Epocdigest V1 # 363

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Epoc Digest Wed, 15 Oct 2003 Volume 01 : Number 363

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Sent to: 802 subscribers

In today's Epoc Digest 10 messages:

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- Re: netBook Pro Symbian

- 5 Series - USB synch cable?

- ssh client

- Re: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 360 (42)

- RE. Platform control giving OS stability

- Programming in Java on netBook

- Mac OS # 362 (12)

- Re: Java on netBook or 5mx

- 5mx to the rescue?

- netBook WiFi problems

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

Date: 14 Oct 2003 16:25:53 -0500

From: Simon Wolf

Subject: Re: netBook Pro Symbian

Answer To Martin Maxwell

>> Yes, but what about the increasing number of businesses that do not

>> want Windows? And what about the growing number of enterprise vendors

>> that don't want to have anything Microsoft in their offerings?

How about Apple iBooks and Powerbooks or Linux laptops? They are available at comparative prices and offer a much wider software library.

Simon Wolf

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

Date: 14 Oct 2003 18:26:17 -0500

From: Chris Dickson

Subject: 5 Series - USB synch cable?

Hello,

Having recently re-started college, I dug out my old 5 series for lectures and note-taking. Unfortunately there is no 9-pin COM port on the laptop I need to synchronise with. I tried a 9-pin/25-pin adaptor, but theconnection wizard doesn't ive me the option of choosing this LPT port onthe laptop.

The laptop has a couple of USB ports, can I use these and where can I get a lead that would fit? I saw something about this in no. 355 but couldn't quite understand if I need a CF card reader.

All comments gratefully received,

Thanks

Chris

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

Date: 14 Oct 2003 18:41:07 -0500

From: Bengt-Arne Wallden

Subject: ssh client

Anyone knowing about any ssh client for EPOC 5 ? Regards

/Bengt-Arne

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

Date: 14 Oct 2003 20:04:10 -0500

From: Euan Mee

Subject: Re: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 360 (42)

On 10 Oct 2003, at 16:35, Epoc Digest wrote:

> While in

> specific cases Microsoft might have gone beyond the law, I still think

> > that other Companies try similar things. Buying a Nikon camera I

> have to > buy a Nikon flash to get full compatibillity as Nikon will

> not give away > their specifics for others to copy (Metz still did not

> succeed with a flash for the Nikon D100). Buying a BMW car meant I get

> a sound system built in that cannot be changed. I am sure most car

> makers will do their > best to stop third parties from making their

> spare parts.

Taking these three points specifically:

Car manufacturers, at least in the EU, have had their attempts at blocking alternative suppliers of replacement parts from the market

made illegal.

Nikon do not hold a monopoly on supply of 35mm SLR cameras.

BMW do not hold a monopoly on supply of saloon cars.

Microsoft /do/ hold a very powerful monopoly on desktop operating

system software, (over 90% of the market, even taken on a global

rather than national market basis).

There are also stronger network effects from desktop OS on other facilities, i.e. your BMW is not made more useful to you by

everyone else also driving a BMW. (Although having an SLR body

that is popular enough to have many suppliers of lenses for is

handy. But some lens mounting arrangements are shared across

different camera suppliers, so even there there is less 'lock-in'.)

Microsoft have repeatedly attempted to use this incumbent

monopoly power to gain further monopolies in additional niche

markets, and have often succeeded.

Often their approach is both anti-competitive and illegal.

Cheers,

Euan

xlucid

this).sf.(antispam.)net

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

Date: 14 Oct 2003 20:45:32 -0500

From: Euan Mee

Subject: RE. Platform control giving OS stability

On 10 Oct 2003, at 16:35, Epoc Digest wrote:

> > It's much easier to create a stable

> > operating system when you're in full control of the hardware it's >

> > running on. The vast majority of differences in interpretation > >

> > between hardware and software developers are found in-house and >

> > solved in-house before release.

> I am sorry to say but I had the same expectations when in the '80s we

> were able to use only cheap IBM clones here - in Eastern Europe. You

> can imagine my feeling when - in the middle of '90s - I met the first

> real IBM, Compaq, etc, "big name" desktop and laptop machines. And to

> my disappointment they were and are not more stable either. So, where

> are those stable machines which comply all hardware specs and as a

> benefit can avoid daily crashes?

Apple, Psion etc.

IBM and Compaq do not have control of the hardware platform - the

industry groups, at least not since IBM wrote the very original ISA

platform spec back in the 80's.

Even then, IBM did not control 3rd party PC makers, or 3rd party

Card manufacturers.

It's this last aspect which is often most significant for OS stability,

as it can often be the driver set for the final agglomeration of parts

which makes up a PC which determines how stable it'll be.

Modern PCs (prior to XP) had to cope with drivers from 1980's ISA

cards,as well as EISA cards, PCI cards, VESA cards, AGP (in all

its various incarnations) as well as various motherboard connection

chipsets, and the Windows operating system attempted to cope

with software written for DOS, for Windows

3/3.1/3.11/95/98/Me/NT...

XP gets its stability in large part because it doesn't attempt to cope

with as wide an array of driver software, and another chunk from not

attempting backwards compatibilty with early versions of MS OSs.

Apple gets it's stabiltiy from the fact it controls absolutely the

hardware platform that the Apple OS runs on.

Cheers,

Euan

xlucid

this).sf.(antispam.)net

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

Date: 14 Oct 2003 21:25:05 -0500

From: Klaus Stahl

Subject: Programming in Java on netBook

I am looking for information how to develop Java apps on my netBook like the existing tutorials for OPL for beginning programmers. I would like to develop ("on the road") an app which runs on other PDAs too. I found some information at foxpop so I coul write an run my first "HelloWorld" program (with JPE editor). Maybe someone can help me further who changed from OPL to Java programming.

Regards

Klaus Stahl

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

Date: 15 Oct 2003 00:39:55 -0500

From: vlad a

Subject: Mac OS # 362 (12)

> Alan wrote:

> Mac OS... but a quiet sale my have taken place

I think I remember that Xerox employees went to work for Apple etc. There was a book (The Apple Story?) and a docufiction feature about it all, some years ago...

best,

vlad

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

Date: 15 Oct 2003 00:51:05 -0500

From: Astrid Stappenbeck

Subject: Re: Java on netBook or 5mx

Christopher Holly wrote:

> Could anyone enlighten me (and perhaps others) about the pros and cons

> and whys and hows of running Java programs on a netBook or 5mx? I know

> the Marcus's SMTPAuth uses Java and works great. If we have some kind

> of Java engine running can we use any Java program on the netBook or

> does it still have to be written specifically to run on the Psion? <

Hi,

I don't know much about java but here's my 2c

pros: more/ alternative apps still developed

cons: seems to be a bit messy

hows: you need the Java Virtual Machine installed (on cd or as free download) Java programs: someone on this digest mentioned a browser called Grand Rapid and then went silent. I haven't tried it but those who complained about shortcomings in web and o era might give it try... Recently I came across a video player at http://web.onetel.net.uk/~philgooch/psion/video/index.html

I've also read about an audio player but since there are a couple of genuine psion programs out now this is probably less interesting. Java programs don't have to be specifically written for Psions but I think there are some requirements. Just try.

Astrid

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

Date: 15 Oct 2003 12:16:43 -0500

From: Keith Clarke

Subject: 5mx to the rescue?

I bought a digital voice recorder and a USB pen in the naïve assumption that when travelling I could store recorded interviews on the USB pen to free up the recorder. Now I see that transferring files involves running software on a PC. Is there any way the 5mx could help me out, or is this another example of when it?s better to travel with a laptop?

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

Date: 15 Oct 2003 13:49:05 -0500

From: Daniele Squarci

Subject: netBook WiFi problems

Hi all, I am travelling in the US this week and have had the possibility of experimenting WiFi connectivity with the netBook, using a Cisco 340 card and Opera 5.14.

When I can connect, it works as a dream, but on most occasions I have trouble when the hotel/convention centre service asks me to login. I then have an assortment of error messages that seem to be caused by Java script failure.

Has anyone else experienced this? Do I have to tweak something in Java settings in Opera? All options are enabled in Preferences>Plugins.

On another point, I have tried to use NetStatRF v1.00, but it doesn't seem to work as it only supports the Lucent/Orinoco cards. Is there a version supporting the Cisco card?