In the ersatz 770 blog, Roger mentioned having to move fonts manually into a specific folder to have them recognized by the OS.

This made me wonder about three things:

1) How easy will it be to install apps? Will each app come with an installer, or will this site be filled with repeating "How do I install X?" posts?

2) Won't we need a backup program? Sure I trust the OS -- as much as any other OS! I need to know I can keep ready-to-reinstall versions of all my apps on that mini-MMC. Is anyone working on a backup program?

3) How is text selecting handled? I neglected to try this when I fondled the 770. Now I regret it deeply. This question also applies specifically to the AbiWord WP program too.

This is what I wrote about selecting text under PalmOS vs. PPC at http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=5730 --

3) Selecting Text is Hell!!!
Yes, that deserves three !s, as you will see. This item requires audience participation -- I've been shocked and awed to learn that not every PalmOS device owner knows of this feature.

1) Open Memo Pad.
2) Create a New Memo.
3) Enter this sentence of four words: These are four words.
4) Now, I want you to double-tap on the word "are" to select it -- but do not lift your stylus after the second tap.
5) Now, again without lifting your stylus, slowly slide towards the word "These." Well before you even reach the "e," the entire word "These" should be selected.
6) Now, again without lifting your stylus, slowly slide back over the word "are" and towards "four" and then towards "words." If you did it correctly, those entire words should be selected.

Isn't this how text-handling on any PDA should work -- simply double-tap/drag? With PPC, that doesn't work at all! You have to slideslideslide the stylus across letters, not only praying that you selected what you intended (you usually don't) -- but also hoping that the damned Tap-and-Hold prompt doesn't pop up to interrupt!

And that double-tap/drag text selecting feature you just used in Memo Pad? -- it's built-into PalmOS and works in virtually all applications (ironic exceptions noted here)! In fact, such word selecting, via a keyboard, goes back to the days of dedicated word processors -- well before Microsoft even existed. So how could something so elementary -- so historical and traditional -- have been omitted from Pocket PC? There was even PalmOS to show Microsoft how it's properly done! Didn't they look?

(BTW, I did go on to buy a PPC; that GENIO, for about $60 used off ebay. It sucked. And then it died. The sole thing I liked about it was reading free public-domain ebooks with MS Reader. Plucker and that other reader on the 770 will be better, I'm sure. As well as the ability to read PDF files.)

Someone with more experience than I should answer these questions. But as for question 1, since Internet Tablet 2005 is a Debian-based distro, I would think that apt-get would work, and that Synaptic could be/would be ported to provide a GUI-based install.

Of course, you could only install Hildonized apps . . .

OK, now -- those with experience should speak!

Roger

I want a backup program too! I have been spoiled with the Treo 650 having a NAND ROM (persistent memory) which doesn't get erased even if the battery gets drained. Of course, a good backup program can be a workaround.

Not sure if you guys have the device yet, but the device itself will have a backup/resotre option. And for selecting text, it is pretty simple. Start at the beginning or end of a word/letter/phrase, and drag across it. The double and triple tap works as well without the need to "hold down" the stylus.

The backup program is not very stable at the moment, there is still some issues to clear up. The built in backup program allows you to make a backup of E-Mail Messages, Contacts, Documents, Media Files, Bookmarks, and Settings to the RS-MMC card.

No, none of us here have a 770. And I Am Very Jealous Of You for having one!

Fermunky and I both have one so we'll try to answer any questions you guys have about them.

btw Mike, application installation is pretty simple. I've downloaded deb files both directly from the internet and I also transferred them to the MMC and installed them from the File Manager just by double clicking on them. I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to the Linux world myself but the process itself seems very smooth.

I tried installing AbiWord for Maemo and it tells me I need dependencies for the dependencies...I'll figure it out eventually