Help for a newbie!

[drblow]

Hello!  I am new to this forum, and to PPC.  Infact, I haven't even bought one yet!  

I am thinking of buying an Orange M2000 PPC device (which I believe is pocket PC phone edition), but before I do I would like to know a few things about customisation.  
I currently own a smartphone, and design skins for it (see //www.modaco.com).  The smartphone uses plugins layed out by an xml file (with x,y etc values for text, and background images for plugins), and background images.  I have been searching for instructions/advice about skinning a PPC device, but it seems alot more complicated than smartphones!   & alot more commercial, as most of the cutomisations I have seen are either themes or apps which are paid for.

I have gathered that the todayplus app is no longer available, but there seems to be a community for skinning here.  Forgive my ignorance, but can somone explain in simple, plain language the basics of the skinning that goes on here?  
I.E. is an app required?  Is the hammerskin an app? If so, are these things avialable free, or are they commercial?  Does PPC use xml?  How do you put together a skin?  Is it possible to skin the PPC without any other apps?  

I know thats probable a bunch of daft questions, but it's important for me to be able to decide on getting a PPC.  The www.modaco.com community for smartphone has a great tradition of free skins.  I learned just by downloading a skin I liked, and started mucking about with the xml until I found out what worked.  Is it feasible to do this with PPC?

Any answers to any of these questions would be much appreciated.  Thanks.

[uk_skinner]

drblow:

 Sorry I only can answer some of your questions since I never used a smartphone before.

Hammerskin is a skin file (text-based) and you need TodayPlus to run it.  As you can find out here or other place.  TodayPlus is a beta-version and developer has stopped to support it.  If you looking hard you should be able to find this app from the internet.

I wish I could answer you more.  Perhpas some other expert here will give you the answer you need.

[drblow]

Thanks for your reply!  I seem to have found this - http://www.blueguild.net/Download/Download.html, which seems to suggest that it has recently been updated, so I'm not too sure if it's the right thing.  Like I said, I don't even have a PPC device yet, I'm just trying to investigate things before buying one - although that is proving quite difficult too!  

[uk_skinner]

dblow:

  That one is for Palm OS and it is not the same TodayPlus we are working here (although the name is the same).  You probably need to make sure the smartphone you are intersting is Palm-based or is Pocket PC based or others.

[drblow]

Em ... I'm looking at an Orange M2000, which is the HTC himalaya I believe.  AFAIK it's pocket PC.  I have found another version of todayplus, so I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet & wait til I get the device & try it out!  

Seems very strange that there is a whole forum based around this app that is very hard to find!

[uk_skinner]

Em ... I'm looking at an Orange M2000, which is the HTC himalaya I believe.  AFAIK it's pocket PC.  I have found another version of todayplus, so I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet & wait til I get the device & try it out!  

Seems very strange that there is a whole forum based around this app that is very hard to find!

Most users are running TodayPlus 0.11 and some of users got TodayPlus 0.12.  If your device is PPC then try to locate the TodayPlus 0.11.  We are not allow to give you the app or tell you where to get it.  I believe you have read the policy when you first time enter this forum.  It is a long story..

[jhollin1138]

Seems very strange that there is a whole forum based around this app that is very hard to find!

I agree.  

Add to that thought, an app that is no longer being developed.  

Although, with the talents of some of the current members, I can see in the future that this forum becomes a place for Pocket PC app development.  Secondly, it will be a forum for an app called TodayPlus.

As far as finding TodayPlus, it isn't that hard to find.  It just takes a quick little Google search.

[drblow]

Thanks for the replies!  

I have managed to find version 0.11 as a cab file.  I should be getting the M2000 in a few weeks, so I'm looking forward to having a go with it, and then posting all my results up here!  

Oh, of course, after spending several months asking dumb questions I'm sure!  

Happy new year to you all!!!

[jhollin1138]

Oh, of course, after spending several months asking dumb questions I'm sure!  

My Dad used to say "The only dumb question, is the one never asked."