Wall Street Journal article on Microsoft Documents

[Tixx]

Office Documents Look Better
On Palms Than on Pocket PCs

One advantage Pocket PC hand-held devices are supposed to hold over the Palm variety is that, because their software is designed by Microsoft, they can view, create and edit Microsoft Office documents, while Palms can't. But this isn't exactly true. Most Palm models, as well as the Sony Clie PDAs based on Palm's operating system, come with an add-on program that allows them to work with Office documents.

I've been testing this program, Documents To Go from DataViz, and comparing it to the Pocket Word and Pocket Excel programs that come with Pocket PC hand-helds from companies like Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba and Dell.

My surprising conclusion is that, in many respects, Documents To Go does better with Office documents than Microsoft's own PDA programs.

Documents To Go comes in several versions. The Standard edition, which comes with the Clies, handles Microsoft Word and Excel files only. The Professional edition, bundled with most Palm models, adds support for Microsoft PowerPoint files. There's also a Premium version, with extra features, that sells for $69.95, or $29.95 as an upgrade from lesser versions.

When you buy a Palm or Sony hand-held, Documents To Go isn't preloaded. You have to install it from the CD-ROM that comes in the box. It takes up as much as two megabytes of memory, or RAM, which can be a lot on some Palm models. By contrast, Pocket Word and Excel come preinstalled on Pocket PCs in a way that reduces their memory usage.

Documents To Go installed easily on two Palm-based PDAs I tested, a Palm Tungsten T, which comes with the program, and a Handspring Treo 300, which doesn't. For comparison, I used a T-Mobile Pocket PC. I only tested features available in the Professional edition.

One big difference between Documents To Go Professional and the Pocket PC software is that the former handles PowerPoint files. Surprisingly, the Microsoft software doesn't. If you buy a Pocket PC and want to work with PowerPoint files, you have to pay for a third-party add-on program or pick a Pocket PC model that includes one. Another difference: Documents To Go works on both Windows and Macintosh computers, while Microsoft's software is Windows only.

Documents To Go creates a window on your PC into which you can drag any Office documents you want to use on your PDA. To transfer documents and synchronize any changes you make in them, you just push the Hot Sync button on your Palm cradle or cable, as usual.

The Pocket PC software creates a special folder on your PC into which you drag any Office documents you wish to transfer and synchronize. The synchronization is automatic and doesn't require the push of a button, but I found it flakier and less reliable than Palm's synchronization.

Both systems convert the documents to a format that's easily viewed on the smaller hand-held screen while retaining the content and formatting. And both let you make changes on the hand-held that will be transferred to the PC version after synchronization.


A Documents To Go screen shot


I created a half-dozen typical Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents for my test. The PowerPoint documents transferred very well to the Palm using Documents To Go, and I could even add slides and make changes on the Palm that were synchronized back into the PC version, though no formatting is possible. I couldn't test them on the Pocket PC because the built-in software doesn't handle PowerPoint.

When I tested the Word files, Documents To Go proved clearly superior to the Pocket PC. It displayed the documents faithfully, down to the fonts, graphics, colors and tables. And when I made changes and synchronized them, the changed version on the PC retained all its original characteristics, plus the changes.

On the Pocket PC, however, the fonts were changed, and they didn't revert back on the PC after synchronization. A table in the original turned to an incoherent mess on the hand-held. There were large areas of white space that hadn't been present in the original, and some color text in a border on the PC document was rendered vertically on the hand-held, one character a line.

When I synchronized the documents after making changes on the Pocket PC, the mysterious white space and other oddities showed up on the PC. Pocket PC does have a spell checker that Documents To Go lacks, but its mutilation of the documents seemed to outweigh that plus.

The comparison was closer with my test Excel spreadsheets. Documents To Go rendered them fine, and allowed changes that were faithfully reproduced back on the PC. But the Pocket PC did so as well, and it offers more tools on the hand-held for formatting and arranging cells.

However, even with spreadsheets, Documents To Go had one clear advantage: It can view and even create charts on the Palm. Not only can't the Pocket PC handle charts, but when I made changes in a spreadsheet with a chart, the charts were wiped out on the PC after synchronization.

Anyone seeking to view or edit Office documents on a PDA would do fine with a Palm-based model and Documents To Go -- better, in many respects, than somebody using a Pocket PC.

Write to Walter S. Mossberg at mossberg@wsj.com

Updated February 6, 2003

[EdFrmBrighthand]

As a journalist, I'd ask you to please not post the full text of copywrited works in forums like this one. Walter Mossberg makes his living as a writer and you've basically just stolen his work.

OK, off the soapbox. If you'd like to see the comparison between the two we did a Brighthand, look here:
www.brighthand.com/article/Office_comparison
This includes pictures and examples that (in my opinion) do a better job of explaining the differences. Steve came to the same conclusion, though.

[nevarDeath]

Walter mossberg is the ****! He is a great writer, everyone should pick up the thursday wall street journal (weekly) and read his column, letters and the technology journal!

[fingermouse]

Originally posted by EdFrmBrighthand
As a journalist, I'd ask you to please not post the full text of copywrited works in forums like this one. Walter Mossberg makes his living as a writer and you've basically just stolen his work.



Hmm, that seems a touch harsh, he has not really stolen it as he has not passed it off as his own work.
I can't quote US laws as I am from the UK, but it would seem in the uk that what he has quoted would constitute fair use, especially as he is only quoting a portion of a journal, in the uk you fair use allows you to make a copy of one article from a journal, one chapter in a book or no more that 5% and so on.  There is also a Fair dealing for criticism and review, which actually has no official limit, but it is generally accepted that the limits for personal use should apply.  It has been but up here for review and hence could be OK.

Copyright is a tricky subject and to just say he has stolen it is not very fair.

[Tixx]

Originally posted by EdFrmBrighthand
As a journalist, I'd ask you to please not post the full text of copywrited works in forums like this one. Walter Mossberg makes his living as a writer and you've basically just stolen his work.

OK, off the soapbox. If you'd like to see the comparison between the two we did a Brighthand, look here:
www.brighthand.com/article/Office_comparison
This includes pictures and examples that (in my opinion) do a better job of explaining the differences. Steve came to the same conclusion, though.

I'm not sure the law, but I guess you are. Please share.
Thanks:)

[sebring]

Originally posted by EdFrmBrighthand
As a journalist, I'd ask you to please not post the full text of copywrited works in forums like this one. Walter Mossberg makes his living as a writer and you've basically just stolen his work.



I also have to disagree with you on this one. The source was correctly attributed to Mr. Mossberg and the Wall Street Journal. Quoting writers is not stealing their work, in fact quoting a writer enhances the credibility of his work.

The same article was also published verbatim in another commercial publication. I don't recall which one, but it was not the WSJ. I believe it was one of Znet's web sites.

[curious]

Ed is right. As I understand it, fair use covers restricted use -- for example, reviews, scholarly use, educational use in class... not redistribution in full to the public, as is happening here. Some plain-language articles about fair use may be found here: http://lawcrawler.findlaw.com/MAD/ This one seems especially applicable: http://lawcrawler.findlaw.com/MAD/fairuse.htm

and there's a nice, short overview at the Electronic Frontier Foundation: http://www.eff.org/IP/eff_fair_use_faq.html

standard disclaimer : I'm not a lawyer ;)

[Tixx]

Don't have the time to sift too much. I did find this though: (This might be copyrighted too:))

Luckily for conscientious consumers, the doctrine of fair use can be a complete defense to a charge of copyright infringement. If your purpose can be classified as criticism, news reporting, research, or teaching and if you pass the four-part fair use test, you can copy those copyrighted works and display them on your WWW curio cabinet.

The doctrine of fair use is described at 17 U.S.C. Section 107. "Notwithstanding the provisions of section 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include - (1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for or nonprofit educational purposes, (2) the nature of the copyrighted work, (3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole, and (4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work."

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by EdFrmBrighthand
As a journalist, I'd ask you to please not post the full text of copywrited works in forums like this one. Walter Mossberg makes his living as a writer and you've basically just stolen his work.


Ed,

This is not not about stealing the column. It is more about spreading, sharing and quoting his opinion to let non-WallStreet readers know about it. Tixx is in no way making his living of re-posting Walter's article over this forum as well. I don't believe every WallStreet reader will jump to this thread to read that one.

Stealing a published article means an article that has been published before it got published by the original writer.

[Gizmo]

To get back on topic, I would like to comment that I use Lotus SmartSuite, and DTG works flawlessly with WordPro and 123. A great product that I highly recommend.

[Unregistered]

Ed is correct. You cannot reprint the entirety of a copyrighted article without permission of the copyright holder, in this case the WSJ. (You can bet that ZDNet obtained permission from the WSJ if they reprinted the entire story.)

However, under Fair Use you can quote a portion of the article (such as the first paragraph), cite the source and provide a link to the full article and that would be okay.

[T1000X]

Here is my question. What about a four way comparison between just word processing applications? Like between Word to Go, WordSmith, QuickWord and Pocket Word? I'd really like to know which one is the best, because with a recent job promotion I'm doing a lot more data entry on my Clie then ever before.

[Rowdy]

I've been using an iPAQ for the last couple of weeks :eek: in addition to my NR, because the Army is looking like it is planning on making PPC the standard for its "issued" PDAs. I had used CE before making the jump to Sony three years ago.

From the last two weeks I can tell you that I was VERY shocked and disappointed in the PPC's ability to handle Word documents. Headers, footers, tables...none of that stuff works on Pocket Word. There are third party vendors who offer alternatives, much like D2G does for Palm, but gimme a break. You would think that since M$ touts PPC as being a "PC in your pocket" that would create applications that work more seemlessly with the desktop versions. Apparently not.

Excel seemed about the same (although I don't really use it). Powerpoint is non-existant. You HAVE to use a third party app to view slides.

Docs2Go is considerably better than the PPC offerings. As for other Palm third party apps, I have no experience, so I can't really comment on that.

[foghead]

That article is the kind of lidriverl that is typical of the mainstream press when dealing with the computer industry.

As it happens, the PPC has the best word processor available and a spreadsheet that is at least as good as any of the ones available for Palm OS. There are also great PowerPoint replacements, etc.

Take a look at textMaker. It is basically a full replace emt for Word. It includes tables, TOC, index and glossary generation. It also has a full thesaurus and spell real-time spell checker.. It reads and writes native word files and maintains all formatting. It is by far the best word processor available on either platform. It is commercial.

SpreadCE is a free, very complete Excel replacement. 325 functions, full formatting control, maxros, and graphs.

Pocket Slides is an incredible slide program. I use it to create, edit and display PowerPoint presentations. It supports transitions, animations, reordering, speaker notes, annotations. It is also commercial.

If the article is only comparing what comes bundled with most units, than it is no too far off. But if it is trying to say that the software for Palm OS is superior, it is completely wrong.

I still prefer my NI60 much more than the PPC for everyday use, but for MS Office type of business tasks, I much prefer the power and native compatibility of the PPC software that is currently available.

OK, give me minute to put on my Nomex underwear. :p

[merle]

Originally posted by foghead
[B]That article is the kind of lidriverl that is typical of the mainstream press when dealing with the computer industry.

Take a look at textMaker. It is basically a full replace emt for Word. It includes tables, TOC, index and glossary generation. It also has a full thesaurus and spell real-time spell checker.. It reads and writes native word files and maintains all formatting. It is by far the best word processor available on either platform. It is commercial.You're right. TextMaker (http://www.softmaker.de/tmp_en.htm) supposedly has all the major features of MS Word and could allow you to replace your laptop with a PPC if you use it mostly for word-processing. Here's a more detailed review: http://www.infosync.no/news/2002/n/2817.html

The WSJ writer is shockingly under-informed if he doesn't know about TextMaker.

[Tixx]

Originally posted by merle
You're right. TextMaker (http://www.softmaker.de/tmp_en.htm) supposedly has all the major features of MS Word and could allow you to replace your laptop with a PPC if you use it mostly for word-processing. Here's a more detailed review: http://www.infosync.no/news/2002/n/2817.html

The WSJ writer is shockingly under-informed if he doesn't know about TextMaker.

From reading the article, I see that he is comparing software that comes with the devices and not all software available. Most likely this article is for the general user and not the power users found here.

[ErnieB]

Give me a break!

Those of you bragging about Text Maker are missing the point.  If I buy a PDA with a Microsoft OS and apps on it, I should expect those apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Money, etc.) to be AT LEAST AS GOOD as the third part apps for the Palm.  After all, this is a Microsoft product, right?

Instead, the MS apps are terrible!  MS brags about Pocket Word, et al, as one of the big features of PPC and the apps stink!  The synchronization is terrible too in that I have to put the file where MS wants it, not where I want it.

I'm sure TextMaker is great, and I have no doubt applications exist (or could exist) for the PPC that would put Docs2Go and others to shame.  If so, why are those apps not bundled with every PPC?  Why do I have to spend more $$ for a PPC, then even more $$ to buy decent Office apps that are already supposed to be on the PDA I just purchased?

MS should be ashamed of itself.  I bought an iPaq for $450 because it was soooo MS friendly.  I had it 8 months and dumped it on eBay, then bought an NR70 with Docs2Go included.  I'm never going back.

Don't get me wrong.  I really, really like PPC.  The integration with Outlook was flawless.  MS Reader is a great platform for reading ebooks.  I also liked playing the smaller WMA files.  And Pocket Excel is pretty good for what it is.  But I use Word and Money more than all other apps combined, and the PPC versions were literally useless to me, and I wasn't about to shell out more money for apps that MS was supposed to have already provided.

Like all other MS products, they won't have it right until their 9th or 10th revision.  We'll see then.

[merle]

Originally posted by ErnieB Instead, the MS apps are terrible!  MS brags about Pocket Word, et al, as one of the big features of PPC and the apps stink!  The synchronization is terrible too in that I have to put the file where MS wants it, not where I want it.

I'm sure TextMaker is great, and I have no doubt applications exist (or could exist) for the PPC that would put Docs2Go and others to shame.  If so, why are those apps not bundled with every PPC?  Why do I have to spend more $$ for a PPC, then even more $$ to buy decent Office apps that are already supposed to be on the PDA I just purchased? Microsoft could run into trouble with the anti-trust police if they bundled everything you would ever need with the operating system.

Couldn't you think of Pocket Word as Word Pad that comes with Windows? It's useable, but you'll need an upgrade to do anything substantial. The hardware vendors could choose to bundle TextMaker if they want to, just as Palm and Sony have chosen to bundle Doc2Go.

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by foghead
That article is the kind of lidriverl that is typical of the mainstream press when dealing with the computer industry.

As it happens, the PPC has the best word processor available and a spreadsheet that is at least as good as any of the ones available for Palm OS. There are also great PowerPoint replacements, etc.

Take a look at textMaker. It is basically a full replace emt for Word. It includes tables, TOC, index and glossary generation. It also has a full thesaurus and spell real-time spell checker.. It reads and writes native word files and maintains all formatting. It is by far the best word processor available on either platform. It is commercial.

SpreadCE is a free, very complete Excel replacement. 325 functions, full formatting control, maxros, and graphs.

Pocket Slides is an incredible slide program. I use it to create, edit and display PowerPoint presentations. It supports transitions, animations, reordering, speaker notes, annotations. It is also commercial.

If the article is only comparing what comes bundled with most units, than it is no too far off. But if it is trying to say that the software for Palm OS is superior, it is completely wrong.

I still prefer my NI60 much more than the PPC for everyday use, but for MS Office type of business tasks, I much prefer the power and native compatibility of the PPC software that is currently available.

OK, give me minute to put on my Nomex underwear. :p

I guess you've never tried WordSmith for the PalmOS. That is just as good as Word.

[foghead]

Yes I have. I am a registered user for WordSmith. It is a great app, and has about half the features that TextMaker has.

[foghead]

Originally posted by Tixx


From reading the article, I see that he is comparing software that comes with the devices and not all software available. Most likely this article is for the general user and not the power users found here. That is fine, except that DTG is not bundled with all Palm OS devices. For instance, it isn't part of the software bundle for Sonys latest and largest, the NZ-90. It is also not part of the bundle for the Palm Zire, or any of the Samsumg, Kyocera, or HandSpring Palm OS products.

Admittedly, most Palm OS devices sold may be bundled with DTG, but it is not bundled with a signifigant number of products so the argument that it comes with the PDA is not completely believable.

[Tixx]

Originally posted by foghead
That is fine, except that DTG is not bundled with all Palm OS devices. For instance, it isn't part of the software bundle for Sonys latest and largest, the NZ-90. It is also not part of the bundle for the Palm Zire, or any of the Samsumg, Kyocera, or HandSpring Palm OS products.

Admittedly, most Palm OS devices sold may be bundled with DTG, but it is not bundled with a signifigant number of products so the argument that it comes with the PDA is not completely believable.

That's cool.

[Rowdy]

I think the writer's point is that it makes no sense to buy a M$ product (Pocket PC) and then have to have a third party vendor provide the software to view other M$ products!

And I HAVE used Textmaker 2002 and it is STILL not as good as Docs2Go in terms of functionality IMHO. But then again, maybe that's just because I am used to D2G after two years....t I've only been using the iPAQ for two weeks so I guess time will tell.

[foghead]

That really shows how subjective this whole subject is. When I got my NX, I installed Docs to Go and played with it for a while. Then deleted it because I really hated it and found it very cumbersome. I installed my old license of WordSmith and bought QuickSheet.

I really hated Documents To Go.

[jims]

As mentioned above...I think the whole point is that M$ applications and M$ PPC are not really integrated or very functional and you have to go to 3rd party apps to get what you need.  You would expect that from another OS like Palm, but not when both the apps and the OS are coming from the same company!? That's just sad.  :(

[ErnieB]

Originally posted by merle
Microsoft could run into trouble with the anti-trust police if they bundled everything you would ever need with the operating system.

Couldn't you think of Pocket Word as Word Pad that comes with Windows? It's useable, but you'll need an upgrade to do anything substantial. The hardware vendors could choose to bundle TextMaker if they want to, just as Palm and Sony have chosen to bundle Doc2Go.

I could think of Pocked Word as Word Pad, but that's not how MS markets it.  Just look at their website.  If it is really nothing more than Word Pad, how about calling it "Pocket Word Pad"??

All I'm saying is that a product with the "Word" moniker attached, it's very poor.

[ErnieB]

Originally posted by foghead
That really shows how subjective this whole subject is. When I got my NX, I installed Docs to Go and played with it for a while. Then deleted it because I really hated it and found it very cumbersome. I installed my old license of WordSmith and bought QuickSheet.

I really hated Documents To Go.

You may hate Docs2Go, but you love WordSmith.  That's cool.  Some people prefer QuickOffice or Iambic Office.  PPC users may love TextMaker.  The point is that any of these are considerably better than Pocket Word and even Pocket Excel, which are marketed as apps that let you read and edit your desktop documents. 

Yeah, right.

[Alfie]

Originally posted by ErnieB


You may hate Docs2Go, but you love WordSmith.  That's cool.  Some people prefer QuickOffice or Iambic Office.  PPC users may love TextMaker.  The point is that any of these are considerably better than Pocket Word and even Pocket Excel, which are marketed as apps that let you read and edit your desktop documents. 

Yeah, right.

Especially since MS Office itself is an excellent application. In fact it's their only one I can think of.

[foghead]

Originally posted by jims
As mentioned above...I think the whole point is that M$ applications and M$ PPC are not really integrated or very functional and you have to go to 3rd party apps to get what you need.  You would expect that from another OS like Palm, but not when both the apps and the OS are coming from the same company!? That's just sad.  :(
The problem on the PPC side rally comes down to a problem with the expectations that MicroSoft created with their naming policy.

As somebody else noted (as have many other people), Pocket Word is really Pocket Wordpad. Wordpad is the word processor that comes with Windows. It will also read Word and RTF files and strip out any content that it doesn't understand. If you need the full power of Word, you buy a more advanced program.

The exact same model applies in Windows CE, but the MS marketing department decided to give the built-in app a deceptive name.

I always tell people to think of it as WordPad and they won't have any issues.

[jims]

Originally posted by foghead

The problem on the PPC side rally comes down to a problem with the expectations that MicroSoft created with their naming policy.

As somebody else noted (as have many other people), Pocket Word is really Pocket Wordpad. Wordpad is the word processor that comes with Windows. It will also read Word and RTF files and strip out any content that it doesn't understand. If you need the full power of Word, you buy a more advanced program.

The exact same model applies in Windows CE, but the MS marketing department decided to give the built-in app a deceptive name.

I always tell people to think of it as WordPad and they won't have any issues.

I agree....and its still sad.  :)

[Importluva]

Originally posted by foghead
That article is the kind of lidriverl that is typical of the mainstream press when dealing with the computer industry.

As it happens, the PPC has the best word processor available and a spreadsheet that is at least as good as any of the ones available for Palm OS. There are also great PowerPoint replacements, etc.

Take a look at textMaker. It is basically a full replace emt for Word. It includes tables, TOC, index and glossary generation. It also has a full thesaurus and spell real-time spell checker.. It reads and writes native word files and maintains all formatting. It is by far the best word processor available on either platform. It is commercial.


However, Textmaker DOES cost 50-70. Most people want functionality with the software that comes with your PDA. But, I do hear that this program is very good :)