I have this beautiful little device (Zaurus 5500) with its perfect llittle OS, and all that is missing is being able to syncronise it with something other than Microsoft Outlook. Why on earth did Sharp think that the demographic that buys Zauruses would EVER have Outlook??? Sorry, this just never made sense and with each new release of software for the Z, it makes even less sense. Is it so much to ask for the ability to sync with ANY linux based email client?

/end of rant/

Check this out:

http://www.killefiz.de/zaurus/showdetail.php?app=397

and this:

http://slashdot.org/articles/02/09/09/1246220.shtml

I tried the beta. It has calender and todo lists and the like but no email client and it is really more of a means of backing up the data on the z than a PIM in and of itself. Maybe it will improve in time, but it still pisses me off. :-)

Does anyone know if you can use Multisync with the Opie/zaurus plug-ins with a Z running the Sharp 3.1 Rom?

"Why the **** won't sharp support Linux???"

Wierd isn't it? About two years ago I got a piece of spam that Sharp managed to send to every member of a Linux developer's forum. This is only only piece of spam that I have ever answered. Sharp was looking for developers to write application programs for their soon to be announced Sharp SL 5000. They were willing to give developers a free SL 5000 to use to write an application.

The Sl 5000 uses Embedded Linux and Qt and Sharp also promised to provide all the necessary development tools. So I wrote up a modest application proposal to be released under Open Source (Sharp had no preferences as to license type) and sent it to Sharp. My application was approved and they sent me a Sharp B103 developers kit (Serial Number 2). It was worth about $500 retail.

I went to the Sharp Developers' Site which was still under development and looked for their development tools. They were all available and they all only worked under Windows. I sent an email to my Sharp contact asking for Linux based development tools. The answer was a noncommital, "There are ways around the problem."

Since I absolutely refuse to install Windows on my computer that was the end of my Sharp development career. I now had a free nice toy, nothing more. I sometimes play games on it.

This week, out of curiosity, I went back to the Sharp developer site and notice that they now have some Linux development tools but I did not check to see if the Linux development kit is complete. I am not in any rush to resurrect my dead Sharp project.

I agree with pcghost that Sharp's attitude made no sense.


___________________________________
Be prepared. Create a LifeBoat CD.
http://users.rcn.com/srstites/LifeBo...home.page.html

Steve Stites

Their attitude is like a pro-life abortion doctor. They will sell you a product that runs Linux, but not one that can communcate with it. I will find a way. I flat refuse to use Windows and Outlook for my PDA sync.

My first suggestion is to switch to OZ as it is truly open source.

Then take a look at this topic on the OZ FAQ:
http://www.openzaurus.org/oz_website/faq/faq?id=50

That's a decent method for back-up purposes, but it still doesn't come anywhere near normal syncronization like that which is possible with the devil-spawn Outlook PIM. I would like to see syncronization of email, calendar, todo, etc, just the same way a palm or pocket pc device typically operates.

In your opinion, what are the advantages of OZ over the Sharp ROMs?

I am discussing this topic simultaneously on two different threads. Here is a link to the other thread:


http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...482#post534482


___________________________________
Be prepared. Create a LifeBoat CD.
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Steve Stites

One of the biggest advantages to the OZ Rom, is that you can choose how you want to allocated the memory to RAM vs. Storage. The SL-5500 has 16MB of flash ROM (OZ treats this as writable), and 64MB of RAM. you can install OZ to split this between RAM for the OS and memory for the storage of files/applications. It works out with many combinations: 32/32, 24/40, 16/48 etc.

You can even dedicate the entire 64 MB to RAM allowing you to do some heavy duty multi-tasking and use an SD card mounted as /mnt/ram for storage memory.

The Sharp ROM is split 32/32, which is also the way I installed OZ, although I don't typically run more than one or two applications at any one time, so as I install more packages, I might change to 24/40. We'll see.

Almost forgot, for syncing, you might want to check out
Kitchen Sync

Hey that looks promising. Thanks superbondbond. How about applications, etc in OZ? Are they the same? Is there better apps in OZ? Is it more skinable etc? Sorry about all the q's but I want make sure OZ is right for me. :-)

You can sync but it is complicated. I just make up a backup to my SD card. For apps it comes in handy to have a 6 in 1 card reader. I used to just use win 2K but I accidently got rid of it. On the topic of OZ, does it support proxy configuration. I can't seem to find it.

I also use a multi-card reader. It's conveniant to keep my downloaded packages and misc. mp3's on a flash card.
AFAIK, apps that run on the Sharp ROM will run on OZ. I have yet to encounter any significant problems. There are lots of screenshots on the OZ website.
also, just so you know Pcghost, it's really easy to flash the ROM, so if you're not sure about trying a different ROM, you can buy an extra 16M CF card and keep the Sharp ROM on it so you can re-install it. It about as easy as installing on your typical desktop box.
BTW, I typed this post from my Zaurus via my wireless LAN. cool eh? (pardon any typos)

Here is a link on how to do development work on a Zaurus

http://www-106.ibm.com/developerwork...r-lnxw02Zaurus


___________________________________
Be prepared. Create a LifeBoat CD.
http://users.rcn.com/srstites/LifeBo...home.page.html

Steve Stites