On Sat, 12 Jul 2003, Joe Polk wrote: > The problem with Sharp and other Linux PDA companies is lack of serious > presence in the US. The 5500 was sold here, true, but not widely. The clam > shells aren't even offered here. I read about all these great linux PDA's but > I can't get them and even if I could, many are priced at $499 +. true, that's pricey for a *PDA*, but i don't think you should be looking at something like the zaurus as a simple PDA. if all you're looking for is a PIM to handle your basic calendar and addressbook, plus a bit more, there's lots of other options, and much cheaper. IMHO, the zaurus represents something considerably beyond a simple PDA. given that it's linux-based, and that you can load it with a full development environment (gcc, java, perl, python) and server software (ssh, web server, ftp server), a tool like the zaurus is now encroaching on laptop territory. now, obviously, you're not going to sit there and program on it using that silly sliding keyboard, so you plug in a network card (wired or wireless) or use the USB cradle, and ssh into it. or, as i've done, install VNC and display the full graphical desktop of the Z on a desktop. and once again, since there are lots of open source apps that have been ported to the Z, think about some of the possibilities. load it up with network monitoring tools and be a network-security-dude- (or dudette)-on-the-go. plug in anywhere, and run nmap on a network. or have some fun with it like i did one day. normally, when i teach my intro linux class at a client site, i plug my laptop into the classroom network, get a DHCP address, tell the class to telnet/ssh into that address, there are logins ready to go, and i start the class. only at lunchtime do i point out to the class that they've all been logged into my little laptop. for those used to personal windows desktops, this is always a bit of a revelation. last time, though, just for fun, i brought my Z and did the same -- set it up with class accounts and sample files, put it on the net, DHCP, etc, etc. everyone logged in, we worked all morning, and just before lunch, i let them know what they'd been working on. jaws dropping all around the room. granted, my Z doesn't have the horsepower to handle a really CPU-intensive class, but i like the possibility of being able to travel and deliver a linux class out of my shirt pocket. :-) anyway, the moral is, it's unlikely linux-based PDAs like the Z are going to be huge sellers since they're not really PDAs. i prefer to think of them as laptops in a small package and, as such, their higher price tag starts to seem more reasonable. rday -- Robert P. J. Day Eno River Technologies Unix, Linux and Open Source training http://www.enoriver.com Hypothetical Bush defense: "Hey, don't blame me! I was just doing what I was told!" Subsequent NY Times headline: "Modest president credits staff work" -- Shrike-list mailing list Shrike-list@xxxxxxxxxx https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/shrike-list
