[Digikam-users] where is the user support?

[Martin (KDE)]

Am 04.08.2013 18:37, schrieb Fabio:
> All,
> 
> I understand the thread started with the left foot but I think there is
> some reality in it that is good to be discussed.
> 
> I started with digiKam probably one month ago. I am a Windows user and I
> think here is where most of the pain goes... Don't get me wrong.. I love
> digiKam and most likely I will be using for long time. It is a great
> software, excellent photo management capabilities.
> 
> I know this is open source same as other tools I use but honestly, I
> think the support capabilities are very limited and can easily be
> enhanced. What I mean is that most open source tools have a forum tool
> for users to get help from the community. I found only this e-mail list
> as support option. I might suggest that a very easy way to start  it is
> for example using communities in Flickr. Not the best forum tool, but
> good enough for a starting point.

Most of the other tools have some issues:
- missing or bad threading
- you have to pull the new infos instead of just fireing up your mailprogram
- many use different tools and therefore different mailinglists

In the end a mailing list is the defacto standard all these tools uses
and there have been many diskussions regarding forums and similar. As
most main developer will not use forums but will stay with mailinglists
the other user have to do the same.
> 
> I have faced many issues with digikam that seems to be working fine in
> Linux or other OS. I believe Windows (even though not the best OS), is
> still one of the most used ones so a lot of potential here. I have been
> forced to try other tools due to my issues with digiKam (I am currently
> using Lightzone, GIMP and Photivo, in addition to digiKam).  Changing to
> Linux is not an option for me at least for some time.

There are virtual machines exactly for this kind of problewms. I use it
myself (but the other way around).

> 
> Even if I want to help improving, there is no tools for me to provide
> details of the issues (no debugging capabilities like in Linux). Every
> time digiKam crashes, the bug report tool starts but always says 'Not
> enough information'. I am a user with not enough knowledge of the code
> to understand why the errors. I tried using this e-mail list to get help
> and I did (I know you tried looking into it and I appreciate it), but
> not enough to resolve the actual issues.
> 
> Performance is another major pain. I know it is because Windows
> limitations working with Java, but when comparing to other tools (that
> have performance issues too) digiKam is probably the worst time response
> (almost to the point of not useability). Lightzone is bad in some cases
> too, but not as bad.

afaik digikam does not use java but is C++ only.

> 
> I tried using digiKam for Editing but it crashes most of the times with
> no reasons and does not reproduce consistently. I have not reported
> those for the same reason.
> 
> As a fan of digiKam, I would like to see it grow at the rate of other
> open source tools and I know I have to give my 5 cents into it, but what
> can we (users) do? If you give us options, I am sure few people
> (including myself) are willing to do what we could from our side.
> 
> Hope I expressed my frustration in a positive way... If not, I apologize.

I can understand some of the issues, but many of them are bound to
windows and using Linux will take some of your problems (but not all).
In the end every user has to decide if he/she wants to get part of the
freedom back.

Regards
Martin