[CTSLICK]

My Vote...Mostly ActiveSync Sometimes Cab does not represent what I want I would prefer cabs unless there is truly some desktop component that works with the PPC app. I have an ongoing battle with my IT dept regarding the PPC apps I install at work because they always plunk crap onto the hard drive. Then there are the ones that require admin rights...oh I REALLY love those. :evil: Lets get this CAB thing going!

With wireless access I would welcome the opportunity to download and install an app right on my PPC with all of the install choices that I am given when I use ActiveSync. This is all past-due as far as I am concerned.

[CTSLICK]

My Vote...Mostly ActiveSync Sometimes Cab does not represent what I want I would prefer cabs unless there is truly some desktop component that works with the PPC app. I have an ongoing battle with my IT dept regarding the PPC apps I install at work because they always plunk crap onto the hard drive. Then there are the ones that require admin rights...oh I REALLY love those. :evil: Lets get this CAB thing going!

With wireless access I would welcome the opportunity to download and install an app right on my PPC with all of the install choices that I am given when I use ActiveSync. This is all past-due as far as I am concerned.

[mscdex]

I had attempted to start a website where you could download CABs only, of all your favorite applications, but nobody showed much interest in such a website, so I just didn't go far with it. I went as far as to contact developers asking for permission, and got permission from a lot of companies, but since there was a lack of interest, I didn't go through with it. :?

Now that I have more time and resources I could put one together just for the heck of it, but then again I sold my pocketpc awhile ago

[gorkon280]

It takes a mear 2 seconds to read this line:

copy cab file to your Pocket PC and tap on the cab file

Copying it to the PPC should not be hard if people RTFM. I am honestly sick of people saying well we can't do that because blah blah blah.

I want cabs because I surf the web...ALOT from my PPC. If I see an app, I would like to download and install it with out having to run the exe from my desktop. One coudl do it this way:

Click here if your on a PC
Click here if your on your Pocket PC.


CAB's can and do pretty much auto execute(well if you tell it to) when you download them with PIE.

[rob_ocelot]

Originally Posted by CTSLICK

My Vote...Mostly ActiveSync Sometimes Cab does not represent what I want I would prefer cabs unless there is truly some desktop component that works with the PPC app. I have an ongoing battle with my IT dept regarding the PPC apps I install at work because they always plunk crap onto the hard drive.

What really gets my goat is that this crap that sits on your hard drive never seems to go into the same place. The majority of it goes into the /program files/MSactivesync/ folder, but often I come across directories that I do not recognize and lo and behold: they are the detritus of some Pocket PC app that I tried out but didn't like.

I understand the need for TEMPORARY directories when a program is installing, since Activesync needs to probe your PPC to get the processor type and space to extract the correct .cab file to before it sends it to the PPC. The problem is that Activesync doesn't clean up after itself.

Activesync shouldn't have to find out your pocket PC's processor and scan your previously installed apps EVERY TIME you install a new piece of software. Once you have about 10 programs isntalled this process takes what seems like forever to accomplish. Both of these things are something that should be stored in your PPC's profile on your PC!

The problem really is twofold:

1) Activesync is antiquated garbage

2) Developers use Activesync because that is the most direct route for the average consumer to get their program onto the PPC.

Regards,
Rob S.

[peppzilla]

Add me to the list of those whose votes do not reflect what they want. I can't stand dealing with the PC. I know, I know, the PPC is supposed to be a PC companion :roll: and we are all supposed to run back to our PC's every five minutes. The thing that gets me the most is all the crap that is put on my hard drive. When I install something, I don't want to have to hunt down the place where the installer hid all of its files. Not to mention the stuff it adds to the start menu. I already spent some time organizing it the way I want it. I can't spend all my time cleaning up.

By the way, this is the first poll I have voted in using the mobile site. Cool!

[Wes Salmon]

Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry

1) Ask the user where to install the application. Currently, it assumes RAM. There are third party apps that will allow you to override this, but that would be like having to have a third party app on your desktop to redirect installs to other partitions.

Interestingly enough, Windows Mobile smartphones will not install a .cab file's contents into RAM by default when an SD card is present, it will prompt you for a location. So it's broken on Pocket PC's, but not Smartphones.

[Tom W.M.]

I'm part of the 100% CAB file group, simply because my Casio's cradle is broken.

To me, even worse than CAB files being immediately unavailable is an installer that only creates temporary files. It's very annoying to have to search my hard drive for CABs that do not exist. Of course, even worse are installers that do not create any CAB files at all. :evil: Fortunately this type of installer is rare, but it means that I am totally unable to install the program—and it certainly wastes my time to search my hard drive for CAB files that never existed!

[Paul]

Yes more cab files please! and built in option to choose where we want to install it to would be nice.

Here's how I used cabs recently.
Ex. I was at a coffee shop surfing away on my ipaq. Not liking the music they played there I wanted to look into streaming music to my pda. Did a websearch and ended up downloading GSPlayer 2 .cab file, installed it and was on my way to shoutcast to stream some tunes. Worked out great!

That's something I like to see more of.

[torgamm]

Originally Posted by msprague

If an app does not include a CAB I run the setup at home on my computer that does have Activesync installed, but without a connection to my device. Then I scrounge my hard drive for the CAB files and guess at which one is ARM and copy it to my SD card. Then I install with SK CanInstl on my device. I always put a copy of the CAB in a specific directory on my PC for future use and keep a copy of the CAB on my SD card for critical apps.

That's exactly what I do too.
Just one tip: even if you have an active connection between your desktop computer and your Pocket PC, you can still use your method. When ActiveSync asks you if you really want to install the program, click on Cancel, nothing happens on the Pocket PC but the CABs are already created!

[helloboys]

I think the solution is some sort of "universal" file format that can either be double-clicked on a PC, which will bring up the friendly wizard based install that installs on the PocketPC via ActiveSync (preferably without installing crud on the PC) AND can be copied to the Pocket PC and executed from there.