Jack Killpatrick wrote:
> Erm, thought you were kidding, but since Kathy also gave me notes re:
> PalmPilot, yes, I'm interested mostly in the software being used
> (brand,product,version,platform). If the software integrates with a
> PalmPilot, then notes on how well the integration works would be
> appreciated, too.
I splurged for the PalmIII (which took about 4 times in salary the money
I saved buying it over the net just trying to find somewhere that didn't
have it on backorder for 8 weeks). One handy machine.
Software wise, I use it with multiple programs. It provides me:
A. An interface to MSExchange\Outlook at the office (cuz that program
isn't getting near my home machines). Things come out of exchange, go
into PalmIII, and then get sorted back out into Eudora and other
programs at home. Quite slick.
B. A good study in interface design. (Though I recommend the O'Reilly
book as well, as it points out lots of way to make it even better).
C. The big four programs (datebook, expenses, contacts, notes) are all
slick, and the Palm software does a nice job of allowing you to sync
them to a wide variety of PC-based software--and you can choose which
software for each (i.e., you don't have to use Outlook for everything).
D. Every single piece of shareware I got on the CD with the O'Reilly
book is great in one way or another--from email programs to little menu
hackers. In fact, Palm software design forces people to think
minimalist . . . and it's already spawned about a dozen good web
design/efficiency notes that have become continuing projects undertaken
during my 45 minute commute each day and evening :) It also has a
tendency to make you look like such a geek (answering email on the
train) that, on a good day, you can ride all of the way to work without
anyone even thinking about sharing a seat with you *chuckle*
(You wanna really test your web pages for compatability . . . view them
on a 160x160 grayscale screen *grin*)
Perhaps most importantly, the Palm software you put on the PC doesn't
lock you into choices for syncing. If I want to use it M-F to sync the
office system to home (Outlook -> Eudora; Outlook -> ACT; and Outlook ->
Homesite via notepad), that's fine. If on saturday morning i want to
load WCA email only on it (NSmail -> Palm, and use all 2 megs of memory
for it) and go to the zoo to answer y'all, i can clear it out, load new
mail, then come home at night, ship it out, and reconfigure it Sunday
morning to upload a book to it for a walk in the park, and that evening
set it up for the work purpose on Monday morning--all with a few menu
clicks on the PCs involved during the syncing process. I get to choose
what software I want (which varies) and, in the case of todo lists, i
find it's even easier to maintain them on the Palm and sync them to PC
(whereas you do most things the other way)--in effect, it substitutes
better software than I've found for my system itself.
of course, like anything, it's only useful if you read the manual and
TRY to use it. (Was up at the Media Lab last week and was hassled for
having it . . . being hardcore usability geeks, they never caught on
there because they involved an "extra step" to sync things regularly . .
. of course they have a 2gig/sec infrared ethernet throughout the
building and lug their laptops around all day in perpetual login . . .
point is, it takes a certain attitude to accept it for what it is and
use it for that :P)
I see lots of people with MBAs walking around DC with them, though, so
they can't be that hard to use *giggle*
Anyway, there's some thoughts. If you're not one to adapt to such a
thing, it's an expensive experiment (might want to start with PalmPilot,
which you can find for about $199 now that they're discontinued). If
you really need a flexible PIM system and are willing to sync, and don't
want to be forced into a Windows->Windows solution, this is one element
of it.
Choosing between Outlook and ACT, and Eudora and Exchange, etc., though,
is still a largely personal thing. ;) Being forced to use Outlook 97
for work, I do find some aspects of it nice . . . though they don't
outweight the 8000000000 things that infuriate the hell out of me about
it each day. It is the only comprehensive package I've seen that is
useful as such, though.
On the other hand, our network guy has a PalmIII and doesn't bother to
sync it other than archiving . . . he just uses it, and the software on
it, as his primary PIM package . . .
Brett
____________________________________________________________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Join The Web Consultants Association : Register on our web site Now
Web Consultants Web Site : http://just4u.com/webconsultants
If you lose the instructions All subscription/unsubscribing can be done
directly from our website for all our lists.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
