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Technology Stocks : Internet Guru Discussion -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: steve harmon - analyst who wrote (3574)12/27/1999 5:27:00 PM
From: Steve  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 4337
 
Steve, If you are hot on HDML, why not stick with PHCM? They are HDML, or WAP, or whatever they will be calling it next week.
Regards,
Steve



To: steve harmon - analyst who wrote (3574)12/27/1999 6:04:00 PM
From: Labrador  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 4337
 
Hi Steve,

It's time to update your target price for Softbank -- your last target, didn't even make it a week. And we've long blown by it.

How'ze about a 12-month target of $2,000 ? <gg>



To: steve harmon - analyst who wrote (3574)12/27/1999 8:22:00 PM
From: fedhead  Respond to of 4337
 
Whats your opinion on PHCM and ISLD ?

Thanks
Anindo



To: steve harmon - analyst who wrote (3574)12/27/1999 8:30:00 PM
From: JOE  Respond to of 4337
 
HDML
SPEC: w3.org

Mobilizing the Web with HDML
An introduction to the Handheld Devices Markup Language
by Matthew Allum
Oct. 9, 1998
If you enjoy pushing the most out of the constraints of designing for the Web, then HDML most definitely takes that to an extreme. As the markup language for displaying Web pages on mobile phones, the display could well be a small as three lines of up to 12 characters each. The great advantage of course is having the power and resources of the Web in your pocket. I hope here to give an introduction into this portable language. The phone connects to the Web by you dialing into a special up.link server that acts as a go-between between the cellular wireless network for the phone and the Internet. Once connected, the cellular phone behaves just like a basic Web browser.

HDML is an open hypertext-based language, like HTML but with a structure and syntax more suited for display on a small screen, and with a user interface. Developed by Unwired Planet, HDML has been submitted to the W3C for standardization, so it's important to note that HDML isn't an approved standard. Unwired Planet offers an "up" Developer Kit, or UP.SDK, for developers. (UP.SDK can be downloaded for free from Unwired's site.) The UP.SDK consists of an UP Phone Simulator -- an applet for Windows 95/NT that emulates a Web-enabled phone -- and has many features to aid easy HDML development. The UP.SDK includes libaries of C and Perl functions to aid the server-side generation of HDML, sample HDML files, and a PDF file of documentation.

The following piece of code simply displays the classic words, Hello World, on the phones display.

<HDML VERSION=2.0>
<DISPLAY>
Hello World!
</DISPLAY>
</HDML>

To try it out, copy the code into a text editor and save it with a .hdml extension. With the UP Simulator installed, open it, and type the file's location into the the drop-down box. You'll hopefully see the following.



Alternatively you could save the file on to a Web server and access it via the HTTP protocol. You'll have to set a MIME type for the content type text/x-hdml with the extension .hdml so the Web server knows how to serve up the HDML pages.

Building an HDML page
HDML code really isn't all that different from HTML. We see the header and footer tags; defining the language and version just like the <HTML> tags. The main difference between HDML and HTML is the way in which a document is defined. With HTML, a document contains only one visual page -- there is only one set of body tags. With HDML there can by multiple body sections, or cards. These cards can then link to each other just like linking to other URL's. One or more cards make up a deck, defined by the <HDML> tag. Now that we know what cards and decks are, let's go through the three main types of cards: display cards, choice cards, and entry cards.

In the above example, a deck with one card, the <DISPLAY> tags signify a display card that gets sent to a phone. The text between these tags is then displayed on the phone's screen when the file is accessed. As you can see, the text wraps to the screen width; placing a <LINE> tag before this text will stop the text from wrapping and a small horizontal scroll bar will appear on the bottom of the phone's display. Some simple HDML formatting tags are shown in the table below.

HDML Tag Reference
<HDML> Defines the HDML version and signify a deck being sent to the phone.
<DISPLAY> Defines a display card.
<CHOICE> Defines a choice card.
<ENTRY> Defines an entry card.
<WRAP> Wraps text (default).
<LINE> Causes text to scroll.
<CENTER> Center text.
<RIGHT> Aligns text to Right.
<TAB> Tabulates text.
<BR> Line Break.
<ACTION> Associates an 'action' (such as navigating to a new URL) with a particular event (such a key press)

The next example shows a deck with three cards:

<HDML VERSION=2.0>
<DISPLAY>
<ACTION TYPE=ACCEPT TASK=GO DEST=#displayCard2>
This is card 1
</DISPLAY>
<DISPLAY name=displayCard2>
<ACTION TYPE=ACCEPT TASK=GOSUB DEST=#displayCard3 >
This is card 2
</DISPLAY>
<DISPLAY name=displayCard3>
<ACTION TYPE=CANCEL TASK=RETURN >
<ACTION TYPE=ACCEPT TASK=GO DEST=#http://someurl >
This is card 3
</DISPLAY>
</HDML>

The deck has three display cards and a new tag. The <ACTION> tag specifies what should happen when a user presses one of the phone's function keys (the keys along the bottom of the phone). The TYPE attribute specifies the key, while the TASK attribute denotes what will happen when the key is pressed. The <ACTION> tag is used to display the next card when the user presses the "OK" key on the phone. Press OK again, and the user will be taken to the third card. This time notice the task is GOSUB, which when paired with a RETURN, will take the user back to the referring card. Pressing the "OK" key will take the user to a different URL rather than a card in the same deck. The type can correspond to different keys such as a help or prev key. The DEST is paired with the GO or GOSUB attribute to define a new location. There are various other types of tasks that can be accomplished. For instance, you can set it up so that a task will dial the phone to make a phone call by assigning the task to an action key. These are explained in the UP.SDK.

Data cards can be used to get text entered by the user, to present the user with choices, and to display a blank screen while executing an action. The following example shows a deck with a card that presents the user with a couple of options to choose from.

<HDML VERSION=2.0>
<CHOICE>
HDML GOOD?
<CE TASK=GO DEST=#yes>yes
<CE TASK=GO DEST=#no>no
</CHOICE>
<DISPLAY name=yes>
Thanks
</DISPLAY>
<DISPLAY name=no>
Sorry
</DISPLAY>
</HDML>

By using the arrow keys on the phone, the user can select one of the choices; pressing the "OK" key will execute the associated task. The above poses a question and then gives a response based on the users input. As with assigning various tasks to keys, tasks may also be assigned to choices. Variables can be bound to choices and actions by adding a VARS parameter to the tag. By adding these set values to the URL's query string, the values can be passed to a cgi-bin-type program on the server, similar to a form on a HTML page.

Also similar to a very basic HTML form, by utilizing the phone numbers keys (with associated letters) text can be entered into a card. The <ENTRY> tag is used to define an entry card. The following example asks for the users age. Once the user enters his or her age and presses the "OK" key, their age will be displayed on the phone's screen.

<HDML VERSION=2.0>
<ENTRY NAME=ageEntry KEY=age>
<ACTION TYPE=ACCEPT TASK=GO DEST=#displayAge >
Age?
</ENTRY>
<DISPLAY NAME=displayAge>
<ACTION TYPE=ACCEPT TASK=GO DEST=HTTP://cgi-binURL?age=$(age) >
Your age is $(age)
</DISPLAY>
</HDML>

The KEY parameter on the entry tag sets a name for the variable that will store the entered information. The TASK and DEST attributes are similar to that of a ACTION attribute. In the example they signify for the displayAge card to be displayed. The dollar sign ($) and parenthesis (( )) are changed by the phone to show the value for the variable. We see this used for both displaying the users age and attaching this value to the querystring of a cgi-bin URL. The UP.SDK also comes with a Perl library for aiding the development of HDML cgi-bin applications.

Of course HDML does go a lot further than what can be explained here. To learn more about HDML, the documentation that comes with the UP.SDK is very extensive and very helpful.




To: steve harmon - analyst who wrote (3574)12/27/1999 8:38:00 PM
From: nitlyn  Respond to of 4337
 
Steve -

Could you please give me your opinion on MSGI? I have asked several times and figure you must hate the stock and don't want to make it tumble. I am very long on this stock and think it has great potential with its backing from GE and CMGI.

Also, if you do not want to comment on MSGI could you give me your opinion on ELCO, this company is a competitor (albeit a small one) of CMRC and ARBA. Have been holding since 5's and hoping it gets some ripple effect from CMRC.

Thank you.



To: steve harmon - analyst who wrote (3574)12/27/1999 9:03:00 PM
From: Larry Levine  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 4337
 
Steve,

Is it true that you will publish your list to the general public on Jan 3, only 1 day after I get it, and I paid $99? Since I can't establish an account to trade in the pre-market in time (and I tried today), then I think your list will do me no good at all. If this is indeed the case, can I get a refund before the 2nd? If not, please tell me
how I can benefit from your picks without trading in pre-market?

Thanks,

Larry



To: steve harmon - analyst who wrote (3574)12/27/1999 10:50:00 PM
From: drew myers  Respond to of 4337
 
Steve-

Given the success of Palm and the huge potential of the Palm OS, (not to mention the concrete revenues themselves) ... and the IPO of Palm from 3Com in February, are you a buyer of 3Com now to get Palm during 3rd Qtr of 2000? What are your opinions?



To: steve harmon - analyst who wrote (3574)12/28/1999 12:53:00 AM
From: AlaskaBud  Respond to of 4337
 
Steve:Your opinion on AWRE or CMTN for DSL plays

Thanks,

Bud



To: steve harmon - analyst who wrote (3574)12/28/1999 11:18:00 AM
From: stockvalinvestor  Respond to of 4337
 
Steve, do you have any opinion on CNV? They are an internet incubator that seems to be undiscovered to Wall Street. The company is primarily invested in e-commerce start up companies and is selling for just 1x sales.



To: steve harmon - analyst who wrote (3574)1/2/2000 1:11:00 PM
From: To_A_Million  Read Replies (4) | Respond to of 4337
 
Steve, I cannot believe that you knowingly asked people to pay for a list that would be public information within the hour. The timing of your list offered NO advantages to those who paid you for it. I for one feel very taken advantage of - and from the looks of it, I am not alone. I would also like to politely request a refund.

Your input would be appreciated by myself and others who have loyally followed you. TAM



To: steve harmon - analyst who wrote (3574)1/3/2000 2:00:00 AM
From: Gary105  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 4337
 
Steve, re. valuations of top tier internets using cmgi as an example:
within the last 2 - 3 months you described CMGI as being worth about $12 B today with a 3 year potential of $30B. since that timeframe cmgi has already achieved a market cap over $35B - your three year target. does this say anything about the "frothiness" of net valuations?

thanks,

Gary



To: steve harmon - analyst who wrote (3574)1/4/2000 8:15:00 PM
From: ksj98  Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 4337
 
Steve, you had been high on BWEB not long ago, but it did not make your 10 for 2000 list. Any particular reason/s...what changed?



To: steve harmon - analyst who wrote (3574)1/24/2000 8:42:00 AM
From: Mad2  Respond to of 4337
 
Re: "hdml" - handheld device markup language
Steve here's a link to the Wireless application protocol group
www.wapforum.com
Here's a link to their white paper
wapforum.com
In summary;
WML's roots lie in efforts by Ericsson Inc. in Research Triangle Park, N.C.; Nokia Corp. in Irving, Texas; Motorola Inc. in Schaumburg, Ill.; and Phone.com to define a standard, widely accepted protocol for wireless communication with the Web.
These companies were responsible for defining Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), a set of rules for developing wireless Web applications [Technology QuickStudy, Nov. 1]. The companies decided to base WAP on Phone.com's Handheld Devices Markup Language (HDML) communications protocol. WML has since evolved from HDML.

BR,
Mad2

Edit- Some question the need for this as AvantGo Inc. in San Mateo, Calif., and ProxiNet Inc. in Emeryville, Calif., offer ways to mold standard HTML pages into formats suitable for wireless devices without requiring the creation of separate pages.