No more scheduling in Activesync 4.0

[biglouis]

From what I've read and seen in the way of comments there are still a lot of people out there who do not realise that there is no such thing as scheduling in ActiveSync 4.0.

I make this statement in full knowledge of the fact that scheduling exists for WiFi sync connections due to the need to preserve battery life. But as the majority of users will be using a cable/cradle, and in my case a combined cradle/charging unit this small concession in functionality is not really that useful.

I've gotten around the problem in a typically heath robinson way, which is for the first time since I purchased by my first PDA (an HP95LX back in 1990) I've actually routed my connection cable to the front of my machine. Scheduling is achieved by leaving my Axim x51v idling and charging in the cradle and periodically (1-2 times a day) plugging the USB connector into the front port on my workstation. Pretty cool, huh?

Now, here is my question, especially for any folk who might work for Microsoft. Clearly, despite having worked for 25 years in the IT industry, a lot of it in sales or marketing support I still appear to be ignorant about the particular marketing ploy in use here. I cannot see the value in removing functionality as you improve a product.

So I would like to understand how this new feature (or lack of it depending on whether you work for Microsoft or don't) is of benefit to me?

The only answer I can provide for myself is that this is a truly obnoxious way for Microsoft to remind me as a consumer that they hold all the power and I don't.

As I am sure this is not the intention, I really am serious about understanding why removing a useful feature drives forward the progress of ActiveSync.

Sincerley hoping someone can teach an old dog like me new marketing tricks

LouisB

[Sven Johannsen]

No I don't speak for MS, but I wonder what the point would be of not syncing continuously. In the cradle the options are Continuously, On Connect, or Manually. The last two require user intervention to synchronize the PPC and the desktop. You may have a reason to want that, but I would think that it would be desirable to sync changes immediately whenever they are made, so the user does not have to make any effort to ensure everything is up to date, when grabbing the PPC and already late for the meeting. Possibly the thought was that other than continuous sync was used infrequently and was a potential for user problems. Taking out a misunderstood or infrequently used option seems a reasonable thing to do to reduce code and alleviate support issues.

The schedule options in AS3.8 only seem to be valid if syncing to a desktop via wireless which as we know is gone in AS4. For syncing with a server in WM5 aren't those available when you set up server sync on the PPC itself? I don't have a WM5 device in front of me so can't look at the AS options, but the scheduled sync is there in 2003SE on the PPC.

[biglouis]

In the cradle the options are Continuously, On Connect, or Manually.

This is 3.8 functionality not 4.0

Taking out a misunderstood or infrequently used option seems a reasonable thing to do to reduce code and alleviate support issues.

I dunno. Don't you think the average user is intelligent enough to understand the options? Continuous = all the time, On Connect = when I conntect, Manually = when I want to. Seems pretty straightforward to me.

I think I'm a pretty average kinda guy so I'd love to see the reports from focus groups at which users stated they loathed the functionality and were desperate to have it removed.

I don't have a WM5 device in front of me so can't look at the AS options, but the scheduled sync is there in 2003SE on the PPC.

Well, its gone in WM5 and I loved it on my i-mate 2003SE device.

I suppose my point is, if ain't broke why fix it? Why would a product manager decide to put in sync control then remove it? What kind of product management is that?

The reason it is a pain NOT to have it, and this is a view echoed elsewhere (e.g. the Aximsite) is that because I have to leave my Axim in its cradle to charge it fires up about every five minutes to sync. If you haven't experienced this you don't know how distracting and annoying it is.

LouisB

[Sven Johannsen]

I understood that was 3.8 functionality. My question was why would you do anything other than continuous if you are in the cradle. Not saying you shouldn't, just wonder what would drive you to.

I've answered sync questions that were the result of having the wrong one selected, inadvertantly. I don't think it requires a demand to have it removed as much as a belief that it won't be ovewhelmingly missed if it is.

Why not keep it? Because it is code that must be maintained, managed and tested. Removing it is one less thing to have to worry about in regression testing.

Are you saying there is no option in AS on the PPC to set up scheduled server sync with differing schedules for on and off peak? In AS3.8 the schedule option only relate to WiFi and that's gone in 4 so it makes sense the schedules are gone.

Not sure what is going on with your PPC, but it shouldn't fire up every five minutes to sync. My PPC2003SE units don't do that even with AS 4. I guess you are saying you put it in the cradle and then turn it off, to let it charge. I do that too, but it doesn't turn on unless I have some third party program or mail set up to check periodically. Has nothing to do with having or not having an AS schedule. Actually I would think that having the wifi schedule set would be the thing causing it if you had PPC2003 and AS3.8.

[biglouis]

Not sure what is going on with your PPC, but it shouldn't fire up every five minutes to sync.

My feeling exactly. I may be wrong but it seems to be responding to a sync session initiated by AS4.0. It does not appear to be the PPC initiating a sync. I assumed this was 'continuous' syncing in action.

When using my i-mate, I had set syncing under 3.8 to manual. Then, I could leave it cradled but knowing that it would only sync when I asked it to.

LouisB

[PetiteFlower]

When I leave my Axim (not WM5 yet) in the cradle and it syncs continuously, it does not "fire up" to sync. It sits there and does nothing. Now I have it set so that the screen does not dim when it's plugged in, but I don't think continuous syncing should cause the screen to light up again every few minutes. It's an invisible process to me.

If it DOES make your screen light and dim frequently, why not just set it so that it doesn't dim or go idle when plugged in? There's not really any reason to have the backlight dim when it's in the charger, you're not trying to save power or anything.

[Sven Johannsen]

Nah, Continuous sync just means that AS is watching all the time if anything you have selected to sync changes on either the PPC or PC, it syncs that piece of info right then. AS always says connected and the AS icon stays green. If you change an extension in a contact for instance on the desktop, the AS icon turns yellow, spins, turns green and the change is sync'd. No pushing the HotSync button before you uncradle and go.

With AS 3.8 or 4 (which I have been running for a couple of months) I can connect my Axim or other PPCs on and turn them off and for the most part they'll stay off and charge. Now and again one will pop on, but typically will turn back off before AS catches hold. Something as regular as 5 min makes me think there is something on the PPC set to update at that interval. Could be mail, one of the weather programs or stock tickers, something like that.

[Down8]

I can give one reason not to use 'continuous' syncing. Games, specifically on the PC.

If you do leave your PDA plugged in, and leave say Outlook open as well, then fire up a game, you get problems. Because when you get new mail, AS will hit your PDA to sync up. I started using 'manual' syncs because of this.

But that's just me,
-bZj

[Sven Johannsen]

I can give one reason not to use 'continuous' syncing. Games, specifically on the PC.

If you do leave your PDA plugged in, and leave say Outlook open as well, then fire up a game, you get problems. Because when you get new mail, AS will hit your PDA to sync up. I started using 'manual' syncs because of this.

-bZj

But then just leave your PC cradled, but turned off. That works for me. Seems though the OP has something that is turning his PPC on periodically. That should be solvable, but sometimes it's hard to find what is doing it.

Maybe I'm not getting your issue. Are you playing the game on your PC? And AS syncing a new mail that comes in on the PC is affecting gameplay there? Or are you playing a game on your PPC while connected and AS affects that?

[PetiteFlower]

So just change the outlook settings on your PPC so that it doesn't automatically check for mail. Simple.

[Down8]

That would be playing on the PC, not the PDA - why would you play on the PPC while it was plugged in?

And leaving it plugged in while off is a viable solution - I've done that before.

-bZj