First day at school …

[TesTeq]

Simplicity

First of all I think the guy in the shop should show you the digitizer routine.
You shouldn't expect any more problems with Palm PDA. If you want to use it simply for GTD and organization of your life do not install any add-on software. Just use the built-in applications and Palm Desktop for backup and synchronization. This is the setup that David Allen uses - see http://david.davidco.com/DavidCo/davidallen.nsf/
TesTeq

 

[Busydave]

Hi Testeq

The guy in the shop gave me a demonstration of the digitizer routine. I hadn't realised that this type of recalibration was a constant requirement.

The Palm seems to be working fine now, and I took a short tour around it last night, and practised a few of the hieroglyphic squiggles and succeeded in getting the right letters to appear.

I will wait until the weekend to do a full set up, and transfer all my paper based lists.

Can I ask one thing – which menu option do I go through to get to the place where I can set up lists?

Thanks

Dave

 

[TesTeq]

Palm digitizer and lists

1. Palm digitizer must be calibrated after each hardware reset (which is rather rare).
2. Buy a screen protector to protect your screen from scratches and potential damage. Scratches in the Grafitti area cause unreliable letter recognition.
3. Lists can be entered as ToDo items or Memo items. The obvious choice for Next Actions should be ToDo but this application is not able to sort items alphabetically. So many users use Memo instead. Of course you can load outlining application with richer functionality.
4. Here is a description how David Allen uses his Palm http://www.davidco.com/tips_tools/tip43.html.
TesTeq

 

[Busydave]

Thanks again Testeq.

Dave

 

[apinaud]

On a more complex thing Dave, if you already use list, try ListPro, you can get a free trial, for me is been a great solution, since I can have my list as they where in paper, and if you have a PC they are 100% compatible with Palm desktop.

There is a post in here talking about the software

good luck with the new palm and your new system.

 

[Busydave]

Thanks Apinaud

Even though I have not yet started to set up my Palm, I can imagine how any application that enhances list management will be very attractive. I like the look of the screen shots on their web page. Great price too. Does it function as a new program, or does it enhance Memo and Task functions? If I have set up GTD using the Memo function, is it easy to transfer data into Listpro?

If I start off by using the memo function to do my lists, will I be able to create a separate memo for each context? Or will I be restricted to creating just one long memo, starting each entry with @office, @hardware, and then sorting alphabetically?

Thanks

Dave

 

[apinaud]

Dear Dave

This function as a different program.

I do not use tasks, and Memos I use for diferent things than GTD.

But for me is a key tool

check it for free and play before you set up your palm, therefore you only setup once.

good luck

 

[Busydave]

Thanks Apinaud, I will test it on the weekend.

Dave

 

[Busydave]

I love my Zire …now that I understand how the set up works. I hadn’t realised that there is specific Palm software that you load onto your PC so that it can link with the Palm – I was under the impression that the Palm’s own software was somehow able to “talk” with Word/Excel/Outlook. :roll: It’s all much simpler than I anticipated. But then again, I’m good at imagining problems. As Mark Twain said: "I have been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened."

Just one question: when hot-synching, how does the process know which version is the one to go with? Naturally I will be very disciplined and use a father-son approach – I will only update the PC or the Palm, and do a hot-synch before I start updating the “father” device. But just say if the “father” device was updated while the son device was being updated, and a hot-synch was performed, which set of data would appear on both devices?

Thanks

Dave

 

[ceehjay]

Dave, go into Palm Desktop and click on HotSync. Under Custom, you can set up whether you want to synchronize PC and PDA, or have one overwrite the other. If you're using Chapura, you can also choose Settings there and make the same choices. I synchronize Outlook. If I am using the Desktop application to enter and change some data, I set that to overwrite before I HotSync. Usually, I just synchronize.

One biggie here -- consider buying BackupBuddy if you have add-on software. If you ever have a crash or battery failure, you will be glad to have the backup to re-install everything!

HTH,
Carolyn

 

[Busydave]

Thanks Carolyn, I can see those options now.

I have to say, the neatness factor alone has already justified the expense. All my partly crossed off lists were really starting to repel me. So far, I’m resisting add-on software, but you never can tell …

Dave

 

[Busydave]

Hi

When I hot synch in the office, all my data gets stored on my hard drive. This of course includes tons of personal stuff. Is there a way of deleting all data before I go home in the evening?

Thanks

Dave

 

[apinaud]

There is 2 ways, one is that you mark all your personal records as private and ask your work machine to do not sync private records.

The other is get the files in a floppy everyday and deleted from the computer.

I use to do the other option, now what I do is ask for password to acess my palm. Go to TOOLS/OPTIONS/SECURITY and mark require password.

That do not make it really secure, but avoid some level users to be out.

 

[BrianK]

Dave,

If you're just using the standard palm databases, Chapura's Pocketmirror (I think the Pro version) will allow you to not sync private items. I use it to keep private or personal things off my work computer. It will also allow you to not have those private items backed up when you sync. It's not quite the answer to your question (sync it to the computer and then zap it), but if you're not referring to your work computer for reminders of tasks that you want to keep private, it'll work.

 

[Busydave]

Apinaud, Brian, thanks very much. I’ll try out those options this evening.

Dave