----- Here are a list of simple Q&A about the Zoomer for the newcomer -----

>I'm thinking about picking up a Casio Z-7000.

My wife and I are using 2 of them (got them for the
price of 1 PalmPilot). They are enough for our needs.

>These "Zoomers" seem to have a small but very dedicated following.
>Can any one tell me if accesories ie Palm Connect (and cable) or
>equivalent is stilll avail. and whats the price?

50 $ at... let me think :
http://www.directmobile.com/hot.htm
cable is included.

>Also if it is, how well does it (Palm Connect) work under Win95.  

Fine (just a question of SETVER and/or chosen filesystem : have a look at http://altern.org/pyms/GEOS95.TXT). It even supports (for exemple) 1024x768x256 colors with the drivers 
available for NewDeal software (by BreadBox). Handwriting recognition works fine (at least
as fine as on the Zoomer).

> I just bought Palm Connect for my Zoomer (Casio Z-7000) but I can't run it. I
> get the error message: No valid font file in userdata\font. But there are 6
> different font files in c:\palmconn\userdata\font. Anyone have any idea what I
> can do??? Thanks in advance!! --Ken Auerbach (kenroy@tritium.net)

Try :
edit GEOS.INI file and find the continueSetup statement :
put a "false" instead of "true".
To run it under Win95 or 98, have a look at http://altern.org/pyms/GEOS95.TXT.

You can connect your Zoomer with the shareware version of New Deal Office :
http://www.newdealinc.com
The name of the shareware is GeoPublish (former name) or NewPublish.

> I tried to go the New Deal Publish route.  The backups kept locking up on
> me.

You need to configure the Preferences Connect module : Name, drives to
be offered to connection, port, speed, interrupt.
I have : Desktop, C: D: E:, com1, 9600, 4? 3? Off Off

You need to set the same module up on the Zoomer (File Link options, 
I have : Name=Philippe, Port=serial cable, baud rate=9600).

You may also need to check the following document :
http://www.newdealinc.com/support/ts/257.htm
At the very beginning, New Publish was missing the following statement in the GEOS.INI file :

[library]
domainName = /COMM
initDrivers = COMM.GEO

Just add it and try again !

> Does Palm Connect come with a special cable?  Is it already
> Nulled?

Yes.

PalmConnect comes with a cable , ready to use with a Desktop (9 pin). If
you have a cable for the Zoomer (I mean with the special little
connector at one end), it is likely the correct cable (in fact, there are
2 types of Zoomer cables : Z-to-PC transfer cable and modem cable). You need to
try nullifying the one you have, but it may be already nullified.

I don't know the mini-subD Zoomer connector----25 pin cable. It may be
the modem cable. Is it a Zoomer cable ? I know that some other machines
have the same mini connector, but with a different wiring.

> Does the Palm Connect software include anything other than syncing software?

Yes.

> Does it come with tools to edit the calendar, addresss book, etc?

Yes. Note Book, address book, and calendar. It supports the ink you've
entered in the Zoomer (drawings, etc.). You can set it up to get ink
recognition (tricky, downloading the ink recognition libraries from
the Zoomer).
All these applications will run also on a New Deal Office installation.

> Sorry to be bugging you all about my connection problems recently- I promise this is my last one. I got geopublish to work and I finally figured out how to transfer files to an fro my zoomer. My only question now is how to view the content of the zoomer-created .000 files once they are on my computer's hard drive. Thanks in advance. (And thanks to Philippe who helped me out earlier)

You are welcome :-)
There is, AFAIK, only two ways to read (and even modify) the files created on a Zoomer :
- get PalmConnect (eg. from DirectMobile : http://www.directmobile.com/hot.htm). This package contains the
software of the Zoomer (well, the main apps). This package runs on top of DOS or under Windows ;
- the hard way : mix your GeoPublish installation with the Zoomer apps and libraries.
You need to backup *all* your Zoomer software on your PC (drive A, B and SYS). Then you will copy the Zoomer apps
(GEOWORKS\WORLD) into the GeoPublish apps directory (usually GEOWORKS\WORLD).
Now, you have the applications, but you won't be able to launch them, because you are
missing the libraries that comes with the Zoomer. So, you need to copy the files
which are in the GEOWORKS\SYSTEM directory *and* subdirectories.
ATTENTION : don't overwrite the GeoPublish files. You must copy the Zoomer files into the
GeoPublish as long as the file is missing in GeoPublish.


The second solution is not very easy and it needs to be tuned carefully.


> Oh yah- I am also interested in buying a memory card- so let me get all of the requirement stuff straight--- 5.0V, PCMCIA type II slot, ATA compliant, SRAM. Is all this right? 



AFAIK, yes. SanDisk PCMCIA or CompactFlash are supposed to be compatible with the Zoomer.
I am using a Grid SRAM card made by Fuji (2 Mb).


>Is Graffiti (sp?) for ther Z-7000 still avail?

To get Graffiti for the Zoomer : http://www.csh.rit.edu/~jerry/geos/

> and what's your opinion if you've used it?

I just tried the demo, and it was ok (the same as the Pilot) but I was not 
convinced so far. Many other Zoomer users are convinced, though.

>The other modification I added was Graffiti hand
>writing recognition software which gave me huge
>improvement in accuracy and speed over the
>standard hand writing recognition that comes with
>the Zoomer.  You can find this software at 
>http://www.csh.rit.edu/~jerry/geos/ .   

Something I noticed when I first got Graffiti was this:
I was out visiting my sister and I let  her nephew 
play with my Zoomer. He did something that caused
it to crash, so I had to do a cold boot. Of course that
meant I lost the Graffiti software, and I didn't have
a copy of it with me to reinstall.

So, what I did when I got back home was to put copies of
all the essential Graffiti files on my PCMCIA card. 
Then I put a penright.bat file in the root of the 
card that reads:
  copy c:\geos.ini b:\geoworks\geos.ini
  copy c:\net.ini b:\net.ini
  md b:\geoworks\system
  copy c:\geoworks\system\hwrrom.geo b:\geoworks\system\hwrrom.geo
  md b:\geoworks\hwr

This way, if I have to cold boot the Zoomer, 
when it starts up again, it restores Graffiti automatically,
plus my personal version of "expert mode."

My own "expert mode" GEOS.INI file for my 
Zoomer looks like this:

 [paths]
 ini = b:\net.ini

 [mouse]
 calibration = {
 EA00BE002703B800EC000D0320031003
 }
 [localization]
 monthYearShort = 7C4E4D7C2F2F7C5359
 [zoomer]
 firstName = 535445564500
 lastName = 4D41494E00
 startUp = true
 [link]
 name = Steve
 [system]
 inkTimeout=0
 [modem]
 numberOfModems = 1
 modems = My Modem
 [my modem]
 port = COM1
 baudRate = 9600
 toneDial = true

And my NET.INI like this:

[paths]
top = SYS:\
system fs = A:\
sharedTokenDatabase = SYS:\

[gfs]
drive = SYS

[system]
handles = 2750
font = nimbus.geo
fontId = berkeley
fontSize = 10
maxTotalHeapSpace = 50000
fs = zoomfs.geo
penbased = true
continueSetup = false
setupMode = 0
power = casiopwr.geo
pda = true
memory = disk.geo

[ui]
productName = Zoomer
tinyScreen = true
xScreenSize = 256
yScreenSize = 320
generic = ui.geo
specific = motif.geo
showTitleScreen = false
number of screens = 1
haveEnvironmentApp = false
autosave = true
doNotDisplayResetBox = true
deleteStateFilesAfterCrash = true
screenBlankerTimeout = 6
screenBlanker = true
remoteClipPort = 2
remoteBaudRate = 12
hwr = hwrrom.geo
execOnStartup = {
Desk Accessories\Alarm
Utilities\File Manager
}

[uiFeatures]
launchModel = 1
launchLevel = 3
docControlFSLevel = 3
interfaceOptions = 24576
expressOptions = 962
defaultLauncher = Launcher
interfaceLevel = 3
docControlOptions = 41920
helpOptions = 1

[motif]
fontId = berkeley
fontSize = 10

[motifOptions]
fsStaticDriveMoniker = true
scroll arrow size = 12
gadgetRepeatDelay = 6
lr resize border thickness = 6
tb resize border thickness = 6

[spooI]
uiOptions = 32768

[expressMenuControl]
;otherAppSubMenu = false
runSubMenu = false
noSubMenus = true
maxNumDirs = 21

[keyboard]
device = U.S. Keyboard
driver = KBD.GEO

[input]
reboot on reset = false
doubleClickTime = 30
noKeyboard = true

[screen 0]
device = Casio: 256x320 Inverse Mono
driver = CASIO.GEO

[cards]
deckfile = Zoomer Default Deck

[mouse]
device = Zoomer Pen
driver = CASIOPEN.GEO
info = 32768
port = 0

[sound]
synthDriver = CASIO.GEO
sampleDriver = CASIO.GEO

[hardIconBar]
app0 = Main\Address Book
app1 = Main\Date Book
app2 = Main\Note Book
app3 = Main\Pocket Quicken
app4 = Utilities\File Manager
app5 = Desk Accessories\Calculator

[netLibrary]
domainName = /COMM
initDrivers = COMM.GEO

[link]
name = Remote
port = 0
baudRate = 12
drives = B:

[fileTransfer]
command = A:\PCCOM.COM
parameters = /c:1 /b:19200

[fileManager]
filenameTokens = {
 *.BAT = "gDOS",0
 *.EXE = "gDOS",0
 *.COM = "gDOS",0
 *.* = "gDOS",0"TeEd",0
}
options = 0
;disableTokenLaunching = true

[pyramid]
statusBar = true

[klondike]
fadeCards = false
resetScore = true

[zoomer]
international = false

[pcmcia]
platform = Zoomer
adapters = {
 adapter0
}
numAdapters = 1

[adapter0]
numSockets = 1
hardware = Casio
hwVersion = 1.0
ssDriver = Casio
ssVersion = 2.0.27

[disk swap]
page = 2048
size = 120
file = b:\swap

>Is there any way to use any other ISP besides AOL with the Z-7000 to get
>e-mail. 

AFAIK, no. But you may use the vt100 emulator to dial a Unix host. If you become
a Geos tweaker (as I would like to be), you may dream about the coming TCP/IP stack, 
the Geos browser and email tools for Geos 2.x (which should run on the Zoomer also).
I am currently running an off-line browser on my Zoomer, IMHO useful but slow.

>Any other input greatly appreciated.

A 2 Mb (or more) PCMCIA card (Flash or SRAM) is welcome when you store a lot of things.
You must know that the Zoomer can run (almost and though slowly) any software from the 
Geos 2.x software collection : Word-processor, spreadsheet, etc. You shall purchase them
at New Deal Inc (http://www.newdealinc.com)

*** PCMCIA/PC-Card driver

> How do you install the new PCMCIA driver [PCMCIA Serial Driver created
> 01/14/94, 2666bytes] on Drive B which already has a driver in
> GEOWORKS\SYSTEM\PCMCIA with the same name but was created 08/12/93 and is
> smaller at 2610bytes.  Any effort to delete or rename gets me an error
> message "Unable to modify this file folder error FM-139.  I transferred the
> newer driver to this folder but had to rename in order to move.  In
> particular, can this be done without installing the expert system?

You don't have to delete or rename any file of the A: nor SYS: drives. These are ROM drives, so can't write nor delete anything.

In fact, the Zoomer architecture is "clever" enough to handle this characteristic, through a special behaviour known as linked files/directory (IMO, this is a real good feature). ATTN : it has nothing to do with the (badly implemented) link concept in Win9x.

	* THE LINKED FILES/DIR MECHANISM :
When you purchased your Zoomer, it has ROMDOS, the Geos systems/drivers and apps burnt into ROM drives (A: and SYS:).
On B:\GEOWORKS, there is copy of the GEOS directory structure (ROM drive SYS:). Geos allows you to see two types of files on B: through the File Manager : files that are actually on drive B: and files that are on drive SYS:. The latter are underlined.

When the system starts, it boots ROMDOS, which launches Geos. Geos mounts the filesystem and links the directory structures. Geos then runs the necessary drivers from B: if they are here or from A: eventually.

	* HOW TO REPLACE MY PCMCIA DRIVER ?
So, if you want to replace the SYS:\SYSTEM\PCMCIA driver, just put the new corresponding driver file (with the same name !) in B:\GEOWORKS\SYSTEM\PCMCIA directory. It will supersede the file present in SYS:\SYSTEM\PCMCIA.

	* WANT MORE ?
If you have a Flash/SRAM PC-Card in the Zoomer slot, it becomes C:. In the same way, if you create a GEOWORKS\... directory structure, it will be seen from B: as underlined (linked) files. Geos will start by looking (AFAIK) C:, then B:, then SYS:, so you can put some Geos drivers in C: (in the right directory).

	* A REAL GOOD FEATURE :
So, for me that is a real good feature : if you want to reset your Geos configuration, you just have to remove (or only move) the unwanted drivers/files and you retrieve the built-in file, if it exists.


*** General

>Hi, I am getting a brand new Zoomer PDA.  Does anyone know a lot about these
>things?  I am curious about it.

Yes. Here follows some links.

Have a look at http://www.grot.com
(subscribe to the mailing-list and read the archives.

some programs at : ftp://ftp.biostat.washington.edu/pub/zoomer/index.html
or http://unix1.sysnet.net/~jupiterweb/

To get Graffiti for the Zoomer : http://www.csh.rit.edu/~jerry/geos/

If you read french : http://altern.org/pyms/ZOOMER.HTM

For technical documents :
http://support.tandy.com/support_accessories/2500.htm

For more questions, post to news:comp.os.geos.misc




*** PalmConnect :

Did you have a look at the zoomer archives ?
Here are some messages that may interest you :

http://www.grot.com/zoomer/zoomer-list/geos-to-go-4Q1998/0088.html
http://www.grot.com/zoomer/zoomer-list/geos-to-go-4Q1998/0084.html
http://www.grot.com/zoomer/zoomer-list/geos-to-go-4Q1998/0078.html

Please, subscribe to the list at http://www.grot.com/zoomer, you'll be aware
of the possible "for sale" messages.

>Does anyone have a copy of Palm Connect They could send me?

I think you'll have to pay for it (a pair of $, at least :).

>I don't mind paying for something that I am going to use and enjoy.  I am not
>sure if I even want to use the Zoomer.  It was given to me by a friend as is.
>He had the cable, but no software.  If I can't back the thing up and input
>data using a PC, I probably won't even use it.

Ok, same applies to me :-)
If you want to give a free trial to your Zoomer, get New Deal Publish, the
shareware version of New Deal Office. It includes a "Connect" features that
allows you transfer files back & forth between the PC and the Zoomer.

I hope you will enjoy the New Deal Publish too, as I did in the past. Now
I am a user of both my Zoomer and New Deal Office.
New Deal Publish is available at :
http://www.newdealinc.com/free/free.html#newpub

Another possibility is to use some plain DOS/Mac/Unix programs. These programs
are simple protocol handler that allows you to transfer files between the Zoomer
and the other machine (PC, Mac or Unix).
You can find these programs at :
ftp://ftp.biostat.washington.edu/pub/zoomer/
or read
http://www.grot.com/zoomer/software/non-commercial.html#desktop-connect
or
http://www.cewindows.net/zoomer.htm

>I am going to be teaching a CS course this semester and would like to store
>student info in the zoomer: grades etc.  Any ideas?

I understand. Give it a try. Put some information in the Note Book application.
You will even be able to export it in ASCII TXT format (to be used by regular
PC...).

Remember that you can transfer the Zoomer libaries and applications to New Deal
Office and use them (a bit tricky, but possible). The is to get PalmConnect, 
because it includes the Zoomer applications in genuine Desktop "format" (better
looking).





*** Some more info about Zoomer software at :

http://www.grot.com/zoomer/software/non-commercial.html
http://members.aol.com/pdcchrisd/zoomer/zfaq.txt




*** Are Zoomers still available?

Yes, I think so. At auctions or at the Zoomer mailing-list (second hand) :
www.grot.com/zoomer
You can find used ones for $50 (sometimes with accessories, software...),
new ones for $100.
(rough prices).

>How are they at simple word-processing tasks?  I don't mean doing Great Word
>Processing (New Write,) but simple text editing (one font, and maybe an
>underline or bold?)

NewWrite runs fine (but slow, of course) on the Zoomer as long as you have a
PC-Card (Flash, SRAM, 2Mb minimum), because you need some room for the
libraries, executables, etc.

The Zoomer includes a NoteBook application, well done, but it doesn't
handles syles, fonts, etc. But you don't really need it, since the
application helps you in giving a structure to the notes. You can also make
some drawings inside the notes, very convenient.

You can also use the Zoomer Text Editor (by Nathan Fiedler :
http://home.earthlink.net/~nfiedler/geos/software.html
). a must have.
It handles fonts & font sizes only, AFAIK (no underline/bold/etc.) and these
choices will apply to the entire document. Not WP, but enough for text
editing (includes search/replace). Page editing can be done on a NDO Desktop
(you can link NDO and the Zoomer quite easily and the Zoomer applications
can be run under NDO - tricky but possible).

Maybe, there are some more sophisticated editors. Any Geos 2.x executables
will run on the Zoomer, but may not be very effective due to the pen input
(no keyboard, except the floating keyboard) : NewCalc is not useable.

ZTE is also avail at : ftp://ftp.biostat.washington.edu/pub/zoomer

On the Zoomer, you can browse HTML 2.0 Web pages with WebMagick demo, you
can listen to Wav files, you can read BookReader books, etc., etc. as long
as you install the necessary software. Remember, a PC-Card memory extension
is recommanded.




*** AOL

>Is it true that they can receive AOL e-mail?

Yes, they could (at least with the American Version, PCAOL client was not
available on the multilingual Zoomer XL-7000). You can even use Bullet (a
newer version of the PCAOL client). But I heard that AOL does not support
AOL connection anymore.
As I don't have any AOL account (and will never have since they suppressed
the PCAOL access and the Geos files), I can't speak about the service
itself. to get to a PCAOL account, you need a SprintNet number (or some
special #, I don't remember, it's only valid in the US).




*** Rocket menu

The resemblance between the Zoomer "rocket" menu and the Win95 Start menu
stroke me (same purpose, same structure, same look, same location).
Of course, Geos 1.0 also has this through the Express Menu, but it is
visually less striking, even if the functionality is exactly the same.

BTW, the express menu is much better than the Windows Start menu, because it
includes the running apps. So you don't need the taskbar... he, he, he...




*** the Zoomer is an embedded device

Embedded ROMable/Flashable (x86 or not)-based devices usually are smaller 
and more integrated (means include all needed controllers).

Other benefits are : coolness, lightness, energy-saving and silence. I
really like my Zoomer for that (though it's not that light...)
BTW, I can't remember when I have put the 3 Lithium AA batteries in my
Zoomer. For months and they're still alive. Amazing...


AS A CONCLUSION :

Please, have a look to my Zoomer page 
http://altern.org/pyms/ZOOMER.HTM
(in french) or at
http://www.grot.com/zoomer/index.html

if you want to improve the speed of your Zoomer:
http://www.unlv.edu/~apopovic/

If you want to ask more, you can post at news:comp.os.geos.misc

Philippe.