USB driver without installing Active Sync?

[Automaton]

Originally Posted by dishe

um... wm5torage is free. Developed by a programmer hobbiest, as you call it...

By the way, it just so happens that Windows XP (and most any current OS) includes USB Mass Storage device as a standard driver...

Its not something built into WM, and this is normal. In fact, there are many USB devices, PDAs and MP3 players alike, that need 3rd party drivers, so I don't understand why you'd be upset that a propietary function such emulating a USB Mass Storage Device wouldn't be included.

From what I read in this thread, WM5Storage is not compatible with WM6. I have a WM6 phone. The only option I have seen for WM6 is "Card Export" which is $14.95.

As you stated, Windows XP supports USB storage devices natively. That is not the issue. The issue is that the USB storage device inside my phone does not present itself as such to the operating system. There are many USB devices with built in storage that DO present themselves as USB storage devices to the OS. I have a camera, a flash drive, and an MP3 player that do. Imagine having to install full client software (not just a driver) on every computer you wanted to use your USB flash drive on. That would defeat the whole point because you would need to carry an installation CD on you at all times and get permission to install the program on the host computer even though you may only use it one time.

I assumed that something as computer-like and data-centric as a WM6 PDA would present itself as a USB storage device. The solution they provide (ActiveSync) is just as unacceptabe as having to lug around and install a client software CD for your USB flash drive. Actually It's worse because ActiveSync does not truly mount your device as a local drive. You can't even execute programs off of it for example.