PalmOS Launcher Replacement Poll

[radleyp]

A replacement launcher WAS not critical for me either, till I purchased a Memory Stick: at that point, I needed a program that would access it and allow me to play with the MS files. Both Zlauncher and LX allow that, while the built-in launcher does not (I can't understand why not). But most of the replacement stuff is eye candy and that does not interest me at all. I think I would prefer being able to do everything from the hard buttons and the jog dial, but that requires that I remember where things are, so it's self-defeating (I do use McPhling, but that's just to go back and forth between two applications). Since you have a T/T I think you should look at the brand new 5 Nav - it makes excellent use of that navigator dial. radleyp

[kennethmgreen]

Thanks for the 5 Nav tip. I may try that out.... In principal, it looks similar to Single Button Launcher, just using the 5-way nav instead of the hard buttons.

Currently, I'm using QLaunch. I ended up registering that one, even after considering Single Button Launcher (which was free). For me, the logic of QLaunch made more sense, and I like how it works. The interface (settings) is excellent and the program is rock-solid stable.

Of course, your point about having to remember button mappings is a good one. I used to use TealLaunch, and had a whole bunch of button and stroke mappings. Remembering them all was sometimes a bit tiresome.

One nice thing about QLaunch is that it provides an easy, one-button export of all your mappings to a Memo doc, which is titled with a date/time stamp. This is nice to have when first configuring button mappings.

I have mine arranged pretty logically (for my fuzzy head at least) and they're memorized by now. Oh yeah, QLaunch also has great built-in Bluetooth support (toggle on/off directly or go to BT prefs) and power-on protection (keeping Palm from accidentally turning on). This enabled me to get rid of two programs I was using. So it was worth the cost for me. ($12, I think)

By the way, you said you are a Shadow Plan user - do you belong to that mailing list? Pretty active, awesome support from Jeff, the developer. PM me if you want info.

[kennethmgreen]

In fairness to the Launcher III/X guys....

I previously posted incorrect information RE: the upgrade from LIII to LX. I found an old e-mail sent to me last Nov. when LauncherX was released:

Standard Launcher X pricing is $24.95, as a registered Launcher III customer you may cross-grade to Launcher X for a HUGE discount:
It's only $5.95, valid until November 30th.
$7.95 during the month of December and then $9.95 thereafter.

[kennethmgreen]

Well, I downloaded and tried out Launcher X. All looks great, I like the interface and how options are accessed (especially since I was a LIII user and they're in the same place).

But there is ONE BIG PROBLEM that will keep me from using Launcher X. Even though the manual claims that there is 5-way support, it is missing a crucial feature I want. When looking at the list of apps (on any tab), I want to be able to quickly move to another tab. With ZLauncher, all I have to do is press right on the 5-nav to go to the next tab (press left to go to previous tab). With LX, I have to scroll to the bottom of that tab's listing, then press down to go to next tab. In other words, right and left navigation are not supported at the tab level (when no apps are selected).

This is very important to me, as I keep my apps listed in the icon view so I can easily launch using a finger (not the one that's been in my nose....)

I understand that you can quickly flip through the tabs using the Home silkscreen button, but since I have a Tungsten T, and pretty much only open my slider to HotSync, I just don't use the Home button much.

I'm sure Launcher X is a fantastic launcher. I was very happy with Launcher III, and LX seems like a better, turbo-charged version of LIII. But that one tab scrolling issue.... If there is a way to configure Launcher X to scroll the tabs using the right and left nav, I'd love to know. It sounds minor, but that's the kind of little thing that will keep me from coughing up money (even if it's only $9.95).

[radleyp]

Yes, I do use Shadow, and am on the yahoo groups list, though I am not as active as I thought I might be. It is indeed a superb program with superb support.

Funny about LX: what you describe is easy to do with the Sony jog dial. And I don't know if you can count on anything changing soon, since Bozidar Benc seems very quiet these days.

radleyp

[kennethmgreen]

Yeah... I e-mailed their support about developing OS5 versions of their Pop-Up hacks. I loved Pop-Up Note, Pop-Up Calc and Pop-Up Time.

After playing around with ZLauncher more, I'm going to stick with it. I just like the way it works for me.

[brahamt]

I have tried all of the above launchers, but a friend of mine turned me on to Zlauncher. I was pretty ambivalent about it, until 3.x. There is literally nothing that I want to do with it that I cannot do.

The best thing about Zlauncher is it is updated like every other week.

Edit: Oh and I forgot the primary reason I got Zlauncher in the first place. Sony Clie Hi-Res support.

[radleyp]

LauncherX also has hi-res support. I must tell you that I am looking for a reason to switch to Zlauncher, but I can find none. radleyp

[brahamt]

OK, I'll take a shot. Here are the top 10 reasons to switch from LauncherX to Zlauncher.

10) X is outdated. Z is the new X.
9) Z is closer to God, since He is the Alpha AND the Omega.
8) If I'm not going to be first, I might as well be dead last.
7) You can convince your geek friends to switch while intelligently discussing the relative merits of Zlauncher.
6) You really need to do something with all that money you are hoarding.
5) Boredom.
4) The fatalistic need to mess up all of your settings.
3) Ch-ch-change.
2) Names are so similar, you won't even notice.
And of course #1--
1) Cause I said so damnit. ;-)

Seriously, I was all set to try to convince you to change, but after having checked out the updates to LauncherX (I remembered it as LauncherIII), there is no reason. If I did not have one already, it would be a difficult choice.

[radleyp]

Every one of your reasons was convincing, but sorry, I suddenly got cheap, and decided to stay with what I have. If I were buying a new launcher today, I would probably buy Zlauncher - somehow, don't know quite how or why, it looks better. But when it comes to features, as Ken Green has pointed out, they both do pretty much the same thing in similarly efficient ways. radleyp

[radleyp]

I have learned from a LauncherX forum that the shortcuts in Zlauncher will not allow you to sync via a conduit as they do in LX. If I have, say, Wordsmith on the card, and set a shortcut, all my data is synced back and forth. With ZL, to sync, Wordsmith must be kept in RAM. radleyp

[kennethmgreen]

This article describes getting around that limitation.

It's telling you to use LauncherX to create the shortcuts, which can then be used in another Launcher.

To create a Shortcut file you need to use either Launcher III or LauncherX. Once the shortcut file has been created you do not need to keep using LIII or LX for the files to keep working. You can even delete LIII or LX and the files will continue to operate properly with your HotSync conduit.

Whether that is "fair" or not, I don't know.

[kennethmgreen]

As I play around with ZLauncher more and more (see brahamt's #4) , I'm beginning to think that it offers quite a bit more customization than LauncherX. And I'm not just talking about skins (which I don't use).

[brahamt]

Originally posted by radleyp
I have learned from a LauncherX forum that the shortcuts in Zlauncher will not allow you to sync via a conduit as they do in LX. If I have, say, Wordsmith on the card, and set a shortcut, all my data is synced back and forth. With ZL, to sync, Wordsmith must be kept in RAM. radleyp

I'm not quite certain what you mean here. Do you mean that in Zlauncher, the shortcuts will not synch with HotSynch?

Or do you mean that the data in a Wordsmith document will not synch?

Edit: Nevermind, I read kenneth's link. I wonder if the reason I don't run into this is powerrun?

[kennethmgreen]

Originally posted by brahamt
I wonder if the reason I don't run into this is powerrun?

That would be my guess. I considered PowerRun, but thought that the ZLauncher file management functions, coupled with Filez, would be enough.

I may have been wrong.

You're happy with PowerRun? What device are you using it with? Oh wait, Clie NX-60... What problems have you run into with PowerRUN? Can you literally move *ANY* installed program to an external card? How long is the delay with card access?

Sounds like PowerRun might be a great solution for apps I need, but only use some of the time.