07-07-2004, 10:00 PM
|
|
Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
|
|
PPCW Tutorial On Windows Mobile Timezone Handling
"The Time Zone feature of Outlook and Pocket Outlook is probably the most misunderstood concept implemented in any modern computing device. Some have managed to break it and bring it down to the level of the lowly paper based planner while some have, after a while, grasped the concept behind it and have used it to their advantage."
I think Carlo was inspired by Kati's post and the ensuing debate.  Whether or not you agree with it, you may find Carlo's article useful in minimizing problems when you travel with your Pocket PC and/or desktop.
|
| |
|
|
|
07-07-2004, 10:36 PM
|
|
Editorial Contributor
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,411
|
|
Re: PPCW Tutorial On Windows Mobile Timezone Handling
Quote:
|
"...while some have, after a while, grasped the concept behind it and have used it to their advantage."
|
I take a little umbrage at the implication that if you grasped the concept, you would like it. I fully understand the concept, what it does, and why it does it. I still don't like it, nor does it work for me without my having to modify my methodology and my experience to make use of this 'feature'.
I agree that it is not broken, in that it does exactly what it was designed to do, with the possible exception of what it does to all day events with multiple time shifts.
So there :wink:
__________________
Sometimes you are the anteater, sometimes you are the ant.
|
| |
|
|
|
07-07-2004, 11:09 PM
|
|
Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
|
|
It's a well-written and thorough description of the entire time zone topic. I'd like to add, though, that the application that helps me a lot is CityTime, from Codecity.net. Among its features, it adds a menu item to the Calendar application that allows you to specify the city/time zone for an appointment. That way, if my boss says "make an appointment for noon in Japan," I can do it without messing with the visiting time zone and such.
Another application that adds this capability is Trip Tracker from Two Peaks software.
|
| |
|
|
|
07-07-2004, 11:50 PM
|
|
Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 484
|
|
Re: PPCW Tutorial On Windows Mobile Timezone Handling
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Sven
Quote:
|
"...while some have, after a while, grasped the concept behind it and have used it to their advantage."
|
I take a little umbrage at the implication that if you grasped the concept, you would like it. I fully understand the concept, what it does, and why it does it. I still don't like it, nor does it work for me without my having to modify my methodology and my experience to make use of this 'feature'.
I agree that it is not broken, in that it does exactly what it was designed to do, with the possible exception of what it does to all day events with multiple time shifts.
So there :wink: |
Well said! :mrgreen:
Other than that little dig against those of us that have a different view, the article was very well written and complete. Thank you Carlo.
|
| |
|
|
|
07-07-2004, 11:51 PM
|
|
Swami
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 4,396
|
|
Good Information
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Brad Adrian
It's a well-written and thorough description of the entire time zone topic. I'd like to add, though, that the application that helps me a lot is CityTime, from Codecity.net. Among its features, it adds a menu item to the Calendar application that allows you to specify the city/time zone for an appointment. That way, if my boss says "make an appointment for noon in Japan," I can do it without messing with the visiting time zone and such.
Another application that adds this capability is Trip Tracker from Two Peaks software.
|
That's good that some companies are trying to do things the right way. Too bad Microsoft doesn't address the problem in the correct place -- the Appointment entry dialog.
Do either of those programs allow you to view your Calendar in a specified time zone?
Steve
|
| |
|
|
|
07-08-2004, 12:03 AM
|
|
Swami
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 4,396
|
|
Re: PPCW Tutorial On Windows Mobile Timezone Handling
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Sven
Quote:
|
"...while some have, after a while, grasped the concept behind it and have used it to their advantage."
|
I take a little umbrage at the implication that if you grasped the concept, you would like it. I fully understand the concept, what it does, and why it does it. I still don't like it, nor does it work for me without my having to modify my methodology and my experience to make use of this 'feature'. |
I agree that it did seem a bit condescending to people who disagree with the feature, but maybe that's just a language issue.
However, I still don't get why you don't like the feature. I can understand why you wouldn't like the implementation of the feature, because it takes many more taps to enter appointments correctly and there's no quick way to view your calendar in another time zone. It's also confusing to new users who don't expect the behavior thanks to their paper-planner mindset.
But if the Calendar implementation was fixed to allow setting time zones during appointment entry and to allow viewing the Calendar in any given time zone, would you like the feature then? If not, why not?
Steve
|
| |
|
|
|
07-08-2004, 12:19 AM
|
|
Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
|
|
Re: PPCW Tutorial On Windows Mobile Timezone Handling
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Sven
Quote:
|
"...while some have, after a while, grasped the concept behind it and have used it to their advantage."
|
I take a little umbrage at the implication that if you grasped the concept, you would like it. |
He didn't say that. He said "while some, after a while, ...." not "while everyone else" or "while all others."
Huge difference. We know there are some that have fully grasped it and don't like it. And you are entitled to be wrong. :devilboy: :wink: :lol:
|
| |
|
|
|
07-08-2004, 12:32 AM
|
|
Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 484
|
|
Re: PPCW Tutorial On Windows Mobile Timezone Handling
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Pony99CA
However, I still don't get why you don't like the feature. I can understand why you wouldn't like the implementation of the feature, because it takes many more taps to enter appointments correctly and there's no quick way to view your calendar in another time zone. It's also confusing to new users who don't expect the behavior thanks to their paper-planner mindset.
|
I think you state the case well as to why not to like this "feature". :wink:
Actually, I still believe that it was always a design that only had fixed time zones in mind and that is why it is so "clunky" :? to use if you change time zones.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Pony99CA
But if the Calendar implementation was fixed to allow setting time zones during appointment entry and to allow viewing the Calendar in any given time zone, would you like the feature then? If not, why not?
|
In that case, I would agree that it would be a nice feature. Then it would be superior to a paper calendar instead of what it is now - which is far more work than is worth bothering with. (I simply never change my time zone now.)
|
| |
|
|
|
07-08-2004, 12:43 AM
|
|
Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 484
|
|
Re: PPCW Tutorial On Windows Mobile Timezone Handling
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Sven
Quote:
|
"...while some have, after a while, grasped the concept behind it and have used it to their advantage."
|
I take a little umbrage at the implication that if you grasped the concept, you would like it. |
He didn't say that. He said "while some, after a while, ...." not "while everyone else" or "while all others." |
The full quote is:
Quote:
|
Some have managed to break it and bring it down to the level of the lowly paper based planner while some have, after a while, grasped the concept behind it and have used it to their advantage.
|
I'm sorry, but this does read as very condescending to those of us that fully understand it and still feel the implementation is cumbersome and requires the user to do far too much to fit the way the machine works instead of the other way around.
|
| |
|
|
|
07-08-2004, 12:50 AM
|
|
Swami
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 4,396
|
|
Re: PPCW Tutorial On Windows Mobile Timezone Handling
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by daS
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Pony99CA
But if the Calendar implementation was fixed to allow setting time zones during appointment entry and to allow viewing the Calendar in any given time zone, would you like the feature then? If not, why not?
|
In that case, I would agree that it would be a nice feature. Then it would be superior to a paper calendar instead of what it is now - which is far more work than is worth bothering with. (I simply never change my time zone now.) |
That's a reasonable attitude, I think. You're willing to change if the feature works with you, not against you. :-D
Of the six people who have posted in this thread, five are MVPs (I'm the only one who's not :-(). If you count Carlo, who wrote the article being discussed, there are six MVPs interested in this issue. Get your MVP muscles out and get Microsoft to fix this. :-D
I know -- your influence is limited. :-? But this is an issue that has been proven to confuse new users. Even experienced users, like you and Sven, won't do things the "right" way because it's more work than it should be.
Fixing it won't really hurt third-party developers much (CityTime may have a redundant feature, but its main functions aren't made unnecessary). It's not like fixing Pocket Word, which could hurt third-party word processor vendors. Can you guys get together and convince Microsoft how useful these changes would be? (Or have you tried already?)
Steve
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Linear Mode
