Re: [coldsync-hackers] Re: Palm USB protocol.

["David A. Desrosiers" <hacker@gnu-designs.com>]

> 	1) How do you get it onto the Palm in the first place? You're
> going to need to use the HotSync.prc in ROM to upload the new application.
> And if Palm mucks with it badly enough that ColdSync and pilot-link won't
> be able to use it at all, then you'll need to use HotSync Manager to
> install the new application.

	That's been implied as a goal of theirs for the past year,
unfortunately. They want to own and control any and all desktop tools that
talk to your Palm device. Open Source tools such as ColdSync and pilot-link
are viewed as a "competitor" to their ability to control that market, even
though these tools run on the platforms that Palm supports (Win/Mac). That
may change as they move to support OSX though, something they can't ignore.

> Plus, you'll need to do this not only when you first buy your new PDA,
> but every time you do a hard reset.

	Unless we burn it into flash with our tools.

> 	2) It won't necessarily be compatible with existing installations
> of HotSync Manager. Then again, if it can be compatible, then there's
> little incentive to write a replacement.

	Here's the dangerous (for us) part.

        If I rewrite a program which allows you to log into a Linux, Unix,
Windows NT machine, bypassing the built-in mechanism (/bin/login +pam,
NTSAS), would that be ok too though? I am only speaking from a purely "CYA"
(Cover Your Ass)  perspective, because I am intimately familiar with how the
courts would meticulously take this apart if we offered this as a "solution"
to Palm's indifference to supplying us with documentation or assistance.
Palm is now a software company, and is vigorously trying to own the tools
and drive people towards using their technologies. It's only going to get
harder. They tried to do it with POSE, tried to do it with prc-tools, and
nearly tried to do it with pilrc. They view these tools as a potential
threat to their own offerings for developers and end-users. In fact, I'm
still very surprised that nobody has come up with a Java-based Palm Desktop
application, cross-platform, for users to replace the Palm-supplied one yet.

        In any case, even if we do develop this HotSync replacement
application, we still have to use the Palm SDK (which, IIRC, is stil behind
a clickwrap license) to develop the app, using Palm's documented application
structure format, talking to Palm's data, to make it work, and then bypass
the onboard, resident, vendor-supplied HotSync mechanism entirely.

        In Palm OS5, there will be no capability for "hacks" or SysTraps
like there is now. They're completely phased out. Bypassing HotSync (the
Palm resident application) by pressing the button on the cradle, vs.
pressing the "OpenSync" (assuming our vapor product had a name such as that)
would require patching the signal that the cradle sends to the Palm. Tapping
on the "OpenSync" icon on the Palm of course could probably initiate a sync
in the manner we wish though.

        Lastly, remember, we have to look like we're still ensuring Palm's
"vision of security", not by bypassing their HotSync application, not by
"working around it", but by making sure that all reasonable precautions be
taken to protect the user's data, password, and communication stream.

        We're the good guys, remember? Let's make sure they see us that way.

	At Palmsource last year, Palm gave me a very interesting series of
dodgy responses when I asked them specific questions about a synergy and
separation between Open Source tools and their own tools. Each person was
very adamant about maintaining a stance of "Palm owns everything". I think
this year may prove to be very interesting in February.





/d



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