Network feature for ScreensOS

[zhamilton1]

www.geocities.com/zhamilton1

I would like to know how many of you would use such a feature, please vote (:

Network:

Untill now, PalmOS devices have used bluetooth to connect to single destinations and connections have always been from the device to somewhere else and not the other way round.
For a few months I have designed a system that I am planning to include in ScreensOS but would like to know if you would like it.

What is it?
Well, think of a system where let's say your friend has a file on his Palm device (Bluetooth enabled) and you see him. Instead of having to go up to him, asking him to give you his device, find the file and then make him wait untill the file is sent over bluetooth to your device, you could login into his device (being in range of his bluetooth) choose which files you want (which he shared), flag them for copying and then the files would copy to your device without even having to touch his device or even talk to him (:

Going even further, my design allows you to flag the files you want and even if you go out of range and return later, it will download the files anytime you are in range like resume downloads.

This feature would be intergrated in the core of ScreensOS OBS system and therefore would be very user friendly.

Would you like this? Would you use this?

[Alistar]

Oh, yea, your file sharing idea, right?
Sounds pretty neat, although I don't have bluetooth.

[Slugman]

I think I might use this, but it might be more useful if instead of viewing shared files, it was shared "items", such as address book entries and calendar entries too. Trying to share items even between my Clie and PC over bluetooth at the minute is rubbish, and none of the services available seem to work very well...

It sounds like you have some good ideas for this, I'm looking forward to seeing how they all come together.

(just had a thought, I might not use it so much, because I don't know anyone else with a BT clie...! but hey, it'd be nice to have the option!)

[Alistar]

He means Clie to Clie not Clie to computer though.

[Slugman]

Yep, I understand that - just meant it's dodgy enough going Clie-PC, so if he can get it running smoothly Clie-Clie it could be useful.

If I knew anyone else with BT...!

[zhamilton1]

It is between any 2 PalmOS bluetooth enabled devices.

When I meant files, I meant the objects of my OBS system which is a virtual organziation layer (like a virtual file system) which includes datebook, memo, address as objects, so they could also be shared easily.

This would probably before the release but wont be in the core of ScreensOS just because many users dont have bluetooth.

Although I dont have bluetooth, I plan to get one to able to develop this component. (:

[br-]

Well, think of a system where let's say your friend has a file on his Palm device (Bluetooth enabled) and you see him. Instead of having to go up to him, asking him to give you his device, find the file and then make him wait untill the file is sent over bluetooth to your device, you could login into his device (being in range of his bluetooth) choose which files you want (which he shared), flag them for copying and then the files would copy to your device without even having to touch his device or even talk to him

The problem I see with this is that everyone has full access to everyone elses files without permission. A solution to this would be having everyone put all the files they want to share in a directory that is public. Of course it is limited to read access.

Or you could setup a system where you check off what you want to share. Eg, contacts, tasks, mp3s, etc. This would be really neat.

[zhamilton1]

The OBS design allows users to share not just single objects but whole collections. To share something just either drop a collection into the share collection or drop an object into the collection.

The OBS layer is sort of like a virtual layer where all objects are pointers and therefore you can have two pointers to the same file.

By default, just applications are shared. But users can easily share ALL thier appointments, movies or specific categories or even specific entries very easily.

[n2ifp]

Sounds like it could be fun. Currently I won't have any need for it. Times are changing, so one never knows if it would be wildly popular or not.

[Bionic Antboy]

I think it's a great idea. Now we just need the proliferation of devices that will be enabled to do it.

BTW, I've been looking at the ScreenOS thread on and off (not really much to contribute), and it's sounding really cool.

[kp*]

So long as there wasn't an easy way to hack into it to get files without people's permission, it sounds like a good idea.

[cykalan]

a very interesting idea indeed. :)

i think i will give it a try when it's out (and of coz only when i have acquired my UX50 (or NX83 if they are going to make one) :) )

[orol]

hamilton, please get TG50 as a BT device (you can buy one on ebay around $200 :-) and pls take advantage of the keyboard like switchin between screens, using shortcuts (at least like /X /P style )etc etc
that wold be great..

[cbulock]

It's a great idea, and would be even better if some kind of standard was made that other Bluetooth devices could use. You could retrive a movie off of a PPC and watch it on your Clie, or your friend might want to browse pictures off of your phone from his Bluetooth device. There could be many uses for this.
Also, I seem to remember Palm creating an app like this but never released. It was called something like Cambio.

[cbulock]

Here's a story from PIC about the Cambio app. Both very good ideas, but it sounds like Zakai's implemention is more thought out.
http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=2971

[zhamilton1]

I am glad you like it (:

It is one of the main features I want to give however i might have to release it as a second release/plug-in since I will need to buy bluetooth devices to test it on, so I will have to see about that (:

Note that the feature sounds quite dull however when you cross it with my OBS design which allows everything to be an object, it makes much more sense. However the idea improves to a broader audience when if someone looks at your device, you can even show advertisments, so you could do the community a favour by sharing all your applications and in turn they could see your "Car for Sale" notice. (:

However, dont worry about spammers since the connection is one way which means that although you can share files, other people cannot send you files without your permission.