Doc is the quasi-standard format for large text files (like e-books) on the Palm handheld computers.
Why can't I use the built-in MemoPad for large files?
The Palm's MemoPad program only holds 4K of data; for the non-tech types, that's about 4 to 5 printed pages. If you want e-books or other reference materials, you won't be able to fit everything you want in a Memo.
What is DocReader?
DocReader is a Windows application to read and create Doc files on your PC. DocReader is not a Palm application; if you download DocReader, you won't see anything new on your Palm.
What do I need for my Palm?
You need a reader application for your Palm. There are several that you can look for at PalmGear; I use CSpotRun or ReadThemAll; both are free. If you enjoy paying for software, you can get TealDoc, AportisDoc, or several others.
Can I edit the Doc file on my Palm?
There are two editors that I know of (neither free, sadly), SmartDoc and QED.
Is this the same as a Microsoft Word .doc?
No, files created with Microsoft Word have the .doc extension (like MyResume.doc), but this is not the same as a Palm Doc. I like to use an uppercase D in Doc to differentiate between Palm Docs and Word documents.
So can I even use Doc files in Microsoft Word?
There is a program called PalmDocs that converts Word documents into Palm Doc format. It installs itself into MS Word 97 or Word 2000. If you don't want to pay for a program to do this, perform the following steps:
What is a .PDB file? What is a .PRC file?
These are Palm Database files that have been copied to a PC. Many web sites have e-books and other text stored as .PDB or .PRC files, that you can open in DocReader, or install on your Palm. All Doc files are .PDB or .PRC files, but not all .PDB or .PRC files are Docs. If you try to open a file in DocReader that isn't a Doc, you will get a message to that effect.
Can I get more information?
See Memoware's site for additional help, as well as a lot of Doc files.