Author Topic: Three nice applications - now freeware  (Read 7859 times)

bartheq

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 10
    • View Profile
Three nice applications - now freeware
« on: September 12, 2004, 04:56:12 pm »
Hi!

We decided to release those applications as freeware:

Zaurus IR Remote Controller - change your PDA into powerful remote controller using IrDA port.

zauLEDSignalizer  - program which uses LEDs of your PDA to show state of many functions on the device.

Zaurus Overclock Tool - an application useful for changing CPU and RAM frequency.

Pretty nice and useful applications now for free  

Download/more details on www.epsena.com

Best Regards,
Bartek Wlodarczyk
EPSENA
www.epsena.com

sigmaX

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 110
    • View Profile
Three nice applications - now freeware
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2004, 05:20:04 pm »
Nice gesture  thanks ... only comment is that zauLEDSignalizer is not yet free in handango  maybe it is a matter of needed time to change it to free download status.
Enrique

sl-c860 / 1gigCF 40X / 256mbSD / Ambicom WIFI / TRENDnet 10/100 ethernet / SL-5500 CF 40X 32MB

Foxdie

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 465
    • View Profile
    • http://trackmygps.co.uk
Three nice applications - now freeware
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2004, 06:52:15 pm »
Any chance of the ledSignalizer source being released so someone else can port it to XSCALE so we can use it on our C series and SL-5600?
Jason "Foxdie" Gaunt
HTC Universal G4 with 2GB SD card running Debian Titchy Linux
[img]http://trackmygps.co.uk/signatures/foxdie.gif\" border=\"0\" class=\"linked-sig-image\" /]
Click image to view my GPS tracker
Follow me on Twitter: @jasongaunt

cekin

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 11
    • View Profile
    • http://
Three nice applications - now freeware
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2004, 03:36:55 am »
It's nice, but this announcement is done in a typical "Zaurus way" - there is no mention which Zauruses are supported (5500? 6000? sl-c700? sl-c860?), which ROMs are supported (Sharp JP?, Cacko? PDAXROM?), if/what additional libraries are required...

I'm really fed up with Zaurus software - I spend more time fighting with device to get something working rather than using it as a tool. This definitely is a geek-only gadget
| SL-C860 | ROM 1.10 JP | ShirtPocket  |
+  PNY SD 512MB  + Origo CF 802.11b

jamesm

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 102
    • View Profile
    • http://
Three nice applications - now freeware
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2004, 05:37:24 am »
This is a step in the right direction.

Am I correct to assume that these applications follow the traditional "freeware" model? (i.e. free to download, but closed source)

Perhaps a move towards the apache-style or better yet, GNU licence would benefit the community even more.
Victim of c3000 ebay scam.... Now after c3100

clivel

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 84
    • View Profile
    • http://www.bundu.com
Three nice applications - now freeware
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2004, 05:41:42 am »
Quote
It's nice, but this announcement is done in a typical "Zaurus way" - there is no mention which Zauruses are supported (5500? 6000? sl-c700? sl-c860?), which ROMs are supported (Sharp JP?, Cacko? PDAXROM?), if/what additional libraries are required...

I'm really fed up with Zaurus software - I spend more time fighting with device to get something working rather than using it as a tool. This definitely is a geek-only gadget
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, it is great that bartheq has decided to release these products free.

Do you expect bartheq to purchase 4 different PDAs and flash them with a few different ROMS? Unfortunately with there being almost no commercial market for Zaurus software, that is not going to happen, and with Sharp's non-existent support for developers it is very difficult to try out different PDAs.
i.e For developing Palm based apps, one doesn't need to buy a whole lot of devices, one can download a bunch of emulators and ROMs from Palm's web site. The only emulator available for the Zaurus, is the original one for th SL5000D. It has never been updated, it makes it very difficult to develop for a 6000 or Cxx device. When Sharp announced the 6000 series, I contacted Sharp to see if I could get a loaner for a few days, to try out my commercial application, or alternatively to have someone at Sharp USA try it out for me. The best they could offer was a minor developer discount on the 6000.

Unfortunately however, you are right, the Zaurus has become a geek-only gadget, in the beginning, there was a great developers community, a lot of promising software was being developed, freeware, open source, and commercial. There was a lot of excitement, and the developer mailing lists were very active. Sharp has done everything in their power to sink the Zaurus, and more or less succeeded. Poor marketing, minimal developer support, refusal to distribute the Cxx in North America or Europe, etc.,etc.
I think the final straw for many developers was Sharp's shutting down the mailing lists, and  the Zaurus Developers Forum without any warning. Many good developers disappeared. The Zaurus could have been a great PDA, as well as a great handheld Linux computer, Sharp has made sure that it won't happen.
Regards,
Clive

dhns

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 699
    • View Profile
    • http://www.goldelico.com
Three nice applications - now freeware
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2004, 10:14:23 am »
Risking to move the thread to a completely different topic:

Quote
Unfortunately however, you are right, the Zaurus has become a geek-only gadget, in the beginning, there was a great developers community, a lot of promising software was being developed, freeware, open source, and commercial. There was a lot of excitement, and the developer mailing lists were very active. Sharp has done everything in their power to sink the Zaurus, and more or less succeeded. Poor marketing, minimal developer support, refusal to distribute the Cxx in North America or Europe, etc.,etc.
I think the final straw for many developers was Sharp's shutting down the mailing lists, and the Zaurus Developers Forum without any warning. Many good developers disappeared. The Zaurus could have been a great PDA, as well as a great handheld Linux computer, Sharp has made sure that it won't happen.

This is exactly why I proposed in other threads to start a "Zaurus Foundation" or "Linux Devices Foundation" or however-it-would-be-called that is backed up by donations to

* hold together the software developers/ROM versions,
* work on open hardware specs (to allow to find someone to have it built) and
* fill the gaps Sharp, Royal, IBM and others (e.g. the SCO-IBM mess might have had a lot of impact as well) have left in Marketing (e.g. professionally promoting Linux based Handhelds as a vital alternative).

Examples for working foundations with good reputation (software only): X.org, blender3d.org and I am sure there are others.

-- hns
SL5500G, C860, C3100, WLAN, RTM8000, Powerbook G4, and others...
http://www.handheld-linux.com
http://www.quantum-step.com

dougeeebear

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 537
    • View Profile
    • http://
Three nice applications - now freeware
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2004, 11:17:35 am »
I installed the above Zaurus Overclock Tool on my SL-5500 with Sharp rom 3.13.
I use opera 7.30 browser with SMC wireless internet card.

Here is my benchmark test from full charge to dead battery...

Continuous internet use at 206.4 mhz = 70 minutes
Continuous internet use at 162.2 mhz = 75 minutes

This is a 7% increase in battery useage, not enough of a difference for me to keep using it.
Also, I don't know what harm might come to the processor by messing with it.
I have since un-installed it.

Doug
« Last Edit: September 14, 2004, 08:40:33 am by dougeeebear »
Zaurus SL-C1000 and SL-5500
NetWalker PC-T1 (tablet)

Ling

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 350
    • View Profile
    • http://
Three nice applications - now freeware
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2004, 12:27:14 pm »
I am trying to run zIrRem on my 860 (Cacko 1.21b) with no joy. It does not run from the GUI regardless of magnification/root options and regardless of the direction the screen is rotated.

When I try running it from the command line with the screen not rotated, it responds with:

Display size = 480x640

The only settings file that I could find was remotes.list and it could not be opened with a text editor.

This was a timely message since my kids seem to have hidden the remote. Any assistance is appreciated.
SL-C3200 w/ pdaXii13 5.3
SL-C860 w/ OZ GPE 3.4.1
Accessories: 4GB Microdrive, 4GB Transcend SD, Linksys WFC12 CF 802.11b, Ambicom CF Modem, Socket Bluetooth

Sephiroth

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 17
    • View Profile
Three nice applications - now freeware
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2004, 12:56:22 pm »
Quote
I am trying to run zIrRem on my 860 (Cacko 1.21b) with no joy. It does not run from the GUI regardless of magnification/root options and regardless of the direction the screen is rotated.

When I try running it from the command line with the screen not rotated, it responds with:

Display size = 480x640

The only settings file that I could find was remotes.list and it could not be opened with a text editor.

This was a timely message since my kids seem to have hidden the remote. Any assistance is appreciated.
Well for everyone information there is an open source ir remote based on lirc.org GPL software .A VGA GUI has been made recently . Some more filehere .
I don' remember if you need other files. Check Linux tutorial on lirc.org .The badnews are : bad range (50cm-1m) and it need the remote to record the touch frequencies , but once setup correctly it work very well.

bartheq

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 10
    • View Profile
Three nice applications - now freeware
« Reply #10 on: September 13, 2004, 03:52:43 pm »
1. Sorry, I thougth that information about supported devices will be shown on Handango, but it isn't, and somehow I missed it on webpage, so I will upgrade it. Those apps are compatibile only with Intel SA1110 chip (SL5000d, SL5500, A). As clivel said, I not able to check all devices and all ROMs (currently I am not  developing for any model of Zaurus). I was trying to do some work with users of other models, but it was pretty hard. (Generally it's hard to develop for Zaurus - there is to many ROMs - take a look at PocketPC to compare).

2. I don't plan to release sources of those apps, but I can help everyone, who want to/have some problems with implemeting similar features.

3. As I said, I'm not developing for Zaurus at the moment (trying PocketPC). Why? Well, Zaurus was great platform on the beginning (considering developer point). Lots of ideas to realise, not much competition   , pretty big popularity. Sharp was trying to got some developers (contests) and support them. But now event Sharp isn't trying to make Zaurus popular. Maybe Linux will never be appropriate for typical user... That's why I'm trying my chances in PocketPC development.

I think that Zaurus Fundation is good idea, but only with some Sharp support, and with big involvement of developers.

Best Regards,
Bartek Wlodarczyk
EPSENA

cekin

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 11
    • View Profile
    • http://
Three nice applications - now freeware
« Reply #11 on: September 15, 2004, 06:26:26 am »
Quote
Quote
It's nice, but this announcement is done in a typical "Zaurus way" - there is no mention which Zauruses are supported (5500? 6000? sl-c700? sl-c860?), which ROMs are supported (Sharp JP?, Cacko? PDAXROM?), if/what additional libraries are required...
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, it is great that bartheq has decided to release these products free.

Do you expect bartheq to purchase 4 different PDAs and flash them with a few different ROMS?
That was not my point. I do am thankful to people like bartheq for their work. Without them Zaurus would have been just an expensive Japanese paperholder ;-)

My point was about the quality of _announcements_ (and documentation in general): why NOT include a very, very simple information which must already be available to the developer:
- Zaurus model (saying "this is Zaurus software" is at least as generic as "this is gearbox for a Ford car"),
- ROM tested (if the developer doesn't know what ROM he is using, we have a much more serious problem),
- dependencies (as in: "libPNG required, version this.that", available at: URL).

I agree with (and weep over) your comments re: Sharp support, though it's hard to blame them - it was clear that the machine is not supported outside JP...

Bartek - thank you for updating the pages :-) It's appreciated.
| SL-C860 | ROM 1.10 JP | ShirtPocket  |
+  PNY SD 512MB  + Origo CF 802.11b

cekin

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 11
    • View Profile
    • http://
Three nice applications - now freeware
« Reply #12 on: September 15, 2004, 06:29:29 am »
Quote
3. As I said, I'm not developing for Zaurus at the moment (trying PocketPC).
I have an application that I wrote for EPOC (Psion 5mx), it was usable on PC (via Psion emulator), but given that a lot of people use PocketPCs or Palms, I came to the conclusion that Java might be a way out... it  works even on Symbian phones, making it a _very_ portable solution.

Just a side-remark...
| SL-C860 | ROM 1.10 JP | ShirtPocket  |
+  PNY SD 512MB  + Origo CF 802.11b

cascadefx

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 30
    • View Profile
    • http://
Three nice applications - now freeware
« Reply #13 on: September 17, 2004, 01:19:07 pm »
Quote
It's nice, but this announcement is done in a typical "Zaurus way" - there is no mention which Zauruses are supported (5500? 6000? sl-c700? sl-c860?), which ROMs are supported (Sharp JP?, Cacko? PDAXROM?), if/what additional libraries are required...

I'm really fed up with Zaurus software - I spend more time fighting with device to get something working rather than using it as a tool. This definitely is a geek-only gadget
I noticed that you have one of the models that has to be "converted" in order to  work with  almost any software as it was originally only released in Japan.  Seems like you have put yourself in the world of hurt that you're experiencing.

I rarely fight with my Z when installing applications, but I have a 5600.  The 6000 will have issues with a lot of Java out there, but its possible advantages as an upgraded platform probably outwiegh those.

And... you are complaining about the Z ("
I'm really fed up with Zaurus software") too, not just the announcements because you talk about fighting with applications.  You might not have that with better announments, but again you're choice of model probably plays a bigger role as it isn't widely available and generally developers have worked with one of the more widely released versions (AKA expect problems).
Zaurus SL-5600
Sharp 1.0 ROM
256 SanDisk Secure Digital Card (fat16)
Linksys WCF12 wireless card

cekin

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 11
    • View Profile
    • http://
Three nice applications - now freeware
« Reply #14 on: September 17, 2004, 03:35:48 pm »
Quote
I noticed that you have one of the models that has to be "converted" in order to  work with  almost any software as it was originally only released in Japan.  Seems like you have put yourself in the world of hurt that you're experiencing.
That's partially true. Even though I've read a lot about Zaurus before making the decision that C-series might be a good successor of Psion 5mx, I didn't fully comprehend that application support will vary so much between Z models. From my point of view both C-series and 5xxx appeared to be strange devices available only in Japan (and a bit in USA).

My impressions (after reading a LOT of materials/reviews/faqs) when I made the decision (after almost a year from the initiation of my search) were that:
1) difference between C-series and 5xxx series is mainly the design (clamshell versus Palm-like) and specs (CPU speed...). As I looked for a clamshell, the choice seemed obvious.
2) you can run all Zaurus applications on any Zaurus machine, the only problem being that 5xxx applications will run on 320x200 compatibility mode on Cxxx (meaning rotated screen, but no other issues).
3) the only significant difference between ROMs is that you can have a Qt-based ROM (supporting all Qt applications) or X-based ROM (supporting X-Window applications). All other differences are related mainly to what standard software is included in which distribution and library versions (which you could simply upgrade).
4) Linux is Linux = compatibility, ease of portability, lots of support...

Quote
And... you are complaining about the Z ("I'm really fed up with Zaurus software") too, not just the announcements because you talk about fighting with applications. You might not have that with better announments
It depends how you see it. IMVHO Zaurus itself is a great hardware, Linux is a nice OS (even if not too user-friendly),  but the applications killed it.

My understanding of "fight" could be a complain about lack of applications, or their poor design/quality, but what I had on mind at the time of writing was simply "fighting" due to the fact that I expected an app to work and tried configuring/installing libs because I thought that it _should_ work, just my Linux knowledge was somehow faulty.

Once you understand that the differences between machines and even ROMs on the same machine are critical, and once you _get_ information about platform support for each application, it becomes clear when you shouldn't even start the fight (app is not supported on your platform/ROM). Unfortunately that information is NOT as available as it may seem. A lot of people just write things like "Zaurus" or "newer ROM" - this confused at least myself

Quote
but again you're choice of model probably plays a bigger role as it isn't widely available and generally developers have worked with one of the more widely released versions (AKA expect problems).
As written above - this is absolutely not clear when you try to make research (especially as people seem to almost never mention platforms for the applications they wrote or cross-compiled). It only becomes clear after you've had your share of problems. Maybe it's different in countries where there is a lot of Zauruses (like 5xxx in USA)...
| SL-C860 | ROM 1.10 JP | ShirtPocket  |
+  PNY SD 512MB  + Origo CF 802.11b