Zaurus Sync Software (Finally) Available for Linux

Tony Green writes "One of the biggest gripes of early Zaurus users (with much justification) was the fact that despite the fact that the Zaurus itself runs Linux, the only synchronisation software made available was for Windoze machines. Trolltech have now released a desktop synch program (albeit a beta at the moment) for Linux, so at last Linux users can start doing what the rest could already do. Information at The Zaurus Software Index or Trolltech One word of warning though, the MySQL installation on my Zaurus became unusable after using this; I haven't worked out exactly what it did yet, but I ended up having to completely re-initialise the Zaurus and then restore everything from my backups. So not recommended if you're running MySQL (unless you're feeling brave...)"

Comments

Funny, just downloaded this yesterday.

[sys49152]

Note, to use the docking crade you have to modify the kernel for USB-ethernet support. Something I don't feel like doing. However, I set it up to do a network synch (I have a Netgear MA701 wireless CF card in my Z.), and it works like a champ.

Also note that the various PIM applications use an XML file format, and while it is mostly guessable, the format is not published. And TrollTech recommends not modifying them directly, anyway.

Finally, remember that you can always FTP etc. into the Z. for file management and other tasks.

Now, how do you sync with Mozilla's address book, Outlook's -and- evolution's Calendar, and Outlook's todo list?

Re:Funny, just downloaded this yesterday.

[Whispers_in_the_dark]

Note, to use the docking crade you have to modify the kernel for USB-ethernet support.

Not so anymore from what I've heard! I modded my kernel long ago so I don't know if these work but there are now RedHat RPMs:

Get 'em here

Re:Funny, just downloaded this yesterday.

[krow]

Doesn't the latest ROM updates break this feature though?

Re:Funny, just downloaded this yesterday.

[muckdog]

not a total mozilla sync solution but here is a mozilla ldif to zaurus address book XML converstion script I wrote a few days ago...

http://www.jaysweb.net/zaurus/scripts/mozilla_ld if 2zarus.pl.txt

Proper spellings

[Mr_Silver]

made available was for Windoze machines

You know, this is one of my big beefs. I know that Slashdot editors aren't exactly renown for their spelling abilities - but I think it would be rather nice if they could correct deliberate misspellings like this.

One of the things we all (I hope) advocate is the usage of something apart from Microsoft. That is Microsoft, not Micro$oft, Microsfot, Microcrap and any of the other 1001 illiterations that you find.

Maybe it's just me, but someone who deliberately misspells a company name comes across as a 14 year old and almost immediately wants me to completely dismiss the point they're making.

Harsh, maybe. But lets not alienate potential users by looking childish with our spellings.

Linux can and is a viable alternative - let us not give people the impression we're 14 year old script kiddies who think it's "cool" to munge corporate names.

Re:Proper spellings

[DonkeyJimmy]

I think it would be rather nice if they[slashdot editors] could correct deliberate misspellings like this[windoze].

Weather or not you believe that we of slashdot shouldn't intentially misspell words doesn't mean that slash dot moderators have the right (leave alone obligation) to change the things we do on purpose (short of racist remarks, profanity, etc.).

If anything, you should be condeming the poster. I would be furious if a slashdot editor changed anything on my, or anyone elses, post like that.

let us not give people the impression we're 14 year old script kiddies. . .

I didn't think we were in the buisness of trying to look good for potential users. I think most people here just want to have an "intelligent" discussion about things they care about.

Re:Proper spellings

[FortKnox]

I, absolutely, agree entirely with the point you are making.

Linux won't become better by trashing Microsoft, it will become better if it gets support.
Misspelling Microsoft is like saying you are a 1337 H4A><0R. We aren't impressed by your attempt at humor and/or bashing. You want to make Linux the premier desktop? Lay off the bashing, and add to the community.
You know the MIS managers that don't like Linux? Its because they've either read something written by someone who is trashing MS, or have gone to a convention to meet a group of individuals that are trashing MS instead of pointing out the good points of Linux.

Two things need to happen in the Linux community:

1. Make Linux more user friendly and market it so that Aunt Mable will try it.
2. Get rid of the B1FFs of the Linux community, so we don't look like a buncha 16 year old H4><0Rs trying to be better than Microsoft instead of making a good OS. This point gets Linux into the industry, where it can make a huge difference. The Server market is the entrance, and it can break in even greater without elitists spouting "Screw Microshaft", "Windoze blows, man", and, the infamous, "RTFM".

Somewhere, somehow these people lost site of the true goal (to make a great OS) and came up with their own (to dethrown Windows). Ask the creator of Linux to determine what the true goal is if you don't believe me.

Re:Proper spellings

[blaine]

I think Penny Arcade has a strip that sums up your feelings pretty well. If nothing else, it helps to point out the childishness of a lot of the namecalling surrounding Microsoft. Try showing it to the next person who tries to be cool by spelling Microsoft with a '$', or any other such stupidity. With any luck, they'll see how foolish they sound, and if they don't, you can just laugh at their stupidity. It's a win-win situation ;)

Re:Proper spellings

[Quixadhal]

I didn't think they were being childish, I just assumed that by using Micro$oft and Windoze, you protect yourself from the sea of lawyers who might come after you for trademark infringment. Afterall, when you corrected the fellow, you didn't specify it correctly as Microsoft(TM).

Let me ask you this... was there ANY doubt or confusion in your mind about the entity which was referenced by the slang "Windoze" term? If so, then you have a legitimate complaint, as the corruption introduces confusion. The purpose of language is to share ideas in a clear manner. If everyone understands what the slang refers to, then it is not really a problem for the intended audience is it?

Of course, the archaeologists who unearth the terrabytes of slashdot posts in years to come (the only useable record of this period of time, since it isn't DRM protected...yet), may be a bit bewildered (or perhaps they'll burn it as blaspheme since the Church of Microsoft(TM) would not look kindly upon it).

Re:Proper spellings

[kaisyain]

You fail to understand how trademarks work. You do not need to write Microsoft(TM). Take a look at how every single newpaper and magazine on the planet Earth spells it: Microsoft. It is part of fair use of the trademark.

Re:Proper spellings

[gujo-odori]

There's nothing wrong with bashing Microsoft. People hate Microsoft because Microsoft has worked hard to make them hate it. Remember how popular Microsoft once was? Remember when Bill Gates' "The Road Ahead" was a huge seller? People commonly viewed neither Gates nor his company as being capable of doing wrong in those days. I should know. I was one of them. Things change. People wise up. Now, since Microsoft has worked so hard to earn all of this ill will, we would not want to cheat them out of their so richly deserved reward and disappoint them, would we?

However, I do not view making Linux more "user friendly" as a good thing. What you and many other people really mean by that is "Let's make a Linux for people who don't know anything about computers and don't want to." Maybe you don't realize you mean that, but it's true. The trouble is that apart from the sheer difficulty of doing so, this would not be a Good Thing. Why not? Because doing that to Linux or any other *nix is going to take away so much of what makes it *nix. Stop and think. Linux and the rest of the *nix family is a server operating system, first and foremost. And it has not one but two decent GUIs that are already quite good enough (but still getting better nevertheless) that not only sysadmins like me but many other power users and near power users can use it as their full-time desktop OS. Beyond that, Linux, particularly when running KDE, is good enough for the corporate desktop Right Now. [1] [2]

But Linux for Aunt Mable? Uh-uh. I don't believe you can do that without breaking most of what Linux is today for most of the people who use it. For years, I was an advocate of user-friendly Linux. My mind was gradually changed by the kind of people I saw coming to Linux. Not people who wanted to learn, to give back, to teach those who came after them the way those who went before me taught me. Not people who wanted to improve the product for the sake of improving it. There were some of those, of course, but they were a minority.

What did we get? Whiners. Losers. Trolls. People who came into Linux and said "You owe me something." The whole attitude was/is one of demanding that since they've tried this "Linux thing" that the community - the LUG they found, the author of the package that bugs them this week, somebody, anybody - owes them help, bug fixes, feature requests, whatever. The idea and ideal that this is a self-help community founded on the ideal and idealism of Linux and Free Software is totally lost on them. I really believed in Linux for the masses. Now I've come to my senses. There are many places where Linux or a *BSD is the best tool available, and this includes corporate workstations. But there are places where it just doesn't belong, too. Aunt Mable's desk is one of them.

For people who want to get away from MS but want a vendor they can demand things from (or try to), who want all the user friendliness, etc., I strongly and highly recommend a Mac running OS X. Apple has done a truly marvelous job, and OS X is onlyk going to get better with time. For the typical end-user market, Apple is where it's at now. OS X has a terrific UI, is easy to use (something Apple has always shot for and largely achieved better than MS), and has the power of *nix underneath the hood.

Yes, I know OS X is proprietary, and I'm all for Free Software. But I also know that there are people who just aren't right for Free Software, and it isn't right for them either. The people I described above. There is no such thing as a free lunch, yet that's what they try to get out of Free Software. They are far better off buying a good but proprietary product from a good and innovative company like Apple.

And do you know what? The Free Software community is better off, too. We don't have to deal with it. Free and Open Source software can be present on an OS X system, but Apple is in between them and us. I like it that way. I've never owned a Mac before, but my next computer purchase will be an iBook. Maybe it'll dual-boot Linux and OS X, or maybe not. It might be OS X only. That's how good it is.

There is a lot of business-friendliness in Linux, and a lot of that in OS X, too. I truly believe that most businesses would be better off with a Linux, Apple, or mixed Linux/Apple network than with a Windows network. We should do a lot of this. However, beware of letting too much user friendliness into Linux. You'll be sorry.

You'll have to excuse me while I go off and write some anti-Micro$oft tracts about much Windoze blows chunks and draw Borg attachments on Dr. Evi^H^H^H uh, I mean, Bill Gates. Or is that Winblows? Or just 'doze? Whatever.

Now run along and buy your Aunt Mable a Mac. And maybe a Linux-based PDA to go with it. The embedded market is a place where Linux can really shine. This is, although user-friendly, not a Bad Thing because - as in the Apple case - you have a vendor standing between the community and the people who are using the software but don't want to be in the community. They are the vendor's problem.

[1] By "corporate desktop" I mean an environment where there is a professional administrator (or at least someone who plays one on TV) overseeing the IT operations. Windows networks should have one of these too, of course, and the reason many don't is a combination of tight budgets (or just plain cheapness) combined with technicall non-savvy managers buying into the Microsoft sizzle that tried to make people think you don't really need admins. Lack of admins is a big reason for Code Red, Klez, et al, spreading the way they did.

[2] No, I'm not out to pump up KDE at the expensve of Gnome. In fact, I personally prefer and use Gnome. However, KDE is better for the corporate desktop environment at this point. It's better for new users at this point.

Re:Proper spellings

[ceejayoz]

Ah, yes, my favorite PA strip of all time...

The runner up would probably be the man-sized spider one... heehee.

Say What?

[HomerG]

I don't know what this is about, Qtopia Desktop for Linux has been out for quite some time now.

Re:Say What?

[Vrallis]

Agreed, I've been using this for months now. This is *definitely* nothing new.

The older version I'm using has some bugs still, so hopefully they worked those out (your first sync each time you start the software usually hangs on the calendar).

I'd be more interested in them fixing stuff like Hancomm spreadsheet taking forever to load (a 1MB spreadsheet takes about 10 minutes to load on my 5500!).

Re:Say What?

[Bill Kendrick]

Yeah, I was wondering. I thought maybe something NEW came out. I sync'd, once. I just never got into syncing. I don't use PIMs on my desktop, for some reason. I didn't when I used my Palm, and I don't now with my Zaurus. I guess it's good that it's getting some fanfare, or... err.. something.
*shrug*

Not news for 2 reasons

[tempest303]

This isn't news for 2 reasons:

1) This is just another beta release - not the final version - the 1.5 beta has been out for months. (Possibly even from when the Z was first released, though I can't recall exactly)

2) (well, ok, this is more a personal reason, but...) Wake me up when it talks to Evolution... ...which reminds me - I'd personally throw down like $40 just to see the Z synch with Evolution. It's not going to happen from Trolltech or the Kompany for political and technical reasons (they'd rather have it talk to Aethera, I'm sure), but an independent developer could probably make some nice extra $$$ writing a stable, usable, reliable Evo Z synch suite. Here's hoping some one does this... I'm going nuts!

(yes, I'm fully aware of the project at http://sf.net/projects/zesync - but it hasn't gone anywhere in months, sadly....)

Re:Not news for 2 reasons

[numatrix]

1) Most definitely agree; this is not news.

2) Ask and ye shall receive. Haven't tried it myself, so I can't verify it, but it's not the zesync project. Also, zesync was updated August 28, what do you mean it hasn't been updated in months?

Re:Not news for 2 reasons

[tempest303]

yes - read this whole thread more carefully for why zesync doesn't currently fit the bill.

Re:Not news for 2 reasons

[tempest303]

Well, that first bit isn't really a "synch" program, just a converter, and it only applies to the datebook. I'd really like something that handled todo, datebook, and addressbook.... something like zesync. Which brings me to my second point...

Yeah, zesync got an "update" on the 28th of August, but that was a small compatibility fix for people running Opie. Prior to that, the last release was in June. For software that only made it to two releases, it's pretty good, but it's not "there" yet, and unfortunately, with sync software, you have to make it nearly to the end before your app as any kind of widespread value. :-P

If you read the whole thread now, the author of zesync just commented on my parent post that apparently the file format of the PIM apps is in an undocumented (undocumentable?) state of flux, and thus any author would have to stay constantly abreast of changes to the file format. Yuck. I don't blame Chayim at all for not wanting to work in zesync any longer.

Re:Not news for 2 reasons

[Enry]

theKompany.com won't take your money. They have their own sync software and Shawn Gordon has explicitly said they will not write the software to sync with Evolution. Even though a number of customers requested it.

Beta only

[Mika_Lindman]

(albeit a beta at the moment)

That's still better than most linux software, just go to www.sourceforge.net and see how mony projects ever gets past alpha-stage.

Re:Beta only

[henley]

That's still better than most linux software, just go to www.sourceforge.net and see how mony projects ever gets past alpha-stage.

That's unfair, and comparing apples with oranges.

Think of a project on sourceforge as being a low-cost representation of an idea, rather than as a product. So the first thing you do is register your idea - or, if you're a fan of Homesteading the Noosphere, you "stake your claim". Then you see if there's interest, think a bit more about the problem and/or solution you're proposing, maybe try a few bits of code out.

Often times, what you deride as "alpha" level software is perfectly acceptable v1.0 shipping product from some large commercial suppliers (er, actually most commercial vendors). Their business model appears to be ship a minimally-functional product, if it works use the proceeds to fund v2.0

Remember also that that Alpha code may just do exactly what you want it to do - no final product required! Often times within the context of these sorts of connectivity programs, alpha-code is sufficient to prove the concept, wherein it becomes more profitable to roll the actual functionality into a larger project - e.g. Evolution's palm-sync equivalent, or a specific camera's photo-download software into gPhoto2 or similar.

In short, if I expect to have to pay for software, then I expect a Beta programme to a) provide an early look at the functionality b) provide an early look at the quality of the product before committing anything to it. If, on the otherhand, I'm crusin' sourceforge for solutions, then oftentimes a demonstration-quality Alpha release is more than enough to make a decision on whether to adopt, adapt, collaborate or ignore the project...

Zaurus

[mirko]

This is good news for sure, I personally own one that I got used to synchronizing to my Palm (infra-red), which I further synbchronize to my laptop.

Now, for all the geeks here, here's a nice Zaurus software repository...

And here is my favourite Zaurus App

Re:Zaurus

[Bill Kendrick]

Now, for all the geeks here, here's a nice Zaurus software repository

"For all the geeks?" Dude, the Zaurus Software Index is for EVERYONE who owns a Zaurus! :^P

Moderators

[OrangeSpyderMan]

Most of them need to look up dictionary in a bookshop first;-)

Version with integrated cellphone?

[rseuhs]

If there will come out a GSM-variant, the Zaurus is certainly the PDA of choice for me, but otherwise I'll go for the Handspring Treo.

Does anybody have some information about Sharp's plans on Zaurus?

Re:Version with integrated cellphone?

[mirko]

Check this :-)

My Zaurus kicks...

[bhsx]

For those who haven't tried one out yet:

The Zaurus is a very nice PDA, no two ways about it. It has it's faults, as do every other PDA on the market; but it's highlights really outshine the drawbacks. Granted, the first OS it shipped with was a little buggy for me. I needed to wipe it clean and start over after only about a week; but one upgrade later (didn't take Sharp too long to realize they needed to get an update out) and it's solid as a rock. The keyboard is very useable, and playing Doom at work is a great distraction (i had Quake installed, but only got like 4-5fps). YMMV, but especially since they've dropped over $100US since I bought mine, I'd suggest them to even the non-uber-geek.

No go...

[Vrallis]

Well, appearently the new version is worse than the old one. This one starts a sync and hangs...that's it, dead. At least the old one only hung on the first sync, and could be kicked free.

Try again, Trolltech...

Re:No go...

[Vrallis]

Okay...if you are using the old version, remove ~/.palmtopcenter before running the new one...

Cool!

[Wakko Warner]

Now the other two Zaurus users can sync to their desktops! The rest of us five will have to stop making fun of Bill and Andy now.

- A.P.

Deceptive and Wrong

[FreeUser]

That's still better than most linux software, just go to www.sourceforge.net and see how mony projects ever gets past alpha-stage.

I'm sure there are any number of pro-Microsoft(tm) zealots and astroturfers who will take exception to this, but my (and, I think, most people's) experience suggests that most alpha-stage GNU, Linux, and BSD projects are far and away more stable and reliable than their Windows(tm) equivelents, if perhaps less polished on the install and user-interface side.

In other words, those pre-alpha and alpha projects are often already far and away better than many of their Microsoft(tm) counterparts (if such even exist, which is often NOT the case), and are certainly very useful to GNU/Linux users long before they reach beta or final release status, in contrast to many offerings from Redmond, which remain unstable and marginally useful long after people have begun paying good money for them.

Free software developers, being subject to public peer review, are generally much more conservative in how they label their projects than Microsoft(tm) and some other commercial enterprises are, as anyone who has used both can readilly attest. It is particularly deceptive of disingenous for pro-Microsoft(tm) zealots to be using that conservatism in nomenclature to imply an inferiority in the software being released that, emperically, simply doesn't exist in most cases.

Re:ogg

[Bill Kendrick]

Pick an electronic store, visit their website, look at their prices. (In other words, it's not like the Zaurus uses any "special" memory cards - just CF and SD (and MMC))

Now, if only we can get

[jht]

All it needs now is MacOS X support and then I can throw away my old Palm - right now I sync Palm to all platforms that I use and then sync Windows to the Zaurus. With OS X support I could use the Zaurus on all my platforms instead.

I know a USB/Ethernet driver for MacOS X is do-able, since the folks at IAA have done it for the PocketMac software (sync sotware for PocketPC machines).

Re:A PDA should mean less work not more

[Bill Kendrick]

Froot rules. I'd love to see perl-SDL ported to the Zaurus, though (we have Perl, we have SDL)... ...then we might be able to play Frozen Bubble!!!

Fitting...

[Derkec]

It's a bit fitting that a guy who sumbits a story about a release from a company named "Trolltech" uses the term "Windoze" in his submission. Oh well, sounds like a nice piece of software, hope I'm not wasting everyone's time.

PR Wins over Technical Excellence every time!

[SwedishChef]

There are good, solid reasons for making fun of M$ Windoze. This is a war to gain users and if users can be convinced that using MS products is, somehow, less cool than using open source products then we win, or at least gain.

Must I point out to you all the instances of products which were clearly superior but lost out because of public perceptions, advertising, or ridicule? Open source advocates may not have the resources to buy advertising like M$ does, but we do have the resources to ridicule them in subtle ways. The only downside is the risk of losing guys like you who, in all probability, are already on one side or the other.

This is not, despite what you'd like to think, a gentlemen's quarrel. Micro$oft will do anything *they* can to win. Let's not try to fight fair.

Besides, whining about it won't change it. Learn to live with it. :)

Re:OT: Re:Proper spellings

[Locutus]

Defending from a bully requires BECOMING a bully.

It's that the defenders tend to have control of when to apply pressure. Bullies don't.

This is still a dumb topic. IMHO.

Re:USB sync causes problems

[Locutus]

The sync software has never made my Z hang but I will tell you that the 1.6beta works much better than the 1.5 version. What's strange is that you have the ethernet-USB stuff working enough for ftp and that's what the sync software uses, ftp.

I'd look at the IP address settings in the qtopiadesktop( sync software ) and then delete the $HOME/.palmtopcenter directory and try again. You could have a corupted config file.

LoB

Zaurus In the Market

[Gallifrey]

Does anyone know how Sharp is doing selling the Zaurus? Are they selling many? (I.e. enough to keep on making it.)

Re:Zaurus In the Market

[iplayfast]

I've looked in Canada, and all the stores listed on their site which sell in Canada, DO NOT sell the Zaurus. It seems to be not available here. :(

Using scripts gives you power.

[uigrad_2000]

I actually bought and used a IPAQ for awhile. The only time I'd boot my computer into Windows was so that I could sync with my PDA. For some reason, I couldn't mount it as a drive in linux. (Actually, I'm pretty sure that the reason was the immaturity of USB hard drive drivers in linux, but let's not go there!)

As nice as ActiveSync first appeared to be, I realized that it was slow because it did a million things I didn't want it to do, and yet it still wasn't as powerful as a ftp&telnet combination would be.

I'll start looking into buying a replacement PDA pretty soon (as soon as I get my finances back in order), and will definately be looking for something that has a linux backbone. And, no matter how "great" the syncing software is, I'll never install it. I'd much rather develop scripts that can transfer files from each directory as I choose, according to the rules I develop in the script.

Anything other than ftp/telnet/drive mounting is uncivilized.

Sure

[Derkec]

Nothing against these guys whatsoever. Even seeing the post on slashdot, I probably wouldn't have associated them with anything like that if the post itself wasn't troll laden. So yes, I'm sure I've used their stuff and I mean no disrespect to them.