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Epoc Digest Thu, 22 Aug 2002 Volume 01 : Number 056
Sent to: 537 subscribers
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In today's Epoc Digest 20 messages:
==============================
- Deletion from the subscribers list
- Re: PDF magazine
- QuikList
- SPAM - Psioneering website to blame?
- Nigerian Scam
- Dying platform? - Be inspired
- 6310 and 6310i
- Reply to Keith Giles: Palmtop & Psion
- ER5 Freeware
- 5MX screen, SPAM, In car use, Email, E-mail noise,
- Arrived in Shetland, and Toshiba bother. Warning WindoZe contents!
- Re: More Spam
- NIGERIAN SCAM / NETPAD PART TWO
- netpad / SPAM / GPRS
- Re: GSM and incoming fax messages
- Re: Unique device ID
- Nokia 9290
- EFR - What is This
- EFR - What is This
- Re: The Psion screen
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002
From: Michael Degn
Subject: Deletion from the subscribers list
Message to: Gordon Thompson
Since digest no. 28 your email address regurlarly gives "Your e-mail addressedhas been quarantined because it contains potential SPAM (junk e-mail)." and we had no other option but to delete you from the list of subscribers. We hope you will read this and resubscribe with a different address.
Regards,
Michael Degn
The Epoc Digest Team
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 07:48:37 +0100
From: "Rafe Blandford"
Subject: Re: PDF magazine
I would be interested in any PDF magazine, as someone pointed out there was one available for the 9210 and it was always a good read. I'm not sure exactly how I could help, I'm no more an experienced ER5 user than anyone else. I may be of some use on the ER6 front if the magazine plans to cover this. I'm the webmaster of All About ER6 which is one of the major 9210 / 7650 / P800 sites and has a strong community. I suspect there would be people who read the forums there who might be interested in helping, but who do not subscribe to the digest. May I make a few suggestions: Firstly set up a website to ask for help and secondly have a relaistic schedule!
Rafe
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 09:00:03 +0100
From: Neville Smith
Subject: QuikList
I've been a user of QuikList for 3 years now. After replacing my old 5mx I had to download and install the new version, which I found to be quite different.
Neuon were very helpful with passwords, but you should be aware that lists created under the old version are not compatible with the new version.
The new version is very much better and a pleasure to use, and one of the most useful Psion applications I have. The author sent me a copy of the old version on request so I could extract the info from my old lists.
I'd have to say that I'm quite impressed with how much value I've had from my original investment of about 15 quid. Neuon and Richard Balch are still supporting us Psion diehards and I think they deserve a mention on this forum.
(My old 5mx suffered a broken screen. After looking at the alternatives - colour screens, cameras, MP3, lots of toys and bugger-all functionality - I found a second-hand 5mx and I'm happy again).
Neville Smith
0408 959 123
emAlt em
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 14:59:16 +0100
From: Alan Rabbitte
Subject: SPAM - Psioneering website to blame?
Itamar said:
> Re.: SPAM - Last week the old digest email address also got these emails of John which I duly deleted. As it did not repeat
> itself, I suppose in the meantime no further action is required. If SPAM will become a direct result of this digest, we
> could delete the email addresses, but it would mean direct answers with a copy to the digest would not be possible anymore.
The point I made Itamar is that the psioneering website should not expose email addresses to search engines such as Google. Check it yourself - go to google.com and look f- you will see yourself there twice in volume 1, issues 1 and 2. This is not the case for other forums or newsletters I contribute to, although I understand that any posts to the newsgroups will be visible if searching from Google groups. The thing is, why are our email addresses only visible in a few UPSD editions? Obviously, the email addreis probably there in **all** editions!
Cheers,
Alan Rabbitte
Dublin, Ireland
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 15:13:54 +0100
From: Kevin Collins
Subject: Nigerian Scam
Hi folks.
FYI this scam has been going on for many years. I work in the finance sector and have been receiving e-mails on a regular basis (and, before that, snail mail). I don't open them, just delete. They are usually headed "Business Proposition" or suchlike, and are easily recognisable, in so far as they offer to lodge millions to your bank account. I think I deleted one yesterday, so you can take it that the scammers certainly have not all been arrested! The purpose of the scam is to extract from you your bank account details, and then extract from your bank account any funds therein!!
PS To Rolf Brunsting: I tust you will agree that this is a perfect example of a noiseless e-mail :-)
Regards,
Kevin [Cork, Ireland]
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 16:05:22 +0100
From: RISCOS/ArchiveOnLine
Subject: Dying platform? - Be inspired
Afternoon Peter - and all,
<snip>
> Although I have said that this is not a consumer machine, I think that, after you have > read the full report, you will agree that it is a machine that consumers would love - > especially ex-Newton users.
</snip>
Glad to see a resilient attitude remains to things Psion. As one who has
remained resilient through the changes of desktop platform from Acorn
to RISC OS; and from Acorn Pocketbook to the 3c to the 5mx; I feel quite
at home here. Thank you Itamar.
Several years ago the RISC OS community looked like it was in terminal
freefall, little new product, little new investment. Sound familiar? Now
we have a plethora pending of new desktop units; so hang in there! Yet
this is not why I write...
...may I suggest you look at the new RiscStation portable. It seems to
be a terrific sub-portable with colour touchscreen, USB, etc...
http://www.riscstation.co.uk/html/portable.html
...which has a spec I'd posit that is very worthy, and like Peter has
written in his initial article, I think this machine would turn heads.
Maybe the changelings at Palmtop would like to review the machine, as it
is small, powerful, connectable (hopefully) and probably has more in
common with the original Psion orientated discussion than the drift
towards Palm & Windows CE chatter.
I use my StrongArm RiscPC for all my design amd office needs and this
interfaces quite well with my P5mx, although I readily admit that some
things could be better, but this is also due to Psion's locking up of
programmes such as Sheet which performed much better when on the 3c.
If I can get my mitts on a portable soon, I like to contribute a non-PC,
non-Mac article to the PDF magazine that seems to be gathering momentum
here. Although I do recall a more qualified contributor -John Woodthorpe
- anyone know where he is, his old website is broken.
regards
Peter
--
Peter McCafferty, Peter Julian & Associates, Architects
6-8 Tiverton Street, London, SE1 6NZ, UK.
Tel: +44 (0) 20 72 34 01 12
Fax: +44 (0) 87 00 55 78 12
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 16:19:50 +0100
From: Kevin Collins
Subject: 6310 and 6310i
Hi folks,
I have been offered a subsidy towards an upgrade, and was thinking of the above. I was advised in a shop that the only difference is that the 6310i is triband and would work in the US, but I suspect that the difference is a bit more than that? Can anyone clarify this, please?
Also, do you know if the 6310/6310i would take a 6210 battery? The reason I ask is that I purchased a dual sim battery for my 6210 (I use one network for HSCSD and another for talk), and would like to continue to use it...
Many thanks.
Regards,
Kevin [Cork, Ireland]
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 18:03:29 +0100
From: "Philip Bister"
Subject: Reply to Keith Giles: Palmtop & Psion
Reply to Keith Giles
Like you, I am not completely uphappy with the changes in Palmtop. I found the reading interesting to see what's going on with the other PDA's, but I would also like to see more EPOC content. After all Psion may not be producing new handheld devices for the consumer market, but they are still manufacturing the 5mx (as I understand it), and of course the Series 7/NetBook and netPad.
I think also that just because a particular model is no longer being made - its no reason to stop using Psion computers. If your machine still works, and does what you want it to, then its still a good machine!
Personally, I hope that Psion's fortunes change for the better and that some time in the future they will be able to produce another 1/4 or 1/2 VGA handheld (preferably with a colour screen). There are so many small PDA's on the market now, I think that Psion will not be able to introduce another small machine in the present trading climate. Hence the reason for keeping the Series 7/NetBook and the newly introduced netPad.
Regards
Philip Bister
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 18:04:44 +0100
From: "Philip Bister"
Subject: ER5 Freeware
To all Psioneers.
You may be interested to know that I have a number of ER5 programs available for download from my website. http://www.philipbister.ukonline.co.uk
All are freeware and have all been written by myself :-)
Kind regards
Philip Bister
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 18:14:26 +0100
From: Itamar Engelsman
Subject: 5MX screen, SPAM, In car use, Email, E-mail noise,
Answer to: David Rooke
Re. 5MX screen - If you don't need it "in your pocket" try and find a cheap S7 either new or on eBay or similar sites or a netBook. I moved recently to a S7 and am extremely happy with the screen.
Answer to: Simon Wolf and others
Re. SPAM - Discussed this matter with Rolf Vonau (author of the digest programs). At this moment some of us received 1 time 1 spam message. Let's keep it in perspective. If in future SPAM to and/or from the digest will become a problem, Rolf will change the email addresses to replace twith something else. Can these search machines also scan zipped files ? Maybe on the website we could keep zipped files of each 5 or 10 digests ?
Answer to: Alexei
Re. In car use - In the car best not to use the Psion with the phone, certainly not while driving !
Answer to: Keith Giles
Re. Email - Email on a Psion is very important when I travel for work and receive all my incoming mail and faxes from the office to my Psion. Even on holidays I check this daily (that comes with the responsibillity).
Answer to: Rolf Brunsting
Re. E-mail noise - Thanks for mentioning this. In general I personally decided not to quote any text. Most of us will remember the last digest or look it up (keep one or two back in your mailbox). Of course Rolf Vonau wrote a program to send answers to digests which can be used for this too. If you quote, keep the quote and answer clearly separated, that I think is the main problem with some answers.
Bye,
Itamar Engelsman
London, United Kingdom
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 18:16:05 +0100
From: Owen H. Morgan
Subject: Arrived in Shetland, and Toshiba bother. Warning WindoZe contents!
Hi!
First of all, I'm now on a mooring at Out Skerries off the east coast of Shetland. The crossing took 51 1/2 hours which included 5 hours hove too waiting out a force 7 on the nose. I spent a lot of the time motoring in light winds, but also got some good sailing. If all goes according to plan (which it never does), I should be in Inverness in a week or so.
Now to the computer stuff. I'm asking you guys because I don't know any other group of people with so much computer knowledge in one place.
I have an early bronze age Toshiba (P100) which I use as a chart plotter with CmapECS software. As the Toshiba draws heavily on the ships batteries, I normally only use it when motoring. When I switched it on this morning approaching the Out Skerries, the mouse joystick thingie refused to work. It started by working erratically, then quit completely in spite of several reboots, hard resets and removing the battery etc. I couldn't get my external glidepad to work either.
I then attempted starting the computer in DOS, took a DIR to find NC so I could check if the mouse worked in DOS, and the computer hung with an error message saying there was a stack overflow. (This from a clean boot from a powered down state.) The only way out was a hard reset, which booted the damned thing in WindoZe WITH A WORKING MOUSE, and it as worked since! (touch wood)
Any explanations? Any ideas how to prevent it happening again? It has worked fine for several months, so surely, it can't be my settings? BTW, the only thing I can think of is that the last time I used it before this happened was probably the longest the chartplotter software has been in continuous use.
PS. Just to make this slightly on topic, I also use PsiNMEA on my MC218 with charts made by taking screendumps from CmapECS. The MC218 draws so little power it can be on all the time, but the small screen means it's not worth bothering with more detailed charts than 1:200000 or 300000. I find it very useful for a quick visual check on my navigation. The MC218 has been running all through the crossing, and never missed a beat.
Thought for the day:
Don't look back, the lemmings are gaining on you.
Owen H. Morgan, Yacht "Naomi J.", LD-68°43.13'N 15°24.74'E
Out Skerries, Shetland
http://home.no.net/naomij
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 19:06:00 +0100
From: ALYG
(Andrew Longdon)
Subject: Re: More Spam
I received a similar Spam today (selling memory cards), f
,\ndy
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 20:15:45 +0100
From: Peter Keene
Subject: NIGERIAN SCAM / NETPAD PART TWO
Hi Guys,
Hope my last posting got through. It was written on board, and sent from, the Trans-Karoo express, somewhere between Cape Town and Johannesburg. Cell connections from a moving train are not always the best.
For all re Nigerian scam:
This scam, in various forms, is now well into its second decade so it is HIGHLY likely that there will be other attempts to "sell" it. If you do receive a similar message forward it to your ISP's abuse service, with the full transmission path, so that the source can be tracked. Under NO circumstances should you reply to it.
Netpad Part Two:
Before reporting on the applications and batteries, I'd like to tell you something about navigation. The main method of navigation is by pen. The netpad's pen has an aluminium shaft and is telescopic. (The first time it collapsed I thought that I'd broken it!) On the 1200 and up, the netpad also has a multi-directional navigation button to the left of the screen and two programmable soft keys underneath the screen, to left and right. According to the manual these soft keys can be programmed to perform different functions. On the 1400 I'm evaluating the left key serves as an Escape button and the right key as an Enter button. I have still not managed to find the application that allows you to programme the keys for other functions. However, even as one who seldom uses the pen on the netBook, I found pen navigation and data entry on the netpad to be amazingly easy. You can also use key-shortcuts thanks to an application called PsiBoard, but more about that later.
There are 5 silk-screen buttons down the right of the screen - Menu, Brightness, Zoom, PsiBoard and System / Applications. The last of these gives access to the System screen when in an application or to the Applications bar when in the System screen. The layout is somewhat biased towards right-handers - a "lefty" using the pen on these buttons would touch the screen with the edge of his/her hand.
Applications.
All of the ER 5 apps that we know and love can be loaded into the netpad's RAM according to the user's requirement - they are provided on the netpad CD-ROM together with PDF manuals. However, it is more likely that the netpad's target market, the corporates, would run bespoke software on their machines. To this end, various SDKs are also provided on the CD-ROM. Applications can be developed in C++, Java and, of course, OPL.
I won't say much about the ER 5 apps, they are exactly the same as the apps we already use. The bug, that prevented dating a Jotter entry with the creation date in Build 156 of the netBook ROM, has been fixed in this version, but there is still no Import Text File... option in Sheet. (Yes, I know there are workarounds, I derived one of them, that's not the point.) Web is replaced by Opera 3.62 Release 1.04. I find it significant that Psion Teklogix have used Opera 3 in the netpad and not the unstable Opera 5 used in the (now withdrawn) Build 158 netBook ROM. I have been using this version of Opera on my netBook for some weeks now, and it hasn't crashed or dropped a connection once. nFTP is also included.
Three other apps can be loaded into RAM - SignApp, (a signature application for signing documents) Barcode and Scandemo. As the 1400 is not fitted with a barcode scanner I didn't bother playing with these last two. Browsing Add / Remove in Control Panel I found EPOC Native MP3 Player 1.10. The uninstall part of the .sis file is in System/Install, but a file-by-file trawl of the System folder revealed no other files relating to this app. More about Control Panel in a later part.
The "application" I really enjoyed was PsiBoard. This is in the ROM and is a soft-keyboard utility which almost (almost) makes up for the lack of a keyboard on the netpad. It can be accessed in any application by tapping on the Keyboard button. You can size it to full screen for serious text entry, but it's normally displayed in a small window. What is really cool is the contextual way that it helps you complete dialogues. Need to enter an alarm time? Tap in the dialogue box and a numeric keypad appears. Need to enter a modem name? Tap and a QWERTY keyboard appears. There are 14 different keyboards to choose from including, French, German, Russian, Alphanumeric, and Number Editor Pad. No US for some reason.
If Psion Teklogix ever accedes to my request for screen rotation on the netBook then I want PsiBoard with it please.
Battery.
All the netpad configurations use rechargeable Li-on batteries - 875 mAh for the 1100 to 1400 and 1400 mAh for the 3500 and 3700. All are claimed to give 8 to 10 hours. So far, in normal use, I have found it to be about 6 hours on the 1400. The Battery Information item in the System menu gives far more info than on other ER 5 machines. There are three tabs: Summary - as for other ER 5 machines. Advanced - Capacity / Degradation (2% on the 1400) / Battery temperature / Battery voltage / Discharge current. General - manufacturing and specification info.
Sadly, despite all this info, there is no prediction of remaining life at current discharge rate.
Next time I'll cover Connectivity, Control Panel, Screen and Docking Station.
Regards,
Peter
Pretoria - helping my wife to market her wares at a trade expo.
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 20:53:35 +0100
From: "Edgar Brazda Ph.D."
Subject: netpad / SPAM / GPRS
To Peter Keene,
NETPAD
>The casing of the machine is a very solid, blue polycarbonate with black >rubber protectors at the ends. It has an IP Rating of 67 and can survive >multiple drops onto concrete from 1,5 metres and is water-resistant to 1,5 >metres.
I am sorry to criticize you, for you are always a "great/net contributor" to the Digest, but this description is like a copy-paste from a promotional material. Have you really dropped it onto concrete, and found no scratch at all, or left it in the bathtub after an hour splish-splashing?
If not, then please, mark the passages from the ads (perhaps with qeustion marks, meaning like "stated but not tested"), and separate your *own* real comments/opinion. I am eager to hear them.
To Itamar
SPAM
I agree with you not taking rapid reactions about SPAM immediately.
Do not let them spoil our great Digest! I am going to write (and accept :-)
personal letters from anyone on the list.
Telling the truth I like spam: when I see the daily 10-20 business e-mails with loads of work, and can delete half of them on the spot because they turn out to be SPAM, that's always a big relief. :-)
GPRS
>I created a sheet file to keep track of how much DATA each session was >and accordingly will check whether it is cost effective in Europe or not.
You can never now it, until you do the opposite (checking the price of "normal" GSM data transfer). For (as you certainly experienced) there are serious lags in that service, too. Just go to an area (as I frequently do) where the coverage is low, and the 9600 bps will drastically slow down (while the counter'll run full speed), or the line drops and you start again.
Or: this evening I just started to download a >1MB business e-mail doc on my T68, when my wife asked me to go for a stroll. (We are on holiday.) I did not have to start an explanation about the horrible GSM prices if one "stays online", I could joined her with a happy smile, and the GPRS solved the problem: the counting automatically stopped when the download was ready. (Although technically, I stayed "online")
Or: nICQ became cost effective on mobile by using GPRS: I stay logged but pay for the data sent (minimal for the regular ICQ "check-in" protocol).
Edgar, Budapes
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 21:30:36 +0100
From: Rolf Brunsting
Subject: Re: GSM and incoming fax messages
Jack,
<< I would really like to read more from experienced fellows psionists on their infax solutions >>
I've set up my mobile account for incoming fax messages to stay in my fax inbox and for the network to send me an SMS. I can then use the network's voicemenu system to have the fax transferred to my phone (and Psion) whenever I want. Alternatively, I can transfer the fax to a nearby fax machine by supplying its number. Simple and effective.
--
Kind Regards,
Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 21:30:39 +0100
From: Rolf Brunsting
Subject: Re: Unique device ID
Dear Thomas,
<< 1. Why did Psion include this unique ID in every Psion? >>
Quite simple - what an ID is for - identification of the device. It's effectively the serial number of the Psion. An equivalent is the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) of GSM phones. The communication equipment the company I work for produces also has an ID number (the barcode number) in non-volatile memory.
<< Was it meant for registration purposes for shareware? >>
You can link whatever you want to the Psion's ID. For Psion itself it means they can always make a link between the Revo or 5mx that's turned in for repair with factory production records. Even when it's a battered model that has lost all other identification markings.
We store the barcode in the device to allow identification from remote management stations. You don't need to travel to the other end of the country to know exactly which device it is (model number, hardware configuration, connector lay-out, etc.)
--
Kind Regards,
Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 22:04:56 +0100
From: "David M. Everett"
Subject: Nokia 9290
Last week I saw the new Nokia 9290 palmtop phone. I thought that the operating system was Symbian. After further checking, it turned out that I was correct. there is 64MB memory card available for it but it is not a compact flash card. The 9290's memory card is smaller and much thinner.
With its size and color screen it appears as though this could take the place of the 5mx.
There is no touch sensitive screen. Moving around is done via the arrow keys.
The dealer with the phone does not know anything about Psion, Symbian, or EPOC.
He is not able to tell me if or how I can download what is on my 5mx to the 9290. Is anyone familiar with the unit? If so can one upgrade from their Psions without allot of major manual re-entering?
For those who are interested. Picture a little thicker Revo. The lid or top of the unit is now the phone. However one can open the unit as normal and find a full keyboard and color screen inside. A neat unit and one that I think could become a big seller.
If this is the future then maybe Psion's deciding to drop their computer line is a correct on. They would almost certainly have to get into the cell phone manufacturing business. The better choice is to sell all of cell phone manufacturers their operating system. I hope that is the way things turn out.
David M. Eve
*++++++++++&
Date: 22 Aug 2002 03:05:15 +0100
From: "Gary Y Reyes"
Subject: EFR - What is This
Rolf,
Thanks a lot for the info on what EFR is all about. I knew it - there is someone on this group who can give us an understandable explanation for what this is all about.
Gary
*++++++++++&
Date: 22 Aug 2002 03:05:15 +0100
From: "Gary Y Reyes"
Subject: EFR - What is This
Rolf,
Thanks a lot for the info on what EFR is all about. I knew it - there is someone on this group who can give us an understandable explanation for what this is all about.
Gary
*++++++++++&
Date: 21 Aug 2002 19:06:00 +0100
From: ALYG
(Andrew Longdon)
Subject: Re: The Psion screen
Admittedly, the screen is far from ideal, but then again it's fairly old technology now. I find I can read it in most situations - as long as I have a lamp to hand when daylight fails.
I assume you have tried optimising the contrast setting?
,\ndy
*++++++++++&
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