in Outlook to Tules -> rules wizzard:
Choose New...
Choose type of rule (check when they arrive)
Choose condition ( I always tick next and answer yes for any message received)
Choose what you want to do (reply in some way)
Add any exceptions
Now here comes the important part. Choose except if from people or distribution list, click in the bottom window on "people or distribution list", in the window under "Specify the address of the sender:" type in the email address of the digest, ok, and finish the rule.
That's it. Now the digest will not receive your automatic answer. If this procedure changed in later versions of Outlook, maybe someone could update the digest with those changes ?
Answer to: Christopher Marwood
Re. CIS in France - AFAIK you don't need any special scripts in France anymore. The normal latest script as per Mike's website should work in France too.
Answer to: Rolf Brunsting
Re. Psion repair - Psion repair long ago moved away from Greenford and are currently in Milton Keynes. Before sending a Psion in you _have_ to get a repair number first, otherwise they will not be able to trace your machine and it will take weeks for them to find it (personal experience ...). The website is www.psion.com/support, choose mobile computing, log in nd initialse repair.
Re. Disinformation - Thanks for the information, certainly interesting. However, in my personal opinion I would appreciate it if this digest would stay clear of personal attacks on any of the subscribers.
Bye,
Itamar Engelsman
London, United Kingdom
*++++++++++&
Date: 28 Jun 2002 16:17:09 +0000
From: Itamar Engelsman
Subject: MochaPPP
This is a program to connect your Psion to your PC and use the modem of your PC to connect the Psion (via the PC) to the internet and/or check your email. The program works very well and is easy to set up, it is similar to DSLink. The website is http://www.mochasoft.dk and look for MochaPPP.
The reason I mention this program again is that I now succeeded to make a connection at work via my PC workstation to the server and the modem connected to the server. I succeeded as I installed Dial-up Connection to try it with a separate modem connected to my PC. However, when I tried to dial out it connected to the modem of the server.
On the Psion fow control is none and terminal and carrier detect both unticked (this is for Windows NT4.0).
My second surprise with this program is that, contrary to earlier info, it does work with Psion and MochaPPP both set to 115,200 and works at a tremendous speed. I use it now both at home and at work, so it's time to register the program (costs $ 9.95).
Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
*++++++++++&
Date: 28 Jun 2002 16:27:14 +0000
From: "Woody B"
Subject: VReader, TCR and Jotter
Could you provide a website for VReader? I just found this list, recently gone back to my Psion 5, and would like an updated version. I found it a very useful, free ;-) program for reading old books.
Re- TCR - Question... I need help ...there was a reader program for the Psion 3 that contained a small DOS program that converted text type files to files VReader could handle. Does anyone know the name and location of that program. -- If you had a 5-5mx you downloaded the 3 program, unzipped it... tossed the 3 reader program and kept the converter program to use for files you wanted to read on your Psion 5.
A visit to the Psion site had files for download to include the spreadsheet program, jotter, data, etc. I don't know the purpose of these downloads, they are in the ROM of the various machines. Can you explain? My Psion 5 does not include Jotter, can I download this program and run it on my 5?
*++++++++++&
Date: 28 Jun 2002 17:49:08 +0000
From: Philip S. Adkins Potter
Subject: Rotating Psion Screens et al
Hi,
Panglossian in nature, Rolf Brunsting seems to assume that I am insisting someone write an app. to turn the Psion screen. I simply made a suggestion that someone more talented than I might take up. At no time did I say it would even be possible, let alone easy, just that someone ought to try.
English, like all languages, is tricky even when it is one's first tongue. When it's not it pays not to assume too much. Without wishing to give a grammar lesson (even if I could), the operative sentence is not imperative in meaning though it is in structure.
When taken at face value it suggests that there ought to be someone who will try, not that there is someone who ought to try. The context here should make it clear. Only misplaced pedantry or misunderstanding would take the latter meaning to be the true meaning. I'm sure the same misunderstandings occur when Englishmen try to write in Dutch.
Rolf Brunsting later wrote:
"I was unpleasantly surprised to see Arent Kits van Heijningen's presence on the EPOC Digest and, what's worse, to see that he hasn't mended his ways. To illustrate this I'm quoting part of his message of no. 19 of the EPOC Digest......"
Rolf Brunsting may be right. Perhaps Arent Kits van Heijningen's presence should be anathema to us. Joyously he has the option of saying what he wants in this forum as well as Rolf Brunsting. Freedom of speech goes both ways. Rolf Brunsting has as much right to declare his opinion as Arent Kits van Heijningen or I. And we all have the right to think whatever we want, even Rolf Brunsting.
I will continue to think that Rolf's opinion is just that: an opinion. I will also continue to think that Arent's opinion is just that: an opinion. My opinion is that we all have a right to an opinion. Knowledge of truth belongs to gods.
Rolf Brunsting also wrote:
"Current situation is that mr. Kits van Heijningen no longer dares to show his face on the Psion newsgroups as people are well aware of the intentions behind his so-called 'participation'. So that any message he posts on the newsgroups will be subject to heavy scrutiny. In other words, he's made Psion newsgroup life impossible for himself. I'm afraid the same heavy scrutiny to stop him spreading the same style disinformation, other would call it lies, as he did in the past."
Well I will make up my own mind. I don't need anyone to do it for me. I have a right to be wrong without being decried for it. So does Arent Kits van Heijningen. So does Rolf Brunsting.
I'm sorry about the length of this post but sometimes I get verbose.
Good luck,
Phil.
"Beware of altruism.
It is based on self-deception, the root of all evil."
*++++++++++&
Date: 28 Jun 2002 19:03:02 +0000
From: Peter Keene
Subject: SCREEN ROTATION / YOUR EPOC / ROLF'S RANT
Hi Guys,
Re Screen rotation:
Many thanks to all of you who commented or gave advice on this subject. As I've admitted before, I'm not a 'techie' so I don't always know what's possible or not. I have forwarded a request to Teklogix, so let's see what happens. On the subject of vertical/horizontal markets, I must say that I see many potential applications where the portrait screen could be useful. For example, completing forms in the building industry and the healthcare sector; filling out a life policy application in the insurance industry; marking an attendance register in the educational sector - to name but a few.
For Andy Hayes re Your EPOC:
It wasn't the content that irritated me Andy, it was the sixth form nudge-nudge wink-wink attempt at humour. Also, it was a little too emotional, after all our Psions are only products, aren't they, not holy grails?
Re Rolf's rant against Kits:
I don't know whether Itamar is going to comment on this, but perhaps we shouldn't bring old enmities from other forums over to the digest. It seems, from prior postings by each of you, that both you and Kits can make valuable contributions to our collective knowledge-base, it would be a shame if one of you were to leave in a huff.
Regards,
Peter
(In a still-freezing) Cape Town
*++++++++++&
Date: 28 Jun 2002 19:35:45 +0000
From: "Nicole Carbonara"
Subject: Compuserve in France
Reply to: Christopher Marwood Subject: Compuserve in France
>> Can anyone help me set up a friend for Compuserve access in France? <<
Chris
Dennis' script works very well in France. I shall email it to you directly from my Psion.
NicLondon
This message has been checked for all known viruses by Trend PC-cillin
*++++++++++&
Date: 29 Jun 2002 08:12:57 +0000
From: Rolf Vonau
Subject: Re: Turning on "out of the office" but not affecting the Digest?
Reference is made to the mail in the EPOC DIGEST V1 # 022 :
"Walker, Jan" wrote at 27.06 2002 (> ):
> Hello Psiontists,
> I occasionally take a day off from work and turn
> on my "out of the office" notification in Outlook
> on a Windows NT 4.0 system. Can someone please
> guide me so I don't cause all of you to have to
> read my "gone fishing" automatic reply?
Hi Jan,
if you doesn't want to unsubscribe before turning on the autoreplier, IMHO the only way will be, to get a separate address for digests. Nowadays there are many providers giving acounts without fee.
--
Best Regards
Rolf
Munich
http://home.arcor.de/rhvonau/index.htm
*++++++++++&
Date: 30 Jun 2002 01:15:35 +0000
From: Itamar Engelsman
Subject: Netscapeonline
Message to : Andrew Millard
Netscapeonline have discontinued their service and your email address has been taken of the list. Please resubscribe with your new email address.
Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
*++++++++++&
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