Pocket Pareto Version 1

Pocket Pareto Version 2.0

Pocket Pareto is an application to help make certain you are spending the most time on the tasks that are the most valuable to your organization.

Contents:

Requirements

Installation

Using Pocket Pareto

Shareware Notice/Licensing

Release Notes

Trademark Notice

Requirements:

To use Pocket Pareto, you must have the Waba Virtual Machine installed on your Palm Pilot or WinCE device. Version 1.0 of the WabaVM for the PalmPilot is included should you not already have it. Please view the Readme for the WabaVM for more information about installing it. If you have a WinCE device please go to http://www.wabasoft.com to download the virtual machine designed for your particular device. Further instructions for installing all the WabaVMs (for all supported platforms) can also be found at this location.

Installation:

To install the application for Palm Pilot, please use the Palm Pilot install application to put PPareto.prc and PalmPareto.pdb on your Palm device. It has been tested and seems to work well with Palm III, Palm IIIx, and Palm V. It should work with most devices prior to Palm III, however earlier versions of the device may not have enough memory.

To install the application on a WinCE device, please copy the PPareto shortcut and PPareto.wrp to the "Program Files" folder of your device.

Using Pocket Pareto:

To use Pocket Pareto, enter up to seven (21) tasks that you are interested in analyzing. Give each task a score representing its value to the institution (these go in the Value column)—One (1) is the lowest score and seven (7) is the highest. While ranking them against each other will yield good results, it is not necessary. Finally, do the same scoring based upon the amount of time you spend on each task (put these in the Time column). If at any time you wish to clear all the tasks, please press the "Clear" button. Otherwise, once you have described, scored value, and scored time for each task, click the "Calculate" button. (See Figure 1 for screen-shot).

Figure 1.

Pocket Pareto will evaluate your tasks based upon the scores you entered and rate them. The results should be displayed in one of three categories: Things you should "Do More", things you should "Do Less", and things you should keep the "Same". If you would like to revise any tasks or scores, click the "Return" button and it will take you to the entry screens (See Figure 2 for screen-shot).

Figure 2.

Pocket Pareto can only display seven (7) items at a time (in both the entry and result screens). Use the Palm's(tm) page-up and page-down keys to move through the pages of both the entry and result screens. The number in the lower right hand corner of the screen will indicate what page is being displayed.

Please note: If Pocket Pareto doesn’t find items that fit a category (Do More, Same, Do Less) it will not display that category.

Shareware Notice:

The downloaded version of Pocket Pareto is a full-featured trial version of the software. It contains all the features of the registered version but will only allow 40 launches. After 35 launches, it will no longer function. Instead it will display a screen asking you to register for further use.

If you like Pocket Pareto and wish to register it you will receive the following benefits.

An un-metered version of the software that allows unlimited launches of the application. Additionally, the un-metered version remembers any settings you might have had from the un-registered version.
The ability to suggest enhancements and/or changes.
Free bug fixes
Announcement of future releases of this and similar software from Agatsu Masa Gatsu Software

If you would like to register, please do so by going to http://palmgear.com or http://handango.com.

Or, alternately, you can register it by sending five (5) US dollars (or currency equivalent) to:

AM Software

PocketPareto

1401 Windsor Chase Dr. SW

Rochester, MN 55902

Thank You.

Release Notes:

Version 2.0 of this application keeps the changes made by the previous versions. In addition it adds the following improvements:

The ability to work with up to 21 tasks
Virtual displays for both the task entry and results so that tasks might be better manipulated
When exiting, any spaces that might exist between tasks (blank task spaces) are automatically removed so the list remains clean at launch
Combination of the task description and scores into one structure: better use of object-oriented programming. Also makes code much easier to read and adjust.
Ability to move through three pages of entries or results.
When an entry page is first displayed, focus goes to the first entry field (this works whether using page-up, page-down, program launch or return button).
Removed code (simplified) the search algorithm. There was experimental code from previous versions still in the code.

This is the second version of this application to be released. As of yet no bugs are known. However, this version adds an "Info" button on the title bar, the ability to save entries (automatically) from one launch to the next, and the ability to clear the screen with a button click.

The next scheduled enhancement is to allow Pocket Pareto to view and compare 21 entries. Unless other enhancements are suggested, Version 2.0 will be the last scheduled version of this application (except for bug fixes).

Instead the comparison algorithms will be rolled into a new application currently called "Pick6". Pick6 will be a "To Do" replacement that not only allows you to keep track of your items to be done, but will also compare them based upon importance, difficulty, due date (if any), and time necessary to complete and put the "most important" at the top of the list.

Trademark Notice:

Palm and PalmOS are trademarks of 3Com Corporation. WinCE is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Waba, WabaVM and WabaSDK are trademarks of Wabasoft Corporation. Pocket Pareto and PPareto are trademarks of Agatsu Masa Gatsu Software.