Advice re: Trusted System

M

Mark Jantzen

0
Hi all,

I'd like your advice. My company's decided to stop supporting or allowing Palm synchronization and I'm not sure how to adapt. :?

Alternatives I'm considering:

1. Analog: Pull the Time/Design system off the shelf and use it as a single unified system for my lists.

2. Digital: Use a hybrid of Outlook at the office to track things truly work-related and then use my Palm for everything else and synch at home. My job lends itself to this kind of distinction and I don't travel regularly.

Apreciate any suggestions (Jason?),
Mark
 
I'd suggest trying # 2 first. I've tried going back to paper in the past but once you've become "used" to using a palm , it's not as easy as it sounds.

I'd get myself a good portable keyboard and enter all the "work stuff" that you really need to be on the palm that way.

If you don't already have one --get a good sized memory card and a copy of backup buddy for the palm and backup the entire system to the card.

and of course "sync up" as soon as you can when you get home.

This should allow for a very mobile "trusted system "
 
Re: Trusted System

I lost my Palm and have not reinvested in a new one. Instead I use Outlook at the office and I simply mark all of my person items private. I sync with Plaxo and I use Plaxo to view my Outlook calendar on the Web at home. Essentially all of my info is in "one" place.

Susan
 
Re: Advice re: Trusted System

2. Digital: Use a hybrid of Outlook at the office to track things truly work-related and then use my Palm for everything else and synch at home. My job lends itself to this kind of distinction and I don't travel regularly.

Apreciate any suggestions (Jason?),
Mark
Click to expand...

We're always walking a thin line between supporting more detailed "techie" kinds of conversations and questions, and maintaining the focus on the simple but powerful concepts that don't require that kind of granularity to implement successfully. There are already several postings about discrete software add-on's to the Palm, Outlook, etc. which is fine for the folks who are already deep into those tools, but which might be irrelevant to many of you. In fact, from our experience with lots of people, you can very easily get much too wrapped up in trying to make every detail fit and connect in all the ways you'd like it to. Systems must work when you have the flu, which means easy, simple, straightforward, without having to think too much or work too hard about fitting within a structure. Plain flat lists, tied together in a Weekly Review to keep them current, usually wins the day.

My recommendation continues to support the FUNCTIONALITY of a system. The form (in my opinion) is irrelevant to the effective use of an action management tool such as Getting Things Done. For example, whether I write my "@Computer" actions on a paper list, or in an Outlook task list, it only really works if I am engaged and consistent about REVIEWING that list when I could do something at the computer. For me, speed and compact-ness are major features I look for for my own system. I use a Palm. I have added NO list management software on it, because the Palm designed it perfectly from the start! All I need is a list titled: @Agendas, another titled: @Phone, etc. Now, after 5 years of working this system, I don't have to think "about" this system, I simply have an idea, get it out of my head, and go on to the next thing.
 
My vote is option #2 (which I use). Not perfect, but given the same situational constraints, it's the best approach (for me). Good luck!
 
I don't suppose your company allows sync with Pocket Pc either. Dumb question probably I know but my company discontinued use of Palm but allows Microsoft Activesync and PPC. I use Agenda Fusion to implement GTD.
 
Re: Advice re: Trusted System

Mark Jantzen said:
My company's decided to stop supporting or allowing Palm synchronization
Click to expand...

Can I ask a dumb question?

Why is Palm synchronization no longer supported or allowed at your company?

Thanks, Richard
inveterate Palm-syncer at work :-)
 
Absolutely no sensible reason except it was decided at HQ that the Blackberry would be the supported wireless and PDA with PPC allowed also. Presumably because it syncs with a Microsoft product. I have tried to explain the value of the Treo 600 devices, the simplicity of the Palm operating system and finally have given up. I now use a Blackberry for email when I travel and a PPC for GTD. We can't set up one of the wireless PPC devices for email either.
 
BlackBerry vs. PPC

I'll take a stab...I implemented a BlackBerry solution after checking out the PPc solution.

BB Pros:
----------
*Self-contained. Vertical system, running on a separate server, that the MS platform neither knows or cares about. PPC requires either a) Exchange Server 2003, or b) GOODLink by GOOD Technologies.
* Secure. BB is triple-DES encrypted. Gov't has been using it for years.
* Trusted, tried and true. BBs have been out there (1MM of them, per RIM) for around 10 years.

BB Cons:
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* Vertical system. Double-edged sword; if you don't know what you're doing, you're in trouble (or VERRRY dependent on RIM).
* Support = $$$$. EXPENSIVE support.
* Like a pig with lipstick on. The 7230 is NOT pretty. However, the 7100t is REAL nice lookin' (check http://www.getmoreblackberry.com/)
* Clumsy device. Talking into the phone of this thing is like using a knife to eat soup (it'll work but it's very clumsy).

And no, I don't work for either TMobile or BlackBerry. :shock:
 
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