PalmPilot in business meetings
As for business meetings, the marketing literature for the Palm III shows an infrared blast across the table from one business-person to another. I deal with senior executives who would not like to be party to this exchange. However, technical types, the ones who helped make this tool popular, will be doing this very soon. Once again, your rapport and audience are very important to know. I do think that Palm III piloteers will actively seek each other out to share information in this manner. I am not ready, stuck with my infrared-less Professional.

Back to the meeting. In business meetings, how long is too long to look at your screen while a meeting is in progress? When bored do you bring up chess? Missile Command? Dinky Pad? What separates the checking of your schedule or creating to-dos from getting lost in the game play? I do not think the world is ready for a transformation to complete exchange of data through the PalmPilot. Common sense must prevail in order to take advantage of the PalmPilot medium.

I recently grossly violated PalmPilot etiquette in two major ways. First, I used Dinky Pad to exactly copy an M&M cartoon candy off of a package while in an important meeting. It came out really cute, as shown in Figure A. But it was wrong and others noticed. It doesn't matter that I was boredÉit wasn't appropriate.

FIGURE A

Busted! I was caught in the act of drawing this little M&M guy during an important business meeting.

In my second violation, while driving I tried to look up a phone number, then dial my cellular phone. Under these conditions it is very unsafe, by default a violation of etiquette, as I am endangering others. It is also impossible. Clearly PalmPilot operations while driving is a violation of PalmPilot etiquette and in this case maybe even the law. Don't do it. Safety and common sense should never take a day off Ð even for the greatest gadget in the world.

I hope you enjoyed this irreverent look at PalmPilot propriety. Hey, if this etiquette thing works out maybe I'll write some more articles. Stay tuned for stuff like:

"Cellular Phone Etiquette - is it really rude to walk down the street and talk on the phone?"

"Cigar Etiquette Ð is it O.K. to smoke a cigar at the restaurant table?"

Chris Guella is a management and strategy consultant for financial institutions with American Management Systems, Inc. He may be reached at cguella@usa.net.