Visit Max Mansour's website at http://www.ziplink.net/~maxm/omnigoQ: What DOS software can I run on my OmniGo?
A: The OmniGo is basically a PC-XT with 512KB of conventional memory and monochrome CGA emulation. The DOS reports itself as version 6.22, but the level of compatibility isn't known. Most applications that will run under such limitations should work.
Q: What are electronic books (Content)?
A: Electronic books, also called Content, are hyperlinked documents which can be read using the Book Reader. An advantage of presenting information as Content is that all text are compressed. The help system used by the OmniGo is actually one big Content file. Content titles are available from Geoworks, Mike Fine (FineBind), Byron Collins, and various other sources (see the Links page); you can also download them from this site's Content page. The Bindery application from Geoworks allows you to create your own Content. For more information on Bindery, refer to Section 8: Developing for the OmniGo.
Q: How do I reset my OmniGo?
A: There are a couple of ways to reset your OmniGo, as listed below. It is recommended that you quit all applications before resetting the OmniGo (as it will erase any unsaved data).
- Pressing SHIFT-ON-NEXT will reboot the OmniGo and erase all state files (thus, freeing up memory). This is called a soft reset.
- Pushing a pin into the small hole at the back of the OmniGo will perform a hard reset. You need to do this if your system hangs and you cannot perform a soft reset. You'll have to re-enter the time and date after using this method.
To return your OmniGo to its factory default (i.e., erase everything), hold down 'C' while the OmniGo is booting. When you see the prompt, "Clear all data? (Y/N)," press 'Y' to confirm; press 'N' if you change your mind. This is also referred to as a system reset.Q: Why does free memory drop over time for no reason?
A: The gradual decrease in free memory over time is a result of the accumulation of state files. State files are like bookmarks in applicationsthey hold bits of information that enable you to close an application, then reopen it later and continue where you had left off. GEOS uses state files to give the illusion of being able to run more applications than can fit into available memory. When you try to load an application that cannot fit into memory, GEOS silently closes one of the other opened applications and saves its current "state" into a state file. When you return to an application that GEOS has closed, it is reopened and its state is retrieved from disk (in this respect, state files serve as a cache). State files are also used to hold user options, such as turning the toolbar off in Notepad. Unfortunately, state files can take up a lot of memory (one is created for every application you quit or have running in the background). You can force an application to quit without saving to a state file by pressing Fn-F5 to close it. If, however, you like quick access to applications, you can force an application to save its state any time by pressing Fn-F3. Occasionally it is a good idea to clear out these state files, for they can hog as much as 100KB of memory. This can be accomplished by performing a soft reset (pressing SHIFT-ON-NEXT). Applications will open in their default screen configuration whenever their state files are deleted.Q: What are IZL applications and how do I run them?
A: IZL applications are software written using John Feras' IZL compiler and require the IZL interpreter to run them. You can download a shareware version of IZL (interpreter only) from this site's Software page or from Max Mansour's archive. (It is no longer available at the author's website because he is no longer officially supporting it.) To find out more about the IZL language, see Section 8: Developing for the OmniGo.
Q: What is an "event" and how do I create one in Appt Book?
A: Events appear at the top of Appointment Book's daily schedule and have no start or end times. They are useful for birthdays, anniversaries, and other repeated events. To create an event:
- Select "New" from within the appointment book.
- Enter the event's name in the description field.
- Backspace out the start and end times; they will change to NONE.
- Choose the appropriate date and alarm/repeat options.
Q: How do I use passwords to lock my OmniGo?
A: First, go into Setup and choose a password. To lock the OmniGo, select the key icon in the lower left corner of the screen. Your OmniGo is now locked. If you locked your OmniGo while the screen is rotated (in tablet position), then you'll have to use the stylus to enter your password. The OmniGo password is case sensitive: MYSECRET is different from MySecret. If your password is lowercase, but you last used uppercase, do the "reset CAPS" stroke first (straight line going up to northwest). The case setting is indicated by a tiny up arrow in the lower left corner of the screen.Q: What is on the OmniGo Wish List?
A: The following list is based on Byron Collins' survey held from May 25 to June 7, 1997. Some entries from the original list have been left out while new ones have been added in an effort to make the list more realizable and up-to-date. (All new entries are marked by the submittee's initials, with their full names listed in Acknowledgments.) The original survey was managed using a NewFile database, and all hardware-related entries were excluded. This list is by no means "complete."Applications
ArtSCom with support for Class 1 modems
Charting app for Spreadsheet T.D.
Flow charting program T.D.
Genealogy program (for viewing and editing)
Java compiler/interpreter
Libraries for a C compiler (Turbo C? GNU C?) C.B.
Math program (e.g., Derive)
Outliner J.U.
Rexx-like batch programming language
Sample program with source for the card library
Token (icon) creator/editor T.D.
UNIX Fortune program
Web browser *
Word processorUtilities
Clip & Go for the Macintosh
File converters (Notepad/RTF, Database/DBF, etc.)
File transfer in GEOS * T.D.
FTP program T.D.
GEOS Wastebasket T.D.
Gopher (graphical FTP)
HP 48G/GX emulator
Microsoft Outlook sync software
Mini-EMACS (for editing HTML, Java, C code)
More advanced scientific calculator
Network Time Protocol (NTP)
Screen dumper * T.D.
Sidekick for the PC C.B.
Short Message Service (SMS) for connecting to GSM phones
System-wide spellchecker
Telnet (X-Windows emulator?)
Games
Bridge
Chess for GEOS
Load Runner T.D.
Nibbles or Tron
Old Atari games (Pacman, Space Invaders, etc.) T.D., C.B.
Peg Solitaire B.C.
Poker, other card games
Sokoban D.V.
Text-based adventure games T.D.
Book Reader
Book of math/physics formulae T.D.
City guides *
Dictionary/Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Grammar guide T.D.
Street maps R.I.
Drivers
Support for digital cameras
Support for Ethernet cards
Support for PCMCIA CD-ROM drives
Support for SCSI devices
Support for sound cards T.D.
Miscellaneous
A small GEOS font that can display 80 columns
Greek, Serbian, and Cyrillic languages support
| * | Indicates a project is being worked on or is completed in one form or another. |
If you have a software title that you wish could be ported to or developed for the OmniGo, please inform me and I'll continually update this list. Who knows, maybe one day your wish will come true!
