VisorCentral.com - Palm OS 5 is so Damned Stupid

Show 20 posts from this thread on one page

VisorCentral.com (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/index.php)
- Visor General Chat (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=31)
-- Palm OS 5 is so Damned Stupid (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=27790)

Posted by Keefer Lucas on 10-05-2002 02:55 AM:

Palm OS 5 is so Damned Stupid

Why the heck can't I drop my PDA in a cradle and have its memory show up in a Windows File Manager as a hard drive and then add whatever files I want to it? Why do I need a third party app to access a Word Doc? Why isn't Microsoft Office support built into the GD Palm operating system?

Posted by Uncle Roger on 10-07-2002 08:09 AM:

Re: Palm OS 5 is so Damned Stupid

quote:
Originally posted by Keefer Lucas
Why the heck can't I drop my PDA in a cradle and have its memory show up in a Windows File Manager as a hard drive and then add whatever files I want to it?

Well, probably because the PalmOS does not use a Windows-compatible (aka MS-DOS compatible) file system. The two are completely different.

You're more likely to get your dryer to get your clothes out of the washer for you than you are to have your PC see your Palm PDA as another online device.

If that's that important to you, you're better off getting a pocket PC which uses a windows-esque operating system.

Posted by Alslayer on 10-07-2002 11:25 PM:

I think sony has that feature but it shows the memory stick not the 8mb of memory.

Posted by dampeoples on 10-08-2002 03:11 AM:

Probably because people are clamoring for higher resolution screens, a camera and color so they can watch movies on thie palm devices and take crappy pictures.
Seems they have forgotten how to make these things usable to enterprise, except that they do bundle Docs to Go.

Posted by Digisane on 10-08-2002 06:27 PM:

Re: Palm OS 5 is so Damned Stupid

quote:
Originally posted by Keefer Lucas
Why the heck can't I drop my PDA in a cradle and have its memory show up in a Windows File Manager as a hard drive and then add whatever files I want to it?

I think its possible, and requires lots of major changes on the driver and software to implement it into the both the OS and Palm OS 5�

Here's another thing I regard as more important -

Why do they have to keep the exact same interface with prettier colors?? Why not something like Silverscreen or all that other shell programs that make life easier for the 20% of the Palm users? �The other 80% haven't a clue how to install software into their Palm OS�

Why do I have to select Delete from the menu and then manually scroll and choose which programs i want to delete instead of just dragging it into an bin and get rid of it ASAP?

Why won't it do my laundries and mow my lawn? Why??

__________________
I'm just a dreamer..

Posted by Digisane on 10-08-2002 06:29 PM:

Re: Re: Palm OS 5 is so Damned Stupid

And why won't it fix my recurring font problem that makes it display weird stuff@@@@@@@

Why why why

__________________
I'm just a dreamer..

Posted by Keefer Lucas on 10-08-2002 11:58 PM:

Suddenly I'm not Half the Palm I used to Be

Remember the first time you successfully hotsynched your Palm device and it seemlessly loaded your Outlook Mail inbox, contacts and To Do list? Good. I am glad you remember because it was the last time that the Palm OS ever did anything seemlessly.

IMHO Palm should have bought Avantgo and Documents to Go and integrated the products directly into the OS so the great masses who aren't hip enough to access or utilize the software would effectively have it thrust upon them. And they would have loved it. Instead we get all these half-financially-baked autonomous companies (including Palm and Handspring now) all struggling to justify their existance in the face of what was once a promising opportunity. An opportunity that unlike other web-enabled entreprenurial pipe dreams still actually holds some promise.

Never forget the prescient words of Devo "Its not to late to whip it. Whip it good."

Posted by dampeoples on 10-09-2002 12:03 AM:

Sounds like you need to ebay your Visor and get a PocketPC

Posted by Keefer Lucas on 10-09-2002 12:50 AM:

Dampupils

quote:
Originally posted by dampeoples
Sounds like you need to ebay your Visor and get a PocketPC

I'd greatly prefer selling my wisdom to Palm/Handspring at $250/hr Arthur Anderson style. My new firm shall be called "Mt. Gay Advisors".

Posted by foo fighter on 10-10-2002 04:24 AM:

Ah..a subject after my own heart. I've been clamoring for the features you describe for a long time. Since back when I was using PPC.

In this day and age, it is absolutely disgraceful that PalmOS still can't comprehend basic file formats like, jpegs, gifs, html, and text files. A text file for God's sake! I shouldn't need middleware to convert industry standard file format into PalmOS's proprietary *.PDB format. The OS should be able to handle that task, which illustrates how outdated the PalmOS really is.

I pray to God that OS6 will be the one, but I've just about run out of hope. I doubt PalmSource will ever change its stripes.

__________________
My blog: Pocketfactory

Posted by Timbuktu on 10-13-2002 12:49 PM:

Pardon me if the analogy I use may appear to be somewhat touchy....thus I have to state categorically that no offence or blasphemy to anyone is intended.

I have a collection of various PDAs...ranging from the Newton Message Pad, Xircom Rex, Palm Pilot, Cassiopeia (WinCE), HP Jornada (PPC2002), Psion 5mx, Diamond MAKO and some other less known PDAs with basic calculator functions.

All these PDAs are created under different OS platforms with almost similar functions software-wise. Its for the users to choose whichever platform they are most comfortable with.

Its kinda like embracing a religion which touches our soul. That's our operating system, that's the belief system which make us appear different from someone else using another operating system....but we are homo sapiens nonetheless.

So in the same way, PDAs running on different OS platforms are still PDAs. Its for the users to choose what suits him best in terms of the features he needs. Thats the beauty of the freedom of choice, and the amount of money you're willing to pay for making that choice.

Just my 2 cents worth.

__________________
<A REF="http://www.netwod.com"></A>
A tiny drop of "NuWater" in the vast Internet ocean.

Posted by Digisane on 10-13-2002 03:27 PM:

I think you're missing the whole point.

Yes, we have the choice to change to whichever OS that we're comfortable with, but what this thread is about is that our original favorite choice of OS (Palm OS) is not improving the way it should in its latest incarnation, and we're voicing out in dissappointment over it.

We can just switch over to any PDA platform, but that would mean we'd have to enter every data we have on our current PDA into the new OS platform and adjust accordingly to its interface.

It's not that we do not like change, it's we simply DO NOT have the time to go about fiddling with jumping platforms and re-learning everything from scratch. (Or at least I don't have the time to do so, some of my schedules are input so far in advance in my Visor that I prefer not to key in everything again if I switch. It's also the reason I don't format the hard drive on my other home Windows PC for the past 2 years, I think it's a record)

Palm, on the other hand (pun not intended) didn't come up with an OS we expected it to properly compete with PPC, or even attempt to make the OS even more user friendly. If Palm did not compete aggresively in the PDA OS market, it may lose out completely with all major PDA makers switching over to PPC and in the future forcing us to switch PDA platforms and we won't be able to carry over the data as simply as it would be on a new Palm OS PDA.

After all, the difference gap in batery life & software for these 2 different PDA OS in newer devices is getting narrower, and the PalmOS list of advantages is getting less and less.

Opinions welcome.

( Editorial for those who're familiar with my problems: I fixed the stupid "��"s.)

======

quote:
Originally posted by Timbuktu
Pardon me if the analogy I use may appear to be somewhat touchy��thus I have to state categorically that no offence or blasphemy to anyone is intended�

I have a collection of various PDAs��ranging from the Newton Message Pad, Xircom Rex, Palm Pilot, Cassiopeia �WinCE�, HP Jornada �PPC2002�, Psion 5mx, Diamond MAKO and some other less known PDAs with basic calculator functions�

All these PDAs are created under different OS platforms with almost similar functions software-wise� Its for the users to choose whichever platform they are most comfortable with�

Its kinda like embracing a religion which touches our soul� That's our operating system, that's the belief system which make us appear different from someone else using another operating system��but we are homo sapiens nonetheless�

So in the same way, PDAs running on different OS platforms are still PDAs� Its for the users to choose what suits him best in terms of the features he needs� Thats the beauty of the freedom of choice, and the amount of money you're willing to pay for making that choice�

Just my 2 cents worth�

__________________
I'm just a dreamer..

Posted by Timbuktu on 10-13-2002 04:56 PM:

Re: I think you're missing the whole point�

quote:
Originally posted by Digisane
After all, the difference gap in batery life & software for these 2 different PDA OS in newer devices is getting narrower, and the PalmOS list of advantages is getting less and less�

Opinions welcome�

I see your point now. Thanks.

Sharing a common platform for different OS is an ideal scenario, just as some file formats (eg PDF) readable on the PC platform is mutually exchangeable on the Mac.

However, the Big Boys in Redmond would want to keep the proprietary PPC format all to themselves, unlike the Open Source format which is the hallmark of the PalmOS.

Follow the link below to check out the gloomy prediction for the PalmOS in 2005:

http://www.osopinion.com/perl/story/19545.html

I share your sentiments that Palm needs to find some ways to enhance the user-friendliness of the PalmOS and maybe get Microsoft to share a mutually beneficial common platform for both the PPC and PalmOS.

Regards.

__________________
<A REF="http://www.netwod.com"></A>
A tiny drop of "NuWater" in the vast Internet ocean.

Posted by Madkins007 on 10-14-2002 04:41 PM:

Actually, I think it is kinda silly that there are not some decent standards for text, images, sound, movies, etc. that are built-in across ALL platforms- PC, Mac, Linux, digital cameras, cell phones, MP# players, Palm, PPC, etc., combined with standardized sharing protocols so I could just run a cable from any digital camera to any PDA or cell phone with a screen to view my photos, etc.

Yeah, USB, .txt., etc. are close, but we are not quite there (as far as I know)

__________________
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are at!

Posted by Timbuktu on 10-14-2002 11:45 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Madkins007
Actually, I think it is kinda silly that there are not some decent standards for text, images, sound, movies, etc. that are built-in across ALL platforms- PC, Mac, Linux, digital cameras, cell phones, MP# players, Palm, PPC, etc.,

I can't agree more. Life would have been simpler for all PDA users, whatever the platform we choose. Till that happens, we will just be happy with whatever platform is our personal preference

Regards,

Timbuktu

__________________
<A REF="http://www.netwod.com"></A>
A tiny drop of "NuWater" in the vast Internet ocean.

Posted by jaytee on 10-31-2002 06:56 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Madkins007
Actually, I think it is kinda silly that there are not some decent standards for text, images, sound, movies, etc. that are built-in across ALL platforms- PC, Mac, Linux, digital cameras, cell phones, MP# players, Palm, PPC, etc., combined with standardized sharing protocols so I could just run a cable from any digital camera to any PDA or cell phone with a screen to view my photos, etc.

Yeah, USB, .txt., etc. are close, but we are not quite there (as far as I know)

hmm...

text: ascii, rtf, pdf
images: gif, tif, jpeg, png
sound: mp3, au, wav
movies: mpeg, ... don't watch enough movies

sharing protocols: ftp, rsync, etc.

they _are_ all there, and exist for most platforms too.. people just don't seem to use them or integrate them very well.

Posted by Madkins007 on 11-01-2002 04:29 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by jaytee

hmm...

text: ascii, rtf, pdf
images: gif, tif, jpeg, png
sound: mp3, au, wav
movies: mpeg, ... don't watch enough movies

sharing protocols: ftp, rsync, etc.

they _are_ all there, and exist for most platforms too.. people just don't seem to use them or integrate them very well.

13 standards for 5 categories just from your partial list. Sorta what my point was! But- we all KNOW that Palms use even more 'standards', and that some standardization formats are almost worse than the original problem (personally, I really, really dislike Adobe Reader formating!)

__________________
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are at!

Posted by Keefer Lucas on 11-21-2002 01:45 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Madkins007

(personally, I really, really dislike Adobe Reader formating!)

You can't really appreciate the power of Acrobat until you start using programs that other people don't have readily available. If all you are trafficing in are text documents its difficult to fully grasp the Acrobat concept. I do alot of work in engineering programs and have found the ability to output my work to Acrobat format to be a godsend...allowing me to immediately email a lovely siteplan to either a client or planning office. Previously I would have had to hand deliver it, or do a print-reduce-fax routine which I once actually considered "efficient".

In many respects Acrobat has breathed new life into old programs that otherwise work just fine by allowing you to distil Acrobat output via a "spoofed" printer. My dad has an old engineering program that works fine, but was never meant to be internet friendly. By sending the output of this program to the spoofed Acrobat printer he can email output quickly and easily, effectively allowing him to postpone upgrading a very expensive program indefinately!

So don't be too hard on Acrobat!

All times are GMT. The time now is 06:52 PM.

Show 20 posts from this thread on one page