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Epoc Digest Wed, 29 Jan 2003 Volume 01 : Number 158

************************************************************************

Sent to: 728 subscribers

In today's Epoc Digest 28 messages:

==============================

- Re: Merge function

- Duplicate copies of wprntsvr.exe on W2K

- Re: Duplicate Contacts

- Re: "New" Netbook

- 5MX screen # 157

- Re: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 153

- Re: NoteBeam Macro: plBeam and Editor usage

- International Dialling Prefixes

- 3c soft on 3a, Mailmerge

- Faxing, Note Taking, duplicate contacts, PhoneMan usage, Dacom Gold Card Modem,

- Serial Leads

- Re : 5mx Pro OS

- Dead Revo/Mako

- Linking an existing object to an Agenda entry.

- Re: TunePal

- Re: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 156 : re:Dana , UltraPC's ( 4 Marcus )

- Re: Re : 5mx Pro OS

- Error message "Not Found"

- Siemens PocketReader...

- CAD users on S7/Netbook

- Re: OS Grid references

- Re: NetBook II

- Re: NetBook 2

- Re: Agenda dump

- Re: Argos power adaptor

- Re: win2k, IRDA , Synchronization and other bits'n'pieces

- BenQ to use Symbian OS

- Re: Sony Clié

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 09:34:05 +0000

From: "ExAbEtAl"

Subject: Re: Merge function

In #155 Tom Robertson asked:

> Does anyone know of any software for the psion which will perform an > action similar to that done by the mail merge function in ms word?

My macro Merger does this, a little slow, but it works. You need a DATA file with addresses (limit of 7 fields, though) and a template from the templates DATA file. The template may be designed in WORD. The Merger macro comes with an example templates file.

Huub

___________________________________

Huub Linthorshttp://website.leidenuniv.nl/~linthorsthjm/exabetal/

ExAb, CodeSafe, S5mboles, SpellX and more

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 10:38:55 +0000

From: brian_grant

Subject: Duplicate copies of wprntsvr.exe on W2K

Folks,

About a week ago I asked the digest if anyone had experienced problems with multiple copies of the executable wprntsvr.exe running on Windows 2000/XP when leaving their 5mx connected to the PC.

I have since found a workaround for this problem. It seemed that if the psion was set to automatically switch off then Psiwin would start a new copy of wprntsvr.exe each time it was switched back on. I had automatic switch-off set to 3mins resulting in dozens of copies of this program being launched during a working day with each on hogging 4+ Mbytes of memory.

The workaround is to have "Control Panel - Switch on/off - Automatic switch off" set to "If no external power".

Similarly, uncheck the "Start copyAnywhere at connection" option on Psiwin properties to avoid having mulitple copies of copyAnywhere running.

Regards,

Brian.

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 10:58:52 +0000

From: martin

Subject: Re: Duplicate Contacts

> Leonel asked about a problem in duplicating contacts and entries when synchronizing his Revo Plus with Outlook. I have the same problem with contacts. <snip>

Hi Susan (& Leonel). Have you installed the 'Synchronisation Upgrade

for Revo' from Psion's web site (132Kb)? The site says "This upgrade

improves synchronization between your PC and the Contacts application on

the Revo. It eliminates the appearance of duplicate entries that

occasionally appeared on some machines". I've a feeling the bug was

fixed in PsiWin 2.3.3 too (25Mb!) - certainly I've had no problems since

installing it. You can get both at:

http://www.psion.com/mypsion/downloads.asp (you need to register but

they're free to download).

Regards,

Martin Guthrie

www.pscience5.net

www.freepoc.org

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 11:05:43 +0000

From: martin

Subject: Re: "New" Netbook

Stephane Sage wrote:

> - no "new" Netbook since ver 1.2 issued last September, with up-to-date PC > Card specs (so as to be able to install WiFi or GPRS- but no Bluetooth as > EPOC 5 doesn't manage it), but confirmation that a Windoze CE.net Netbook > will be released by the end of 2003 (with Bluetooth...), together with the > already current Symbian version

Hi Stéphane. Can you say (or anyone else) what the differences between

the current netBook v1.2 and the original (v1.0?) are? I thought all

the differences were just in the OS upgrades? I'm in the market for

buying one (definitely the EPOC version!) and was looking at buying 2nd

hand - but if there are important differences in the hardware then I'd

like to know.

Thanks in advance,

Martin Guthrie

www.pscience5.net

www.freepoc.org

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 12:21:55 +0000

From: vlad arghir

Subject: 5MX screen # 157

> Stéphane wrote:

> POS after reiterated request for more

> contrasted, whiter or colour screen on 5mx...

fwiw: Just noticed that the two MXpro-s I have have different screens... one

is a somewhat more yellowish, lighter green... No, it doen't seem to be the

backlight- and contrast setting... Anyone else noticed, or am I psyching?

best,

vlad

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 13:21:30 +0000

From: "Tim O'Callaghan"

Subject: Re: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 153

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone knows of a tool that would allow me to synchronise my Outlook notes to a jotter file or similar?

I used to like the way the palm would synchronise them....

any ideas?

ta,

Tim.

_________________________________________________________________

Surf together with new Shared Browsing

http://join.msn.com/?page=features/browse&pgmarket=en-gb&XAPID=74&DI=1059

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 13:25:38 +0000

From: "Christopher Holly"

Subject: Re: NoteBeam Macro: plBeam and Editor usage

I'm not sure if I understand exactly what you want to do, but SyncTalk will let you beam Agenda, Contacts, files, and perhaps other data from a Psion to a Palm and vice-versa. I've used it to get my ECCO Pro info into my Psion 5mx via the Palm that I got for my wife.

www.synctalk.com/products/products.asp

Chris Holly

830 S. Fess Ave.

Bloomington, IN 47401

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 13:37:55 +0000

From: Darryl Kempster

Subject: International Dialling Prefixes

On tour in Europe with Soulfly and experiencing a problem I had last year. When I try to connect to my UK POP3 email account using a landline connection the Psion dials the wrong international access code. I think last time it was Sweden and Poland that wouldn't dial '00'. This time it's Norway that's guilty. Kept insisting on dialling '095' instead and it was only when I remembered I had installed 'The Dialler' that I was able to change the number dialled to '00'. Connected first time!

I would expect it to read the access code from the 'Time' app and indeed if I edit country details in 'Time' it shows the offending code. But after I've edited the country details to show the correct code (00) Email still insisits on dialling 095. Tried a soft reset and still there but got up this morning (in Sweden) and now it's dialling 00! Not sure what' s causing this delay but at least it seems to work.

Have checked the rest of the European countries I'll be hitting on this tour (17) plus a few others for comparison and there are several other discrepancies :-

Norway 095

Finland 990

Russia,Ukraine, Baltic States etc 810

Yugoslavia,Bosnia,Croatia,Turkey 99

Iceland 90

USA,Canada 011

Australia 0011

Malta 0

Albania nothing!

Greenland nothing!

Obviously not everywhere uses the '00' prefix but it appears there are more that do than my psion is aware of. Connecting to foreign phone lines is always a hit and miss affair as there are so many things it could be. And it's frustrating when you've spent half an hour changing the settings in 'Dialling' only to find the Psion's been dialling the wrong code all along!

I'm using a netBook running Version 1.05(450) OS Release158. But guy I spoke to today in Sweden said they changed their international dialling code to '00' several years ago. So it appears the Psion is using an out of date database. Anyone know where I could find a table of international prefixes so can edit my 'Time' data. Or better still a patch to update the System info for me!

I remember downloading easyswitch from the Dacom website when I had my Series 7. Officially it was for the Travel Modem only but don't remember if it solved this problem or not, and can't remember which CF I backed it up onto!

Darryl

Heading for Finland

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 13:58:53 +0000

From: Tom Robertson

Subject: 3c soft on 3a, Mailmerge

Hi,

Thanks all for your help with my various problems... I've now got macro 5 and am attempting to use it to perfrom a mailmerge function... I'll let you know if i have any success! The first hurdle seems to be that i can't find which file on the 7 contains the data from the contacts prog.

Does anyone know wheather the original Mobile Internet Messaging Solution or Message Express SSDs, labeled 3c will work on a series 3a with a 3fax modem (9600)?

Regards,

Tom

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 14:23:40 +0000

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: Faxing, Note Taking, duplicate contacts, PhoneMan usage, Dacom Gold Card Modem,

Answer to: Kevin Thorne

Re.: Faxing - First of all, I do not receive faxes on my Psion(s). The faxes are sent to my office, where we use a program called GFI Faxmaker tha tintegrates fully with Microsoft Exchange. This means that the faxes come into the Inbox of outlook as an .TIF attachment to an email created by the program. Outlook sends all incoming emails on to my personal mailbox - currently Freeserve UK - where I open the attached .TIF file (the fax) with MBMView. This happens automatically from my email inbox when double clicking the attachment. For urgent faxes I have a YAC number (www.yac.com) that sends faxes on to my mailbox. I have had no problems with sending faxes using the IR travelmodem, my Nokia 6310 or my modem card. Let me know if you need more details.

Answer to: Daniele Squarci

Re. Note Taking - Thanks for the advice. I think that Data and Jotter are basically the same program, where Jotter was adapted to suite a particular function. I'll play around a little and decide what to use.

Answer to: Susan Katz Hoffman

Re. duplicate contacts - I suppose that indeed the synchronisation program will not check the contents of a message and treat each message as a unique one. If after synchronisation you would change an entry in Outlook that came from the Psion and synchronise again, would it be picked up as a new and separate entry or transfer the change to the Psion ? The answer will give you an idea what it does and does not check.

Answer to: vlad arghir

Re. PhoneMan usage - I used it with the Nokia 7110, 6210 and now the 6310i. But I only use it occasionally, I don't send many SMS messages. I used to use it to keep my phone memory, but it does not update the groups so I stopped that.

Answer to: D.D.White

Re. Dacom Gold Card Modem - I only have AT&F in the top line, further nothing. Are you sure it is a data and fax modem ?

Best regards,

Itamar Engelsman

London, UK

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 15:18:41 +0000

From: "Rick Gillyon"

Subject: Serial Leads

> From: <chris_cooper

> Subject: Re: Siemens Pocket Reader

> Like Darryl, I needed to have an additional P-to-Psion lead

> made up (by serialleads.co.uk). To use Siemens' supplied

> PR-to-PC lead, I would have to keep crawling under my desk to

> get to the serial port on the back of my PC tower, to switch

> it with the Psion/PC link.

Why not just buy a Serial extension cable, Female end

into your PC, male end attached to the top of the desk.

Swap cables whenever you want, should be less than a

tenner.

Bye,

Rick

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 15:23:56 +0000

From: -=Alex=-

Subject: Re : 5mx Pro OS

I was away from the EpocDigest for some time.

Cocerning the 5MX Pro OS Image:

I have a copy of English ROM for 5mx PRO - which you can load wthout problem to any german version of the machine.

Can not recall where I got it - but I think on Russian site of Psion.

If ayone interested, I can e-mail it.

B Rgds,

Alex

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 15:30:19 +0000

From: Jim Watson~Goive

Subject: Dead Revo/Mako

Susan,

<<The appearance of the logo makes me think it is not a cable problem. The battery has been fully charged. It doesn't even work when in the cradle, so I don't think it's the battery. Has this happened to anyone else, or are we looking at a repair?>>

I am having problems with both of my Makos. They both were exhibiting the classic battery problem. Then one started acting like your husband's. Now it won't come on whatever I do. I suspect it'sa battery lead problem and hope that the D&G upgrade will catch it. If not, after they have a crack at it (sending both in when my 5mx comeds back), will send it on to Psiion USA. The repair will be more than I paid for the unit but "Oh well."

Pretty sure you are looking at a repair if hard reset followed by a good 8 hour charge does nothing for it..

jim - port townsend

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 16:43:58 +0000

From: "Greg Monney"

Subject: Linking an existing object to an Agenda entry.

Is it possible to link an existing Sheet or Word file into an Agenda entry? If, for example I have an agenda entry "Meeting with Bob" I often create a Word (or Sheet) file containing additional details or notes for that meeting.

However, say I have a pre-existing "Sales Figures" spreadsheet which I want to discuss at the meeting with Bob. How do I link that saved sheet to my new Agenda entry. Is it possible?

With thanks

Greg

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 18:29:14 +0000

From: Colin Messer

Subject: Re: TunePal

Hi Owen,

abc is a language designed to notate tunes in an ascii format. It was designed primarily for traditional tunes of Western European origin (such as English, Irish and Scottish) which can be written on one stave in standard classical notation. However, it is extendible to many other types of music and recently Steve Allen has coded Beethoven's Symphony No. 7, Movement 2 in abc!

For an abc tutor see Chris Walshaw's abc home page

http://www.gre.ac.uk/~c.walshaw/abc/

If you are looking for a tune use JC's abc tune finder

http://trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/FindTune.html

Here again is the link for Bryan Duggan's TunePal

http://www.bryanduggan.com

And if you can afford it, I think the best whistles you can get come from Chris Abel

http://www.abellflute.com/theabellflute.html

Regards

Colin Messer

Twickenham

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 18:30:04 +0000

From: "Arent Kits van Heijningen[106016.3614]"

Subject: Re: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 156 : re:Dana , UltraPC's ( 4 Marcus )

Op de 26e Jan 2003 00:00:06 +0100

schreef: Jim Watson~Gove <jimwatsongove x at x earthlink dot net> over: re:Dana

>>By then my experience with the Dana will allow an easy move from Epoc to Palm. May that day be 31 years hence (on my 100th birthday)<<

Have a look then at Psion's Netpad ( currently great prices at clove.co.uk

for units out of the current production runs )

As the Dana can emulate a keyboard it may be possible to get a driver that

allows it to be used as an external keyboard for the Netpad

Ultra PC's

Perhaps you have read some posts both here and on the Compuserve Palmtop

forum about the Ultra PC , a very small form-factor fully-functional PC

that eventually coukd replace the larger form-factor K-PDAs and HPC Pro

devices like the Jornada 7** range

Further digs into the 'Net and some phone calls have revealed further info

on these things and why firms like HP ,Sharp and NEC are abandoning their

clamshells

First port of call is Nexedi in French Flanders ( Lille ) , they offer the

Openbrick in two versions , one of wich is no larger than a pack of butter

and another not bigger than a small hardcover book

The small one uses a 300 MHz Geode , the larger one is based on the VIA

Eden chipset

Pricing ranges from EUR 370 to EUR 550 and there are Linux and FreeBSD

installs available as free downloads

Delivery is about one month from date of ordering

Their Website is http://www.nexedi.com

Next stop is a small German outfit called GOOROO (http://www.go-

gooroo.com) , but do not let the name fool you , they are headquartered in

what is called the "Allgau " (Marcus , you're the expert ,can you explain

please for the stateside readers the intricacies on the German provincial

governmental system )and they are real knowledgeable

Surfing their site and two phone calls revealed why Psion and Co are in

great difficulty , they use Webpads in their various projects and quickly

discovered that models from DT Research and First International Computer

based on ultrapersonal PC technology were LESS expensive than a model

based on the PocketPC ( StrongARM/Xscale) platform But the story from the

"Vorstandsvorsitzender" ( Marcus , can you again explain ?) Herrn Ingo

Kraft does not end there , The FIC pad has an internal CF II slot that can

take an IBM 1 in disk drive and he and his partner managed to put

complete Linux / Windows NT ( the first up to SuSE 7.1 , the latter up to

5.1 SP1 a.k.a. XP ) + bootloader on that so that you have a full-blown

enterprise-class Linux or NT desktop running on a Webpad costing less than

EUR 1000 !!

Throw in the magnesium casing of this thing and it becomes clear that you

have somethin that blows every large form-factor PDA ( except the DANA ! )

out of the water ( Do you remember . in 1996/1997 a Classic Zaurus 5800 / Apple Newton

costed about USD 700 if the EUR existed that time it would have costed EUR

1500-1800

And these guys are a minute VAR in the neck of the woods in Germany , so

when one of the big players gets in this , expect many high-endPDA's to

fold up

Yes , I know this is a PC with all the known issues surrounding the

platform ( pathetic battery life , takes ages to boot , BSOD's in 'doze ,

kernel panics and dependency issues in *nix ) but I think that

unfortunately the convenience of a standard , widespread hardware platform

and multiple operating environments will win over the stable, intuitive ,

but -sadly- proprietary PDA platforms

It is indeed Total Cost Of Ownership that brings smaller VAR's/system

integrators towards the ultraPC's and away from PDA-based platforms and it

is just the progress of hardware technology as well as a matter of time

before the mainstream will follow

Here go-gooroo.com's complete adress info

GOOROO Deutschland AG

Zentrale Ostallgaeu

Dorfstrasse 12, Unterostendorf

D-86869 Oberostendorf

Tel. +49 (0) 8344 / 92 133 - 0

Fax +49 (0) 8344 / 92 133 - 91

Vorstandsvorsitzender: Ingo Kraft

Handelsregister: Kempten HRB 7493

UstID: DE813220485

Allgemein: [1]info

Kunden/Haendler: [2]sales

Technik: [3]support

Jobs: [4]jobs

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 19:22:57 +0000

From: Rolf Vonau

Subject: Re: Re : 5mx Pro OS

-=Alex=- wrote at Tue, 28 Jan 2003 15:23:56 +0100 (> ):

Hi Alex,

> I was away from the EpocDigest for some time.

> Cocerning the 5MX Pro OS Image:

> I have a copy of English ROM for 5mx PRO - which

> you can load wthout problem to any german version

> of the machine.

> Can not recall where I got it - but I think on

> Russian site of Psion.

> If ayone interested, I can e-mail it.

Yes please, tell me the address. I would like to install an English OS for testing my programs

Best Regards

Rolf

Munich

http://home.arcor.de/rhvonau/index.htm

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 19:43:05 +0000

From: Peter Rand

Subject: Error message "Not Found"

Lately I've been getting an error message on my RevoPlus when opening files with RMRZip - I open the Zip file, highlight one of the documents in the Zip file, and press enter. The error message "Not Found" briefly flashes on the screen as the document opens. Once the document is opened, the error message closes. So while it doesn't really interfere with the operation of the Revo, it is a bit irritating, and I'd like to get rid of the error message if possible.

I'd be grateful for any suggestions.

Peter

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 19:49:19 +0000

From: Trygve Henriksen

Subject: Siemens PocketReader...

Greetings!

Just an update on my Siemens Pocket Reader order at Maplin...

I ordered it on 19.12.2002, and when I hadn't heard anything by last week I mailed them...

(The order was listed as 'awaiting payment authorisation')

When they finally replied, I was told that they had sent a mail to me about the issue, but I couldn't find it.

It is of course possible that it was killed by the spamfilter I'm running, but that's set up to not delete any mails sent directly to me...

A few more mails back and forth(and being passed from one employee to another), it was revealed that the problem was that there was a slight difference in the address I wrote on their site and the address the credit card issuer had on file.

Anyway, today I received a mail stating that the PocketReader is in the shipment they're sending me... (I corrected the address information on thursday))

Anyway, their lack of follow-up procedures does not impress me, so I probably will not shop there again.

In other news:

I found a 'cheap' 120mA 12V solar panel that looks somewhat robust.

It's not enough to power my netBook directly, but it should be able to recharge a small 12V battery that I can then use to recharge it and my phone with.

(It should fit quite nicely on the foredeck of my kayak if it is waterproof :-)

I'm planning a little trip on a canal here in Norway, and can't stand the thought of being 'off-line' or 'Psion-less' for a week...

:-)

Trygve

BTW: I just found one slight flaw with the backlight on the netBook...

It works well in darkness(the power is out here at the moment), but I can't see the bl**dy keys... (I'm forced to hold a flashlight in one hand and type with the other)

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 20:05:27 +0000

From: RISCOS/ArchiveOnLine

Subject: CAD users on S7/Netbook

Hello all,

Thanks again Itamar for keeping things moving along, and welcome to your new assistants.

I am now seriously thinking about a S7 or a NetBook. Having tracked the discussions on EPOC Digest I assume the Netbook is the better buy as:

1) It is more rugged, which suits me.

2) It is still fully supported by Teklogix and may even be upgraded later this year.

Q. Is the OS / machine system any different; or different enough to warrant the extra GBP400 or so extra the Netbook will cost?

My main reason for changing from my 5mx is that I could really do with a bigger screen and the facility to use a good, simple CAD programme when on-site or out of the studio.

Another reason for changing is that it now seems the long awaited

RON project that was to allow the Netbook to run RISC OS by an embedded ROM chip, (a project undertaken by RISCOS Ltd themselves

<http://www.riscos.co.uk/>) has, according to some, died a quiet death. And any prospect of a portable for the RISC OS market has stagnated. Athough it is possible to use a PC portable with a RISC OS emulator, but...........I am ever so reluctant still to indulge the Windows

market having enjoyed the RISC OS/Psion OSs for so long.

:-(

Therefore I am resigned to S7/Netbook solution. So I need to ask:

Q.Does anyone have experience of using any of the CAD programmes available on EPOC32 for simple tasks such as measured surveys for buildings? I would welcome some comment/encouragement. If it helps, I use RiscCAD on my desktop; which incidentally allows me to view drawings on my 5mx by exporting DXF files to the 5mx under Geosynn2002's DXF freeware viewer 'DXFV'. Here the 5mx screen proves a wee bit difficult to share the images with clients, hence my desire to have a larger colour screen. Also important is two-way DXF file transfer.

Q. Does anyone use a 3D CAD programme (MAC or PC) and export 3D visuals/flythroughs to their Netbook? Is this possible?

Someone asked about mobile phones used with Phoneman. I use the Nokia 7110e (Orange badged) which syncs very well with the 5mx with IR. I have been keeping a close eye on mobile developments as the phone is on its last legs and no-one has brought out a phone to warrant replacing the Nokia, ...yet. Although I may relent soon as the SonyEriccson P800 looks useful.

TIA

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: 28 Jan 2003 21:50:31 +0000

From: Rolf Brunsting

Subject: Re: OS Grid references

Dear Alan,

<< SU963982 "Amersham"

SU995976 "Chalfont & Latimer"

SP960017 "Chesham"

TQ025961 "Chorleywood"

TQ074851 "Hillingdon"

TQ086860 "Ickenham"

TQ056947 "Rickmansworth" >>

Let me guess ... London Underground stations.

Kind Regards,

Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 21:50:33 +0000

From: Rolf Brunsting

Subject: Re: NetBook II

Arent,

<< This begs the question , could they come up with a MARM version of the emulator and PsiWin? >>

A MARM version of the emulator?!?! MARM versions have the EPOC Psions as target platform. Meaning that a MARM version of the emulator would be a tool to mimic the workings of EPOC on top of EPOC itself.

What is possible is to port the emulator from 'desktop' Windows to Windows CE. This may not be as easy as it sounds because there are a number of marked differences between the two. And even when such a port is possible you won't get a number of the items you write about.

1) You can't copy an application from the Psion to the WinCE device and run it on the emulator. Applications will need to be compiled for the emulator just as they need to be compiled for the current WINS emulator.

2) The emulator will be a Windows CE application that creates a sealed environment that behaves like an EPOC device. Applications running on the emulator will therefore never run as fast as native Windows CE applications.

3) As the emulator creates a sealed environment a scripting application like Macro 5 won't operate outside the environment. The emulator is therefore not a solution to the "lack of a good scripting engine in WindowsCE" as Macro 5 can't be used to automate repetitive tasks in Pocket Word.

4) Though the emulator doesn't mimic the hardware of the Psions it still mimics their environment. As Psions don't have a USB port, for example, the emulated environment doesn't have a virtual USB port either. What's possible, is to connect an external USB mass storage device to the Windows CE computer. As the device is a disk for native Windows CE applications it can be represented as a disk to the emulator and the WINC applications running inside it. Ditto for an external USB to RS232C convertor, but that's all.

4) There are a few differences between Windows and EPOC that can't be reconciled so that the WINS emulator doesn't have all of EPOC's features. Meaning that developers who use these features can only test their applications as a MARM version on the Psion. The same will apply to a Windows CE port of the emulator. This reduces the effectiveness of the emulator as you might not be able to take an EPOC favourite with you when you'd make the move to a Windows CE based netBook.

5) There's, finally, an even bigger limit. It's no use having the emulator when you (a) don't have emulator specific versions of your favourite EPOC applications or (b) the EPOC source code to create them.

<< ... on-board file conversions ... >>

And you'd like to port PsiWin to Windows CE for this? Well ... doesn't make much sense to me as the EPOC based nConvert and xConvert tools already supply Microsoft compatible file formats.

<< Because both OS'es run natively on the StrongARM/Xscale chip there's no performance hit and no need to reboot the device when switching between environments. >>

This explains some of the very strange ideas you have about operating systems. I'll keep it short as this isn't the place for a course on operating system design. What you can forget is running Windows CE and EPOC side by side. Both are designed to be THE master of all things. Both expect to be the one who schedules applications and threads, allocate memory, assign hardware resources, etc. Try to start the one when the other is active and you get the mother of all OS conflicts.

<< Running PsiWin on the device itself would allow connection to any PC - regardless wich CPU/OS combination runs on it ... >>

Which is also something you can forget. PsiWin uses Psion's Link Protocol so that you can't do without a tool on the CPU/OS in question that supports it.

<< As with Symbian concentrating on the smartphone market , current status is that the Ericsson P800 and Nokia 3650 will be the last devices with a native Symbian interface... >>

I'm slowly getting fed up with this. First it was the EIKON interface that you presented as the native Symbian interface to be dropped. Now it's SonyEricsson's UIQ and Nokia's Series 60 that suddenly are the native Symbian interfaces. And ... guess what ... they're to be dropped. That Motorola has licensed UIQ and Siemens, Sendo and Samsung Series 60 appear not to register in your mind. Well, Siemens is very close to launching its Symbian/Series 60 phone and Sendo's expected in the third quarter this year.

<< the trend is now towards dual-cpu smartphones that have a separate applications processor and associated memory and storage >>

Which doesn't say anything - the mobile phone people are currently carrying in their pockets is a dual or triple CPU device already.

<< The result will be that Symbian will finally evolve into a completely embedded OS without any developer or user interface , the part of the device facing the operator , the developer and the end user could very well run PalmOS , .NET ,Java or Linux >>

It doesn't make any sense at all to have a phone with a CPU, memory, etc. running an all bells and whistles operating system - then to put another CPU and memory, etc. right next to it in order to run another all bells and whistles operating system. It's a bloody expensive answer to a question nobody's asking from a smartphone or communicator. When PalmOS people have violent withdrawel symptons whenever they have to do without Datebook you port it to Symbian OS or rewrite it within the Symbian OS framework. It's a complete waste of time and money to put PalmOS right next to Symbian OS in order to have Datebook.

Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 21:50:36 +0000

From: Rolf Brunsting

Subject: Re: NetBook 2

Dear Kevin,

<< I suspect it will be possible to keep using your own O/S on the new machine as presumably it will still load your current EPOC ER5 O/S from your boot-up CF, or indeed any O/S you want that's small enough to fit? >>

That's not the case as modern operating systems like EPOC have a bottom layer (the Hardware Abstraction Layer) that's tailored to the hardware it's running on. The purpose of the HAL is to be the intermediary between hardware specific features, like chip sets, and the low level operating system functions. It's almost a give that the new netBook II will have different hardware characteristics, requiring a modified HAL.

Kind Regards,

Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 21:50:38 +0000

From: Rolf Brunsting

Subject: Re: Agenda dump

Dear Kevin,

<< I thought I'd read somewhere that one of the reasons ER5 was slightly "dumbed down" from SIBO in some areas was because Psion thought their customers didn't want that level of sophistication >>

People are still interested in sophistication but not necessarily in the same areas as in the past. Synchronisation has, for example, all but replaced diary import/export. It's therefore not such a good idea to keep sophisticated features people are no longer that much interested in.

Kind Regards,

Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 21:50:40 +0000

From: Rolf Brunsting

Subject: Re: Argos power adaptor

Dear Keith,

<< ... is it safe to power the 5mx with a cheapo power adaptor from Argos? >>

I'm inclined to say "No" as cheap power supplies tend to be unregulated so that their output voltage varies. I've always use regulated power supplies for this reason. They're a bit more expensive but supply peace of mind as well as a regulated output.

Kind Regards,

Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 21:50:42 +0000

From: Rolf Brunsting

Subject: Re: win2k, IRDA , Synchronization and other bits'n'pieces

Dear Tim,

<< what about just file transfers? >>

Same problem here as the USB to IrDA dongle you're using needs to be COM port in order to be able to exchange files using Hyperterminal on the Windows 2000 machine and Comms on the Psion.

<< just interested. I have a GPRS capable phone (8310) on t-mobile, and i use a standard dialup at the moment (ukonline). I was wondering what peoples experience with pricing vs usefulness was? >>

See my message comparing GSM and GPRS in Digest no. 151.

Kind Regards,

Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 21:50:44 +0000

From: Rolf Brunsting

Subject: BenQ to use Symbian OS

Dear Friends,

From the newswires.

[Quote]

17 January 2003 -- DigiTimes -- An executive at BenQ, Taiwan's largest mobile phone maker, said that the company will use the Symbian OS platform for a smartphone to be launched in the third quarter of 2003 or later.

[Unquote]

BenQ was formerly known as Acer.

Kind Regards,

Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands

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

Date: 28 Jan 2003 21:50:47 +0000

From: Rolf Brunsting

Subject: Re: Sony Clié

Dear James,

<< However I do not think you are going to get your core applications on the smartphone. What I am trying to say is I dont think I can switch my Revo to a smartphone and have the same functionality and definately without OPL. I am also quite sure that you are not going to have your wordprocessor, spreadsheet and database on board to work with except for a viewer >>

You obviously haven't had a look at the Nokia 9210 and its North American cousin the 9290 as they offer exactly what you describe in a smartphone - EPOC operating system in its Symbian OS 6 guise - Word processor - spreadsheet - database - OPL - web browser - e-mail client - etc.

<< Well it seems that Nokia's offering with EPOC and the P800 from SONYEricsson all have built in camera's >>

The Nokia 9210 and 9290 (fortunately) don't come with a camera. And I expect there's a market for 'economy versions' of the Nokia 7650, 3650 and SonyEricsson P800 without the camera.

Kind Regards,

Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherland

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

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