page_title: Sharp Zaurus
section_title: Software
hierarchical_section_title: Sharp Zaurus / Software
caption_attribution_description: Screenshot from my new Zaurus (Linux PDA) running the English'cized Qtopia desktop and NetFront 3.1 browser over a Planex WiFi card.
context_page_description: The Sharp Zaurus is the name of a series of personal digital assistants made by Sharp Corporation. The Zaurus was the most popular PDA during the 1990s in Japan and was based on a proprietary operating system. The first Sharp PDA to use the Linux operating system was the SL-5000D, running the Qtopia-based Embedix Plus. The Linux Documentation Project considers the Zaurus series to be "true Linux PDAs" because their manufacturers install Linux-based operating systems on them by default. The name derives from the common suffix applied to the names of dinosaurs.
context_section_description: With the switch to the Linux operating system the Zaurus became capable of running variations of a wide variety of proprietary and open source software, including web and FTP servers, databases, and compilers. Developers have created several replacement Linux distributions for the Zaurus.
  Software provided by Sharp includes basic PDA packages such as a datebook, addressbook, and to do list. These PIM applications are fairly unsophisticated, and a number of individuals and groups have developed alternatives.  One popular - and free - alternative that runs on the Sharp ROM and OpenZaurus as well as Windows and Linux is the KDE PIM/Platform-independent set of applications. KDE PIM/PI is based on PIM applications from the KDE desktop suite for Linux.  KDE PIM/PI includes KOrganizer/Platform-independent (or KOPI), KAddressbook/Platform-independent (or KAPI), K-OpieMail/pi (or OMPI), K-Phone/pi (kppi) and PwM/PI, a password manager with strong encryption.
  In addition to standard PDA applications there are many programs available that are more commonly associated with desktop and laptop computers.  Among these are a selection of office programs, web browsers, media applications and many others.
caption: SL-C1000 screen with NetFront Browser on Qtopia desktop (converted to English)
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