Results of competition "Palmovaya branch&quot

Contest winners: First place: RuSMS Second Place: A Guide to Great Novgorod v1.0 Prize Award: Battleship Award for Technical Excellence: Handy Pilot Font Editor v1.9R Yesterday, 27 September 2001, the exhibition Softool'2001 held a press conference on summing up the contest of Russian developers of software applications for the PalmOS "Palmovaya branch. The press conference started with a presentation by the project manager "HPCru: Handheld computers in Russia," Anton Kuznetsov. "The idea of the contest appeared due to the increased recently in the Russian interest in handheld computers. According to statistics, handheld computers are no longer a rarity and rapidly conquering the Russian market. However, it is common knowledge that a computer without a decent software - just a toy. High Russian software developer well known abroad. Unfortunately, the Russian versions of the best programs, very little. The purpose of the contest "Palmovaya branch" - to provide domestic users of handheld software quality as recognized by both developers and novices. guarantee for the high-level programs, participants are assessing beta testers, the participants of the Moscow Palmkluba and competent jury. Additionally, developers have had the opportunity to correct errors identified by the testers and to offer the contest modified versions of their products. particularly welcomed the program, adapted to the Russian market: a Russian and a description of the interface. Special attention was paid to a conceptually new products as well as programs that use Russian know-how. The current contest was an organic continuation of the "Palmovoy branches" of 1999. In the two years has seriously increased the level of work, as well as the interest of Russian users to them. The competition was attended by 16 developers and companies, tests were employed six people, more than 300 people are actively followed up on the competition. Best Development in agreement with the authors will be included in the project company MakTsentr "Russian Palm". " Team presented the party testers Palmkluba Moscow Yuri Sokolov: "At the dawn of computer technology, when it was just beginning, and in the course were machines with limited resources such as BK-0010, there were many amateur programmers who wrote not only games but also very serious program. For someone with all the years have passed, but for many it was a good start in life. Now a similar situation, but only with handheld computers. To be honest, at the beginning of the competition I was afraid that basically have to test any toys or their clones. And it was very nice that the first software product, declared the contest, became the system shell and other major programs. The overall level of competition alleged in the programs is very high. We have been very difficult to pick a winner. After all, it is easy to test low-quality soft and very difficult to soundly. Many thanks to all organizers and participants of the competition. " Magazine columnist "Modus" AY Korsun, on behalf of the jury: "First of all, it is important to note the initiative of MakTsentr. Today is extremely important to encourage the domestic software developers.Indeed, in our country artisans who can write something, a lot. Perhaps because of such shares, as well as companies who understand that should support domestic producers, the number of active Russian developers to increase. The unanimous opinion of the jury, the competition was a lot of interesting work, so the choice of winners was difficult. We had a long discussion, and with great difficulty, identified two of the winning programs. During the discussion, we tried to choose the most relevant products and specifically designed for home users. In general, the experience of such contests should be periodic. I want to wish all participants success and the company MakTsentr continue to do the rest. "After the opening speech, began the most interesting - awarding prizes to contest participants. As usual, the presentation began with the end. All the developers who do not fall into one of the winners were awarded incentive prizes. Especially were marked for relevance and technical execution software developers C4Finance v1.14 (Dmitry Vokhmin), MegaBowling and MegaLauncher (MegaSoft), Warehouse in my pocket (Dmitry Brilyuk), Graffula (Oleg Belousov), bladder (n-th.com). C4Finance ( Developer: Dmitry Vokhmin) - financial calculator that allows you to display graphs, calculate various statistical functions, solve equations, and so on. The interface looks a bit awkward and some of its elements fall out of context. For example, icons for different clipboard operations could be replace the classic "kalkulyatornye" M, M +, M-, MC, and the like, it would be understandable. MegaLauncher (developer: MegaSoft2000) - perhaps one of the most well-known overseas developments. With each version of this launcher is getting better, becoming one of the most popular programs of this class of owners of Palm-colored devices. Unique features such as "Archive" and "Trash" and make it an excellent choice for the advanced user. A convenient interface to something vaguely reminiscent of the operating systems for "large "PCs, helping beginners get started quickly and make full use of their opportunities Palm'ov. MegaBowling (developer: MegaSoft2000). Another program is the same developer, has earned a special assessment of the jury. It is characteristic of the same high quality graphical user interface, which features all of the programs MegaSoft 'Yes. And, in both color and monochrome versions. The best part is that the beautiful "picture" benefits MegaBowling'a not stop there. You can play a very long time, even when you find that little "secret", which allows to achieve 100% hit . So join the wishes of the testers on the count of chance. "Yes, and play together, too, would be interested. We look forward to new versions? Warehouse in my pocket (developer: IDLab / Dmitry Brilyuk). According to testers, this program is one of the most promising among those that were submitted for the contest. As the name implies, its purpose - to record-keeping products in stock. The program has also been finalized in accordance with the expressed wishes, resulting in a Desktop-based application for creating databases on the PC, although at the moment use it not handy. However, if the development will be as fast, soon it will just turn into a real "dream of a storekeeper." We wish Dmitry success, but on a promise that we will follow closely the development of this project. Graffula (designer: Oleg Belousov). Perhaps this program is to encourage all novice users of Palm-devices. While the "advanced" palmovodam also sometimes useful to test your skills with it. And when you consider that the training you can use any text in the format of DOC, then you are teaching graffiti long bored - if you bothered to rewrite Hamlet, install something else. Bubbles (Developer: n-th.com). WARNING: It is very clingy toy! not recommended to install on the eve of passing records, papers, tests or examinations, the results can be deplorable. The rest - another realization is enough known game on a platform of Palm. In future versions I would like to see a couple of changes in the interface and its competitors should be replicated in support of color, and can already be successfully compete with other clones, such as Bubble Shooter. And then came the most solemn moment of meeting, actually, for whom everything came together - rewarding the winners. The prize for technical excellence was author of Handy Pilot Font Editor, designed to develop fonts for computers PalmOS, Alexander Ovcharenko. If the program has received a prize award, chosen by all visitors HPCru, then the prize for technical excellence was presented to testers, which is the most advanced users of PDAs. Therefore chosen was very interesting, but rather a specialized program Handy Pilot Font Editor. It is designed to develop fonts that you can replace the built-in system with the popular FontHack'a. That the application received the highest score on the test results (7.73), and the description of the program, which produced a team of testers who used the word "best" and "charm" ;-) In general, it is clear that the program they really liked, but still first place is not finished. This is because the average user to understand it will be difficult, even though very detailed documentation and user-friendly interface. Still, it's a fairly specific program, and it is unlikely to be of interest to ordinary users, but for people passionate she seemed to enjoy it. And the prize was also unusual, but very useful - a package Falch.net Developer Studio for PalmOS-design applications. Handed over the prize - a software package Falch.net DeveloperStudio for Palm OS - Yuri Sokolov. According to him, "the choice of winner has been very difficult, there was much debate, but as a result of the prize was the author of a remarkable product. The testing was written about 15 different fonts, which are now used with great success and replace standard fonts Palm'a. Large thanks to the author. " Prize Award - PDA Handera 330 - to the head of TB Labs Ilya Tyurin for the game Battleship. Not surprising that the program has earned the love of Russian Internet users Palm (recall that this prize is awarded through an open ballot held on the site hpc.ru). Because it is "paper" version allows many generations of pupils and students pass the time on boring lessons and lectures. Palm users do not have to draw on the cellular sheets of 10x10 squares, and whisper called coordinates, now the process of preparation and the actual game is completely automated. Say "thank you" to a group of developers TB Labs, and personally Ilya Tyurin for the work done, and still ask to add support for the game on two PalmOS-devices with data transfer via an infrared port - then play will not only neighbors in the party, but also those who sit for different tables:) This feature is they can work out on a brand new Handera 330, which presented the project manager HPCru, Anton Kuznetsov. Second place was taken by Novgorod company Antares Software for the program guide to Veliky Novgorod. This is the first but not the latest development for the PalmOS. Deciding factor in choosing again not was not the score, and the high quality of performance and value for home users. Best on this occasion told testers: "It is envy the people of Novgorod, were so detailed atlas ... One can only hope that this handbook will be the first among a series of such programs."Unfortunately, at present the company Antares Software did not provide the SDK or any documented way to create a new "Guide to ..." for other cities. However, if you have such a wish, you can try to contact them and discuss this issue. The experience gained in creating such a wonderful program, probably will use a good interface with other similar projects. Honorary Award - Palm m500 - a company representative handed AA Korsun. And finally, the first place. Its got a software developer RuSMS - Sergej Oskin. RuSMS allows you to send SMS in Russian, if the receiving phone has the ability to send and in transliteration written in Russian message. The developer received a prize - Visor Prism. On behalf of the jury acted A. Korsun: "I am very pleased, especially because at the very beginning of the contest, I said that additional polballa get one that will connect in some way his program with mobile phones. But I did not put his hand , because I understand this program and so will be appreciated, it is very useful and easy to use. " Jury members and beta testers have been particularly noted the relevance of this program for Russian users. Due to this factor, RuSMS snatched victory from the competitors, although the total score was only in third place. It is noteworthy that in the general ranking of the program rose to several positions since the new version, in which the advice of the team of testers have been added several new features and redesigned interface. Let's hope that Sergei would bring his project to release adds even more features, as well as work on documentation. Maybe, there will be color-version of the program, because the award took first place was a color Visor Prism. His handed Dmitry Havzhu, CEO MakTsentr. Sergej Oskin thanked the organizers of the competition. According to him, said he had until the last moment did not believe that won first place. All programs have been demonstrated contestants and guests at our SUPER computer. And at the end press conference turned into a light buffet, guests and organizers were talking among themselves, discussing the results of the competition, and shared views. The authors, translation: