Author: Roy Eassa
Date: 08:45:50 04/02/02
Go up one level in this thread
On April 01, 2002 at 19:47:42, Pham Minh Tri wrote: >>Frankly speaking I think that PalmOS, which has been built from the ground up >>for handheld devices is better adapted. >> >>Doing it the other way around (dumbing down Windows until it fits inside a >>handheld) does not work. And that's not what people want, market share shows it. >> >>When you see the nightmare Windows can be on your PC, you certainly do not want >>to let it slip into your pocket. >> >>A typical PocketPC handheld needs at least 16 or even 32Mb of RAM to be of any >>use, a PalmOS handheld just needs 8Mb (at this time I'm only using 2.3Mb of the >>8Mb my m505 has, and I have plenty of data inside and use it every day). >> > >I knew that you are a fan of Palm. Many things you posted here about Palms and >PPCs were right. However, the situation is being changed so fast. What do you >think about that article? > >http://www.pdasquare.com/articles/pocketpc/misconceptions/ > > I have an iPAQ and a couple Palm OS devices (Handspring and Sony). I've used both platforms extensively and even programmed for each. I've downloaded and installed dozens (hundreds in the case of Palm) of extras into each. One thing the article above omits is the concept of clumsiness and inelegance. This is something Microsoft has never understood well and a significant percentage of the buying/using public does not appreciate. That's perfectly OK, and if it's not an issue to the buyer then the PocketPC is a perfectly adequate choice. I agree that it's fast enough and has enough software available. If, however, you are sensitive to issues of clumsiness and inelegance, the Palm OS is a much more satisfying product for daily use IMHO. (By the way, minimizing the number of steps/taps to do most common operations was a critical Palm OS design goal from day one, which is not the case for the Windows CE, to say the least.) For chess strength, the Pocket PC definitely wins at this moment because of its more powerful CPU (that uses up the battery much faster). That will presumably change (big time) in a few months when the Palm migrates to the faster CPU. Bottom line for me: my Sony Clie has a higher resolution (320x320) than my iPAQ (320x240), is a lot smaller and weighs a LOT less, lasts vastly longer on one battery charge, requires far less memory to get the same tasks done, is infinitely more elegant, has on-board expansion (my iPAQ requires a huge "sleeve" for adding memory), and plays admittedly weaker chess than my iPAQ. I bought the 206 MHz iPAQ mainly for chess and now use it ONLY for chess and only rarely as it's still a lot weaker than my PC; I bought my first 33 MHz color Palm device mainly for chess and use it for chess sometimes and many, many other things every day -- it's always ready in my pocket! > >>I admit that I would still be against PocketPC if it was technically as well >>adapted to handhelds as PalmOS because I am against Microsoft's expansion of >>monopoly over new markets. > > >BTW, PPC may be a good market (and challenge) for your software, isn't it? ;) >I am still waiting for a version of ChessTiger for my PPC (I hope I will be one >of the first customers of that software). > > >> >>But I do not even need to be biased here. Most people simply prefer PalmOS, and >>the new ARM-based PalmOS will be even better. >> >> >> >> Christophe
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