Use the Palm handheld for very specific tasks (such as drafting, note taking, or correspondence) is a good way to prepare yourself and your device so that maximum efficiency can be obtained.

Acknowledge limitations so you can work with them and work around them, rather than working against them.

The Palm handheld exists to supplement your desktop setup, which is why effective synchronization is so important. Don't expect your Palm handheld to function independently. Use both tools together to get the most out of both.

Don't allow yourself to be satisfied with overwhelming flaws or pitfalls in your mobile writing experience. Keep working with your solution and setup until everything works the way it should. In the long run, this will be more effective.

Just because you can write everywhere with your Palm handheld doesn't mean you should. No matter how important our writing is, we need to remember to live our lives. If the ability to write away from your desk makes you turn into an antisocial virtual hermit who spends all of his or her time writing, not only will the quality of your work diminish, but you would probably be better off if you just stayed at your desk in the first place.

Mobile writing isn't for everyone, but if you have the right equipment, software, and attitude, writing with a Palm handheld can be a rewarding and productive experience.

Jason Perlow is a ZATZ Senior Technical Editor. When he's not recompiling his Linux kernel or scouring the net for great Linux software, he can be reached at perlow@hotmail.com.