[ale] PDAs and Linux

[David S. Jackson]

On Wed, Jun 12, 2002 at 07:33:45AM -0500 John Wells <jb at sourceillustrated.com> wrote:
> I'm going to be in the market soon for a PDA, and I'm trying to weigh my
> options.
> 
> Aside from linux-based PDAs, in which the OS is some variant of Linux, I'm
> wondering if any PDAs out there provide software to work and sync with
> Linux.   In other words, calendars, address books, etc. that you can run
> and update on Linux and upload/sync to your PDA.
> 
> Because I use Linux almost exclusively at home, it would probably be a
> waste of time to buy a PDA that only provides Windows software.
> 
> Thanks for any information you might have.

I too have gone round and round on this stuff.  My main gripe has been
the flimsiness of some of the palm devices.  I've had screens go bad,
cracked displays, and resets for unknown reasons with my two palms.
(Palm Pilot Pro and Palm IIIxe)  I've been given to understand that some
of the more expensive devices are sturdier, however.

The only thing is, if you're going to be dropping major dollars for a
PDA, why not make sure you're buying a palmtop computer and not just
another PDA?  

But personally, I don't really *need* a palmtop computer.  I just want
something to remember my addresses and phone numbers, etc.  Sure it
would be nice to ssh into my home machine and stuff, but I don't really
*need* to be able to do that from a palmtop.  So I don't think it's
worth $500 plus to me to get a palmtop computer that can run
Linux/BSD/whatever.  

So, whichever route you take, my advice is to get excellent quality or
at least a very good warranty.  Otherwise, the Palms seem to behave too
much like Windows from my experience.



-- 
David S. Jackson                        dsj at dsj.net
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
I have a map of the United States.  It's actual size.
I spent last summer folding it.  People ask me where
I live, and I say, "E6".  -- Steven Wright

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