Wonder why Garnet persists?

Our good friends at Access have just released Garnet (Palm OS 5) for Nokia Tablets. This means that the PalmOS will run in a virtual machine and have the look and feel of a Palm device. No word on whether NVFS programs will work. The same holds true for significant database files.

For more information, check out Access Garnet

Hotsyncing is supported surprisingly, as is graffiti. Access is still seeking developers for the platform, coming out with their own emulator to ensure that software will be compatible.
An interesting notice is found on their developer page though. It appears that they have had some problems with compatibility and appear to be working hard at correcting these. Programs listed that have thus far been "corrected" or that now work on the device are:

• Google Maps(TM) (crash when accessing network)
• Agendus (application failed to launch)
• MegaBowling (crash when using 5 way navigation)
• MMPlayer (application failed to start)
• Pocket Tunes (various crashes)
• WorldMate (application failed to start)
• CorePlayer (application crashes)
• CredibleMed Easy E&M(TM) (application failed to start)
• ICUmath (application failed to start)
• Parens (and all applications that use the MathLib)

The last one, Parens is interesting, since the majority of medical software use the MathLib. Another interesting note is the finding of no less than 2 medical programs on the list, a sign that the medical community may be losing its long love affair with Palm.

On the downside of all of this however is the question of age. How long will Access survive using the same outdated operating system that Palm continues to use? For an emulator, this may not be a bad nostalgic ride in the park, but for true day to day activity, will we ever progress past Garnet? Access's answer to this could be found in the following graph that they outline in the website, showing Garnet to have an edge on Windows Mobile when it comes to applications written. But one needs to remember that this graph is from 2005 and does not include the Palm Windows Mobile relationship. But the point is well taken as to why they would continue to support the platform (Yes, I know there's also the question of the millions spent on buying the rights to do so, but we won't digress):



On the plus side though, one could consider leaving Palm and buying a Nokia, if you run a lot of programs on your Palm that do not require NVFS, ie Calculators and small nonNVFS database files. I do see the potential, given Nokia has so little software for medicine.


LDD.

Reference:

Access OS5 download and information site
Access Developer Site for testing