[Digikam-users] Some linux questions

[todd rme]

On Wed, Sep 28, 2011 at 5:05 AM, Paul Verizzo <paulv at paulv.net> wrote:
>
> 2.  I been using Thunderbird since forever and Netscape mail before that.  I
> have YEARS of archived emails based on Netscape/Thunderbird file types.
>  However, I have kept my TB version at like 2.6 because of the newer layouts
> wasting monitor space.  Redundant functions.  I'm willing to poke around and
> look at email alternatives within Linux clients.  Ideally, easy to import
> Contacts and super--ideally, able to open Netscape/Tbird archived files.

I did that on kmail2 with no trouble at all, but kmail2 has its own
problems right now unforunately.

> 3.  What about my Nokia phone?  I've been using the Nokia SW for years,
> changing with the phones over the years.  I'm presently using the Nokia E90
> Communicator and I prefer the Nokia PC Suite over their monster Ovi for
> connecting the phone to my computer.  Once upon a time (Nokia 9000 series)
> recognized Outlook, Lotus Notes, and other PIMS, but it's down to Outlook.
>  All my contact info is in Outlook.  I know that I can pay $40 to get
> Outlook ported to Linux, and I'm willing to do that if I can have the
> non-Outlook functions that PC Suite gives me, i.e., managing images, making
> my phone a modem, etc. Thoughts?

What version of Outlook?  Crossover is largely a commercial version of
wine, if it works in Crossover it probably works in wine as well.

> 3.b.  Related to the Outlook issue, I see I can get Outlook for Linux from
> Codeweavers for a nominal $40.  Any experiences?  Poking around the
> intertubes, I see there is the Virtual Box alternative, too.

You should be able to export your outlook contact to a .csv file or
some other generic file format, and TBird might have a native Outlook
importer as well (and then use TBird to get them into a more standard
format).

> 4.  What about my Canon printers?  I have an iP4300 doing office type
> printing duty and from what I've dabbled, CUPS is fine for that.  But so
> many of the color/quality types of settings aren't available (unless I just
> didn't see the possibilities). I also have a Canon 9000 MK II wide format
> "pro" photo printer.  That one, I need full control of. I've seen some Canon
> Linux drivers on searches, but it looks like another morass (swamp) of
> distro availability, compiling, etc.  Please don't advise buying different
> printers!

Most distros will have built-in drivers, you shouldn't need to compile
anything for a modern distro.  Canon, however, often sucks for Linux
drivers (one of the only major companies for which this is still the
case).  However, it looks like the built-in drivers do support the
Pixma 4300, so that one should work out-of-the-box on any modern
distro.  It doesn't look like the 9000 MK II is supported yet,
although there are commercial third-party drivers that fully support
Canon printers on Linux.  TurboPrint is one.  The build-in sane
scanner drivers seem to have better Canon support than the printers,
so it probably works out-of-the-box.

> For those of you following my foray into Linux, here is my conclusion: All
> OS's suck.  In one way or another.  I just had to reinstall Windows 7 onto
> my netbook because of fatal burps despite not much use.  But when I try to
> install EasyPeasy Linux, designed for netbooks, issues.  Won't install.
> Sigh.  Jus' saying.

I've never heard of that distro.  It looks like a small, random
third-party Ubuntu derivative.  You are better of going with a major
distribution.  There are tons of poorly-executed and poorly-supported
minor distributions.  Major distributions are major for a reason,
minor distributions are minor for a reason.

-Todd