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rincewind
Joined: 10 Jan 2007
Posts: 177
Location: Norway
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 Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 11:00 pm Post subject: Companion software for Linux |
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Hi all!
If anybody but me find it annoying to not be able to synchronize with a Linux box, here is the good news. Works like a charm!
I configured samba like this - snippet from smb.conf:
[iLiad]
comment = "iLiad sync setup"
writable = yes
path=%H/iLiad/
public=no
browseable=no
case sensitive = no
Set up samba username, password, the samba name and workgroup of the computer, use "iLiad" as the share name, and voila. 
The iLiad creates all sub-directories on the samba share, and you can both send and receive files from it! I have not looked into the iLiad backup feature, and I'm not sure I will.
I'm also writing some python to grab and format RSS news feeds as iLiad PDFs. I use it for different Norwegian newspapers, but the result is still not quite there. If anyone else is interested, I will make them available also. Combine cron with the samba share above, and you have your own, iLiad newspaper distribution system. 
Very cool, the iLiad just got better! Way to go! Now, calibration please.
/R[/code] |
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cri
Joined: 22 Sep 2006
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 6:10 am Post subject: |
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That's nice, but actually I don't want to fiddle with samba when connecting a linux running gadget with a linux running computer.
I want to see a Linux version of the Companion software real soon, i.e. tomorrow. |
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chrisv5
Joined: 14 Feb 2007
Posts: 161
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 7:38 am Post subject: |
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| Actually, au contraire! It is good to know that connectivity is avalaibale without installing extra software |
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Matthijs
iRex Employee
Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 948
Location: Eindhoven
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 8:43 am Post subject: |
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| cri wrote: | | I want to see a Linux version of the Companion software real soon, i.e. tomorrow. |
It's nice to have a dream... 
There will be NO official Linux version of the companion software any time soon. |
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ali
Joined: 03 Aug 2006
Posts: 119
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:39 am Post subject: |
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Sorry to say that, but though I like the general possibility to exchange documents over the network (i.e., without His Uglyness Sir Travelhub), this must be the most simple-minded way to implement it:
* Microsoft SMB is obviously not the best protocol if we talk about linux devices.
* You ask your users to open shares on the desktop. For people who's desktop is directly exposed to the internet, this is a major security hole.
* "inbox" and "outbox"? WTF? Why not a simple dirsync? The way you implemented it, you don't know about the remaining space on the device, and every annotate-update cycle (i.e., make corrections on the iliad, then update your document) means copying files between these boxes.
* There's only one PC configuration in settings. Just as we had it before (v2.5?) with network settings, this is only enough if you use your Iliad only in one place with one host. It's just not enough for people who take the device to work. It also makes a quick "Hey dude, let me share this file with you" impossible because you loose your configuration.
* You can start a "background sync" while reading a PDF. However, you can not mark the PDF you read to be part of that sync. |
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ali
Joined: 03 Aug 2006
Posts: 119
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:57 am Post subject: |
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Forgot one point:
10 months after the release of 64-bit Windows XP, and one month after the release of Windows Vista is the absolute perfect time to release a new software that does 32-bit XP only. |
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jęd
Joined: 03 Aug 2006
Posts: 234
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:57 am Post subject: |
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| ali wrote: | | * Microsoft SMB is obviously not the best protocol if we talk about linux devices. |
Yep... But so far I've been able to sync with Mac, Linux and Xp... Only had to install additional software (smb) on Ubuntu...
| ali wrote: | | * You ask your users to open shares on the desktop. For people who's desktop is directly exposed to the internet, this is a major security hole. |
Wouldn't it be a better idea not to have a desktop machine exposed to the Internet...? |
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Matthijs
iRex Employee
Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 948
Location: Eindhoven
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:12 am Post subject: |
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I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think there is a reason why XP-64 would not work. It is only the installer that refuses to do its work. The software author is having a look at that.
As for Vista: that is a totally different ball-park. The low-level USB communication, drive mappings, My iLiad, automatic sharing, etc. will need to be made Vista-compatible. |
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narve
Joined: 17 Oct 2006
Posts: 94
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:15 am Post subject: |
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| ali wrote: |
* "inbox" and "outbox"? WTF? Why not a simple dirsync? The way you implemented it, you don't know about the remaining space on the device, and every annotate-update cycle (i.e., make corrections on the iliad, then update your document) means copying files between these boxes.
* There's only one PC configuration in settings. Just as we had it before (v2.5?) with network settings, this is only enough if you use your Iliad only in one place with one host. It's just not enough for people who take the device to work. It also makes a quick "Hey dude, let me share this file with you" impossible because you loose your configuration.
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These two points are major PITAs for me as well. dirsync, or rsync, would have been great. Multiple computer configurations would also be great.
The "companion software", which I haven't tried because it doesn't work on modern operating systems, is a simple enough tools for some, but way too restricted for power users.
The best idea is to use rsync against a host/ip, using tcpip. Then I can (if I open ssh ports) sync from anywhere I am connected, and I can get full two-way synchronization. The companion software could have been a simple rsync-server for windows instead.
By the way, someone on Mobileread did set up rsync and ssh tunneling etc. Check it up if you have time and motivation.
_________________
-n |
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emkay
Joined: 03 Aug 2006
Posts: 74
Location: London UK
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:15 am Post subject: |
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| Anyone else having problems shutting down their PCs when the companion software is running in the system tray? |
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narve
Joined: 17 Oct 2006
Posts: 94
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:16 am Post subject: |
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| Matthijs wrote: | I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think there is a reason why XP-64 would not work. It is only the installer that refuses to do its work. The software author is having a look at that.
As for Vista: that is a totally different ball-park. The low-level USB communication, drive mappings, My iLiad, automatic sharing, etc. will need to be made Vista-compatible. |
If you use Visual studio, it is probably just a missing target configuration. It is quite common for programs that work perfectly fine on 64bit to have stupid limitations in the installers.
_________________
-n |
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Matthijs
iRex Employee
Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 948
Location: Eindhoven
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:33 am Post subject: |
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A new version (without the OS check) has been placed online.
Can you XP-64 users try that one and report back? Thanks! |
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rlauzon
Joined: 03 Aug 2006
Posts: 59
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:55 am Post subject: |
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| ali wrote: | | * Microsoft SMB is obviously not the best protocol if we talk about linux devices. |
No. But it does work across multiple platforms. Therefore it makes the most business sense.
| ali wrote: | | * You ask your users to open shares on the desktop. For people who's desktop is directly exposed to the internet, this is a major security hole. |
They ask their users to create a share. Not an open share. You need to provide credentials on the iLiad to access the share.
| ali wrote: | | * "inbox" and "outbox"? |
Since you, the user, set up the share, "inbox" and "outbox" are just fine as names.
| ali wrote: | | Why not a simple dirsync? |
Because the "lowest common system" (i.e. Windows) doesn't have this installed by default.
| ali wrote: | | * You can start a "background sync" while reading a PDF. However, you can not mark the PDF you read to be part of that sync. |
Which makes sense because you are currently modifying that file's information. |
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rlauzon
Joined: 03 Aug 2006
Posts: 59
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:59 am Post subject: |
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| narve wrote: | | These two points are major PITAs for me as well. dirsync, or rsync, would have been great. Multiple computer configurations would also be great. |
Yes, one computer is nice, but multiple would be really great.
| narve wrote: | | The best idea is to use rsync against a host/ip, using tcpip. |
From a technical point of view, I agree.
But from a business point of view, SMB is better since it works the same across multiple OSs. rsync and ssh is not installed on Windows by default. |
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ali
Joined: 03 Aug 2006
Posts: 119
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| Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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| rlauzon wrote: | | ali wrote: | | * Microsoft SMB is obviously not the best protocol if we talk about linux devices. |
No. But it does work across multiple platforms. Therefore it makes the most business sense. |
As does, e.g., WebDAV, which would allow you to mount the iLiad as a directory on your any-OS machine. Or having the SMB server on the iLiad. Or sshd on the iLiad, and matching client in the "companion". Or sftp.
| rlauzon wrote: | | They ask their users to create a share. Not an open share. You need to provide credentials on the iLiad to access the share. |
Don't know. If I use a default WinXP without a password (as 100% of all Windows-only users I know personally), will the share created by the companion be protected in any way? And, IIRC, SMB is so bug-ridden that a lot of worms use it to break in.
| rlauzon wrote: | | ali wrote: | | Why not a simple dirsync? |
Because the "lowest common system" (i.e. Windows) doesn't have this installed by default. |
Sorry, nonsense. You wouldn't need anything on the desktop. The Iliad would just mount the share and do the logic by itself.
| rlauzon wrote: | | ali wrote: | | * You can start a "background sync" while reading a PDF. However, you can not mark the PDF you read to be part of that sync. |
Which makes sense because you are currently modifying that file's information. |
... so? |
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