TextMaker: What's the Verdict?

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.softmaker.de/tmp_en.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.softmaker.de/tmp_en.htm</a><br /><br /></div>Pocket PC Thoughts reader Todd is considering purchasing TextMaker, and now that it's been out for a while, he was wondering what his fellow Pocket PC users thought of it. Time for a poll!

[DrtyBlvd]

Can I suggest the addition of a "Just Show the Results" Option please?

[kennyg]

Sorry for the utterly flawed vote, but it was the only thing I could think of as an equivelent to "I don't need it and won't be trying it."

[icatar]

Sorry for the utterly flawed vote, but it was the only thing I could think of as an equivelent to "I don't need it and won't be trying it."

Ditto. But of course we don't think that you're flawed. :)

[ipaq adam]

TextMaker is a wonderful application. I use it every day, and I'm still realizing how great it is. I can't think of anything I can do in Word 2000 that I can't do in TextMaker. Well worth the price, even on a tight budget like mine.

Of course, a full size keyboard is necessary to make TextMaker truly useful, and I highly recommend spending the extra money for the desktop version.

Another plus - installing HP's free printing utility allows you to save RTF documents out of TextMaker to print them from your Pocket PC. How cool is that?

[PapaSmurfDan]

Anyone know when they are going to release thier spreadsheet program? I am currently holding off even thinking about buying TextMaker until that is released (and see if they have a decent price on the two combined). At the price just for the PPC standalone version, I find it bit pricy.

Other than that, it seems like a good word processor. I was going to hammer out a paper for a class on it, but the PC eval copy is refusing to open files made on my PPC.

-Dan

[tw]

Here is the verdict of infoSync.no (http://www.infosync.no) about Textmaker:

"[...]

Conclusion

Overall, TextMaker is a true wonder of a program. Given a portable keyboard, I would be happy to create a long and complicated document with this application without fear of missing a feature or losing my work. In its efficient use of space (both storage and screen) and equally efficient programming, it stretches the limited platform of the Pocket PC to new limits. In sheer power alone it happily leaves its rivals in the dust: in fact, I’d go so far as to say that this is the most important PPC program now available for almost any mobile professional. Those complaining about its cost obviously don’t realise quite what a landmark this is - proper mobile document creation is now a reality."

Wow! That sounds pretty impressive...

Their Textmaker review is here:
http://www.infosync.no/show.php?id=2817

[Steven Cedrone]

Can I suggest the addition of a "Just Show the Results" Option please?

What about "View Results" under the "Submit Vote" button?

Steve

[huangzhinong]

The old HPC version textmaker can print document so good that i used everyday in my Jornada 568, but this PPC version removed this SO IMPORTANT function, i have to pass it.

I believe a lot of people here Don't know textmake could print pictures and documents seamless before.

[markan]

I like Textmaker, but there are things that I struggle doing and the documentation isn't good enough yet to help me. They would really benefit from a support forum or mailing list to help us help each other.

While I'm on the subject; how DO you do multiple level numbered headings?

[Hugh Nano]

I like Textmaker, but there are things that I struggle doing and the documentation isn't good enough yet to help me. They would really benefit from a support forum or mailing list to help us help each other.

Very true.

While I'm on the subject; how DO you do multiple level numbered headings?

I believe multiple level numbered headings is one of the few things you can't do. An excellent program overall, and well worth the money—only wish (1) it was a little cheaper (it's sad that so many people find it unaffordable), and (2) that Micro$oft hadn't removed print capabilities from the Pocket PC!

[Pat Logsdon]

I purchased TextMaker, and I have to say that I'm disappointed. I love the features, love the power, but it's practically useless to me because it's SOO SLOOOOW! I touch type about 80+ WPM and it just can't keep up with me - if I want to stop and see what I wrote, I literally have to wait about 10 seconds for TextMaker to catch up.

The REALLY sad thing is that PocketWord has no trouble whatsoever - can keep up with me just fine. I thought at first that the Dell keyboard driver was to blame, but that can't be it if PocketWord works.

I think it's just too much program for the platform, unfortunately.

Does anyone else who touchtypes have this problem, or is it just me?

[sponge]

I've had nothing but troubles with opening and saving documents. No matter what I save to, if I reopen it, it comes corupted, or blank. If I save it as a .doc and transfer it to Word 2000, it claims it needs a plugin, and requires me to insert the CD, complains, and doesn't work.

But, no one else has seemed to have these problems, so take my problems with a grain of salt.

[Hugh Nano]

I purchased TextMaker, and I have to say that I'm disappointed. I love the features, love the power, but it's practically useless to me because it's SOO SLOOOOW! I touch type about 80+ WPM and it just can't keep up with me - if I want to stop and see what I wrote, I literally have to wait about 10 seconds for TextMaker to catch up.

The REALLY sad thing is that PocketWord has no trouble whatsoever - can keep up with me just fine. I thought at first that the Dell keyboard driver was to blame, but that can't be it if PocketWord works.

I think it's just too much program for the platform, unfortunately.

Does anyone else who touchtypes have this problem, or is it just me?

I wouldn't say it's practically useless because of this—I still find it very useful—but it is certainly a problem. Perhaps it's not quite so much of a problem for me because my typing speed isn't anywhere near 80 wpm! :wink:

[Hugh Nano]

I've had nothing but troubles with opening and saving documents. No matter what I save to, if I reopen it, it comes corupted, or blank. If I save it as a .doc and transfer it to Word 2000, it claims it needs a plugin, and requires me to insert the CD, complains, and doesn't work.

But, no one else has seemed to have these problems, so take my problems with a grain of salt.

I had trouble with saving files as Word documents in the initial Pocket PC release, but the updated version worked fine. The "insert CD" error message you mention, however, seems to indicate that you are using the desktop version—can't say I have much experience with that, as I'm still using MS Word as my main desktop word processing program.

[huangzhinong]

I like Textmaker, but there are things that I struggle doing and the documentation isn't good enough yet to help me. They would really benefit from a support forum or mailing list to help us help each other.

Very true.

While I'm on the subject; how DO you do multiple level numbered headings?

I believe multiple level numbered headings is one of the few things you can't do. An excellent program overall, and well worth the money—only wish (1) it was a little cheaper (it's sad that so many people find it unaffordable), and (2) that Micro$oft hadn't removed print capabilities from the Pocket PC!

print capabilities has nothing to do with MS. As i said, the HPC version Textmaker print very well(too well to be true, you have to test it.) in Jornada 568 which use PPC 2002. I can't understanf why the author remove this important function.

[Charles Pickrell]

Actually the print function has everything to do with Microsoft. The HPC Pro has a printer sub-system so it is easy to make programs to print on it. Pocket PC has NO printer sub-system, so a software manufacturer would have to make their own printer sub-system and printer drivers (complex and time consuming) or license a commercial one.

Microsoft needs to offer a downloadable printer pack for Pocket PC users that need printing.

[The Big Jay]

Here is the verdict of infoSync.no (http://www.infosync.no) about Textmaker:

"[...]

Conclusion

Overall, TextMaker is a true wonder of a program. Given a portable keyboard, I would be happy to create a long and complicated document with this application without fear of missing a feature or losing my work. In its efficient use of space (both storage and screen) and equally efficient programming, it stretches the limited platform of the Pocket PC to new limits. In sheer power alone it happily leaves its rivals in the dust: in fact, I’d go so far as to say that this is the most important PPC program now available for almost any mobile professional. Those complaining about its cost obviously don’t realise quite what a landmark this is - proper mobile document creation is now a reality."

Wow! That sounds pretty impressive...

Their Textmaker review is here:
http://www.infosync.no/show.php?id=2817

I'd like to see a comparison between BlueNomad's WordSmith and this program, does anybody have one? That'll influence my decision a lot.

[Gremmie]

Its a good program, however, like Word itself, some of its features are burdening more than anything else, the text formatting is tremendously important, it would be good to cut some advanced features and keep the important text formating features in place in favor of having a mid-priced program (~$30) and have a feature packed full version at the current price.

[heov]

Actually the print function has everything to do with Microsoft. The HPC Pro has a printer sub-system so it is easy to make programs to print on it. Pocket PC has NO printer sub-system, so a software manufacturer would have to make their own printer sub-system and printer drivers (complex and time consuming) or license a commercial one.

Microsoft needs to offer a downloadable printer pack for Pocket PC users that need printing.

no, read his last two posts again- he clearly states that he is using the HPC version of TextMaker on his POCKET PC (j568)- thus proving the print capabilities are within textmaker.

And yes, it is possible to run HPC programs on PPC, as I use MS Paint in the HPC Power Toys- just some window's are cutoff, but most are resized...

The same thing comes to mind w/ how come MS hasn't ported the Pocket Word features from HPC to PPC, and MS PowerPoint viewer, and MS access? They should be a cinch to move from HPC API to PPC API...

[Jason Dunn]

Sorry for the utterly flawed vote, but it was the only thing I could think of as an equivelent to "I don't need it and won't be trying it."

Wouldn't the best option be not voting then? :lol:

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

I'd like to see a comparison between BlueNomad's WordSmith and this program, does anybody have one? That'll influence my decision a lot.
First time I've even heard of WordSmith... do you any links reviewing of this program by itself?

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

Sorry for the utterly flawed vote, but it was the only thing I could think of as an equivelent to "I don't need it and won't be trying it."

Wouldn't the best option be not voting then? :lol:
Probably like me, he's itching to see the results. A "View Results" link under the vote button would be great.

I'm real curious as to people's reactions thus far and thus, have no choice to pick the option that insults you (as fun as that might be). :)

[Rob Alexander]

I have tried it in each new (mostly beta) version and would have been willing to pay the price, but the program simply doesn't do the one thing I really need, and that is to allow my Word documents to make a successful round-trip through TextMaker. So far, they haven't made a version yet that can actually do that. Perhaps it can with simple enough documents, but so can Pocket Word. When I've tested it, I've taken one of my Word documents, opened it in TM, added four or five words to the beginning and resaved it in Word format. Then I move it back to the desktop and open the file in Word. Every time I've tried it, it has corrupted the document. This would probably be a great program for someone who wanted to create original documents and use desktop TM, but for someone stuck using Word on the desktop for making fairly complex documents, this product just isn't ready for prime time. :cry:

[SoftMaker]

Anyone know when they are going to release thier spreadsheet program? I am currently holding off even thinking about buying TextMaker until that is released (and see if they have a decent price on the two combined). At the price just for the PPC standalone version, I find it bit pricy.

Other than that, it seems like a good word processor. I was going to hammer out a paper for a class on it, but the PC eval copy is refusing to open files made on my PPC.

-Dan
Well, we had a special sale during the holiday season where you could get TextMaker for Pocket PCs + Windows for $49.95 instead of $69.95, essentially giving you the Windows version for free.

The trick with the eval is to install the Pocket PC and the Windows version at the same time to make them exchange documents.

PlanMaker is coming along nicely, but it will still be a bit of time before everything is finished. Sometime this spring, hopefully.

Martin Kotulla
SoftMaker Software GmbH

[SoftMaker]

I like Textmaker, but there are things that I struggle doing and the documentation isn't good enough yet to help me. They would really benefit from a support forum or mailing list to help us help each other.

While I'm on the subject; how DO you do multiple level numbered headings?
A web forum is still on our to-do list.

If you find areas in the docs that are unclear or not comprehensive enough, drop us a note. As with software, documentation is always work-in-progress.

Automatic multiple-level headlines will be in a future version.

Martin Kotulla
SoftMaker Software GmbH

[SoftMaker]

I purchased TextMaker, and I have to say that I'm disappointed. I love the features, love the power, but it's practically useless to me because it's SOO SLOOOOW! I touch type about 80+ WPM and it just can't keep up with me - if I want to stop and see what I wrote, I literally have to wait about 10 seconds for TextMaker to catch up.

The REALLY sad thing is that PocketWord has no trouble whatsoever - can keep up with me just fine. I thought at first that the Dell keyboard driver was to blame, but that can't be it if PocketWord works.

I think it's just too much program for the platform, unfortunately.

Does anyone else who touchtypes have this problem, or is it just me?
Something is weird here. TextMaker runs just fine on the Axims. If you are able to outpace TextMaker, there must be something you installed that is conflicting with TextMaker. Oh, have you turned on ClearType in TextMaker? (Extras/Preferences) This would slow down things quite a bit, try turning it off.

TextMaker even works on old 80 MHz or 100 MHz MIPS or SH3 Handheld PCs, so a StrongARM or XScale CPU is more than able to handle it. Previous betas "felt" slow, but the final should not be able to outtyped at all -- and I'm a fast typer, too.

Can anyone else chime in with some info about TextMaker on the Axims?

Martin Kotulla
SoftMaker Software GmbH

[SoftMaker]

I've had nothing but troubles with opening and saving documents. No matter what I save to, if I reopen it, it comes corupted, or blank. If I save it as a .doc and transfer it to Word 2000, it claims it needs a plugin, and requires me to insert the CD, complains, and doesn't work.

But, no one else has seemed to have these problems, so take my problems with a grain of salt.
Have you contacted support at softmaker.de regarding your troubles? Word export definitely works, and if everything comes up corrupted, sending in a few sample files would help us track down the problem.

As Word 2000 claims it needs the CD-ROM to install something, could it be that you simply saved in TextMaker format but with a .doc extension? Try selecting the file type in File/Save As first or set the default file format to Microsoft Word (Extras/Preferences).

Martin Kotulla
SoftMaker Software GmbH

[SoftMaker]

Actually the print function has everything to do with Microsoft. The HPC Pro has a printer sub-system so it is easy to make programs to print on it. Pocket PC has NO printer sub-system, so a software manufacturer would have to make their own printer sub-system and printer drivers (complex and time consuming) or license a commercial one.

Microsoft needs to offer a downloadable printer pack for Pocket PC users that need printing.
You all are right ... and wrong. It's much more difficult:

1. The Pocket PC up to 2002 has operating system support for printing.

2. If you create an application with system libraries for Handheld PCs or Palm-size PCs, the application will support printing, even on the Pocket PC. If you create an application targeted for Pocket PC 2000 or Pocket PC 2002, these Microsoft libraries do not have printing support anymore, although the operating system would have it.

3. You would not want to run an application compiled for HPC or PsPC on the Pocket PC. The title would be on the bottom, and no specificfeatures of the Pocket PC could be accessed.

4. Furthermore, even if the app could print (through some hackery magic), you would not gain much as nearly no Pocket PCs have printer drivers installed. Some HP models seem to be an exception, but nobody else does.

So, all in all, printing on the Pocket PC is a mess. Blame Microsoft. In the meantime, we are considering rolling our own for a future release of TextMaker.

Martin Kotulla
SoftMaker Software GmbH

[SoftMaker]

I have tried it in each new (mostly beta) version and would have been willing to pay the price, but the program simply doesn't do the one thing I really need, and that is to allow my Word documents to make a successful round-trip through TextMaker. So far, they haven't made a version yet that can actually do that. Perhaps it can with simple enough documents, but so can Pocket Word. When I've tested it, I've taken one of my Word documents, opened it in TM, added four or five words to the beginning and resaved it in Word format. Then I move it back to the desktop and open the file in Word. Every time I've tried it, it has corrupted the document. This would probably be a great program for someone who wanted to create original documents and use desktop TM, but for someone stuck using Word on the desktop for making fairly complex documents, this product just isn't ready for prime time. :cry:
If NONE of your documents make it back into Word as you say, something else must be the culprit. Could it be that you are accidentally saving in TextMaker format, maybe with a .doc extension? Make sure to select the file type in File/Save As or by selection "Microsoft Word" as the default file format in Extras/Preferences (this last feature has been added in the final).

Hint: If the file opens as a text file in Word and the first two letters are "MV", then you saved in TextMaker format instead of Word .doc format.

Martin Kotulla
SoftMaker Software GmbH

[kennyg]

Sorry for the utterly flawed vote, but it was the only thing I could think of as an equivelent to "I don't need it and won't be trying it."

Wouldn't the best option be not voting then? :lol:

Then I'd have to see the vote request everytime i loaded the site and would never see the results of the vote. Which is why you are seeing all the requests for a "just show me the results" button.

[huangzhinong]

i am waiting for a lite version with Print function, aiming at $19.99.
Come on, if you set the price at $19.99, i promise you can make more money than now.

[PapaSmurfDan]

Anyone know when they are going to release thier spreadsheet program? I am currently holding off even thinking about buying TextMaker until that is released (and see if they have a decent price on the two combined). At the price just for the PPC standalone version, I find it bit pricy.

Other than that, it seems like a good word processor. I was going to hammer out a paper for a class on it, but the PC eval copy is refusing to open files made on my PPC.

-Dan
Well, we had a special sale during the holiday season where you could get TextMaker for Pocket PCs + Windows for $49.95 instead of $69.95, essentially giving you the Windows version for free.

The trick with the eval is to install the Pocket PC and the Windows version at the same time to make them exchange documents.

PlanMaker is coming along nicely, but it will still be a bit of time before everything is finished. Sometime this spring, hopefully.

Martin Kotulla
SoftMaker Software GmbH

Ahh, maybe I will try reinstalling both togeather and see if it works. However, I am more intrested in how PlanMaker and TextMaker will intergrate with each other on the PPC. TextMaker is only half of the solution I need right now.

I am shooting for is the following: going to the lab, input the data, process the data (via PythonCE and/or the spreadsheet program), write the report up with all of the charts and graphics, and e-mail my profs all form my ppc. Unfortantly, without the spreadsheet, its a very tough decision. I have little issue hammering out the content of a paper in PocketWord and then assembling with the rest of the data it back in OpenOffice on my desktop. However, I think TextMaker (form what I have used of it so far) is a great product even with the few minor quirks (such as if auto spell check is on, I can easily out type it, and the non-inutive outline mode). I will try out PlanMaker once an eval or beta is around and I will concider buying them at that time.

-Dan

[ironguy]

I love most of the capabilities in TM but ocassionally when I tap on the TM icon in the start menu, I get, "Cannot find tmp.exe". One or mor of the components may be missing" or something like that. A soft reset clears it everytime.

I still think there is much room for improvemnt in the GUI area in the various options. Ideally, scrolling would not be necessary. Also, pop up options or icons for things like papragraph justification would be nice rather than select 'center', 'left', 'right', 'justify'.

Overall there is too much space inbetween the various options on a select page. This may be due to trying to keep the gui for the PC version, I don't know. If that was the case, I would suggest an option for a separate PPC gui.

I just opened TM, or tried to. I received the following, "A program file is missing or corrupt!" VERY INTERESTING. I had MS Reader open when this happened as well as the Find function. I closed both and TM started up fine. Maybe there's some contention going on. AHA! It's repeatable! I closed MS Reader and TM opens with the Find function working. Re-open Reader, close Find, and it still works. Re-open Find and it still works. Strange...

[QYV]

If you want to see the results, go to the first page of the discussion - NOT the front page - and there's a View Results link already there.

[Pat Logsdon]

Something is weird here. TextMaker runs just fine on the Axims. If you are able to outpace TextMaker, there must be something you installed that is conflicting with TextMaker. Oh, have you turned on ClearType in TextMaker? (Extras/Preferences) This would slow down things quite a bit, try turning it off.

TextMaker even works on old 80 MHz or 100 MHz MIPS or SH3 Handheld PCs, so a StrongARM or XScale CPU is more than able to handle it. Previous betas "felt" slow, but the final should not be able to outtyped at all -- and I'm a fast typer, too.


Excellent suggestion - I tried it and got SOME improvement, but not much, unfortunately. I had ClearType turned on for my whole system, but NOT in TextMaker (did not have "Smooth Edges of Screen Fonts" checked for either documents or dialogs). It still can't keep up with me.

The only other thing that I can think of that could cause it to slow down would be PocketBlinds, which I unloaded, and it's still slow. Do you have any more ideas? I'd love to be able to use it instead of PocketWord... :D

Thanks for answering questions for us here, I for one really appreciate it when a vender/developer takes the time to actively engage with the user community.

[upplepop]

I am also using an Axim (300mhz) and I only type about 40wpm and even I am able to outpace TextMaker. As I put in more text, tables, etc. in my document, the slow-down increases to an unusable level.

I do not have ClearType enabled. Furthermore, I run TextMaker without any other programs running, so I don't think memory is the problem.

So is this just happening with the Axims?

by the way, this is a great program and I hope they will work out these small problems.

[spinedoc]

Let me start out by saying that I require a good .doc file editor that has the ability to view and format tables primarily. I dont care how much it costs, hell if it worked the way as intened I would pay a couple hundred bucks for it!! Let me show you the journey that textmaker took me on.

Installation went smooth, I was very excited about the promises the textmaker website made. Once I fired up textmaker I went to open up a network file. Let me start by saying that the textmaker file manager is the most confusing layout I have ever seen. It would not let me go into subfolders or go back like the regular pocketpc file manager would. Just to get to a location I had to create a "quick path" which was actually very counter productive. OK I finally see the option to go to regular file manager, but this just pulls up a search screen. God forbid you actually do a search because you will get the beach ball of death spinning around for a good 10 minutes !! (NO exaggeration! 10 friggin minutes). OK so it took me a good 45 minutes to finally figure out how to "quick path" map my network drive so I could pull the .doc files I needed to edit. Here is where my frustration really started!

Every single .doc file I tried to open gave me an error that the file was corrupt, WTF>???? I tried opening various files of differing type, but still corrupt. So I assumed it had something to do with opening network files. I took my .doc files and copied them over to the pocket pc memory, took another 20 minutes to figure out how to access them with textmakers inane file manager, and finally got them to open. (hint: dont preview your files unless you want the beach ball of death again). OK so now that my files are on local memory textmaker opens them up, but they are all wrong. Lots of text is missing, only about 10% of the tables I had in the doc are there, the font color is wrong. Basically it actually did a worse job of fumbling my files than Pocket word did.

I did send an email out to them, and I will give them the benefit of the doubt and assume Im just a moron and dont know how to use the program (LOL, its happened before). If they can get me up and running and solve these problems then Ill pay them whatever they want.

Does anyone else know any program that can do the tables etc and will open and save network files? I just bought my e740 and am QUITE dissapointed in the pocket pc in general, but am going to give it a very good chance in the 2 weeks I have to return it. Im wondering if my best solution is a Tungsten with documents to go? Please understand my FIRST and FOREMOST need in a pocket pc is the editing of tabled documents, everything else is secondary and can be done on my cell phone. I thought I would be able to leave my laptop behind, but I guess Pocket PC 2002 is not there yet, and neither are any of the other word processing programs, sigh.

On a good note though, PDA shiny...mmmm....

[shawnc]

SpineDoc,

Let me save you some time, effort, and frustration. If you're main reason for needing a PDA is to sync/edit Word documents, the PPC is not your best option (IMO). Though I have had a PPC for quite some time, I recently returned to Grad school and assumed that Pocket Word would do what a REASONABLE person expected of it. Boy was I wrong :evil: . I tried TextMaker and found it to be very hard to manuver. I also asked for advice from this forum and most of the responses indicated that what I was looking for likely did not exist in the PPC camp. At the end of the day, I don't think there is anything in the PPC camp that will allow you to do what you are looking for.

I hate to recommend a Palm device (and surely would not recommend the Tungsten), but from everything I have heard and read, Documents to Go (or a similar "Palm-based" application) is probably the way to go.

Just trying to save you a little time.

[spinedoc]

Thanks much for the advice. I was really hoping to find what I needed in the pocket PC world. I really dont need to format or edit the tables themselves, I actually only need to type in minimal information inside the cells of tables. I need a handheld wireless solution to pull up a patients note from the network, modify it for the day they are there, and save it to the network and have it print at the same time. I know pocket pc has trouble opening network files, so I would settle for copying all of the days patients notes into the pocket pc memory each morning, then saving them onto the network at the end of the day. I also got the printing part working using the HP print utility. My only achilles heel is that my patient notes are formatted with tables to include diagnosis and treatment codes, and these need to be printed out with the visit note.

I am QUITE amazed at how seemingly useless the whole pocket pc thing is. My last PDA was a Palm V years ago, and I cannot believe the industry has progressed so little. With cell phones becoming great P.I.M.'s, and PDA's not doing much else but being a PIM, why bother with a PDA at all? If a PDA does not provide even a weak alternative to a laptop then why bother?

Another issue I have with pocketpc is the HORRID handwriting recognition. Hang me upside down in a barrel of molasses and I could still sandscript quicker than this thing recognizes my letters. Sometimes I spend 3 or 4 minutes just trying to write a lower case L !!

OK enough ranting... Looks like I may have to look at a tablet PC, sigh.

SpineDoc,

Let me save you some time, effort, and frustration. If you're main reason for needing a PDA is to sync/edit Word documents, the PPC is not your best option (IMO). Though I have had a PPC for quite some time, I recently returned to Grad school and assumed that Pocket Word would do what a REASONABLE person expected of it. Boy was I wrong :evil: . I tried TextMaker and found it to be very hard to manuver. I also asked for advice from this forum and most of the responses indicated that what I was looking for likely did not exist in the PPC camp. At the end of the day, I don't think there is anything in the PPC camp that will allow you to do what you are looking for.

I hate to recommend a Palm device (and surely would not recommend the Tungsten), but from everything I have heard and read, Documents to Go (or a similar "Palm-based" application) is probably the way to go.

Just trying to save you a little time.

[alex22]

Seriously, I'd rather pay $20 - $ 30 for a lite version than the full version -- I guess most people don't need the whole set of features, just the most needed ones -- i.e. lossless round trip between word and the pocket pc version word processor, richer text formatting, bullets and simple tables.

Or in the minium I can view word 2000/XP document without conversion. Guess that would be most people asked for.

[tw]

Or in the minium I can view word 2000/XP document without conversion. Guess that would be most people asked for.
You can use ClearVue for that. They have also viewers for Powerpoint etc..