By Frank McPherson
Like their desktop brethren, Windows CE devices do not come with an abundance of documentation. Most come with small manuals that provide basic operating instructions. However, unlike desktop computers which seem to have tons of shelf space in bookstores, few books are available that provide more detailed information about Windows CE. New Windows CE owners are left to seek help in less traditional ways.
Fortunately, the Internet provides many sources of information and ways to interact with other Windows CE owners. This article will highlight the types of online information you can find and where you can find it. It will also provide tips on searching the Web for information and using the various newsgroups dedicated to Windows CE.
Most Windows CE owners use the Internet for one of three things: to find software for their devices, to find information about their devices, or to get help with their devices. But, cyberspace is very large. Where do you start?
You could use one of the popular web search engines such as AltaVista and do a search on "Windows CE". But I find that doing that generates too much information. For me, the best place to start is with one of the Web rings for Windows CE. Web rings are groups of sites that are connected to each other through a common database on a Web server. All of the sites focus on the same topic and you can move from one site to the next by clicking on the link usually found at the bottom of the page.
Web rings
You can find the listing of all the sites in the Windows CE web ring at <A HREF="http://www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=windowsce;list">http:\//www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=windowsce;list</A>. When you go to this site you will find 229 sites dedicated to Windows CE. Web sites dedicated to the Philips Velo are listed at <A HREF="http://www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=velo;list">http:\//www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=velo;list</A> and a Philips Nino ring is at <A HREF="http://www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=nino;list">http:\//www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=nino;list</A>. If you are just interested in Palm-sized PCs you can check <A HREF="http://www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=palmpc;list">http:\//www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=palmpc;list</A>.
Software downloads
One of the most common reasons many of us go online is to find software. There are many sites that contain links to software you can download and install on to your device. CEMonster is affiliated with the very popular TUCOWS site and can be found at http://www.cemonster.com. Another popular site is Windows CEcity at http://www.wincecity.com/software.html. On this site you will find software categorized by the different types of CE devices. If you have a Palm-sized PC, you will like Mike's Palm-sized PC Software at http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/Lab/3533/palm_sw.html.
