Comments on: iSilo 3.0 Offers Hi-Res and VFS Support (Updated)

iSilo 3.0 is a doc reader who's new version includes an impressive array of features. It can show formated, read files off VFS expansion cards, and supports both the Clié's and the HandEra 330's hi-res screens. iSilo documents can include both tables and images. It is available now for $17.50 and is a free upgrade to previous owners.

There is also a new version of iSiloX, the Windows app needed to convert files to iSilo format.

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Nice try, but fatal flaw

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/30/2001 10:07:13 AM #

iSilo isn't seamlessly integrated with Microsoft Word. You have to save Word files in HTML, then convert to iSilo. Wordsmith is every bit as functional as iSilo, yet it does instant conversion. Sorry, iSilo, but you lose...

Correction (RE: Nice try, but fatal flaw)

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/30/2001 10:35:45 AM #

Each program has another area it's specialized in.
WordSmith is great for editing word documents, but it can't be used for tables (ok, it can display small tables, but it's not really usefull for big ones), images or read webpages offline.

If you want to read a webpage offline (for daily viewing, I prefer AvantGo, but for pages I store once to have them accessible all the time I really prefer isilo), it's a great tool.

To get fast and easy MS Owrd support with an included button for conversation, simply use WordDocConv ($5), which does the trick: http://www.palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?prodID=5920

Isilo is a nice doc reader, and it's own format is even smaller than doc (about 20%).

If you want to view a word documents with charts and tables on your Palm, e.g. take a report with charts, diagrams and graphics to a meeting, isilo is a great tool while WordSmith is useless.

If you want to edit Word docs or to use TrueType Fonts, you need WordSmith. So both are a perfect team for power users.

For full-featured viewing, very large docs and offline reading (take informastion from web ressources with you) I really love isilo.

zap!

RE: Nice try, but fatal flaw

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/30/2001 11:53:19 AM #

I agree. Each application serves a specific purpose. I have been using the new iSilo and it's great for texts with images and hyperlinks. I would have to disagree in it having a "fatal flaw".

RE: Nice try, nothing fatal

Quik_Fix @ 10/30/2001 1:03:04 PM #

Agreed. I think the most important strength here is
VFS SUPPORT.

I'm waiting for Blue Nomad to get Wordsmith up to par with this. I would be in heaven if I could use WS with my card. Isilo may fill that gap, for the time being.

...In accordance with the prophecy...

Quik_Fix
quikfix@hotmail.com

RE: Nice try, but fatal flaw

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/30/2001 4:58:19 PM #

I wrote Word2Doc converter that converts from Word to iSilo (as well as other formats), either as iSilo text or html iSilo. I will be supporting iSilo 3 format soon (only does 2.x currently). Hopefully this should fill the gap.

RE: Nice try, but fatal flaw

Kaitou @ 10/30/2001 6:45:44 PM #

I have the latest wordsmith beta, and it does have VFS support, done nicely. iSilo is my preffered doc reader, but for editing and memos, it's wordsmith all the way

Word2Doc

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/31/2001 4:54:35 PM #

Where can I find Word2Doc?

RE: Nice try, but fatal flaw

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/16/2001 6:10:59 AM #

You can get Word2Doc at www.geocities.com/dilemma_design/docconvertermanual.htm

iSilo leads the doc reader pack

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/30/2001 1:58:34 PM #

with it's VFS support. Unlike PalmReader, it doesn't create bulky prefs in the main memory for every doc. ISilo is a little slow opening palm text docs from cards, but FAST FAST FAST opening isilo docs from the card. AND those docs are smaller. ISilo is fast, easy to use, and has pretty good scrolling options. get it.

RE: iSilo leads the doc reader pack

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/30/2001 3:41:00 PM #

Agreed. The latest TealDoc reads from the card as well, but is not nearly as fast--similar to the way MSMount is slower (but still excellent) than PiDirect.

Has iSilo™ Free disappeared?

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/30/2001 2:40:46 PM #

Because I can't find any mention of it on the iSilo website. Am I overlooking something?

RE: Has iSilo™ Free disappeared?

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/30/2001 3:21:13 PM #

http://www.google.com/search?q=isilo+free

No free version of iSilo 3.0

RE: Has iSilo™ Free disappeared?

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/30/2001 3:30:11 PM #

You can get iSilo Free 1.5 @
http://www.palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?prodID=3914

RE: Has iSilo™ Free disappeared?

Ed @ 10/30/2001 5:48:49 PM #

I found this on the iSilo FAQ:
[iSilo Free] is freeware and can be downloaded from the download area at the old iSilo.com site. (http://www.iSilo.com/old/index.htm) However, please be aware that iSilo free can not yet read documents in the new iSilo 3.x format that iSiloX generates. A new version of iSilo free that will have the ability to read documents in the iSilo 3.x format is under development. It will have similar capabilities to the existing version of iSilo free and is expected to be available sometime during the first quarter of 2002.

---
News Editor

get Plucker instead

mj6798 @ 10/31/2001 3:43:14 AM #

Get Plucker (http://plucker.gnu-designs.com/) instead--it's a powerful document reading system for handhelds, and both the reader and the desktop software are free. The Plucker database format is open and documented, so you are never stuck with documents you can't access. And new features are constantly being added.

RE: get Plucker instead

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/31/2001 4:49:21 AM #

Can it read from the VFS cards?

RE: get Plucker instead

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/31/2001 7:27:34 AM #

Last time I checked, plucker performed s-l-o-w-l-y, annoyingly divided the document in chunks, and its (Windows) desktop counterpart was very, very far from the interactive, drag&drop abilities of iSiloX, the iSilo desktop companion.
I am not advocating iSilo, just remarking some facts.

RE: get Plucker instead

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/31/2001 1:33:44 PM #

How does its features compare? The iSilo homepage has an extensive feature list, and it sure looks impressive. Things like table display (single or multicolumn), CSS, support of all popular image formats, hi-res support, tight compression and such make it hard to top. The tag support is extensive (http://www.isilo.com/old/support/html.htm). The document format is probably not much of an issue since all you really need is HTML. Convertors are fast, and available for numerous platforms (the old iSilo 2.x convertors at http://www.isilo.com/old/download.htm work fine).

RE: get Plucker instead

I.M. Anonymous @ 10/31/2001 4:36:56 PM #

What nuked plucker for me was that you can't search an entire document (not just one page) from a given point forward, at least so it seemed. That makes it pretty much useless for handling my 2-meg bible file. Also, search performed very erratically, extremely fast to a point and absurdly slow afterwards. The breaking-up of documents was another big pain. Limited CSS and table stuff in iSilo is nice, but far from necessary for me. I just need more performance and a fully-functional search.

-Joshua