Re: Kadressbook and Google [this is getting OT]
On Mittwoch, 8. Mai 2024 09:47:00 -04 Helge Reimer wrote:
> Am Mittwoch, 8. Mai 2024, 15:40:44 CEST schrieb Eike Lantzsch ZP5CGE /
KY4PZ:
> > If anybody - I don't know, but for me: Why schould I knowingly /
> > willingly feed the Data Monster with my address book?
>
> And how else do you sync your contacts between your smartphone and KDE
> for free?
> I'm definitely open to good suggestions.
Hi Helge,
I don't sync. If I did use Google or any other service for that I would
compromise not only my data, which I can control, but also the data of
uncount other people who did not even agree into any sharing or
synching.
I decided to go only one way - from my smartphone to my other devices.
That means I keep my phone addressbook up to date and every other device
is only a slave.
I export the contacts from my phone. Then copy it to my home file server
- from there to each other device as needed and only if needed. Then
importing the contacts into KDE kaddressbook. This is a function of
kdepim and shows up in the Kontakt menu. Also deduplicating contacts is
possible.
If you only need to sync from phone to PC then kdepim has KDE Connect.
Bulk exporting contacts from Google Contacts into vcard (for iOS) and
bulk importing into kaddressbok using KDE Kontact works here. I tested
it before writing this.
That is on Debian Sid with Kontact Version 5.22.3 (22.12.3).
Syncing would be less work once it is set up correctly but setting it up
involving 7 or more different OS for me isn't worth the hassle. I don't
even have KDE on all the other devices - just on my desktop PC and my
laptop.
I used to sync between my phone (Android) and my MACbook Air using a
commercial software. But now the MACbook is old and I did refrain from
purchasing the newest and shinyest from Apple. Instead purchased a
custom made laptop with Linux / KDE and VMs for Win11, Win10 and Debian
Stable and any other OS or distribution I like to try out.
Then there is the calender which I don't sync and do not even copy.
I just use it on my phone. Of course there are backups locally and off
site. If needed, e.g. travelling, I can restore addressbook and calender
from the off site backups which are encrypted. There is other encrypted
data off site which I don't dive into now.
[warning OT rant]
Then there are the Popup Notes of KDE which do not even have a
straightforward backup strategy. Trying to print the notes into PDF is a
real hassle and, at least here, always end up unreadable because of
color choice for characters and background which cannot be controlled in
a logical and straightforward way. One has to wade through the jungle of
KDE files to find the notes. Then copy it. Hey, Android file systems
anyone?!
Then comes [warning OT rant] Firefox - ever tried to move the password
data to another device? I mean without using the sync function of
Firefox? Yes, it is possible but a huge hassle. Try this and try to keep
the password data on the destination device or trying to merge the data
- good luck!
Moving bookmarks and weeding out the duplicates is child's play
comparatively.
No - this is not a recommendation. Just because you asked and it is no
secret.
All the best to you and everybody else
--
Eike Lantzsch KY4PZ / ZP5CGE
Reply to: