The synchronization software that came with my Palm Z22 only works on Windows so, at first, every time I wanted to synchronize this PDA to make a backup, install new applications or transfer some files to it from my laptop, where I mainly use Ubuntu Dapper, I had to switch to Windows. It was about time to learn how to configure the Z22 on Ubuntu.

It was a really easy process. I decided to use gnome-pilot (gpilot), which I already had installed ( if you don't have it you can install it in a moment using synaptic ). I connected the PDA to the computer and proceeded to configure gpilot.

This program has a simple graphical interface you can run with the following command: gpilotd-control-applet. The first time you run it, you have to configure some parameters, like the device location ( /dev/pilot, which was created when I plugged the Z22 ) and type of connection (usb), it asks you if you have already synchronized this PDA before ( I answered yes ) and then, if that's the case, asks you to click the synchronize button on the PDA to retrieve your user name an other data. That was about it. The Z22 was configured and I could activate some conduits to make, for example, backups ( the first thing I did ).

To install applications (.prc) or .pdb files I use the command gpilot-install-file nameofthefile ( this asks you to make a synchronization right at that moment, if you want it to wait to upload the files till you make your next synchronization, you can use gpilot-install-file -later nameofthefile, although I haven't tested that option yet )

I still have some things to learn about gpilot, but it already does what I need and it seems to do it perfectly.