Hey guys ... +,

I was wonderin', can I download a simple text file from a windows-ce 4.2 OS into a thumb drive, and then have it read off that thumb drive by any ol' computer at a public library that doesn't have activesync or equivalent installed? Most library computers seem to have windows xp or 2000 and won't let you install new software. Is the thumb drive the way around this? Is there another easy way?

Thanks,
IZAI +.

>won't let you install new software

There's normally a good reason for this ...

Use a USB floppy drive.  Most systems will allow it even though they do not allow thumb drives.

Once people know you use floppies, you get lots of offers of floppies that everyone is getting rid of.  I've been given 2-300 floppies in the last 2 years.

USB CD Burner is another option.

One of the things I like about Blackberry is that they can be seen and used as a USB drive

Another option ... save the file onto the web or email to a Gmail account from the phone and then download it onto the PC

Regards,
Mike Lazarus
ACT! Evangelist
GL Computing, Aust
www.GLComputing.com.au
http://blog.glcomputing.com.au
Join the LinkedIN ACT! Fanatics Group
http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/49896

Thanks guys for all the extra info ... +,

Still, I am looking for feedback more directly answering the question I asked. Most libraries I've been to are fine with a thumb drive. I'm just wonderin' if the windows ce 4.2 os is compabitable with this flash storage device, and if the windows xp or 2000 os will recognise the drive and open at least a text file from this os without the use of activesync or equivalent installed to convert it?

Because of travel circumstances internet connection on my subnotebook will often not be available, and when the weight is on your back for days at a time ... the smaller size and weight of just a thumb drive is what I'm needin' to work with.

I would be grateful for any help that you might have.

Izai+.
 

If it is a plain text file there should be no problem, provided the administrator of the computer you are using hasn't locked out the use of usb drives altogether.

it should not matter if WinCE4.2 is compatible with a flash drive or not, that should only be relevant to the host computer.  you should only need activesync if you are trying to plug the CE device into the computer. not a USB drive.

If the library's computer will allow external USB drives/thumb drives and allows more than just a browser to run, you should be ok.  

One of the libraries i frequent has a draconian policy for applications that are allowed to run, simply IE and not much else.  No notepad or wordpad. No installing.  They encourage people to use Google's offerings in content creation is needed.