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#159 PDA-friendly version
Dear Developers,
first thanks a lot for the program. A nice work. If I
would find more time and more knowledge about java
programming I really would like to join you.
However, in the moment I just can offer testing ;)
Just some suggestion which might be interesting:
A lot of mobile machines such as PDAs are able to
execute java nowadays. Palm, IPaq, Zaurus, etc.
There are all powerful enough to run JabRef in
principle. However, as I understood (please correct me)
JabRef is using SWING API for the GUI. However, (I just
said I'm not a Java-guru ;) ) so far as I know this API
use floating point calculations and is somewhat
overwhelming.
This makes it tricky to use JabRef on a PDA-based
machine. A lot of them (e.g. the one using
ARM-processors) do not keep a floating point unit.
Therefore, these devices have to emulate a floating
point unit messy up with a high CPU usage and slow down
the system.
I would like to see a version of JabRef which
...may use another GUI-API which is more PDA friendly.
However, I do not know whether JabRef has to be
rewritten by scratch or just some find and replace.
.... using the core of JabRef to create something like
a lightweight JabRef-Viewer for PDAs and omit all these
special functions like import, export etc but keep the
search functions. However, a simple editing of the
BibTex entries should also be possible. A next step can
include some IR-beam send and receive functions.
I believe a lot of people like to keep there
paper-database with them in there PDAs. Java should
guarantee a crossover use over all Platforms and in the
same manner you keep your contacts, dates, appointments
and dictionaries with you might like to take your
scientific sources with you. Useful during meetings,
conferences, literature search in the library,
manuscript preparation.
Just my two Cents...
Best wishes
Totti
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This is not a simple matter; I know almost nothing about
Java for portables, but I suspect all GUI-related stuff must
be rewritten. What can be reused is the BibTeX parser,
import filters, export filters, and all algorithms for key
generation etc.. So I think basically you'd have to write a
new application, but with access to a rich library of
relevant code.
Personally I don't have a PDA, and I don't think I have the
time to spend learning how to program for them, so if this
is to be realized we need someone to do it.
I think, PDAs are obsolete now.