Re: HOPE! does NOT do GEOS! -Reply

Garland Wood (Garland@2bears.com)
Wed, 31 May 95 09:36:57 EDT

On Wed, 31 May 1995 07:28:14 -0500 (CDT) James Barr wrote:
>Ed, from MCS said that trere is a "Zoomer module" (or something like
>that) that lets it run on the Zoomer. I would make two assumptions:
>First, it would have to accept pen input from the Zoomer as that is the
>only input method available. Second, I doubt Graffiti would work seeing
>that Graffiti on the Zoomer is a GEOS geode. I could see Palm releasing
>a version of Graffiti that would be compatible, but I would have to
>assume that for now, Graffiti is not compatible.

>From my conversation with Ed at MCS yesterday:

Apparently, Hope! compiles VB programs into some type of p-code which
is then interpreted at runtime by the Hope! runtime module. (There
is, BTW, a license fee for the runtime module. $75/license for < 10
licenses. Site licenses are available.) The Zoomer module was first,
next will be a VGA module (for running VB programs without windows on
8088 & 286 machines), then other devices.

Currently, Hope! for the Zoomer doesn't support HWR, but HWR support
is planned to be out 'in a few weeks.' Text input is currently
accomplished via a pop-up keyboard. Graffiti support is planned as an
add-on module. The line from MCS was "not everyone will want Graffiti
support ..."

The Lite version of Hope! allows 20 objects, or compound-objects to be
placed on the screen. (No being a VB programmer, I don't know how
restricting this will be.) And Lite *doesn't* provide serial-device
support. The full version will offer serial support including the IR
port, but not in the high-power "broadcast" mode. Ed says that Casio
seems to want to make this an unsupported mode.

-Garland