In this commentary, ZDNet's Guy Kewney shares his enthusiasm about wanting to own one of Sharp's new Linux-based Zaurus PDAs, and also offers Sharp “one urgent bit of advice.” Kewney writes . . .

” 'Please don't write anything which will make people want to buy the new pocket Sharp PDA,' implored the product manager. 'We don't have enough to sell. And it's not ready.' “

“Well, I want one.”

“The SL-5000D doesn't use the Microsoft's Pocket PC operating system, it uses the 'free' Linux software. It's not a Pocket PC at all.”

“But it looks like one. And I want one.”

“It's not finished. For example, if you run a program, you can't close it down. It runs in the background until you load enough new software into its 32MB of flash RAM — then it unloads them. Not quite right! — but I want one . . .”

” . . . Why do I want one?”

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