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Linux Support on USB Palm Pilots?

Posted by Cliff on from the to-sync-or-not-to-sync dept.

seachnasaigh asks: "I love desktop Linux, but the one stumbling block I have with deploying it in some capacity for my userbase is USB Palm Pilots. Once upon a time I managed to get GPilot working with a serial PalmVx, but despite repeated attempts (SuSE 9.2 pro, Fedora Core 3 and several Palm devices) I can't get a synch to happen with the USB version, either through the native Gnome Pilot app or through Evolution (and yes, Kpilot too!). Our standard deployment is a Palm Tungsten T series; most of our desktops are recent Dells. It's embarrassing to have to boot into Windows to synch the Palms. Does anyone have some suggestions out there?"

2 of 54 comments (clear)

  1. Bah! by toolz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is terrible. How did this even make it past the /. editors/censors?

    My friend, I have one word for you - "google".

    Support for PalmOS based units is ROCK SOLID on Linux, especially the USB based units. And it has been for years. I am a PalmPilot user from the 1990s, and while I admit that there were issues in the first few years, today they simply dont exist, not with stuff like Jpilot around. The guys who run the Pilot Link project have been doing fantastic work over the years making sure that things work, and there must be a zillion Linux users out there who benefit daily from their work.

    A totally elementary Google search would have brought up EVERYTHING you would need to get things going.

    On a tangent - why was this post allowed through in first place? It now sits on the front page of Slashdot, and gives all those guys who never RTFA or read comments more misguidance, leaving them with the impression that what is written in that post is actually true.

    And it will poison search engines for a long time, so that anyone who ACTUALLY does a google search before posting gets this post thrown up before any real information.

    BAH!

    --
    You aren't remembered for doing what is expected of you
    1. Re:Bah! by wskellenger · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Support for PalmOS based units is ROCK SOLID on Linux, especially the USB based units. And it has been for years.

      This is a typical response from this userbase, and it is a stretch, at best. (ESPECIALLY USB UNITS, FOR YEARS?)

      The original poster is having difficulty getting it to work, as do HUNDREDS of other people. It's amazing how you point out that it's rock solid, but then recommend a Google search to find "everything you need to get it going." Look at the number of responses to this article!

      Under Windows, all you need to do is install the included Palm Desktop, plug in the cradle, and push HotSync.

      I am now using the 2.6 kernel with JPilot, and it is working fine, AFTER I HAD TO RECREATE all of the original categories (Personal, Business, etc.) My custom categories synced fine.

      Users may decide to wander over to KPilot, which is very buggy, and what I believe is the reason I have duplicate e-mail addresses in almost every address book entry now. (can't be certain if it's KPilot or JPilot) Two I'm monitoring with regards to KPilot: Bug 72053 -- categories aren't created in addressbook Bug 86879 -- calendar doesn't sync

      This is not what I would call rock solid. I love Linux, but it is not without tinkering to get hardware to talk to it. I enjoy getting free software to work, and if needed modifying it to fit my needs. (Or even patching it with others' modifications)

      My recommendation to the poster is NOT to use KPilot at this time -- however I've found JPilot works well after you get it going, barring my initial problems getting it started. It also has support for KeyRing, which is another OSS Palm app that I use.