Re: handheld data collection questions

> Programming the units is up in the air at this point.  One vendor is
> proposing that they do all the programming of the units (they're using
> something called C#), while another proposes that we'd attend training to
> be able to do it ourselves.

C# is basically Microsoft's answer to Java.  Sun wouldn't let them polute
Java by adding their own extensions to it, so they created .NET, including
C#. In many ways, it's better than Java.

The problem with C# and most of .NET is that Microsoft controls it with an
iron fist. You can't make your own C# compiler unless they give you
permission.  You can't port it to another platform unless they give you
permission.

I haven't heard that they'd given permission for C# or any .NET to run
anywhere besides Windows.