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Supported Desktop Hardware & Software
1. Windows Computers
WeSync will work on desktop PCs that have a minimum 64MB RAM and 10MB free disk space, running one of the following operating systems:
If you encounter a 'Failed to create empty document' error when attempting to synchronize with the WeSync Server, your computer has an older Operating System version that will not work with WeSync and therefore needs to be updated by installing or upgrading as follows:
Note: Netscape users can continue to use Netscape and do not need to switch to Internet Explorer.
2. Palm™ Desktop & HotSync™ Manager Version
WeSync requires that the Palm Desktop Software & HotSync Manager 3.0 or higher be installed. You can upgrade your Palm Desktop Software & HotSync Manager for free by going to the Support area of Palm's Web site and clicking on the Software Downloads link.
3. Synchronization Utilities
Because the WeSync HotSync conduits run at the end of the HotSync process, after all the existing conduits have already completed their operation, WeSync should be compatible with the various utilities - such as Desktop-to-Go, IntelliSync, or Pocket Mirror - that allow you to synchronize your handheld with 3rd party desktop PIMs, such as Lotus Notes, Microsoft Outlook, Novell GroupWise, etc., and with other specialized applications, such as AvantGo.
Note: You can go to the Palm web site to see a list of Palm OS compatible 3rd party synchronization utilities and PIMs.
However, as you might expect with a such a complex matrix of sophisticated data sharing, multiple devices & software interaction, we have discovered the following few relatively minor sync utility compatibility issues that we are working on fixing for an upcoming release of WeSync.
- Intellisync™ Uninstaller
- The PumaTech™ Intellisync Uninstaller removes not only Intellisync from your desktop but also the Palm Date Book conduit and all other associated Date Book conduits, such as WeSync Calendars. The solution is to reinstall first the Palm Desktop Software then WeSync.
- Uninstalling WeSync affects the Intellisync conduits, causing HotSync operations to fail. The solution is to use the Intellisync Configuration utility to reset the Intellisync conduit settings to their desired state.
4. 3rd Party Personal Information Managers (PIMs)
WeSync is designed to be 'PIM agnostic' by co-existing with whatever desktop PIM solution - Lotus Notes, Microsoft Outlook, Novell GroupWise, etc. - that you're already using to synchronize with your handheld.
Note: You can go to the Palm web site to see a list of Palm OS compatible 3rd party synchronization utilities and PIMs.
How this works is that when you perform a HotSync operation, the Palm and PIM conduit(s) run and sync data as they already do, updating current info for your personal Date Book calendar & Address Book contacts on your handheld with your desktop PIM.
Then, since WeSync uses the handheld Date Book and Address Book databases, when the WeSync conduits run at the end of the pre-existing HotSync process, the WeSync resources you've designated for sharing sync the previously updated data on your handheld with WeSync on your desktop.
Finally, the WeSync Web Synchronization conduit runs last, updating the schedules and contact lists you share with co-workers, colleagues, family, and friends through the communities at the WeSync.com web site you've set up and have been invited to join.
Updating Desktop PIMs for External Changes
Because the conduits that synchronize the handheld with the desktop PIM run before the WeSync conduits do, it takes a 2nd HotSync operation to update the PIM for changes made externally to your personal calendar and shared contact lists - either by you in the WeSync Desktop Viewer for your calendar or by community subscribers for your calendar and contact lists.
5. Multiple Desktops
If you have a computer at work, one at home, and a laptop for travel, you can install WeSync on, and link your WeSync User Account to, all these systems and synchronize your shared WeSync resources any time you want to via your handheld, or with just the WeSync Desktop Viewer if you wish.
You can even 'piggyback' on a friend's or colleague's desktop to get the latest updates from the WeSync Server. All the WeSync Desktop Viewer needs on any system is the Palm Desktop Software, which you can get for free from the Software Downloads section under Support at Palm's web site.
Note: You can install both the Palm Desktop Software and WeSync without performing a HotSync with your handheld - just skip the installation steps that prompt you to do so.
6. Using WeSync Without a Handheld
People who do not have handheld computers can use the WeSync Desktop Viewer to access and update others' calendars via syncing with the web-based WeSync Server. Some common situations where this works well are where a central secretary or administrator needs to be able to update one or more handheld user's calendars, such as a medical clinic, a remote sales force, or a geographically dispersed management team. Following are instructions for how a non-handheld user can set up this type of scenario.
Note: The ability to share Contact Lists with others via the WeSync Desktop only will be provided in a future version of WeSync Contacts.
- Install the Palm Desktop Software
WeSync requires that Palm™ Desktop Software & HotSync® Manager 3.0 or higher be installed. Because Palm Inc. has granted WeSync.com a redistribution license, anyone who wishes to use the WeSync Desktop Viewer without a handheld can legally install the Palm Desktop Software for this purpose.
Non-handheld users can obtain the Palm Desktop Software (which includes HotSync Manager) for free by going to the Support area of Palm's Web site and clicking on the Software Downloads link.
- Set Up a WeSync User Account & Install the WeSync Desktop Software
Just as those with handhelds do, non-handheld users need to Download & Install WeSync then Sign up as a New User.
Note: When the WeSync Setup program asks what type of install to do, select 'WeSync Desktop only'.
Important
This selection disables both the WeSync Calendars and WeSync Contacts HotSync conduits. Note that these conduits can be re-enabled at any time via the HotSync Manager 'Custom' dialog.
- Set Up Communities, Publish, Share, & Subscribe
Once everyone in the group has their WeSync User Accounts set up & WeSync installed on their respective desktops & handhelds, one of the group members - an admin without a handheld perhaps - goes to her/his Personal Home Page (via either a browser or the 'WeSync Web Site' tool bar icon in the WeSync Desktop Viewer) and Creates a private Community for the group.
Then the admin Invites the other members to join the community, which will generate email to them with instructions on how to join.
After Joining, the group members each Publish their respective calendars via WeSync on their handhelds or desktops and perform a HotSync + 'Sync to the WeSync Server'. Next, they go to the community via their Personal Home Pages and Share their published calendars so the other members - and the admin - can Subscribe to them. After subscribing, each person needs to HotSync + 'Sync to the Server' again - or 'Sync to the Server' only in the case of the admin - to bring their subscribed calendars down to WeSync on their desktops & handhelds.
The admin can now use the WeSync Desktop Viewer to view & edit each person's individual calendar, schedule meeting & events across all or some of the group's calendars, and even create new calendars for group events - such as a marketing or training schedule, for example - and share these calendars for others to subscribe to.
Because every WeSync user can set up as many private communities as they wish, the admin can control who is invited to and therefore becomes members of each community. The admin can also create separate 2-person communities for confidential information to share with the group members individually.
- Sharing a Non-Handheld User's Personal Calendar
If non-handheld users wish to share their personal calendar with other WeSync users, they will need to use the WeSync Desktop Viewer. Syncing personal schedule information stored in a 3rd party desktop PIM - such as Microsoft® Outlook - without performing a HotSync operation with a handheld is not supported at this time.
7. Multiple Users on a LAN
The WeSync Desktop Viewer is not designed to run as a multi-user application from a LAN server and therefore such an installation is not officially supported, however, doing so should theoretically work. In fact, we have heard from a few users that it appears to work fine.
If you wish to try this type of installation & operation configuration, it is important to make sure that each person using WeSync has installed the WeSync data files in the default Palm data directory on their local hard drive.
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