Possible New Z3000 Owner

[guscpu]

I am thinking of joining the ranks of those of sl-c3000 owners out there but couple of things i would like to know from you zaurus owners

I have two goals, learn to program in Java and learn Unix/Linux as i know nothing about either. Will i be able to do this on the zaurus.

Is the PIM functionality of the 3000 good enough to be usable, I'm not expecting something along the lines of Palm or even MS mobile.

How usable is the keyboard of the 3000 as regards typing up documents or long emails.

I'm sure i'm forgetting something but feedback on these issues would be great

Many thanks for your time

Gus

[darkloran]

I have two goals, learn to program in Java and learn Unix/Linux as i know nothing about either. Will i be able to do this on the zaurus.

if you only use the default environment provided with it (Qtopia) you will learn nothing about linux as this environment is made for "standard" users...
but
you will be able to install a full debian on the SL-C3000 under X/QT. this way you'll get a full linux box and you'll keep functionnalities provided by sharp.

you'll have choice to program java either under Qtopia or Debian.

Is the PIM functionality of the 3000 good enough to be usable, I'm not expecting something along the lines of Palm or even MS mobile.

i'm not sure we can call "PIM" the datebook and addressbook programs provided by sharp.
But fortunately you can use KDE PIM, which runs under linux and windows as well and it seems it can synchronize... (i'm not synchronizing my 3k as it is my PDA and my laptop and my notebook   ).
have a look at kdepim

How usable is the keyboard of the 3000 as regards typing up documents or long emails.

i'm using it to take notes everywhere, i'm programming in perl with it and answering long emails. I find this keyboard really nice. just notice that if you have an extension CF card such as Wifi card or LAN card, your right hand will hardly have access to the keyboard.
don't even forget that you can plug an USB keyboard on it (not while on the road...) once you have the right adapter (A female to miniA).

i personnaly own a sony Playstation2 USB keyboard on which i can connect an USB mouse [the keyboard acts quite llike a usb hub] and they work nicely with my Z3k.

i've owned successively a Visor Deluxe, a Visor Edge, a Palm T|T and a Palm T|T3 and the T3 was a really good pda. But the c3k is more like an ultra small computer. for someone who wants the "pda simplicity" it is not a good choice... but for me it's the pda i've always waited for!  

loran

[mulveyr]

I am thinking of joining the ranks of those of sl-c3000 owners out there but couple of things i would like to know from you zaurus owners

I have two goals, learn to program in Java and learn Unix/Linux as i know nothing about either. Will i be able to do this on the zaurus.

Is the PIM functionality of the 3000 good enough to be usable, I'm not expecting something along the lines of Palm or even MS mobile.

How usable is the keyboard of the 3000 as regards typing up documents or long emails.

I'm sure i'm forgetting something but feedback on these issues would be great

Many thanks for your time

Gus
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   You will be able to learn about Linux using the C3000, but with some caveats - the installation on the Z's, are, shall we say, extremely non-standard in terms of how they're laid out.  You'll get the basics, certainly, but if you're going to spend $800.00 just to learn Linux, you'd probably be better off getting a much cheaper desktop, and using a "standard" distribution like SuSE, Mandrake, Debian, etc.

   The PIM functionality is "usable", but even using the KO/PI, etc addons, they're nowhere near the class you get with PalmOS apps like DateBk5, Snappermail, and so on.  For someone who has never used PIM software before, they might be OK, but if you're used to PalmOS, they'll really feel like a step backward.

   The keyboard is OK for portable work, but it is a chiclet keyboard - and a very small one, at that.  I use a portable  infrared keyboard with mine, generally, for anything more than light text entry.

   Now, looking at my response, it seems somewhat negative.  :-)  But honestly, I LOVE my 3000.  Wouldn't part with it in a second.  But you also have to be realistic - the Z's work much, much better as really small workstations, and are pretty bad as PDAs, when compared to the competition.    The response time and the PIM features just aren't there, yet.

- Rich

[kahm]

I have two goals, learn to program in Java and learn Unix/Linux as i know nothing about either. Will i be able to do this on the zaurus.

Is the PIM functionality of the 3000 good enough to be usable, I'm not expecting something along the lines of Palm or even MS mobile.

How usable is the keyboard of the 3000 as regards typing up documents or long emails.

I'm sure i'm forgetting something but feedback on these issues would be great

Many thanks for your time

Gus

There are a couple of different choices for doing Java on the Z, but the 3000 notably doesn't have Java built in. There are packages of the 860's Java that can be installed on the 3000 if you look.

As for learning unix, that depends on what you mean by learning unix. you can install and play with all sorts of command line programs that will translate across to desktop knowledge just fine. If by "learn unix" you mean that you want to be able to use unix on the desktop, then the better route is to set up a regular desktop distribution on your computer. Better yet, do both and get your learning done hooking the 3000 up to linux on your desktop.

The PIM functions on the 3000 are adequate. A friend of mine is a hardcore user of the stock PIM programs syncing with Outlook ever since the 5500. (He's had a 5000d, a 5500, and 860, and now a 3000). The 3000 will suffer from improper sorting of the address book when English converted. I personally retired my "Palm" (a 200mhz Sony Clie TJ35) once I found the KDE pim suite.

I haven't got the 3000 yet, but I typed for almost 6hrs straight on my 860 on my flight back from Japan. I find the keyboard very comfortable to use and quite fast to type on.

[guscpu]

Thanks guys have taken your suggestions on board, all in all the 3000 seems to be a very powerful device. Thought i have an ipaq at the mo i may wait a little longer as i can see that if i get this now i won't use it for what it was intended. So I'd rather wait until i start learning linux and java on a desktop just to convince myself that the Z would not be wasted.

Cheers
Gus