Like many HP 100/200LX users, I don't usually do anything real flashy on my palmtop. My use of the LX is pretty straightforward and simple. I enter and view telephone numbers in PhoneBook, schedule appointments in ApptBook, store lists in NoteTaker, and rely on Lotus 1-2-3 for numerical computations.
There are, however, lots of palmtop users who have found creative and elaborate uses for their LX's. Consider, for example, the subject of this issues profile, Bob Clark, who is a technical support expert. Because he uses multiple files in a number of different applications (both work and personal PhoneBook files, and multiple NoteTaker and Database files) he wanted to avoid having to load each morning those files he uses at work, and then each evening having to load his personal files. Among the things he describes in his profile is the clever method he devised to automate this process.
Also in this issue, Ed Keefe reviews LXBatch, a programming tool for the HP 100/200LX that enhances and expands the capabilities of DOS batch files and gives them the look of built-in applications. LXBatch allows you to create batch files that produce pulldown menus, dialog boxes, file-and-directory pick-lists, dialog buttons, and input fields, all without the need for the palmtop Developers Kit or a C compiler.
If you've ever tried to connect a modem to a computer, there's a good chance that initially you couldn't get the units to communicate with each other. Robert Causeys article on troubleshooting modem and data communications problems should make hooking up a modem easier.
In Basic tips, we cover almost everything you've ever wanted to know about using and editing the DataCard. And in Quick Tips, Carl Merkle provides a beginners tutorial on using Lotus 1-2-3.
Finally, a few words about the bogus press release in the News section concerning the non-existent HP 260LX. The HP Palmtop Papers publisher, Hal Goldstein, and I had reservations about running this phony announcement, which we received from a number of people via e-mail. We suspected that many readers would find it as humorous as we did, but we worried that some readers would take it seriously, even if we labeled it a hoax. That's not as preposterous as it may seem.
Years ago, when writing a computer book, I jokingly made reference to a non-existent computer programming language that I called SIMPLE. I said that the language was so rudimentary that it contained only three commands: run, stop, and end. I had no idea anyone could take me seriously. But months later, after the book had been published, I was contacted by two different readers who wanted to know where they could get a copy of SIMPLE.
It will be interesting to see if anyone contacts us and asks when HPs new 260LX will be available.