OmniGo 100 Developers Information
GEOS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
As a leading provider of system software for the consumer computing device
(CCD) market, Geoworks is committed to building and supporting a community
of successful developers around its GEOS operating system platform.
Geoworks has developed a complete tool set and comprehensive training
and support programs to ensure the ability of third party developers to
take advantage of the application opportunities available with the growing
mobile segment of the CCD market.
THE MOBILE DEVICE MARKET
By working with leading consumer products companies including Hewlett-Packard,
Nokia, and Toshiba, Geoworks is helping to establish the concept of
affordable mobile computing.
Geoworks is focused on extending existing categories such as electronic
rganizers and cellular phones, mobile devices which are highly portable
and designed for individual use. Forecasts indicate that this mobile
computing segment could grow to annual sales of over fifteen million
units in 1998 (Link Resources, 1995). The market includes the following
device categories:
- Organizer/PDAs
- These products are extensions of electronic organizers
(calendar, address book, notepad) and often include specialized applications
like financial calculators and optional communications utilities such as
email, fax, on-line services, paging, and access to the Internet.
An example is the GEOS-based HP OmniGo 100 professional organizer.
- Smart Phones
- An evolution of current cellular phones, smart phones include
built-in data communications and data management features in addition to
voice transmission. These capabilities include fax, email, paging,
and access to the Internet.
- Mobile PC Companions
- Emphasizing the sharing of data with a desktop PC and corporate
networks, these devices are similar in size and functionality to an
organizer and accept both pen and keyboard input to broaden their
utility. Mobile companions use standard protocols combined with wired
and wireless access to corporate networks for seamless data connectivity.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPERS
With the growth of the handheld computing market, there are tremendous
opportunities for third-party developers. The diversity of the market
will be driven by low-cost, "consumable" applications such as
electronically published information, interactive entertainment products, and
communication software and services. Geoworks has identified
opportunities for developers in the following categories:
- Communications
- email, fax, paging/messaging, and online services
- Connectivity
- personal (desktop) connectivity, public (Internet)
connectivity, and corporate (LAN) connectivity
- Productivity
- contact and time management, word processing, spreadsheets,
databases, and finance applications
- Entertainment
- arcade and strategy games, edutainment, interactive
shopping, gaming, and sports
- Content
- reference, travel maps and guides, news, sports, financial
information, and educational materials
COMMITTED TO DEVELOPERS
Successful development in a new and growing market takes
more than just good technical support. A typical development
cycle starts with a concept, progressing through design,
development, testing, deployment, and distribution.
Geoworks provides tools, information, and support to
help developers succeed through the entire cycle.
Product Concept Validation
Before you start development, you can take advantage
of Geoworks' wealth of knowledge and experience in the
mobile market. Geoworks keeps an up-to-date information
pool including white papers, market information, and
industry news, and we can help you evaluate your product ideas.
Development Tools
Geoworks offers developers a choice of development tools,
from a highly technical Software Development Kit (SDK)
that allows you access to the full power of the operating
system; to Geoworks Bindery which lets you quickly and
easily build electronic books and content products.
Developers can also take advantage of additional available
utilities such as an installation program that lets
end users easily add your software titles to their devices.
For more information, see the information sheets on
the Development Tools.
Training
After you've decided on the tools that fit your project,
the next step is to learn the best ways to take advantage
of the operating system, the device, the tools, and
developer services. Through professional training courses,
Geoworks gives you the information you need to promote
your progress. In hands-on lectures and lab exercises,
you will learn how to get the most from the tools and
the operating system. The Developer Training Programs
information sheets provide in-depth descriptions of
the courses.
Development Assistance
Geoworks offers two primary developer assistance programs
designed to provide access to the information, tools,
and materials necessary to keep development progressing
smoothly. Developers requiring direct support from Geoworks
will want to explore the Gold program, while many will
find the self help provided through the Silver program
better suited to their needs. See the information sheets
on the Development Assistance Programs for complete
information.
Design and Code Reviews
Because Geoworks has a deep understanding of the mobile
market and the GEOS operating system, developers can
benefit from having their program design and code reviewed
by Geoworks developer service engineers. Through reviews,
you can gain crucial input on how to properly write
and optimize your application. For more information,
see the information sheets on the Development Assistance
Programs.
Marketing Assistance
Development of a great product is only one part of achieving
success; for the product to sell, it must reach the
end customer. Through valuable marketing assistance
programs and a solid understanding of the markets, Geoworks
enables developers to learn more about target consumers
and how best to reach them. For more information, see
the information sheets on the Development Assistance
Programs.
Distribution
The final stage of a product's development is distribution
to the consumer. Through online forums and other mechanisms,
Geoworks can offer developers assistance in getting
their products into the hands of consumers. For more
information, see the information sheets on the Development
Assistance Programs.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information about Geoworks' products, development
for the mobile device market, or any of the tools and
assistance programs described above, see the additional
informational material available from Geoworks. This
material can be obtained through the Geoworks WWW site
at http://www.geoworks.com/ or through the Geoworks
fax-on-demand system at 510-814-4266 by selecting document
# 1001. You can also call Geoworks Monday through Friday,
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST, at 510-814-1660.
SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT KIT
The GEOS SDK is the premier programming tool kit for
creating successful applications for GEOS-based devices,
including the HP OmniGo 100. The GEOS Software Development
Kit contains everything a developer needs to create
GEOS applications, libraries, and device drivers. Available
on CD-ROM, the kit includes the following:
SOFTWARE TOOLS
- GOC - GEOS C Compiler
- GOC preprocesses GEOS C source code for compilation
by the Borland C compiler (Borland C++ 3.1 or later).
- UIC and Esp - GEOS Assembly Tools
- UIC compiles GEOS User Interface code, and Esp assembles
GEOS object assembly files.
- Glue - GEOS Linker
- Glue produces GEOS executables from object files
compiled by the Borland C compiler or assembled by the Esp assembler.
- Swat - GEOS Debugger
- Swat is a powerful, extensible source-level debugger.
Swat provides complete and powerful debugging control.
- Help Editor
- The Help Editor allows you to create hyperlinked,
context-sensitive help files for your application.
- Icon Editor
- The Icon Editor allows you to import, create, and
edit icon artwork; it produces source code for Esp and GOC.
- Ship Utilities
- The Shipper program packages your executables, help,
and support files into a single shippable package for
easy installation. The Installer allows the end user
to unpack that package onto their target GEOS device.
- Localization Tools
- Resource Editor allows non-programmers to translate
text strings and graphics to create new, localized executables.
- Communications Utilities
- Several utilities make communication and debugging
simple over the serial line by connecting the development and test machines.
- Build Utilities
- Make utilities allow one-command build, dependency
control, and protocol management.
DOCUMENTATION
Full documentation on GEOS, the SDK tools, and programming
GEOS is included on the SDK CD-ROM in multiple formats.
The Adobe(TM) Acrobat Reader is included at no charge
on the CD-ROM, and all documentation is provided in
the Reader format. The ten-volume set includes
- Tutorial and Installation Guide
- Tools Reference
- GEOS Concepts Programming Manual
- GEOS Objects Manual
- GEOS C Reference
- GEOS Assembly Reference
- API Quick Reference
- Object Assembly Programming Guide
- OmniGo Programming Guide
- Driver Development Guide
INCLUDE FILES AND SOURCE CODE
- Header and Source Files
- Header files for all available GEOS objects and
libraries are provided on the CD-ROM. Sample source
code for applications and drivers illustrates both simple
and in-depth GEOS concepts and constructs, and may be
used directly in your own code.
- GEOS Platform Runtimes
- Both shipping and "debug" versions of current GEOS
platforms are included with the SDK. These emulations
run on a desktop PC to make development easier and faster.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
The SDK requires two PCs connected via a serial cable.
Development occurs on the "host" PC, while debugging
occurs on the "target," which emulates the target GEOS device.
Minimal Host Configuration
- 386SX (486/33 recommended)
- VGA display
- 8 megabytes RAM
- 80 megabytes available disk space (100 recommended)
- Floppy drive
- CD-ROM drive
- Available serial port
- MS DOS 5.0 or DR DOS 6.0 (or later)
- Borland C++ 3.1 or later
- Microsoft Windows(TM) 3.1 or later (optional)
Minimal Target Configuration
- 286 (386 recommended)
- VGA display
- 1 megabyte RAM
- 30 megabytes available disk space
- Floppy drive
- Available serial port
- Serial cable with null modem
- MS DOS 5.0 or DR DOS 6.0 (or later)
PRICING AND INFORMATION
The GEOS SDK costs $99 per license. For more information
or to order the SDK, call Geoworks at 1-800-GEOS-SDK
(outside the U.S. and Canada, please fax Developer Relations
at 510-814-4250). You can also get the latest developer
information by visiting the Geoworks Web site at http://www.geoworks.com/
or by calling our 24-hour fax-on-demand system at 510-814-4266.
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
Geoworks provides developers with the information and
opportunities you need throughout the development cycle
to turn your ideas into successful products. Application
development is not merely a matter of purchasing a tool
and writing code. You need information, training and
documentation, assistance when you hit roadblocks, and
access to the target market.
Through the Silver and Gold Assistance Programs, Geoworks
gives you the critical information you need to get from
your starting point to a final product. The Silver program
is designed for self-sufficient developers who go at
their own pace and don't need a lot of direct support.
The Gold program offers more direct support for developers
who need it due to timeliness or complexity of their
project.
SILVER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The Silver Assistance Program is free to all developers
who purchase the SDK or Geoworks Bindery. The Silver
program is best for developers who require little assistance
or who are just exploring GEOS development. Those developers
who want or need more aid should explore the Gold Assistance Program.
The benefits of the Silver program include the following:
- Peer Support and Forum Access
- With the Silver program, you gain access to the GEOS
developer forums appropriate to the tool you're using.
In these online forums, you can interact with other
developers to share tips, ask and answer questions,
and share code and solutions.
- Documentation
- Full documentation necessary to create your product
is provided with each program. The documentation for
the GEOS operating system is included on the SDK CD-ROM,
and all the documentation you need to create electronic
books is included in the Bindery package. In addition,
through the developer forum you can access a wealth
of additional documents that can help you develop your
product and reach your target customers.
- Additional Utilities and Tools
- Through the developer forum, subscribers to the
Silver program can obtain additional utilities to help
in developing and deploying products. A program to create
installable packages, for example, is available through
the developer forum free of charge to Assistance Program
members.
GOLD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The Gold Assistance Program costs just $500 annually
per developer and includes significant benefits beyond
those provided through the Silver program. The Gold
program provides more direct and timely support from
Geoworks as well as access to more in-depth information and services.
Benefits of the Gold program include the following:
- All Silver Program Benefits
- Members of the Gold program receive all the benefits
enjoyed by Silver program members.
- Direct Responses to Questions
- Gold program members may post questions directly
to developer service engineers at Geoworks and will
receive an initial response, typically within 48 hours.
- Periodical News Updates
- Through a developer newsletter and periodic mailings,
Gold developers will be able to keep up to date with
GEOS developments, partner announcements, and other
news of the handheld computing market.
- Discounts on Publications, Products and Services
- Gold members are eligible for significant discounts
on development hardware, training courses, and special
services such as code reviews. Gold developers are also
be eligible for disounts on admission to Geoworks-sponsored events and shows.
- Tool Updates
- Gold program members receive tool updates. SDK users
will receive SDK updates when they are published, and
Bindery users will receive Bindery updates as available.
The Right Program
Choose the program that is right for your development needs.
To join one of the programs or to get further information,
please call 1-800-GEOS-SDK (outside the U.S. and Canada,
please fax 510-814-4250), Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m. PST. You can also read the latest developer
information by visiting the Geoworks WWW site at http://www.geoworks.com/
or by calling our twenty-four hour fax-on-demand system
at 510-814-4266 and requesting document #1001.
SDK TRAINING CLASSES
Geoworks offers two comprehensive, hands-on training
classes designed to help developers understand the concepts
of programming for GEOS and using the GEOS SDK. Each
course includes both lecture and lab work, and individual
attention is given to each student to ensure effective learning.
The training classes offer valuable introduction to
and practical experience in GEOS concepts, programming,
and the SDK. If your development plans require immediate
productivity, you can use a GEOS training class to help
get you up to speed much faster than just diving into
the documentation on your own. Past students have found
that attending one of our classes significantly reduces
their GEOS learning curve and increases their efficiency.
While recent experience developing C applications is
necessary, you'll need only a familiarity with object-oriented
programming concepts and GEOS products. We'll teach
you the rest. Geoworks provides the entire training
setup, including breakfast, lunch, the classroom location,
materials, and the machines for the class. Transportation,
lodging, dinner, and other incidentals are the responsibility
of the attendee. The GEOS training classes take place
in our offices in Alameda, California; Geoworks can
arrange for on-site training if you need to train several
engineers at once.
Since Geoworks is strictly limiting the attendance of
any session, you are encouraged to register as quickly
as possible to guarantee your space. For future training
dates, please call the Geoworks developer products order
number, 1-800-GEOS-SDK or fax 1-510-814-4250.
GEOS Programming I
This five-day course introduces you to GEOS programming
and use of the GEOS SDK. You will also learn how to
leverage specific features of the HP OmniGo 100. This
course is designed for programmers and technical managers
who wish to gain more practical knowledge and experience
about GEOS development.
You will learn how to
- understand the GEOS operating system terminology, mechanisms, and architecture
- use the SDK tools effectively
- manage memory efficiently
- build a basic application
- use the GEOS graphics system
- create objects and extend existing class functionality
- incorporate user interface gadgetry
- build dialog boxes and menus
- develop custom visual objects
- utilize OmniGo-specific features
GEOS Programming II
This five-day course covers advanced topics in GEOS
and continues the educational process started in GEOS
Programming I. It extends the student's GEOS programming
abilities by teaching techniques to optimize application
design and performance. This is especially important
for applications which will run on Consumer Computing
Devices which have limited resources.
Topics Covered:
- Dynamic Object Management
- Efficient Application UI Design
- Optimizing Applications
- Serial Communications
- Input Manager
- Localization
- File Storage
- Online Help
- User Interface Controllers
PRICING (IN US DOLLARS)
Each training class includes one SDK for each student
as well as all class materials.
- GEOS Programming I $1495
- GEOS Programming II $1495
A $500 deposit is sufficient to reserve your space for
a given class. The balance due must be paid in full
no later than fourteen (14) days prior to the first
day of class. Cancellation prior to this fourteen-day
period entitles you to a full refund. No refund will
be issued for cancellation after this date unless a
substitute attendee can be found.
On-Site Training
Although Developer Training courses are regularly offered
at our facilities, some companies may prefer the option
of on-site training. This option is often more cost-effective
when training five or more people from your organization.
In addition to the convenience of keeping your people
on-site, this type of training class may also be tailored
to address your specific and confidential needs. We
are please to offer this service to the developer community.
The cost of on-site training is a combination of fixed
and variable costs. There is a base price of $8995,
plus an additional $300 per student for the course materials.
The instructor's travel expenses (transportation, lodging,
meals) will also be added to the price of training.
Contact Clayton Jung (Manager, Developer Services) at
510-814-1660 for further information regarding on-site
training or to make arrangements for a class.
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Developer Products Order Form
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Fill out this form in full.
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Please fill in the order section below if you are
ordering Geoworks developer products.
TOOLS AND SUPPORT
GEOS SDK on CD-ROM @ $99
Qty ___ Ext. Price _________________
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TRAINING
GEOS Programming I* @ $1495
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GEOS Programming II* @ $1495
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(1) Shipping charges are $4.95 for each SDK CD ordered
and shipped via ground in the United States. Please contact
us for air, express, and international rates.
(2) California residents add 8.25% of the sum of the
Subtotal and Shipping. Washington state residents
add 8.20% of the Subtotal.
PAYMENT METHOD (All payments must be in US Dollars)
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* A $500 deposit is sufficient to reserve your space for a
given class. Balance due must be paid in full no later than
fourteen (14) days prior to the first day of class.
Names of Students Attending:
1. _______________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________
To order, call 1-800-GEOS-SDK or print this order form and
mail or fax it to Geoworks, SDK Orders.
Postal address:
Geoworks, SDK Orders
960 Atlantic Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501
FAX: 1-510-814-4250
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brian@grot.com 11/08/95
Copyright © 1995, Brian Smithson
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