Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 13

With OS 3.3 upgrade 3Com suppled document called OSUpgrade.pdf where they say (page 7):

In the past, changes or enhancements to the basic operations of your handheld were distributed by means of a kind of add-on application (sometimes called a �patch�) that you installed on your handheld. The upgrade utility, which you use to install the 3.3 Upgrade, provides another, more efficient method of adding improvements to your handheld.
...
Future enhancements to the operating system of your handheld are likely to be made available to you through this upgrade utility.

Who else is going to cancel the Visor?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Urbana IL
Posts: 144

I hope to hear some statements from Handspring re OS upgrade support, or might be returning it in the next 30 days. I never liked the no-flash idea, but I was somewhat mollified by the ability to patch the OS. Now it looks as though Palm might be purposefully writing flash-only upgrades just to screw Handspring, which REALLY leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[note that the statements about palm are complete conjecture, but it is pretty suspicious to be cutting off Visor owners with OS support just as the Visor is released]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Spokane, WA, USA
Posts: 114

Not me. First of all, in case you're one of the hundreds who missed the previous posts on this topic, it seems that most if the improvements in OS 3.3 are already incorporated in Handsprings PalmOS 3.1h.

Second, Motorola just announced two new DragonBallEZ processors... both faster, and one with color support. Do you honestly think that any further OS upgrades are going to really do you any good? They're going to jump to OS 4.0 in the next machines that support color, and you'll still be stuck with a device with a monochrome screen -- Good thing you demanded FlashROM for extra money! Either that, or you'll just do without for the next seven to nine months until the color machines are released.

It appears that Palm and Handspring are both going to jump on the color bandwagon with impending diminishing demand for monochrome machines, which is fine so long as the battery life and screens can be done reasonably well. And there are either rumors or true accounts (haven't read the story in full yet) about PalmOS on an ARM processor... try Flashing _that_ OS onto your DragonballEZ.

The reality is that whatever machine you choose to buy now is going to be relegated to non-color support with a now-soon-to-be-replaced processor -- just the like the Palm IIIs and the Palm IIIx's (remember the old DragonBall->DragonBallEZ switharoo and the necessary OS 3.0->OS 3.1 updates?)

Stop panicking about FlashROM for crying out loud. Patches aren't _that_ clunky. And any minor Visor bug fixes will be just fine.

Haven't people figured this out yet?

[This message has been edited by Chazzz (edited 10-20-1999).]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: San Francisco, USA
Posts: 75

1) If 3Com is dropping OS patches, then they're only hurting themselves. The Palm IIIe is not flash-upgradable.

2) Due to the differences in hardware, it might be that an OS patch for the Palm units won't work with the Visor. It might be that Handspring releases OS patches for their units.

3) We already have an official statement from Handspring about OS upgrade support. The Hawkins interview that VisorCentral ran a week or two ago seems pretty "official" to me.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 187

Why would you care if the OS is solid to begin with? The Visor version has even cooler mods than the prior patched OS's. If it works, don't mess with it! It seems that a lot of people are caught up in the MS "gotta upgrade it" mentality.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Pittsford,NY,USA
Posts: 223

Don't forget that there is absolutely nothing preventing Handspring from issueing patches.

I doubt we could use a Palm patch anyways. (Handspring modified the OS to support the Springboards and USB.)

I'm not worried.

-Eric

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Kalamazoo, MI USA
Posts: 27

I'm not worried either - but I understand how easy it is to get caught up in the latest new technologies, capabilities, toys and tools.

I have a fairly clear idea of just how I will be using my Visor, and what it does now fits my needs quite nicely. The reason I can feel confident in this purchase and not worry about upgrade frenzy is that I have, until just recently, continued to us a Macintosh LC (with the 68-oh-too-slow processor)and an early version of System 7. For what I needed that computer for, it worked just fine. Just gave it to a family that hasn't been able to afford a computer for kids to do homework and didn't want to hassle with "protecting" their kids from the evils of the internet.....

I'm sure my Visor will be a reliable companion for years to come. When I need something "better", I'll do the same and find someone to give it to......

------------------

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Urbana IL
Posts: 144

I think it is pretty naive to assume that the existing software will work perfectly for the rest of time. _Something_ will create a reason for patching. If Palm doesn't issue the updates as patching, then Handspring will have to do a diff of the ROM sources and figure out what has changed and how to patch in the changes. This is a lot harder than taking an existing Palm patch and tweaking it for the Visor. What this says to me is that Visor updates will be delayed
a) a week or two from Palm updates
b) forever due to Handspring's lack of concern with flash

I've read all of the other posts on flash, and I stand by my opinion. I think it should have flash, I would gladly pay the $10, and I'm quite worried about this "no-patch" future Palm envisions.

One last note: people like to talk about the fact that newer OS versions will likely run on newer hardware. However, I think it is very likely that there will be more incremental upgrades prior to that. Prior to 3.3 many people were saying "3.3 is for Vx only." Now it is out for all platforms.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 74

I am not worried. HS has implemented everything I wanted from 3.3 (actually more than I care about, I have yet to go to Europe).

With the promise of color palms I believe this is the last real 3.x upgrade other than very minor fixes. New energies will probably be focused on 4.x for a color unit.

I also don't care because I have yet to use the same handheld for more than six months

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Burlington, VT, USA
Posts: 127

I flashed my Palm IIIx (available on EBay, closes this weekend :-) to 3.3 and there's no working difference for me. IR Hotsync has been added, and the serial Hotsync has been sped up. I'm not going to use IR, and the Visor's USB will still be dramatically faster than the 3.3 serial Hotsync. The only other appreciable "improvement" is the addition of the Euro symbol, which has so far just resulted in spurious Euro symbols popping up in a few Help screens.

Of course, I do WISH that Handspring had put in flash, but it's not a killer for me that they didn't. By the time a signficant upgrade comes around, it'll probably accompany some really cool new piece of hardware from the company that I'll upgrade to anyway.

And I certainly wouldn't worry about compatibility. There are too many Palm OS units out there that can't be easily upgraded for software designers to require Palm OS 4.0 for future releases. Just as most new apps still support Palm OS 2.0 (and the majority still support 1.0), I don't think Handspring users have anything to worry about.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Pittsford,NY,USA
Posts: 223

The Visor already has the euro symbol, so no worries about that. Yup 3.1h is just fine.

-Eric