ePocrates: move data to expansion memory?

[jimdoc01]

ePocrates' web site appears to state that nothing can be on an expansion card (i.e., memory stick or CF card).

This strikes me as a MAJOR drawback of this software.

Is their statement correct even with PalmOS 5 machines? Is it really necessary to use up multiple megabytes of precious RAM for their datafiles?

[medgirl2001]

Originally posted by jimdoc01
ePocrates' web site appears to state that nothing can be on an expansion card (i.e., memory stick or CF card).

This strikes me as a MAJOR drawback of this software.

Is their statement correct even with PalmOS 5 machines? Is it really necessary to use up multiple megabytes of precious RAM for their datafiles?

As far as I know, ePocrates still does not support any expansion memory. The Tarascon Pharmacopoeia can be loaded to memory stick, however. It's a pretty good program, though I prefer ePocrates. Hopefully ePocrates will support expansion memory soon.

[jiserrab]

There is a program AdvandageRx (http://www.palmgear.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=software.showsoftware&prodID=48853) at Palmgear that allows you to be able to run Epocrates off of card. I haven't used it though so I cannot comment personally on speed or ease of use. From what I have read it isn't that speedy. Anybody care to comment on use of this product? Also there was a thread HERE (http://www.cliesource.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11139&highlight=advantageRx) about this app when it first came out.

[LanMan]

I have used ePocrates from stick using MSMount, but it is slow. I would imagine that PiDirect would also work.

[dúnadan]

None of the solutions are acceptable. Given that the pharmacopeia is generally the most commonly accessed app on a medical PDA user's PDA, it doesn't make sense to use a half-*** solution. I refuse to buy Epocrates or allow a drug rep to buy it for me until they get with the times and add VFS support. In the meanwhile I use the free version and keep it in RAM. If you are looking for an alternative with VFS support, I strongly recommend Tarascon.

[medgirl2001]

Originally posted by dúnadan
If you are looking for an alternative with VFS support, I strongly recommend Tarascon.

I have both Tarascon and ePocrates. I run Tarascon off my memory stick. It is significantly slower using it that way, however. This may not be true of newer models of Clie. I have the T615c, which has a much slower processer than many of the new models.

[RO-Cl]

I'm running the free version of ePocrates on an NX-70, using Zlauncher v. 3.50.1 and Eruware's v 1.2 CF driver.

Works fine. I just timed it: from tapping the icon to having the program loaded and ready to accept input was around 5 seconds.

Having said that, I'm not a doc and refer to it infrequently.

[Unregistered]

I am a doc and my opnion is that 5 seconds is too much

[RO-Cl]

Originally posted by Unregistered
I am a doc and my opnion is that 5 seconds is too much



As I said, I'm not a doc - but I agree absolutely that 5 seconds is too much for an app you use regularly.

I have a flight planning app with a large navigation database that I do use regularly and, because the loading delay from the CF is too long, I have to keep it in RAM. But there's not room for many such apps.

I love the NX-70 but the CLIE's severe memory limitation is, in my view, it's single biggest weakness. The various work-arounds and available utilities add functionality - but all have too many performance limitations or require too many gyrations to be an adequate substitute for more native memory support.

[nickdoc]

I've been using AtoZ Drugs lately. It doesn't have formulary data like ePocrates, but it works from MS and links into the other Skyscape references.