[Palm OS] What's Garnet up to with the expiration date?
 

Gee, I'm having pretty good success with both address book and Datebk5 syncing. This means I'm starting to be interested in committing the time into both getting used to using it and spending the time inputting the addresses. But our friends at Garnet have already put an expiration date on the product. So, what do you think that means ? Do you think that is just a date they have set to offer new software ? Or maybe pull out? What?

Thanks,
Neil

Re: What's Garnet up to with the expiration date?
 

anybody just have an opinion on this? I see 110 people have read my question. I guess you aren't responding because you just don't know the answer. My thing is that I just don't want to lose this VM thing now that it works so well for me. I just wonder if it will simply stop working on the expiration date. Hey, it's OK to just comment on this even if you don't know the answer.

Thanks,
Neil

Re: What's Garnet up to with the expiration date?
 

Might I suggest that once the Palm functions work well enough and the user base on Nokia grows they will start charging. That may be what the expiration date protects.
Possible Bummer

E.

Re: What's Garnet up to with the expiration date?
 

If I remember correctly calendar year repeats it self every 30 year or so. Would it work that you change the year to 70 - 80 to year were weak days correspond to current year?

Re: What's Garnet up to with the expiration date?
 

Sorry my friend. I think you misunderstood my question. I'm not talking about date functionality in the software. I'm wondering why Garnet has set an expiration date of May 31 for their current software? Am I going to be able to keep it on my N800 after that? Who knows?
BTW- Why do software companies put products out and then not support them like this? They have something going here that basically works. It just appears to me that they need to help people more with it.

Neil

Re: What's Garnet up to with the expiration date?
 

Probably to force you to update to the latest version. It's a common support trick common to many companies.

The next update may/will probably be free, but if users are required to update to the latest version on a specific date, they don't have to worry about having to support legacy versions.

Re: What's Garnet up to with the expiration date?
 

I'll offer the pesimistic view:
1) Palm's new OS will be Linux/GTK
2) They will want to include backwards compatibility
3) They don't have the Linux/GTK Palm OS finished, but they need to beta test their backwards compatibility
4) The Nokia tablets offer a similar software environment, a released product and a group of users willing to beta test things
5) If they improve this and maintain it for Nokia tablets they would compete with their own Linux/GTK Palm OS when/if it arrives
...
Conclusion: I bet they pull it at some point, probably close to when their PalmOS based on Linux/GTK launches. Has anyone seen a statement that they're commited to this product? Has anyone seen it in a long term roadmap? Are there any press releases that even hint at it an ongoing project?

Re: What's Garnet up to with the expiration date?
 

There's a thought JohnX.
Does any body have a scoop on what is going on with Palm's roadmap? These thing leave traces. Traces like this one:

"THE WORLD'S LEADING mobile phone manufacturer, Nokia has announced its intent to acquire the Norwegian software house Trolltech.

Trolltech is the developer of the Qt language that is the foundation of the Linux K Desktop Environment (KDE). It also develops the small footprint, embeddable Qtopia language for Linux based devices like media players and mobile phones."

How will this effect the tablet? How will it impact OS development?

Re: What's Garnet up to with the expiration date?
 

Neat theory, with one problem: Access (nee Palm Software) has had a fall-out with the hardware Palm company, and the latter is now developing /their own/ Linux-based OS.

Unless there's been rapprochment behind the scene between the two?

Re: What's Garnet up to with the expiration date?
 

I find the above encouraging. The fact that Access is an independent actor that apparently has it's own interest in expanding it's user base. I just hope that I will be able to continue to use the GVM on my tablet since it is working so well for me. I fear it will just stop functioning on May 31. Hmm .This doesn't seem like a very good way to encourage users to adopt your product by making us wonder if it will be usable in the very near future. IMO even though this GVM has it's problems, it's ability to sync with Palm Desktop makes it the best PIM on the Tablet. I encourage users to give Garnet feedback via the 'help' link in the software. Hopefully it will continue to be an option.

thanks for your opinions
Neil