Tuesday, September 1, 1998

Where to find Mac PalmPilot device resources

MACINTOSH SURVIVAL GUIDE

By Jim DeLaHunt

So, where can a parched and weary Macintosh user go to for fellow travelers, tips, and tricks? It turns out there are a wide variety of places.

Certainly this very PalmPower Magazine has a lot to offer. Apart from this series, Chris Brown had an informative article on "Solving Common Macintosh problems" in the March 1998 issue. And, the PowerBoards are home to reaction, discussion, and some questions and answers. The ace in the hole is that the editorial staff of this magazine are Mac enthusiasts themselves. Here's where to find some of the back issue articles:

  • Mac tips are located at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199803/macuser001.html.
  • The first article in the Mac-related series is available at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue199805/apples001.html.

Rusty Kay's MacOS PalmPilot page is full of helpful links and pointed commentary. It's been a treasure trove for my article research. It's located at http://www.geocities.com/Eureka/1943/macospilot.html.

Jim McCarthy's Pilot Software archive appears to be similar to PilotGear HQ, but is a more convenient, Mac-centric place. Check it out at http://spider.coba.unr.edu/~mccarthy/pmark_mypilot.html.

YSuzuki's Pilot Dock is home to the tireless Yukinari Suzuki and his various useful links and utilities. I can't say enough about the utilities; they are necessary, simple, small, easy, and reliable. Get them at http://www.gix.or.jp/~ysuzuki/index-e.html.

Eurocool is one of several PalmPilot software download sites on the Web. It seems to make more of an effort to be "Mac-friendly", having .sit files as well as .zip files. Check out its category of "Desktop - Mac" software, at http://www.eurocool.com/palm/apps/category/15.html.

Of course, PilotGear HQ has a respectable listing of Mac-related applications. Search for software in the "Desktop:Mac" category. Their main web page is at http://www.pilotgear.com/.

The MacFixit site is focused on Macintoshes and MacOS rather than the PalmPilot organizer, but it has had good advice in the past. For instance, a user here reported that they could run the Windows version of the PalmPilot Desktop Software 2.1 using Virtual PC, which always impressed as a clever, if expensive, work-around. Check it out at http://www.macfixit.com/.

Finally, check the 3Com/Palm Computing support Web pages from time to time. Currently, there are three technotes marked ask Mac-related. This is also where you get Pilot Desktop software upgrades. Visit Palm at http://palm.3com.com/custsupp/index.html.

Jim DeLaHunt is an independent PalmPilot software developer. In his spare time, is an engineering manager with a multi-national software company and a tenor with local opera companies. He can be reached via E-mail at jdlh@jdlh.palo-alto.ca.us.