more percise digitizer calibration?

[techno nerd]

on my zire 72, i have to hit the screen 3 times to have my digitizer calibrated, that doesnt seem enough, is there a way to get it more percise with like 20 taps or something?

i have seen that www.palmpowerups.com program, but that is for 320 x 480 screens.

[dmitrygr]

soon....
soon....

[techno nerd]

but i dont mean to be rude, but i would perfer a free program, but of course i will try your demo...

[cyberdude]

but i dont mean to be rude, but i would perfer a free program, but of course i will try your demo...
In general, you get what you pay for (although I would have to exclude the free apps that both Dmitry and Alex Pruss have created from that). Pruss's Mykbd app has a screen calibration routine that is better than the built-in. Dmitry's app so far is excellent - I tried the demo and even though it isn't supposed to effect the digitizer after you leave the program, my digitizer drift is gone, at least for the moment - Dmitry says it will most likely come back.

[lesliefranke]

In general, you get what you pay for (although I would have to exclude the free apps that both Dmitry and Alex Pruss have created from that). Pruss's Mykbd app has a screen calibration routine that is better than the built-in. Dmitry's app so far is excellent - I tried the demo and even though it isn't supposed to effect the digitizer after you leave the program, my digitizer drift is gone, at least for the moment - Dmitry says it will most likely come back.

The idea that you get what you pay for is a common misconception when dealing with software. Commerical software developers often try to push this idea as another reason to buy their software. The list of high caliber freeware and open source Palm programs is nearly as long and varied as commerical software. Likewise the list of useless free programs is also as long as commerical software.

[cyberdude]

The idea that you get what you pay for is a common misconception when dealing with software. Commerical software developers often try to push this idea as another reason to buy their software. The list of high caliber freeware and open source Palm programs is nearly as long and varied as commerical software. Likewise the list of useless free programs is also as long as commerical software.
No doubt. I was using one example. Not getting an app because it costs money is NOT a good reason. Although you can probably get by with a free app, if the one that is better costs a little money I'd prefer to get the better app. OTOH, I have bought over the years 4 backup apps (BBVFS, CardBackup, BackupMan, Resco Backup), but I now use the free NVBackup exclusively (actually I use Rbackup as my secondary backup app). This is an example of freeware that outstrips most if not all commercial products. I use a lot of freeware, but I prefer to even pay for that. I guess I should explain. I like to support the developers that make this freeware possible. If some of us support them, they have more resources to go on developing and they encouraged by this support. For instance, I use LauncherX as my launcher, so I use it all the time. Most of the skins are free. The skin I like best is made by Velo, a superb skinner. Since I use this skin all the time I made a paypal contribution to his paypal account. Also, as I said, I use NVBackup. Since this is also such a superior piece of software, I asked Alex if I could make a contribution. He gave me a URL of a charity, which I contributed to.

I'm not tooting my own horn, but I am trying to make a point. Supporting developers is probably the single most important thing the Palm community can do to make itself better. People like Alex Pruss, Dmitry Grinberg, Henk, Bozidar Benc (RIP), Velo, BuRnN, and many others have made the palm community what it is today. It is incumbent upon us to encourage these people to continue to do what they have already started.

[pruss]

Given how much it would cost to repair a PDA with a bad digitizer (I expect at least $60), the $13 (or whatever it is exactly) is an excellent price, and from a developer who really knows what he is doing. If I had a non-linear digitizer problem, I would buy instantly.

That said, I buy very little software. If I want something and it's not available for free, I am likely to write it myself. :-) I did that with NVBackup.

(By the way, I've been corresponding with the Resco Backup developer. He's a really good developer and we can expect that the next Resco release will address a number of dbcache problems. We've been going back and forth on the best way to flush the cache, and he's discovered some useful stuff.)

[lesliefranke]

I'm not tooting my own horn, but I am trying to make a point. Supporting developers is probably the single most important thing the Palm community can do to make itself better. People like Alex Pruss, Dmitry Grinberg, Henk, Bozidar Benc (RIP), Velo, BuRnN, and many others have made the palm community what it is today. It is incumbent upon us to encourage these people to continue to do what they have already started.

You are not going to get an arguement from me that supporting Palm developers is a good thing, espically the smaller developers who often go out of their way to provide support and the like. I have bought some apps if they are well made and offer a compelling reason to purchase them and have contributed sometimes to developers who offer their product for free but provide a way to donate. My only point is that with most software there is a equivalent piece of software that is free and will do the same type of job (there are a few examples of this where it is not true such as with myKbd, launchers, relational database programs, etc.).

[techno nerd]

whoa, i didnt feel like reading those last like, 3 paragraphs, but idk, i just dont like paying for pda software, or windows xp software for that matter. it doesnt seem right.

[cyberdude]

whoa, i didnt feel like reading those last like, 3 paragraphs, but idk, i just dont like paying for pda software, or windows xp software for that matter. it doesnt seem right.
When it comes right down to it, it is up to you. What I said is my opinion, as stated in my sig. As stated, there is freeware out there that will do most things you need. I would have to say that I feel very strongly about intellectual property. Paying for software, at reasonable prices, is a way of acknowledging this. You should pay for software just like you pay for hardware. You don't expect to get a computer for free, why should you expect to get software to run on that computer for free? If you do find free software, then that's great, but to expect it is being presumptuous, IMHO.

[Shrink]

When it comes right down to it, it is up to you. What I said is my opinion, as stated in my sig. As stated, there is freeware out there that will do most things you need. I would have to say that I feel very strongly about intellectual property. Paying for software, at reasonable prices, is a way of acknowledging this. You should pay for software just like you pay for hardware. You don't expect to get a computer for free, why should you expect to get software to run on that computer for free? If you do find free software, then that's great, but to expect it is being presumptuous, IMHO.
What he said(and very well said Tom!)
alan

[pruss]

whoa, i didnt feel like reading those last like, 3 paragraphs, but idk, i just dont like paying for pda software, or windows xp software for that matter. it doesnt seem right.

Well, we half agree. I don't like paying (whether for software or for anything else). But it often is exactly right to pay. :-)

[cyberdude]

Well, we half agree. I don't like paying (whether for software or for anything else). But it often is exactly right to pay. :-)
Well said Alex. I don't think anyone actually enjoys paying, unless they just like spending money in general. :rolleyes: Not to get too heavy, but it is sometimes the moral and ethical thing to do - which is exactly what you said. :)

[techno nerd]

i like paying for electrical components soldered onto a printed circuit board, but i dont like paying for a bunch of numbers to put into the register key place...

u see what i am saying

[Shrink]

i like paying for electrical components soldered onto a printed circuit board, but i don't like paying for a bunch of numbers to put into the register key place...

u see what i am saying
I see what you're saying but it just doesn't sit right(with me). Surely the developers and authors of software programs deserve compensation. There are a lot of (hidden)costs in developing software programs and for the bigger outfits, a lot of salaries to pay. I don't know what you do vocationally, but if you work, I'm sure you wouldn't like it if no one paid your salary.
alan

[CroCo]

I tried Dmitrys digitizer app on my TH55E but after doing the calibration I could no longer access pixels in the lower task bar (apps, menu, BT, MS, ... ).
Since my normal digitizer works ok- only in fullscreen I have a sligh offset at the bottom- I tried the app out of plain curiosity. I found it a bit weired to tap the crosshair all the way on the edges of the screen, otherwise it seems to be a quite nice app for palmOne devices with ascew digitizers.
Dmitry, when will you make us all happy with a browser with backgound download functionality ? :-)

[pruss]

i like paying for electrical components soldered onto a printed circuit board,

Good for you. I don't like paying for these, either.

but i dont like paying for a bunch of numbers to put into the register key place...

You know, a part of the cost of the electrical components soldered onto a printed circuit board is not the components, but the research that went them, and the numbers that are put in them (e.g., microcode).

[FerdFerd]

You know, a part of the cost of the electrical components soldered onto a printed circuit board is not the components, but the research that went them, and the numbers that are put in them (e.g., microcode).
And, without this all you have is a pile of metal, silicon, and plastic that won't load ones and zeros into registers, free or otherwise.