[clug] PDAs and calenders

[Antti.Roppola at brs.gov.au]

Alex Satrapa [mailto:grail at goldweb.com.au]:

>On 29 Jun 2004, at 13:53, Antti.Roppola at brs.gov.au wrote:

>> Does anyone have firm opinions on Linux friendly calendering and PDAs?

>I was using Korganizer [sic] for a while. So far I've not yet 
>encountered a synchronising system that works as well as Palm's 
>HotSync. I keep getting duplicates or deletes when I use gnome-pilot or 
>kpilot with various calendars under KDE or Gnome. Mind you, iSync on 
>Mac OS X isn't much better in this respect.

I did a little research on the weekend:

 - The Nokia 6230 uses SyncML (a partially binary XML calender standard)
   and can sync with Outlook. Apparently the Series-60 phones do a lot
   more (you can run ssh, and you can even get viruses)
 - The Mozilla calender looks pretty cool, but uses iCal but not SyncML.
 - Evolution does accept SyncML and a file based option for
   synchronising PIM data. Many people like it, but the dependencies
   include just about everything except the kitchen sink.
 - MultiSync (multisnyc.sourceforge.net) speaks SyncML and acts as
   middleware for a bunch of possibilities (except Mozilla), it has
   been suggested that Mozilla use MultiSync (presumably by adding iCal
   to MultiSync) rather than develop yet another calnder sync-ing library.
 - The SyncML consortium have put the SyncML reference toolkit on SourceForge,
   but haven't really told anyone about it (http://sourceforge.net/projects/syncml/)

>> We have an Outlook/Exchange system at work, and the idea of a PDA is
>> appealing, but I'd like to aggregate work calenders with private ones.

>That doesn't seem to me to be a good idea at all. Most synchronisation 
>tools and calendaring software I've played with doesn't honour the 
>"private" flag in my Palm DateBook. If I synchronise with the calendar 
>at work, my workmates can suddenly see, "Hot date with Kath". Even 
>worse, Kath can see "Hot date with Margaret" the next night. Oh well, 
>keeps me honest, I guess.

I was going to go one-way with that, as long as I can check my calender
in the morning and not have to rush in to work in case there's a meeting,
that's plenty. That and I can organise social stuff without impacting on
work commitments. Looking at SyncML, it should be possible to pass the
data through a filter that deletes/manages conflicting appointments
(in fact, you could pass it through an XSLT that re-writes "Hot date with
Kath" to "Resolve Kath's hot-plug issues".

>> Then there's the current crop of singing-and-dancing mobile phones

>I'm starting to become a big fan of single-purpose devices. But that's 
>just me, and that discussion is best left to the rabid few over a slice 
>of pizza or two at the next CLUG.

>From what I have seen, such as beast meets my functional requirements
(calenders and nag-ware) and leaves me without having to tote around
a PDA, phone *and* MP3 player. Since my Telco will throw one in return
for me signing a 12 month contract, that's two less purchases.

Antti


---------------------------------------------------------------------- 

IMPORTANT - This message has been issued by The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) 

The information transmitted is for the use of the intended recipient only and may contain confidential and/or legally privileged material.  It is your responsibility to check any attachments for viruses and defects before opening or sending them on. 

Any reproduction, publication, communication, re-transmission, disclosure, dissemination or other use of the information contained in this e-mail by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited.  The taking of any action in reliance upon this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. 

If you have received this e-mail in error please notify DAFF IT Security Advisor on telephone 02 6272 5858 and delete all copies of this transmission together with any attachments. 

If you have received this e-mail as part of a valid mailing list and no longer want to receive a message such as this one advise the sender by return e-mail accordingly. 

Only e-mail correspondence which includes this footer, has been authorised by DAFF 

----------------------------------------------------------------------