Listen to word of mouth
Don't forget to speak to other actual Palm users. The best way to find the experienced Palm addicts is to attend the Palm User Groups (PUG). Majority of PUGs are free to visit. Moreover, the developers often support such communities by donating the free registration to be drawn as door prizes. Nowadays, almost every large city in the world has a PUG or several. You can find the nearest Palm User Group at http://www.interpug.com as shown at Figure D.

FIGURE D


InterPUG.com helps to find the nearest PUG out of about 200 registered Palm User Groups around the world. Roll over picture for a larger image.

If you can't attend PUG's meetings, talk to relatives, friends and colleagues who use Palms. Their experience may surprise you.

If you want to purchase specific software, consult the professionals first. For example, if you wish to purchase a medical program to track your health stats, show the program to your physician and get a professional opinion first.

It's just common sense. As I actually listed the key attributes of good software, this stuff could be also useful for many developers. The article will help them to think on their current services and possibly to make it better. If each developer does his job professionally, users will be happy.

Don't forget to add your own two cents! If you got a negative or positive experience with any software, let us know. It will help other Palm users to choose the right software for their Palms.

Dennis Crane (dennis@utracksys.com) is a co-founder of UTrackSys.com LLC at http://www.utracksys.com, which develops multipurpose tracking software for Palm OS handheld devices. In the company Dennis is responsible for marketing issues and for customer relationships.