Let's look at what really makes sense in the e-commerce world. Complete interactivity with the corporate data == 95% of the time you need M$ SiteServer 3.0.
Luckily, this is not true. After running Siteserver on a fast-growing e-commerce site for a year, we finally broke down and ripped it out and put a custom solution in its place. Siteserver compatibility generally means only that the product uses the default db table names that Siteserver creates. This can be configured or the tables can be emulated. However, Siteserver itself is little more than a bunch of poorly written Visual Basic Script scripts and some extremely inefficient objects (out-of-the-box, anyway) for storing and manipulating the shopping cart data, bundled with some site analysis tools that we didn't even use. The overhead and inefficiency of the product outweighed any benefits we got, so much that even management suggested we get rid of it.
My advice is, though, don't even start using it, because it _is_ very easy to get stuck with it when you start buying 3rd party software that runs with it, etc. The lock-in effect is harsh. But, as I was saying, luckily nearly 100% of the big-name e-commerce players offer a (usually better and more mature) UNIX version of their software in addition to a Siteserver version. This includes the credit card processors (Cybercash, Clear Commerce), etc. Note that Siteserver does not come with credit card processing software.
This has been my experience. There is no way that RedHat's package could be worse.
Opera does support Java, since version 3.50. You have to download the Java plugin and it uses that. I have used it and it works well. Also, Opera is often referred to as the leader when it comes to CSS support. Their current version supports all or nearly all (I don't recall) of CSS 1.0.
Just to clarify for everyone, the Palm VII uses BellSouth Wireless, just like the RIM pagers (and Blackberry. Same network. You can read about it on this Palm VII press release.
Someone posted speculating that Palm is building their own network. This is of course not true. They are running in NY only at first to catch any problems early and deliver better QOS.
I know people that have used the RIM pagers and they have been highly recommended. I wouldn't give up my Palm, though, so the Palm VII will be great. I wouldn't want to carry both.
Since there are a lot of posts from those that don't have Palms yet, I thought I'd have some useful info. It works fine on my Palm V (I have lots of hacks and a Chinese OS and everything).
The Palm demo consists of a large square on the left with the lines and letters and a small square to the right where you do your writing. The letters on the large square change when you shift, etc. And you can turn them off for practicing. Above the squares is the textarea where the letters come out. I really like the small writing square (shorter paths) and it seems to work really well with the stylus. I will have to practice more and see if I can get up to speed.
I suppose it is just a demo but for now you will have to cut and paste the text from the app into wherever you want it. Very awesome idea. The pdf has a lot more info, too.
Handspring is rumored to have its first product release by the end of the year.
In response to another person's question about searching on the Palm: yes, the search capabilities are quite good and fast. And there are extensions ("hacks")for regular expressions, etc.
Oh, and I'd kill for a Palm VII. The CE machines are always later than announced, less effective than claimed, and people that buy them stop using them soon after purchase. The MP3 a/v one from Casio is going to be $800-$1000. When it is ever released. Blech.
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Let's look at what really makes sense in the e-commerce world. Complete interactivity with the corporate data == 95% of the time you need M$ SiteServer 3.0.
Luckily, this is not true. After running Siteserver on a fast-growing e-commerce site for a year, we finally broke down and ripped it out and put a custom solution in its place. Siteserver compatibility generally means only that the product uses the default db table names that Siteserver creates. This can be configured or the tables can be emulated. However, Siteserver itself is little more than a bunch of poorly written Visual Basic Script scripts and some extremely inefficient objects (out-of-the-box, anyway) for storing and manipulating the shopping cart data, bundled with some site analysis tools that we didn't even use. The overhead and inefficiency of the product outweighed any benefits we got, so much that even management suggested we get rid of it.
My advice is, though, don't even start using it, because it _is_ very easy to get stuck with it when you start buying 3rd party software that runs with it, etc. The lock-in effect is harsh. But, as I was saying, luckily nearly 100% of the big-name e-commerce players offer a (usually better and more mature) UNIX version of their software in addition to a Siteserver version. This includes the credit card processors (Cybercash, Clear Commerce), etc. Note that Siteserver does not come with credit card processing software.
This has been my experience. There is no way that RedHat's package could be worse.
bob
Opera does support Java, since version 3.50. You have to download the Java plugin and it uses that. I have used it and it works well. Also, Opera is often referred to as the leader when it comes to CSS support. Their current version supports all or nearly all (I don't recall) of CSS 1.0.
Just to clarify for everyone, the Palm VII uses BellSouth Wireless, just like the RIM pagers (and Blackberry. Same network. You can read about it on this Palm VII press release.
Someone posted speculating that Palm is building their own network. This is of course not true. They are running in NY only at first to catch any problems early and deliver better QOS.
I know people that have used the RIM pagers and they have been highly recommended. I wouldn't give up my Palm, though, so the Palm VII will be great. I wouldn't want to carry both.
--
bob
Since there are a lot of posts from those that don't have Palms yet, I thought I'd have some useful info. It works fine on my Palm V (I have lots of hacks and a Chinese OS and everything).
The Palm demo consists of a large square on the left with the lines and letters and a small square to the right where you do your writing. The letters on the large square change when you shift, etc. And you can turn them off for practicing. Above the squares is the textarea where the letters come out. I really like the small writing square (shorter paths) and it seems to work really well with the stylus. I will have to practice more and see if I can get up to speed.
I suppose it is just a demo but for now you will have to cut and paste the text from the app into wherever you want it. Very awesome idea. The pdf has a lot more info, too.
bob
Handspring is rumored to have its first product release by the end of the year.
In response to another person's question about searching on the Palm: yes, the search capabilities are quite good and fast. And there are extensions ("hacks")for regular expressions, etc.
Oh, and I'd kill for a Palm VII. The CE machines are always later than announced, less effective than claimed, and people that buy them stop using them soon after purchase. The MP3 a/v one from Casio is going to be $800-$1000. When it is ever released. Blech.
-bob