[kdepim-users] Kontact present and future and sync questions

Sat Mar 6 20:13:56 GMT 2010

On Saturday 06 March 2010, Robert Hayes wrote:
> Ingo,
> 
> Thank you so much.

You are welcome. There is a lot of uncertainty and confusion around and 
about Akonadi. I'm always glad to clear the fog a bit. :-)

> But I'm still a bit comfused. I understand now that Akonadi is a
> layer between apps and data storage, but where does the migration to
> a db (mySQL) come in?
> 
> I have read that the goal is to migrate all the apps to a SQL
> backend. From my experience with db programming it seems that that
> will have dramatic benefits for access speed, searches, and
> cross-app access.

Exactly. In particular, the last point was one of the most important 
arguments for having centralized data storage access for all apps.

> Looking to the future: once the apps are all ported to a SQL backend
> option, wouldn't duplicating the db backend (using proper SQL
> duplication methods) be the best way to maintain data integrity for
> one person between the two machines?

Well, it's not that simple because the data storage consists of two 
parts: The actual data storage in form of iCalendar files/folders, vCard 
files/folders, mail folders, etc., and the meta data storage (and cached 
data storage) in form of Akonadi's database. Using proper SQL 
duplication methods might not sufficient for maintaining data integrity 
because the actual data storage might be in another state already when 
you clone the database.

The safest way is the duplication of the actual data storage. Akonadi 
will automatically update the meta data stored in its database. Maybe 
it's not yet clear: Akonadi's database does not hold any data (apart 
from some config options) that cannot be recalculated from the actual 
data. So, if you just want to synchronize the data then you can (and 
probably should) ignore Akonadi's database. If you also want to 
synchronize the configuration then things get a lot more complicated.

> I should have mentioned before, I tend to install software and run it
> unaltered for years. The last time I upgraded my machine was about
> six years ago. I run straight Debian. I'm from the 'Don't Fix What
> Isn't Broken' school of thought.
> 
> So you  can see why I am trying to divine the future as much as
> possible. Once I decide and commit to a new organization software, I
> don't want to have to change again until absolutely necessary.
> 
> Thanks again. Kontact looks and runs so well right now. It's the
> hands-down first choice for me. I've been testing it on my Asus
> 1005PE-P netbook (Atom 450) running Ubuntu Netbook Remix. It's very
> snappy on this little box.

You still seem to be running KDE 3.5 (at least you sent your message 
with KMail 1.9.5). I suggest staying on KDE 3.5 with this hardware until 
Kontact has been fully ported to Akonadi and the first teething troubles 
have been solved (probably about a year from now).

Regards,
Ingo

> On Friday 05 March 2010 13:51, Ingo Klöcker wrote:
> > On Friday 05 March 2010, Robert Hayes wrote:
> > > Apologies in advance for this lengthy post.
> > > 
> > > I'd like to use Kontact. I love the UI! The developers and
> > > designers have done a terrific job!
> > > 
> > > Here's my current situation, followed by numbered questions.
> > > 
> > > I'm traveling periodically and have acquired a netbook. I am
> > > trying to decide on a new contact manager / organizer package.
> > > 
> > > I work alone, and I'm the only person who uses both my desktop
> > > and netbook computers.
> > > 
> > > I'd like to be able to have the latest and complete data sets
> > > available on either computer after synchronization. On the
> > > desktop I have full time broadband, but when traveling I may be
> > > several days without internet connectivity. I'd like to be able
> > > to schedule appointments, respond to cached emails, etc while
> > > offline. Then when I return home have all the new work
> > > synchronized again in full.
> > > 
> > > Currently I using Kmail 3.x for email, and egroupware for
> > > scheduling and some contacts, running on a local apache server
> > > on my desktop. egroupware has been problematic, the email has
> > > never worked for me and upgrades have been difficult and usually
> > > unsuccessful. This may be just as much a result of complications
> > > with apt as anything else.
> > > 
> > > I use paper printouts when I travel .
> > > 
> > > I'm comfortable with mySQL, and have no problem with running a
> > > server on both the desktop and netbook if that is required to
> > > get the best out of Kontact. I've programmed database software
> > > professionally years ago. I've read as much information as I can
> > > find on Akonadi and its associated layer software, but still
> > > don't understand it all.
> > > 
> > > Questions:
> > > 
> > > 1) Will all the apps in Kontact eventually use Akonadi as their
> > > data repository?
> > 
> > No. Akonadi is no data storage. Akonadi is a layer between data
> > storage and the applications.
> > 
> > > 2) Will it be possible in the future to run Kontact apps with
> > > individual flat- file data sources as in the past?
> > 
> > Yes. Absolutely.
> > 
> > > 3) If everything will be in an Akonadi db in the future will
> > > synchronization simply mean duplicating the db across machines?
> > 
> > No. The Akonadi db should not be duplicated. It just contains meta
> > data to give the applications faster access to the important parts
> > of the data. You can probably think of it as a smart cache with a
> > nice API for applications to get the data. You will want to
> > duplicate the data storage(s) (e.g. the flat calendar or address
> > book files), not the cache.
> > 
> > > 4) (This may be the important question) Until Akonadi is
> > > implemented for all contained apps, how can I sync both
> > > machines? Copy the /home/user folder and Akonadi db?
> > 
> > No. Just copy the data. Ignore the Akonadi db. (It doesn't harm to
> > also copy the Akonadi db, but you must not do this when the db is
> > still running because the db might be in an inconsistent state
> > when you copy the db files.)
> > 
> > > 5) After Akonadi is fully implemented for all apps how will
> > > synchronization be handled? Will this process be programmed, or
> > > will it be necessary to handle it directly through mySQL?
> > 
> > There are some plans for handling synchronization, but for the time
> > being you are better off simply synchronizing/copying the data
> > storage(s).
> > 
> > 
> > Regards,
> > Ingo
> 
> _______________________________________________
> KDE PIM users mailing list
> kdepim-users at kde.org
> https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kdepim-users

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: signature.asc
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 198 bytes
Desc: This is a digitally signed message part.
URL: <http://mail.kde.org/pipermail/kdepim-users/attachments/20100306/d5efae14/attachment.sig>
-------------- next part --------------
_______________________________________________
KDE PIM users mailing list
kdepim-users at kde.org
https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kdepim-users