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Epoc Digest Tue, 25 Feb 2003 Volume 01 : Number 183
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Sent to: 742 subscribers
In today's Epoc Digest 30 messages:
==============================
- bloody mouse things (4 Nic)
- Re: TR code (4 Jack)
- Re: S5TV
- Techlogix screen cable repair
- Re: Police cameras
- OPX (was: Macro Programs - what to use?)
- RE: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 182
- Nokia 7650
- Speed cameras
- FTP Server / OS2 / Aif Files / DisGo USB Disk
- Siemens S55 GPRS and Psion 5MX
- Police Cameras, Monopoly Patch, OPX's, programmes on flashcard, SimCity,
- Re: Unknown file extension
- Opening PowerPoint attachments on S7
- s5tv thanks David # 182
- tim # 182
- Re: 5mxPro installation
- Re: Answering the digest
- backup Psions
- nConvert
- 7650 part 2
- Re: False Representation?
- Re: GPRS settings that do work!
- Re: various answers to Rolf # 177
- Re: Broken screen cable research
- Re: Police cameras (UK people only)
- Re: Image viewer for S5mx
- Monopoly
- Yet more colo(u)r icons
- Publishing, keyboard light, vCard, revo freezer, chip, USB,filenames, 7 microphone, spare parts,
*++++++++++&
Date: 23 Feb 2003 23:17:46 -0500
From: David Lir
Subject: bloody mouse things (4 Nic)
"how many times i've been half asleep in some japanese internet cafe & found myself tapping the screen of the laptops & wondering why the cursor doesn't work!?! but then remembering that apple & ms *still* use those bloody mouse things."
There have been laptops available with touch-screens for *years* though. Fujitsu, amongst others, makes very nice and small touch-screened laptops - some about the size of the netBook. BTW, MS doesn't actually make laptops - they just make the OS. It's up to the various (and many) manufacturers to decide what sort of interface or pointer they wish to build into their individual machines. Truth be told *most customers don't want a touch-screen on their laptop* - and that's why most laptops have 'bloody mouse things'. I know that I don't prefer a touch-screen on a large-screened device such as a laptop. Also, it's worth noting that MS is just now beginning to push the Tablet PC, which is basically an upgraded XP laptop with a flippable touch-screen and pen applications to take advantage of that fact.
------------------------
David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 23 Feb 2003 23:20:05 -0500
From: David Lir
Subject: Re: TR code (4 Jack)
"TR has that kind of B#£¤1§! share RegCode which is machine Unique ID specific >G<
Jack"
Proporta provides extra codes (for replacement, secondary, or backup machines, etc.) - at no charge to registered TR users. I received the code for my backup machine just by calling their toll-free number. While I don't prefer UID based codes - I do understand why some developers use them.
------------------------
David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 00:15:37 -0500
From: Vlad Kuzba
Subject: Re: S5TV
> http://www.geocities.com/jpollock_2000/infrared.htm ?
> There is an updated version (Mar 5,2002)
> ...I am anxious to know if it works...
I use version 0.56 from 16 January 2000. I use it to control my Sony STR DB-725 AV receiver and works just fine. I made it work with my Sony SLV SE80 videorecorder and a Sony TR3100E HI-8 camcorder. BUT I cannot make it work with my Sony CDP XB-720 CD player. Also had problems trying to make it work with a Samsung TV, as I haven't got the remote codes.
It works just fine, you can define the functions you need, only the angle is not open enough and the distance to operate from could be longer.
Vlad
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 04:01:14 -0500
From: Buzz Brooks
Subject: Techlogix screen cable repair
I have just had my screen and cable replaced for $160 by the outfit in Kentucky; I'm curious to know if any one knows what cable are they using? OEM Psion? Is there a way I can PEER at the cable, looking for those unfortunate little holes, without disassembling the whole thing? If I knew I had an improved cable, it would certainly make a difference in how I use my Psion - I would be more willing to take it out of the house to use remotely.(Keith: I'll be contacting you soon about a new rendezvous). Right now, I am LOATHE to close it.
Manifest More Mirth,
so sayeth Buzz Brooks
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 06:41:03 -0500
From: "Jim Cooke"
Subject: Re: Police cameras
Answer To: Tim Williams
Re: Police Cameras
<These are the statistics which justify hidden police cameras. I'd hate to
think Psions were being used to limit the effectiveness of the cameras.>
Sobering statistics indeed but I don't think that having a list of hidden
police cameras will lead to more unsafe driving. Indeed, knowing there's a
camera in the vicinity should make one slow down and be more alert. We
haven't quite reached the draconian measures of police cameras here in the
US but it seems to me that hiding them defeats the purpose. It seems it
would be even more effective to simply put cameras at every intersection and
crosswalk, with the majority being dummies. Clearly marking the cameras,
whether real or not, will have the same effect - drivers will pay more
attention. It's one of the reasons that marked police cars, while they may
not give as many tickets as unmarked cars, have been shown in study after
study to reduce speeds more effectively just by being seen than "speed
traps" with unmarked cars.
Regards, Jim (who is also a reserve deputy sheriff as well as a Psioneer)
To: All
Re: Ribbon cable thoughts
The topic came up over at Psion Place about how to clean the bits that tend
fall between the keys of the 5mx. I use canned compressed air to blow the
junk out from the keyboard but I also do the same thing in the open slot
where the ribbon cable lives. I'm always surprised by the amount of crumbs,
dirt, and dust that seem to accumulate in the slot. Putting aside industrial
design issues about have a critical element exposed in an open slot, I
wonder if junk accumulating in that slot might not be one of the causes of
some of the ribbon cable failures we've seen?
Regards, Jim
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 06:47:37 -0500
From: Rolf Vonau
Subject: OPX (was: Macro Programs - what to use?)
Reference is made to the mail in the EPOC DIGEST V1 # 181 :
"Woody B" wrote at 21.02 2003 (> ):
> 2. where do I find a good list of current OPX type
> files
The site http://www.mcaleely.com/psion/OPX/ explains the OPX files and where you can find them. The site wasn't may be updated in the last 7 month but it shows IMHO all OPX
> and how do I know what ver I currently have-
> they seem to have the date I installed.
In the control panel / add-remove you can see the version of all programs and OPX you installed.
If you try to install an elder OPX over the existing one, your machine will "moan" and ask you, whether to continue or not.
> Is there a winner, or problems with
> conflicts with other programs
I think, each program has pros and cons. I do use only Assistant.
--
Best Regards
Rolf
Munich
http://home.arcor.de/rhvonau/index.htm
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 08:38:44 -0500
From: "Chris Cooper"
Subject: RE: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 182
Trygve wrote:
>>
"Chris Cooper" wrote:
> The software I use on the Psion is Reader v 1.42 by Mark Fleeming
Where can this software be found?
I got my PocketReader this week, and so far the only software I've found is the crap on www.pocketreader.com (It breaks ALL the design guidelines concering .app's)
>>
It's at http://www.8ung.at/pocketreader/_pr_e.htm
I also have v 1.41 (thanks to Julie Campbell). I haven't made either work yet. Do let me know if it works for you, Trygve.
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 09:56:06 -0500
From: wfuggle
Subject: Nokia 7650
Hi all,
in view of Itamar's survey, the availability of s-e p800 & Steve Litchfield's link to review of different devices I thought I would give you my 3 month impression of my only symbian device.
The 7650 is a bit bulky compared to my previous phone - s-e t68 but I found that too small with the keys too close together (I hear from someone who had 7650 and now has p800 that they are similar size). The screen is fine in clarity and size for contacts, email, sms and wap but for the built in calendar the day view only fits in 8 one hourly slots at a time. You can scroll up and down but 10 slots would suite me much better. Week view is the same block view as revo. Month view is mini calender with dots in days with appointments. Fortunately one of "must have" programmes ActiveDesk gets round this. A file management programme, compression programme and mail management programme are my other essential add-ons.
The 7650 is rather unbalanced for one-handed keyboard use as the weight and bulk of the phone slides up to reveal the keyboard and you are left gripping the keyboard and pressing the keys with a thumb. Most look up functions can be achieved with the keyboard closed and using the joystick, two context sensitive keys and the top menu (like desktop or system key on psion).
More in future posts.
Bill Fuggle
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 10:22:46 -0500
From: "John"
Subject: Speed cameras
Tim Williams wrote
<<In UK in 2001:
3,443 people were killed
37094 were seriously injured
272509 were slightly injured.
These are the statistics which justify hidden police cameras. I'd hate to think Psions were being used to limit the effectiveness of the cameras.>>
I'm sure that Tim would acknowledge that many speed cameras (at least the UK) are positioned to maximise Government revenue from speeding fines rather than to reduce speed at known accident blackspots. We've all seen examples of drivers who are not competent or physically fit enough to drive on a public road who never even reach speed limits, and who present far mor danger to other road users than the fast motorist. There are other occasions (e.g. clear, open roads) when a competent driver can safely exceed the arbitrary legal speed limit. If more effort was spent on training and testing incompetent drivers, and on testing of drivers' eyesight, reactions and general fitness to drive, then we might have more faith in the Government's "war on speeding". Until that time, let's have the location of the cameras in the public domain.
---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.455 / Virus Database: 255 - Release Date: 13/02/03
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 10:58:30 -0500
From: Andy Hayes
Subject: FTP Server / OS2 / Aif Files / DisGo USB Disk
Hi All
I finally got around to installing the EPOC FTPServer on my netBook and configuring it to work with my server. A bit on the perverse side if you consider that my server has WARFTPd server on it and the server and netBook both have WiFi, but it is all good practice in those quiet moments! There seems to be a problem accessing one particular folder on the netbook, but due to the number of subfolders and files within, it is probably not much of a surprise.
OS2 - That's a blast from the past! I was once given an OS2 CD. At the time I didn't have much use for it so I foolishly used it as a coaster for my coffee cup in a previous job. A visiting IT Engineer saw it and stole it whilst I wasn't in the room. When I approached him about it he admitted the theft and offered me the latest game on the market as a swap. I took the him up on the offer. Recently I have come into some early Pentium PCs and am trying to put them to good use. There is only so much I can do on Linux and I am beginning to wish that I had treated the OS2 CD a little better and even kept hold of it. I don't suppose that you can get hold of the CDs any more. Has anyone from the UK on the list got one that I can copy (if it is legal to do so)?
After refusing to admit how many apps I have on my netBook in the recent survey and the interest created in colourised Aifs I decided to do a search for *.aif. I know that the search will also count the inbuilt apps as well as some 'oddities', but my total came to 117. Have I got it bad!?
I had the good fortune to have a letter printed in a magazine which was awarded the Star Letter, and therefore a prize. The magazine is What Laptop and Handheld PC. The prize was a DisGo 256mb USB memory key. These are fantastic little tools if you have a number of PCs or manage them in your work. There can't be many easier ways of transfering files about from PC to PC, but more of this later. The magazine is on the thin size, but is made up for by Sandra Vogel, who writes interesting reviews and can never resist mentioning Psions at every opportunity! Reviews only tend to be a page in length mostly, but the Dana is reviewed in this issue for those interested.
A tale of where a DisGo would have come in useful. My company uses Dell PCs on the whole. One had a problem and couldn't connect to the network, It was fairly obvious that the network card built into motherboard was shafted. Dell tech support obviously use the flow chart method to find the fault. I explained the problem and the 'techie' (or flow chart reader) advised downloading the latest drivers from the Dell site. The route to the internet from that PC is over the network and through the proxy server into the outside world. As the network card was not working I had to get a user off their PC and download the 1.5mb driver to that PC. Just too big for a floppy which means disk spanning the file across two floppies after downloading WinZip 8 and installing it. Copy WinZip to a floppy, install on the broken PC, then unspan and install the spanned NIC drivers. Oh for a DisGo!
Did it work? No, of course not. After a complete rebuild of the PC in another office, plugged into a different switch etc. including a format of the hard drive, the flow chart reader agreed it was the NIC on the motherboard. Once the new motherboard went in the problem was no more. Two weeks later the new motherboard suffered a problem with the NIC. Rather than suffering again I just bought a USB NIC and plugged that in. It has worked ever since.
Andy Hayes
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 12:31:19 -0500
From: "Peter Andersson"
Subject: Siemens S55 GPRS and Psion 5MX
Hi all,
I've been trying to use a Siemens S55 as GPRS modem for
my 5mx without success. I would greatly appreciate any
help on how the two devices should be configured!
Is there a FAQ or tutorial somewhere on the web that
descibes, generally, how to use the Psion 5 with a
GPRS phone?
Regards, Peter
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 13:21:39 -0500
From: Itamar Engelsman
Subject: Police Cameras, Monopoly Patch, OPX's, programmes on flashcard, SimCity,
Answer to: Tim Williams
Re.: Police Cameras - Quoting the statisctics you are probably also aware that the matter of how exactly the cameras work most effectively has also been widely discussed resulting in the clear yellow marking of these cameras to make them easily detectable by drivers. The cameras are not there to catch the speeders, but to avoid them from speeding. If I see on my Psion while driving the situation of these cameras it will remind me to slow down anyhow, stop me from suddenly putting on the brakes and have a(nother) continued awareness of the maximum speed limit. As such it will work positively and not negatively. I will not advise anybody to speed, but also am aware that most people will speed from time to time.
Answer to: Simon Wolf
Re. Monopoly Patch - Looking at their website it states that they wrote the program themselves so why whould they not be allowed to sell an upgrade for S7 users ? Strange. Anyhow, animals have escaped into the "wild" before, so who knows ... <G>
Answer to: vlad arghir
Re. OPX's - I don't have a website myself and am not sure whether the operator of the digest website is interested / prepared to store files for general interest to the EPOC community on the website (who would decide what to store and what not). Furthermore, there are already so many websites that I am also not sure it is worthwhile to start yet another one.
Answer to: Tim Williams
Re. programmes on flashcard - I believe it has an advantage. The writing to the CF disk takes more battery energy and takes more time to write to the CF than to the C disk. And probably your programs will not all fit on the internal disk anyhow. I have most of my programs on the CF card and most of my files on the internal disk.
TO ALL
Re. SimCity - Has somebody got a 2nd hand SimCity for sale ?
Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
London, UK
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 17:13:00 -0500
From: ALYG
(Andrew Longdon)
Subject: Re: Unknown file extension
Kevin Thorne wrote:
> I recently received an email attachment which I cannot open on my S7.
> It has the extension .pps.
This is an MS Powerpoint Slide Show file - I don't know if NConvert (etc) can do anything with it...?
,\ndy
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 17:31:09 -0500
From: Peter Rand
Subject: Opening PowerPoint attachments on S7
I've never been able to open a PowerPoint presentation (.pps or .ppt extension?) on my S7 - I always have to transfer them to a desktop and either export the file to a web page, or do a 'copy and paste' job to a Word file. Pretty inconvenient.
Does anyone know of a way to open a PowerPoint presentation directly on a S7?
Peter
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 18:12:59 -0500
From: vlad arghir
Subject: s5tv thanks David # 182
> david wrote:
> Anthony King,... Marmite..."I was invited to tea...the series 7 easily > covers 10-15 feet....set up the program for other systems then you will > need the codes for that. There used to be some posted on the S5TV site.
Thanks, I got it nevertheless :-)
No codes for my Telefunken... Unless it's a Sony like everybody else ;-)
best,
vlad
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 18:13:00 -0500
From: vlad arghir
Subject: tim # 182
> Tim Williams wrote:
> Once the system...onto C..Install programme...doesn't work > but requires the presence of the flashcard?
Have I already answered you? Just had a system-hang. Anyway: It should work!
Copy the .sis doc on C and doubletap it.
What error-warning do you get?
If it doesn't work you might have an older System build, look under menu > information > computer, should read: 1.05(319)
> advantage in putting programmes on the
> flashcard rather than on the C drive?
More place for running apps (they share C). Space-saving and an uncluttered extras-bar. Fi I have all TomTom & travel-related things on a separate CF.
Hope this helps.
Best,
vlad
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 18:46:21 -0500
From: Astrid Stappenbeck
Subject: Re: 5mxPro installation
Tim Williams wrote:
Subject: 5mxpro
>>I think I was unclear. Once the system has downloaded onto C from the compact flash, why is it that the Install programme for other programmes doesn't work but requires the presence of the flashcard?<<
Well, I do have a 5mxPro and install and uninstall 3rd party programs happily without the presence of the original cf-card.
You have to insert your 16mb cf from psion into your 5mxPro, switch it on and everything necessary is installed on c.
From then on you can install programs with everything you have on board. (Provided your Psion is ok and your software is ok and the user operates nicely.)
If you can't then please describe what kind of program you tried to install (selfinstalling sis-file or individual files) and how you went about it (via PC or direct, using install on system or not...)
>>Another question: is there any advantage in putting programmes on the flashcard rather than on the C
drive?<<
I don't know, whether you have a 16, 24 or 32mb Psion but
it didn't take me very long with these capacities to run into memory problems. So I prefer to install large programs and less essential ones such as games on d.
On the other hand: the c drive is much faster especially when you compare it to large cf cards (waste minmum space formatting results in almost 10s write speed on my 512mb).
When speed is an issue (communication programs) c is decidedly the better option.
Other programs simply refuse to operate on d (very few but it happens).
But there are some old games written for the slower 5 which are way too fast on c (e.g Nick Dawkins' demolition).
But apart from these few oddities: Space is the main issue. When your system folder leaves you no more room to squeeze another word file on c you will try to swap everything possible onto d! But be careful: if you haven't installed it originally on d and just move the files and folders at a later stage you might mess something up. Some settings need to be left on c.
Astrid
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 19:41:32 -0500
From: Jan R Gustafsson
Subject: Re: Answering the digest
Itamar Engelsman wrote at 21 Feb 2003 14:59:36 +0000 in EPOC DIGEST V1 # 181
>Thank God we are all different, otherwise we would all want the
> same husband or wife <G>.
Dear Itamar,
could not refrain from commenting on this. Neither God, nor me intended that wives should be shared by everybody. But when I post information on a digest or disseminate it in other ways, I most certainly try to make it as easy available and readable to as many recipients as possible. Different file formats, different VCR standards, different television sending & receiving standards, different electric main currents, different digital music compressing formats - I don't think you find those to be desirable situations. I hope you agree with me that well structured harmonisation and standardisation is a must to make world-wide, reliable and transparent communication work.
Cheers,
Jan G
Stockholm, Sweden
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 20:06:19 -0500
From: "Hoffman, Susan"
Subject: backup Psions
David Lir asked how many of us have backup Psions sitting on the shelf. First there was my son's classic 5, which we got for him in 8th grade. Then I bought my 5mx because I used his for the summer and loved it. Then his classic 5 suffered a broken hinge, and while PsionUSA was deciding whether to fix it under warranty I bought him a new Revo which I figured we could use as a backup if the classic 5 got fixed. It did, but by then son was fond of Revo so classic 5 was adopted by husband. Then the Makos were dumped on the US market so I bought one for $99 as a backup. Then husband's classic 5 started eating batteries (every 2-3 days) so he switched to the Mako. Meanwhile, son stopped using Revo (preferring old fashioned paper and pen), so when husband's Mako started having a battery problem he switched to Revo. I cured Mako somehow so husband is back to Mako with old Revo as back-up for all of us. So now we have a classic 5 on the shelf that eats batteries, a working Revo (decorated by son's 9th grade girlfriend) that sits on the shelf, a 5mx with broken flanges (mine) that otherwise is working fine, and a working Mako with no current problems, and just 2 users. First question is whether son takes his Revo to college with him (probably not). Second question is, when I go to Toronto next September, do I take the classic 5 and the 5mx with me for repair at Toronto's Psion repair place leaving the 2 of us with the Mako and Revo, hoping they both are still working.
Susan Katz Hoffman
Pepper Hamilton LLP
e-mail: hoffmans
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 20:26:00 -0500
From: ALYG
(Andrew Longdon)
Subject: nConvert
Is there an easy way to remove nConvert? It's now out of date and there seems to be about 26 NEUON entries listed in the Installed Programs dialogue - do I really have to remove them all individually? And how can I be sure which NEUON entries are relevant to nConvert?
TIA
,\ndy
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 21:34:00 -0500
From: wfuggle
Subject: 7650 part 2
Hi all,
A quick look at two programmes that make a big difference to ease of use for me. The first is ActiveDesk. This is a programme that has a "today" view consisting of calendar, to-do list, messages and favourites. For the first three items it displays how many active or new items. The programme does not end there however. If you move joystick to right the next tab screen is calendar in list mode with days nicely separated. Next tab is full to-do list, next messaging with inbox, outbox, draft, email accounts with indication of number of messages and unread messages and more. The final tab contains the nokia favorites folder and you can add your own favorites. Those are the basic functions but there are many cells and whistles including auto restart if phone is switched off and on or software reset.
The second programme is ActiveMail. This extends the functionality of the inbuilt messaging programme by rules for automatic download, schedules for automatically checking for mail on different accounts at user defined intervals e.g. once a day, every 15 minutes etc and playing a sound to notify new mail.
Bill Fuggle
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 21:57:07 -0500
From: Rolf Brunsting
Subject: Re: False Representation?
Dear Itamar,
<< Of course you are right that my small research in this area of broken screencables is not scientific and cannot be taken as a proof. However, it is indicating a certain pattern and the size of the problem >>
You can't have it both ways, Itamar. When your research isn't scientific it doesn't allow you to say that there's a pattern to your data nor that it's a size indicator.
<< A normal pattern of failure should be what, 0.5 % or less? >>
OK Let's (a) *assume* that a normal failure rate is 0.5% and (b) *assume* that 3 million of the Series 5, Series 5mx and MC218 have been produced in total. Combine the two assumptions and the normal failure rate represents 15,000 units. Well, how do you know that the 15 failures that have been reported to you do *not* belong to the 15,000?
Reason why you say you're dealing with an excessive number is because you *assume* that the 271 people who have responded to a previous survey as owning a 'Series 5' are representative of the total Psion owning population. That's an incorrect assumption as you're dealing with a group of people who have chosen to subscribe to the EPOC digest. It's clear that Digesteers have an above average interest interest in the Series 5(mx) and Ericsson MC218. We can even say that the Digest is partially populated by group of die-hard EPOC users who have a spare Series 5(mx) or MC218 to keep on going when their primary EPOC device would terminally fail. Enthusiasm and being a die-hard tends to go hand in hand with a (well) above average daily use.
Another *assumption* you make is that the total of 24 respondents are themselves representative of the 271 Series 5 owning Digesteers. Trouble is that you've given Digesteers the freedom to respond. The people who do respond either have something to report or want to be heard (for whatever reason). Having experienced a screen cable failure is a much stronger incentive to respond than having a Series 5(mx) or MC218 which stayed in good health.
You've therefore been dealing with a self-selected group of respondents who belong to an already self-selected group of EPOC Digest subscribers. What you have is therefore an *abnormal* data set - something you can't compare with whatever the *normal* failure rate is. Meaning that you either have to 'normalise' your data set, for which it's much too small, or to find out what the normal failure rate for this particular group of Psions is, for which you don't have the information.
Note that a failure rate is based on the construction of the device and the environment in which it operates. Raise the environmental temperature by 5 degrees centigrade and you get a different failure rate. Another aspect is that some components can be subject to wear and tear so that you have to take their finite lifetime into account. Say that the component has a lifetime of four years for the average user and that the economical life of the device is three years. Average users will thus replace the device before the component's end-of-life point is reached. Somebody who uses the device twice as intensively as the average user will reach the component's end-of-life point after two years. This user will need to have the component replaced before the device's 3-years economical life is up. Which is *normal* for this particular user.
<< Surely it is well beyond that at unacceptable statistical levels >>
What I find unacceptable is
a) That a quick question 24 people responded to is presented as "research",
and,
b) This this so-called "research" leads to a conclusion in which references are made to palmtops, PCs, cars and "anyother product" without any knowledge about the true failure rates of these products.
That you have to ASK whether an 0.5% failure rate is normal says enough.
--
Kind Regards,
Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 21:57:13 -0500
From: Rolf Brunsting
Subject: Re: GPRS settings that do work!
Dear Marcus,
<< The settings are streight forward ... I just tried and it works! >>
There's more than one road leading to Rome, as the Dutch proverb says. This also applies to modem definitions as I can create an alternative GPRS set-up for the e-Plus network that will also work by using the information you've supplied in a different fashion. While using your GPRS set-up as a framework for that of another network may not work at all. It think it's best to recognise that there's no such thing as *the* initialisation string, *the* modem definition or *the* GPRS set-up.
--
Kind Regards,
Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 21:57:15 -0500
From: Rolf Brunsting
Subject: Re: various answers to Rolf # 177
Dear Vlad,
<< Ummm, you're right Rolf: for instance, I'am not dissatisfied, just p...ed: to have to replace a cable at this price - and then, because they are so fragile, a screen >>
The answer is to look for a handheld computer that does away with such relatively fragile components as a screen cable or the glass sandwich that is an LCD display panel. I don't see any reason to pick out Psion for the LCD panel is also the most fragile component of Palm-type handheld computers and the bigger laptop computers. The LCD panel is highest on the repairs statistics listing of laptop computers, for example.
<< Just like Itamar I would expect for a machine in this price-class to last definitely *far* longer than one year >>
It's very difficult to come up with a device that never fails in its first year of operation. The MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) of components is a statistical average that allows a number of components to fail relatively early. There's always the possibility that the device you buy fails after (say) four months. This doesn't frighten the general consumer as the statistics are in his/her favour. When the chance of early failure is (say) 1 in 10,000 the general consumer automatically assumes to be a member of the 9,999. Needless to say that (s)he's unpleasantly surprised when it proves that the device (s)he's bought is the 1.
What you then get, specially on product discussion forums, is what I'd call the 'shared experience multiplier'. When another user reports that his/her device failed after 7 months it triggers the idea in the person of the paragraph above that (s)he's not alone. That there are more people who have experienced an early failure. Which isn't surprising as the statistics are still at play. When the manufacturer produces 1.5 million of these devices per year, there will be about 150 early failures each year. So that there's bound to be more than one early failure report on the product discussion forum. What the forum does is to amplify this as an early failure report gets a number of "Happened to me as well" responses. And what people tend to remember are the number of forum messages, rather than the number of early failures they represent. The step to "There's something wrong with this device" is then easily made.
<< Otoh, even if it were so, what would be the practical consequence for us? >>
The practical situation is that we're dealing with a component that's subject to wear an tear and will be worn out at some point in time. When this is depends on how intensely you use the Psion and how kind you are to it. Some people pack three years of 'typical use' into one so that it's not surprising that they've worn out the screen cable earlier than is the norm.
<< I know, fi, that the .ini- files are somewhat the equivalent of preference-files in the Mac. But I do not know what the various files do in the various folders in the Psion System folder >>
Why don't you visit Symbian's web site to get information on the operating system files and those of the standard applications?
--
Kind Regards,
Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 21:57:18 -0500
From: Rolf Brunsting
Subject: Re: Broken screen cable research
Dear Edward.
<< The screen cable on my unit hasn't broken but I am dissatisfied because I know that there is a fairly high chance that it will break, and I am conscious of this fact when using the machine >>
For me it's not a question of there being a "fairly high chance" that the screen cable will fail. I know that the screen cable of my Series 5mx will fail because it's one of the components subject to wear and tear. There comes a time that the cable is worn out, breaks and needs to be replaced. The main difference between us is that I'm not worried about it. Possibly because I see it in the perspective of other products I own. Products that also have parts that wear out and will need to be replaced at some point in time. The heating element of my coffee maker, for example, or the cooling fans and hard disk inside my PC.
I hope that this message doesn't make you anxious about the fate of your coffee maker or PC. That you become as conscious of the fact that they have equivalent components and start to worry about them each time you use them. And that you become as dissatisfied with them as you are with your Series 5(mx) or MC218.
--
Kind Regards,
Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 21:57:20 -0500
From: Rolf Brunsting
Subject: Re: Police cameras (UK people only)
Dear Itamar,
<< Is anyone interested and/or prepared to add to my list with cameras anywhere in the UK ? You can gather the details with Route- and/or Streetplanner, but also with any GPS >>
Have you thought about turning this data into a Route/Street Planner overlay so that you can see in advance that you're approaching a speed camera?
--
Kind Regards,
Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 21:57:22 -0500
From: Rolf Brunsting
Subject: Re: Image viewer for S5mx
Dear Oscar,
<< I would like to read technical documents on my S5mx. Those are postscript and pdf files. Pdf+ is not up to the task (it still misses some character here and there). So the safest solution is to convert the documents to images ... The problem comes with the image viewer ... >>
The Acrobat application allows you to scan documents which are turned into PDF document files. I do this for magazine articles on handheld computers and mobile phones, for example. Once transferred to CF disk they're perfectly readable by Pdf+. I can send you an example by e-mail when you're interested.
--
Kind Regards,
Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 22:55:21 -0500
From: Kevin Thorne
Subject: Monopoly
Nic wrote:
<Can anybody help me with monopoly v1.00f on my s7. i read somewhere that there was a patch which would expand this addictive game into a full screen *very* addictive game. i've gooooogled until my eyes have stopped working, but to no avail. i'd really appreciate a copy in my inbox or a magic url.>
Nic, I've heard of this patch too but couldn't find it anywhere. So I too now plead for the full screen version....anyone? This is one of my favourite games - yes, it should come with a health warning that once played you will spend far too much time trying to beat your Psion. I nearly lost a whole wet weekend on it once! Oh, and doesn't it look just soooo good in colour on the S7.
Regards
Kevin Thorne
*++++++++++&
Date: 24 Feb 2003 23:13:04 -0500
From: Martin Guthrie
Subject: Yet more colo(u)r icons
Hello all,
Today added: Collins Spanish-English (aif is called bigcols.aif - don't ask me why...), Notepad, Presentation, SafePlace, Street (the original graphic - nicer IMO - can be used as a direct replacement for the CityMaps aif), and Trivia (Note to Steve L. - I figured you wouldn't mind Steve; since all I did was what you did originally but on a colour machine! <grin>) to the collection.
Hence it now contains: BusyView, Collins EF, Collins S-E, Crypto, DCP, EBook, EnRoute (aka Route), FileSwitch, FrotzS5, Hermes, Macro5, Mentor, Notepad, PhoneMan, Phrase, Porfolio, Presentation, psiMind (+ patch), RMRZip (+ patch), SafePlace, SaveMail, Street, SysBack, Trivia, and Vexed - as icons that can be used to replace the standard b/w ones on your toolbar. Instructions included in the file.
Download at: http:\\www.pscience5.net\freeware\colour_icons.zip (71Kb)
Best regards,
Martin Guthrie
www.pscience5.net
www.freepoc.org
*++++++++++&
Date: 25 Feb 2003 03:09:11 -0500
From: Eric Lindsay
Subject: Publishing, keyboard light, vCard, revo freezer, chip, USB,filenames, 7 microphone, spare parts,
>Epoc Digest Thu, 23 Jan 2003 Volume 01 : Number 153 >From: Keith Giles
>Subject: Re: No PC for me
>
>You didn't ask for it, but here it is anyway. As the editor of one monthly bulletin (a Retired Officer's Club) and photo layout editor of another (bike club), I don't see how I could operate with only a Psion. Yes, I could put out a simple text bulletin, but is there an Epoc equivalent to PageMaker, a sophisticated publishing program? Do commercial printing companies accept it? Is there an Epoc equivalent to PhotoShop? I don't know.
You don't need a sophisticated publishing program to produce magazine
column output with fancy fonts and the like. You just need a text editor, and a printing markup language. I produce a multicolumn magazine with a Psion, using Graham Freeman's QuikScript as a Postscript markup preprocessor. Since you have to bypass the standard Psion printer drivers, you send the code to the printer by beaming it from the Comms application. And yes, any commercial print company that can accept Postscript can run it just fine. On the other hand, I wouldn't try it for a magazine that incorporated lots of photos (just too hard).
>Epoc Digest : Number158
>From: Trygve Henriksen
>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)
Try one of the flashlights with a headband. I found some very nice 1 and 3 LED and xenon headlamps that run for up to 80 hours from 3 AAA batteries. I've used them often during blackouts and when travelling. I got mine from http://www.jaycar.com.au however they are an import and probably readily available elsewhere. I noticed on a new IBM laptop R31 that they have a keyboard light built in to shine on the keyboard. Not as good as the illuminated key models.
Special thanks also for the detailed description of how to repair the Psion 7 and NetBook power connector. My own repair worked just fine, although I wish I had bought a magnifier before starting.
>From: Rolf Brunsting
>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.
I've been wondering whether the phone manufacturers were strongly
encouraged to bring out camera models by the phone infrastructure
companies. Having overspent on bandwidth, they must be desperate for some facility to encourage greater use of (chargeable) airtime. I think when Symbian was being mooted, that may have been internet email and WAP that they figured would drive sales. When that didn't work well enough, multimedia messages became their great hope (I think that will fail to
catch on also, but I'm like you in not wanting MP3 and pictures in my phone).
>Epoc Digest Thu, 30 Jan 2003 Volume 01 : Number 159
>From: Kevin Collins
>Subject: PhoneMan
>I was wondering about the latest feature in PhoneMan, which is the ability to export the contents one's SIM as a vCard. If one exports to a file in
the Psion, one obtains a .vcf file which the Psion cannot read. So, what
is the purpose of this feature, or indeed what is a vCard, can someone tell me, please?
vCard is an standard for passing object information of the sort found on a business card. You often find them attached to emails. It is just an
ASCII file, and you could look at the structure by importing it into Psion Word as text. Contacts seems vCard complient, and should import it. You should be able to beam vCard entries to a Palm or PocketPC. There is a similar one called vCal for calendar information, and Agenda knows about it.
>Epoc Digest Fri, 31 Jan 2003 Volume 01 : Number 160
>From: "JE Scott"
>When I see interesting solutions such as this the question always pops
into my mind "how did anyone find out this would work?" Someone, somewhere with an errant Mako must have said "I wonder what happens if I put it in a freezer" or did it fall in there (complete with charger attached) by accident?
The chemical characteristics of batteries alter with temperature. Whoever
did this first was obviously aware that they could change battery characteristics with temperature, which led to experiments. I can't recall the post involved, but I believe that was hinted at.
Epoc Digest #166
>From: Itamar Engelsman
>Re.: D&G Upgrade - I just wonder. The OS software on the Mako and Revio is
in ROM. AFAIK only Psion could change the OS by changing the chip. Do D&G upgrade the actual ROM or only install software on the C disk that will override the Z disk version ?
There is a small electrically erasable memory that holds variables for the battery conditioning, and I suspect that D&G have the Psion software that fiddle the figures in that. As you probably recall, the first time a Revo
is charged, they seem to use the screen digitiser as a ADC to set
parameters for the battery charge limits. D&G would instead actually
measure the charge characteristics with more precise instruments, while the Revo is open, and set the characteristics from that, same as Psion service ended up doing for all Revos returned to them.
>Epoc Digest #167
>From: PaulDDB
>Subject: USB (2.0) to serial connector
>
>Anyone know about USB (2) speed?
>My new PC (Sony) doesn't have a serial port, and rather than install a
card, I bought a USB - Serial connector.
>It works fine, but backups and contacts syncs are MUCH slower than when I used a serial port.
>This may be due to the switch from Win-98 to Win-XP, or is it due to using USB?
>Does anyone have any ideas? I though USB was faster than serial.
USB is faster than serial. However your Psion is still running at standard serial rates. Each byte now has to be wrapped in USB packages before being delivered to or from the PC, so the connection is now running at serial
plus USB overheads rates.
>Epoc Digest #178
>From: vlad arghir
>Rolf, I would be *very* thankful to you or anyone who would list the main >types of files and suffixes in the Psion System and on Z, and what their function is - even approximately and best-guess-wise.
I'm not sure how much sense can be made of file names, since in the Psion extensions have no meaning, unlike in Windows. However as all the Psion
files can be accessed, it probably would not be too difficult to track down all the system files and what they do. I'd be willing to start adding that
to the various information on my web site, and will start in a few days.
>Epoc Digest Thu, 20 Feb 2003 Volume 01 : Number 179
>From: Tom Robertson
>Subject: P7 Microphone trouble
>
>Hi,
>
>I am having a problem recording sound on my psion 7. This is a recent
problem that doesn't resolve itself after a hard reset. Playback of sound files works perfectly well, however, I cannot record anything. All I get is
a background buzz (similar to that from the 5 series when recording with
the backlight on). I can record a tapping noise if I flick my nail on the casing near the microphone. Any ideas!?!? Perhaps there is a means of adjusting the microphone volume?
The microphone is recessed in the plastic keyboard surround. There are a
set of contacts on the motherboard. The microphone is connected to the motherboard via a very strange piece of foam material that appears to
contain a series of conductive paths. It is my belief this loses contact
with age. You can sometimes get the microphone working by pressing hard
above it, however it will fail again.
Next time I open my Psion 7, I think I will rewire the microphone with a
more conventional wiring scheme.
>From: "ratherchilly"
>Subject: Psions in reserve
>
>An occasional feature of postings is the information that the contributor
has a mint Psion sitting in a cupboard as insurance against failure of the present machine.
>I'm just interested - is this a widespread practice?
Certainly is for me. I'm going to try getting a NetBook as a spare soon,
to go with my spare Psion 5. I also like to buy broken Psion 5mx for the spare parts, but alas they are mostly screen cable faults (so I'll buy some spare screen cables from Germany sometime).
Eric Lind www.avalook.com
Airlie Beach, Nth Qld, Australia ph +61 7 4948 0450
http://www.ericlindsay.com NEW Airlie-SF-Psion-Epoc
*++++++++++&
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