With no so much in my diary today, I finally had a good go at trying to install my Palm software and get the beast syncing at the very least and see if it would sync with the email system (more optimistic).

Now that my C: drive access has been approved and in theory I have the ability to install software and save things to the drive, it should be possible.

In theory.

The first snag is that you have to login separately as a local installer to install the stuff. After a temporary hiatus while I tracked down the login/password I'd been given verbally over the phone. I had a go at it.

Installing scanner software seemed to work; as did some ebook software and the like - so the principal clearly is fine. But the Palm side is more complicated.

I seem to now be able to sync my Palm whilst logged in as the installer but NOT when logged in as myself. If it hadn't been for the other software working as advertised, I'd have thought it was some failing in me. But for whatever reason, I guess it's all more complicated than I'd hoped. (And of course, one of the conditions of the C: drive access is that the IT people don't offer support...)

I haven't given up entirely yet, but I'm not hopeful that there are many options open to me. I'm not technically illiterate but this seems to be a step beyond what I know (or am allowed).

On the other hand, I had news today from the Head that the systems people are getting people together to discuss the requirements for syncing PDAs and the like with the email system. With a view to mass installing software that would allow it to take place. Snag is that the discussion is in January when I'm at a conference, so I won't be able to stick my oar in. Still, it might happen yet. (Apparently the head spent a fair bit of money on his own software to make it happen.)