where is the user support?

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where is the user support?

ELLIOT SMITH
Hi,

I am looking for a photo management application, so I downloaded digikam
to give it a try, and I found some features that are broken, so I thought
I would check the support docs and forum to see if I could get any help,
and I found that the support docs
a) suck,
b) are buried and hard to find
c) something about how I can't use them until I download and install them,
but no link to do so... so maybe there are better docs that I could get if
only there were a link to download them?

and there is no way to log into the forum, which has zero posts.
http://www.digikam.org/drupal/forum   So I guess it's not just me who
can't log into it.

But there is a link for me to donate to support this hot mess.

And there is a mailing list.  Very retro.

$.02

-Elliot Smith

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Re: where is the user support?

Peter Mc Donough
Am 03.08.2013 20:58, wrote ELLIOT SMITH:

>
> I am looking for a photo management application, so I downloaded digikam
> to give it a try, and I found some features that are broken, so I thought
> I would check the support docs and forum to see if I could get any help,
> and I found that the support docs
> a) suck,
> b) are buried and hard to find
> c) something about how I can't use them until I download and install them,
> but no link to do so... so maybe there are better docs that I could get if
> only there were a link to download them?

Welcome to the world of Digikam.
I have been running Digikam successfully for quite a while.

If you have a problem with Digikam, this list may be able to help you.
Have also a look at http://www.digikam.org/

Within my system I just have to click the help button and there it is.
Digikam is opens source, free of charge, and very powerful. Which means,
you will have to invest some effort to unlock that power.

You should include some information about your system and specify the
problem.

For example my system runs digikam Version 3.2.0, unter KDE 4.10.5
"release 1", OS is opensuse 12.3.
It also runs under Windows, which I don't use for photo management

> And there is a mailing list.  Very retro.

Yes, you get the information via email and can read it when you have
spare time. Some like it that way and not being retro doesn't
automatically mean "advanced".

Have fun
Peter
_______________________________________________
Digikam-users mailing list
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https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/digikam-users
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Re: where is the user support?

Sveinn í Felli
In reply to this post by ELLIOT SMITH
Hi,

I just wanted to check if there was any reason for the
complaint concerning the support documentation; most of it
seems up-to date and working.
BUT: some links in the index give an error: "The file
/development/en/extragear-graphics/digikam/inedex.html could
not be found."
Well, the "inedex.html" seems quite suspicious to me, guess
that too many thumbs have been hammering a keyboard somewhere...

So, if the bug is true, Elliot has already (indirectly)
contributed to the wonderful open-source world - despite the
rant...

Best regards,
Sveinn í Felli

Þann lau  3.ágú 2013 20:56, skrifaði Peter Mc Donough:

> Am 03.08.2013 20:58, wrote ELLIOT SMITH:
>>
>> I am looking for a photo management application, so I
>> downloaded digikam
>> to give it a try, and I found some features that are
>> broken, so I thought
>> I would check the support docs and forum to see if I could
>> get any help,
>> and I found that the support docs
>> a) suck,
>> b) are buried and hard to find
>> c) something about how I can't use them until I download
>> and install them,
>> but no link to do so... so maybe there are better docs
>> that I could get if
>> only there were a link to download them?
>
> Welcome to the world of Digikam.
> I have been running Digikam successfully for quite a while.
>
> If you have a problem with Digikam, this list may be able to
> help you.
> Have also a look at http://www.digikam.org/
>
> Within my system I just have to click the help button and
> there it is.
> Digikam is opens source, free of charge, and very powerful.
> Which means, you will have to invest some effort to unlock
> that power.
>
> You should include some information about your system and
> specify the problem.
>
> For example my system runs digikam Version 3.2.0, unter KDE
> 4.10.5 "release 1", OS is opensuse 12.3.
> It also runs under Windows, which I don't use for photo
> management
>
>> And there is a mailing list.  Very retro.
>
> Yes, you get the information via email and can read it when
> you have spare time. Some like it that way and not being
> retro doesn't automatically mean "advanced".
>
> Have fun
> Peter
> _______________________________________________
> Digikam-users mailing list
> [hidden email]
> https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/digikam-users

_______________________________________________
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Re: where is the user support?

ELLIOT SMITH
If I can find some software that does a screen recording, I can upload to
youtube a video of what I am talking about.  You've put up a web site, and
apparently you think it works.  It doesn't.  I would suggest you (whoever
is the lead person or team for the user interface) actually collect data
on how well the web site works, or doesn't.  Just because it looks good to
you doesn't mean it is useable.  You use it every day, you know where
everything is at.  To me, it's a complete jumble and mess.  For one thing,
the color scheme is not color-blind friendly.

So I'm looking for information on how this broken software can work.  I go
here:

http://www.digikam.org/

wtf?

About
News
Developers Blogs
Events
Screenshots
Download
digiKam Recipes Book
Documentation
Wiki
FAQ
Support

That's a lot to take in, especially considering the color scheme makes me
want to gouge my own eyes out.

Documentation and Support and FAQ and Wiki are really similar concepts, if
you ask me.  Maybe these could all be grouped together under a single
"support" heading.

The wiki.  http://userbase.kde.org/Digikam

Wtf is this?  "View, manage, edit, enhance, organize, tag, and share
photographs." it says.  Yeah, I know.  I got that part.  That's why I'm
here.  Do you realize that the wiki is nothing but screen shots of the
software working.  There's no information on how to get it to work.
There's no info on errors.  There's nothing.  It's not a wiki.  It's a
collection of screen shots.

What am I supposed to do with this?

http://userbase.kde.org/File:Digikam_camera.png

Set that as my desktop background and masturbate to it?

So the wiki is a bust.

As I mentioned previously, I did find the forum.. It wants a username and
password... No idea how to to get those... no link to sign up.  You don't
think that kind of idiocy is going to maybe turn people off just a little
bit?  And it shows ZERO posts in the forum.  ZERO.  You have a forum with
ZERO posts?  Either that's a bug in the software and it's reporting
incorrectly, or you actually maintain a forum with ZERO posts.  Because no
one can get a user name and password to get into it.  I can only assume
the donations are used to fund a healthy drug habit.

http://www.digikam.org/docs

Documentation

"The digiKam documentation comes as a separate package usually called
digikam-doc) which you have to install for local use."


Well, okay, now we're getting somewhere.  Not.  The documentation that I
have in my help menu is pretty lame and buggy at that.  How do I know if
the documentation that comes as a separate package is the documentation
that I already have?  Logically, if it comes as a separate package, then I
shouldn't have it, given that I have not downloaded and installed any
separate packages.  But so far nothing about this user interface is
logical, so how the hell would I know for sure?

But you can read it online as well (some options might differ from your
local installation because the online manuals belongs to the development
versions):

    digiKam and image editor plugins
    Showfoto
    Kipi-plugins


    digiKam PDF handbook
    Showfoto PDF handbook
    Kipi-plugins PDF handbook


Okay... the decision tree you are sending me down at this point is getting
to be a bit much.  Wtf is showfoto?  Why do I care about it?  Kipi
plugins?  Hello?  Before you throw something at me, give me an
introduction.  Give me some context.

"digiKam and image editor plugins"   Is this a link to plugins?  Or to
documentation for plugins?  Is a keyboard monkey part of the interface
design team, whacking on the keyboard with a stick?

"A wiki page hosted by KDE project is under contruction."

Yeah, I gathered as much.

"Every one can contribute to add and fix wiki contents."

That should be "everyone" not "every one."  And yes, I'm aware of how a
wiki works, thank you.

API and Database schema

If you plan developing for digiKam you might find these links interesting:

    digiKam API
    libkipi API
    libkexiv2 API
    libkdcraw API
    libkgeomap API
    Database schema

Use SQliteBrowser or the sqlite firefox extension to play with SQlite3
database files.
Online Source Code

    digiKam source code.
    kipi-plugins source code.
    libkipi, libkdcraw, libkexiv2 source code.
    libkface, libkgeomap source code.


No.  I don't want this.  I'm looking for documentation.  That's all I'm
looking for.  That's why I clicked to come here.  Why is all this crap on
this page?  How many users are going to actually want to read any of this?
 1% of 1% of 1%?  You couldn't put this info on a different page?  With a
simple link to it?  I'm looking for documentation, trying to overcome the
learning curve of a new software, new jargon, etc, and you're throwing all
this stuff at me about how to find the source code for libkipi, libkdcraw,
libkexiv2 AND ALSO libkface, libkgeomap.  Because of course, I don't just
want the libkipi, libkdcraw, libkexiv2 source code.  I might also need the
libkface, libkgeomap source code too.  I'm so glad this loaded on my
screen to give me more information to parse in this god-awful migraine
inducing color scheme.  Because I didn't already find enough useless
superfluous and generally distracting information and links on this web
site.

I did finally click on the non-obvious "digiKam and image editor plugins"
after exhausting all the other dead-ends, and what do you know, it's NOT a
link to plugins, it's a link to documentation.

So I wind up here:

"Any configured digital camera will be listed here. You can use the "Add
Camera" menu entry to add a new camera to the list. Please, read the Setup
Camera Section for more information. "

So I click the "Setup Camera Section" link which directs me here:

http://docs.kde.org/development/en/extragear-graphics/digikam/using-setup.html#cameraselection.anchor

The anchor is apparently misplaced, because it lands me in the middle of
some text, with no heading to indicate where I am.  I scroll up, and I'm
pretty close to being where I need to be.  I scroll up, and yes, there is
a screen shot of the function that isn't working for me.  And look, it has
an "auto-detect" button.  I don't have that button.  wow.  wtf?

You need to enter here the path where you mount the camera, usually
"/mnt/camera" or "/mnt/removable".

Um?  I'm using Windows 7?

 To be able to use your digital camera with digiKam, connect the camera to
your computer, switch the camera to the image display mode and turn it
on.

Try and see if digiKam can auto-detect the camera; if not, you can set the
camera model and port manually. Once you have the camera setup, go to the
"Cameras" menu in the main interface and you will see the camera listed in
the menu.

Right.  If that would have worked, I wouldn't be here in the first place.

When I try to add my camera, it gives an error with "102CANON The folder
name is not valid"

See, this is how a support interface would work.  I would search or browse
for my error message, and I would get information on the error.  I don't
see that as really being an option here.  Google says:  No results found
for site:docs.kde.org "the folder name is not valid".

Google further says:  "No results found for site:kde.org "the folder name
is not valid"."

Wow, look at that, I'm the first person who has ever gotten this error
message before.

If only I could log into that support forum I could do a FRIST PSOT!

Well I was hoping to have the software pull my photos off my camera, it
might preserve the metadata that way.  man.  It's a sad world we live in
when this might possibly be the best the open source community can do.  I
need to start looking at commercial software.  Nothing against people with
Aspergers I probably am a bit of an aspie myself but god damn I don't want
a support interface designed and managed by someone with such extreme
microfocus as to be unable to see the forest for the trees.

Good luck with y'alls project, I'm signing off this list now.

-Elliot










Hi,

I just wanted to check if there was any reason for the
complaint concerning the support documentation; most of it
seems up-to date and working.
BUT: some links in the index give an error: "The file
/development/en/extragear-graphics/digikam/inedex.html could
not be found."
Well, the "inedex.html" seems quite suspicious to me, guess
that too many thumbs have been hammering a keyboard somewhere...

So, if the bug is true, Elliot has already (indirectly)
contributed to the wonderful open-source world - despite the
rant...

Best regards,
Sveinn í Felli

Þann lau  3.ágú 2013 20:56, skrifaði Peter Mc Donough:

> Am 03.08.2013 20:58, wrote ELLIOT SMITH:
>>
>> I am looking for a photo management application, so I
>> downloaded digikam
>> to give it a try, and I found some features that are
>> broken, so I thought
>> I would check the support docs and forum to see if I could
>> get any help,
>> and I found that the support docs
>> a) suck,
>> b) are buried and hard to find
>> c) something about how I can't use them until I download
>> and install them,
>> but no link to do so... so maybe there are better docs
>> that I could get if
>> only there were a link to download them?
>
> Welcome to the world of Digikam.
> I have been running Digikam successfully for quite a while.
>
> If you have a problem with Digikam, this list may be able to
> help you.
> Have also a look at http://www.digikam.org/
>
> Within my system I just have to click the help button and
> there it is.
> Digikam is opens source, free of charge, and very powerful.
> Which means, you will have to invest some effort to unlock
> that power.
>
> You should include some information about your system and
> specify the problem.
>
> For example my system runs digikam Version 3.2.0, unter KDE
> 4.10.5 "release 1", OS is opensuse 12.3.
> It also runs under Windows, which I don't use for photo
> management
>
>> And there is a mailing list.  Very retro.
>
> Yes, you get the information via email and can read it when
> you have spare time. Some like it that way and not being
> retro doesn't automatically mean "advanced".
>
> Have fun
> Peter
> _______________________________________________
> Digikam-users mailing list
> [hidden email]
> https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/digikam-users

_______________________________________________
Digikam-users mailing list
[hidden email]
https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/digikam-users



_______________________________________________
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[hidden email]
https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/digikam-users
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Re: where is the user support?

haughtonomous

Elliot

Open source is a collaborative effort. As you clearly know how things should be done and have all the answers why don't you collaborate, that is, offer to take ownership of  these issues and sort it all out? You would be doing yourself and the rest of the team a big favour.

On the other hand, if  you think masturbating over a screen shot will make a useful contribution, limit yourself to that. It takes all sorts.

But please stop this childish ranting. It doesn't progress things at all. If DK doesn't suit you, go buy Photoshop, and good luck with your efforts to persuade Adobe to change it to meet your requirements.

Neil
(from my mobile phone)

On Aug 4, 2013 7:46 AM, "ELLIOT SMITH" <[hidden email]> wrote:
If I can find some software that does a screen recording, I can upload to
youtube a video of what I am talking about.  You've put up a web site, and
apparently you think it works.  It doesn't.  I would suggest you (whoever
is the lead person or team for the user interface) actually collect data
on how well the web site works, or doesn't.  Just because it looks good to
you doesn't mean it is useable.  You use it every day, you know where
everything is at.  To me, it's a complete jumble and mess.  For one thing,
the color scheme is not color-blind friendly.

So I'm looking for information on how this broken software can work.  I go
here:

http://www.digikam.org/

wtf?

About
News
Developers Blogs
Events
Screenshots
Download
digiKam Recipes Book
Documentation
Wiki
FAQ
Support

That's a lot to take in, especially considering the color scheme makes me
want to gouge my own eyes out.

Documentation and Support and FAQ and Wiki are really similar concepts, if
you ask me.  Maybe these could all be grouped together under a single
"support" heading.

The wiki.  http://userbase.kde.org/Digikam

Wtf is this?  "View, manage, edit, enhance, organize, tag, and share
photographs." it says.  Yeah, I know.  I got that part.  That's why I'm
here.  Do you realize that the wiki is nothing but screen shots of the
software working.  There's no information on how to get it to work.
There's no info on errors.  There's nothing.  It's not a wiki.  It's a
collection of screen shots.

What am I supposed to do with this?

http://userbase.kde.org/File:Digikam_camera.png

Set that as my desktop background and masturbate to it?

So the wiki is a bust.

As I mentioned previously, I did find the forum.. It wants a username and
password... No idea how to to get those... no link to sign up.  You don't
think that kind of idiocy is going to maybe turn people off just a little
bit?  And it shows ZERO posts in the forum.  ZERO.  You have a forum with
ZERO posts?  Either that's a bug in the software and it's reporting
incorrectly, or you actually maintain a forum with ZERO posts.  Because no
one can get a user name and password to get into it.  I can only assume
the donations are used to fund a healthy drug habit.

http://www.digikam.org/docs

Documentation

"The digiKam documentation comes as a separate package usually called
digikam-doc) which you have to install for local use."


Well, okay, now we're getting somewhere.  Not.  The documentation that I
have in my help menu is pretty lame and buggy at that.  How do I know if
the documentation that comes as a separate package is the documentation
that I already have?  Logically, if it comes as a separate package, then I
shouldn't have it, given that I have not downloaded and installed any
separate packages.  But so far nothing about this user interface is
logical, so how the hell would I know for sure?

But you can read it online as well (some options might differ from your
local installation because the online manuals belongs to the development
versions):

    digiKam and image editor plugins
    Showfoto
    Kipi-plugins


    digiKam PDF handbook
    Showfoto PDF handbook
    Kipi-plugins PDF handbook


Okay... the decision tree you are sending me down at this point is getting
to be a bit much.  Wtf is showfoto?  Why do I care about it?  Kipi
plugins?  Hello?  Before you throw something at me, give me an
introduction.  Give me some context.

"digiKam and image editor plugins"   Is this a link to plugins?  Or to
documentation for plugins?  Is a keyboard monkey part of the interface
design team, whacking on the keyboard with a stick?

"A wiki page hosted by KDE project is under contruction."

Yeah, I gathered as much.

"Every one can contribute to add and fix wiki contents."

That should be "everyone" not "every one."  And yes, I'm aware of how a
wiki works, thank you.

API and Database schema

If you plan developing for digiKam you might find these links interesting:

    digiKam API
    libkipi API
    libkexiv2 API
    libkdcraw API
    libkgeomap API
    Database schema

Use SQliteBrowser or the sqlite firefox extension to play with SQlite3
database files.
Online Source Code

    digiKam source code.
    kipi-plugins source code.
    libkipi, libkdcraw, libkexiv2 source code.
    libkface, libkgeomap source code.


No.  I don't want this.  I'm looking for documentation.  That's all I'm
looking for.  That's why I clicked to come here.  Why is all this crap on
this page?  How many users are going to actually want to read any of this?
 1% of 1% of 1%?  You couldn't put this info on a different page?  With a
simple link to it?  I'm looking for documentation, trying to overcome the
learning curve of a new software, new jargon, etc, and you're throwing all
this stuff at me about how to find the source code for libkipi, libkdcraw,
libkexiv2 AND ALSO libkface, libkgeomap.  Because of course, I don't just
want the libkipi, libkdcraw, libkexiv2 source code.  I might also need the
libkface, libkgeomap source code too.  I'm so glad this loaded on my
screen to give me more information to parse in this god-awful migraine
inducing color scheme.  Because I didn't already find enough useless
superfluous and generally distracting information and links on this web
site.

I did finally click on the non-obvious "digiKam and image editor plugins"
after exhausting all the other dead-ends, and what do you know, it's NOT a
link to plugins, it's a link to documentation.

So I wind up here:

"Any configured digital camera will be listed here. You can use the "Add
Camera" menu entry to add a new camera to the list. Please, read the Setup
Camera Section for more information. "

So I click the "Setup Camera Section" link which directs me here:

http://docs.kde.org/development/en/extragear-graphics/digikam/using-setup.html#cameraselection.anchor

The anchor is apparently misplaced, because it lands me in the middle of
some text, with no heading to indicate where I am.  I scroll up, and I'm
pretty close to being where I need to be.  I scroll up, and yes, there is
a screen shot of the function that isn't working for me.  And look, it has
an "auto-detect" button.  I don't have that button.  wow.  wtf?

You need to enter here the path where you mount the camera, usually
"/mnt/camera" or "/mnt/removable".

Um?  I'm using Windows 7?

 To be able to use your digital camera with digiKam, connect the camera to
your computer, switch the camera to the image display mode and turn it
on.

Try and see if digiKam can auto-detect the camera; if not, you can set the
camera model and port manually. Once you have the camera setup, go to the
"Cameras" menu in the main interface and you will see the camera listed in
the menu.

Right.  If that would have worked, I wouldn't be here in the first place.

When I try to add my camera, it gives an error with "102CANON The folder
name is not valid"

See, this is how a support interface would work.  I would search or browse
for my error message, and I would get information on the error.  I don't
see that as really being an option here.  Google says:  No results found
for site:docs.kde.org "the folder name is not valid".

Google further says:  "No results found for site:kde.org "the folder name
is not valid"."

Wow, look at that, I'm the first person who has ever gotten this error
message before.

If only I could log into that support forum I could do a FRIST PSOT!

Well I was hoping to have the software pull my photos off my camera, it
might preserve the metadata that way.  man.  It's a sad world we live in
when this might possibly be the best the open source community can do.  I
need to start looking at commercial software.  Nothing against people with
Aspergers I probably am a bit of an aspie myself but god damn I don't want
a support interface designed and managed by someone with such extreme
microfocus as to be unable to see the forest for the trees.

Good luck with y'alls project, I'm signing off this list now.

-Elliot










Hi,

I just wanted to check if there was any reason for the
complaint concerning the support documentation; most of it
seems up-to date and working.
BUT: some links in the index give an error: "The file
/development/en/extragear-graphics/digikam/inedex.html could
not be found."
Well, the "inedex.html" seems quite suspicious to me, guess
that too many thumbs have been hammering a keyboard somewhere...

So, if the bug is true, Elliot has already (indirectly)
contributed to the wonderful open-source world - despite the
rant...

Best regards,
Sveinn í Felli

Þann lau  3.ágú 2013 20:56, skrifaði Peter Mc Donough:
> Am 03.08.2013 20:58, wrote ELLIOT SMITH:
>>
>> I am looking for a photo management application, so I
>> downloaded digikam
>> to give it a try, and I found some features that are
>> broken, so I thought
>> I would check the support docs and forum to see if I could
>> get any help,
>> and I found that the support docs
>> a) suck,
>> b) are buried and hard to find
>> c) something about how I can't use them until I download
>> and install them,
>> but no link to do so... so maybe there are better docs
>> that I could get if
>> only there were a link to download them?
>
> Welcome to the world of Digikam.
> I have been running Digikam successfully for quite a while.
>
> If you have a problem with Digikam, this list may be able to
> help you.
> Have also a look at http://www.digikam.org/
>
> Within my system I just have to click the help button and
> there it is.
> Digikam is opens source, free of charge, and very powerful.
> Which means, you will have to invest some effort to unlock
> that power.
>
> You should include some information about your system and
> specify the problem.
>
> For example my system runs digikam Version 3.2.0, unter KDE
> 4.10.5 "release 1", OS is opensuse 12.3.
> It also runs under Windows, which I don't use for photo
> management
>
>> And there is a mailing list.  Very retro.
>
> Yes, you get the information via email and can read it when
> you have spare time. Some like it that way and not being
> retro doesn't automatically mean "advanced".
>
> Have fun
> Peter
> _______________________________________________
> Digikam-users mailing list
> [hidden email]
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Re: where is the user support?

tosca


2013/8/4 Neil Haughton <[hidden email]>

Elliot

Open source is a collaborative effort. As you clearly know how things should be done and have all the answers why don't you collaborate, that is, offer to take ownership of  these issues and sort it all out? You would be doing yourself and the rest of the team a big favour.

On the other hand, if  you think masturbating over a screen shot will make a useful contribution, limit yourself to that. It takes all sorts.

But please stop this childish ranting. It doesn't progress things at all. If DK doesn't suit you, go buy Photoshop, and good luck with your efforts to persuade Adobe to change it to meet your requirements.

Neil
(from my mobile phone)



Very well said.
+1

Marie-Noëlle



--


De l'AIgoual à l'Aubrac, un voyage photographique en Cévennes et Lozère
Un livre à offrir ou à s'offrir, en souscription jusqu'au 31 août 2013.
Cliquer sur l'image ci-dessus ou ce lien pour en savoir plus

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Re: where is the user support?

Daniel Bauer-2
In reply to this post by haughtonomous


Am 04.08.2013 09:05, schrieb Neil Haughton:

> Elliot
>
> Open source is a collaborative effort. As you clearly know how things
> should be done and have all the answers why don't you collaborate, that
> is, offer to take ownership of  these issues and sort it all out? You
> would be doing yourself and the rest of the team a big favour.
>
> On the other hand, if  you think masturbating over a screen shot will
> make a useful contribution, limit yourself to that. It takes all sorts.
>
> But please stop this childish ranting. It doesn't progress things at
> all. If DK doesn't suit you, go buy Photoshop, and good luck with your
> efforts to persuade Adobe to change it to meet your requirements.
>
> Neil
> (from my mobile phone)

I'd have said just the same, you said it first :-)

Well, I wouldn't have been so nice to explain the poster what is open
source, because open source needs open mind, too, but the next two
paragraphs could be my words...

Using the occasion to thank once again the digikam developers for an
application I use everyday since many years for personal and
professional tasks. It might not be perfect sometimes, but it's still
the best in this field (knowing many win and mac apps, too, none of hem
can reach digikams usability).

Daniel

>
> On Aug 4, 2013 7:46 AM, "ELLIOT SMITH" <[hidden email]
> <mailto:[hidden email]>> wrote:
>
>     If I can find some software that does a screen recording, I can
>     upload to
>     youtube a video of what I am talking about.  You've put up a web
>     site, and
>     apparently you think it works.  It doesn't.  I would suggest you
>     (whoever
>     is the lead person or team for the user interface) actually collect data
>     on how well the web site works, or doesn't.  Just because it looks
>     good to
>     you doesn't mean it is useable.  You use it every day, you know where
>     everything is at.  To me, it's a complete jumble and mess.  For one
>     thing,
>     the color scheme is not color-blind friendly.
>
>     So I'm looking for information on how this broken software can work.
>       I go
>     here:
>
>     http://www.digikam.org/
>
>     wtf?
>
>     About
>     News
>     Developers Blogs
>     Events
>     Screenshots
>     Download
>     digiKam Recipes Book
>     Documentation
>     Wiki
>     FAQ
>     Support
>
>     That's a lot to take in, especially considering the color scheme
>     makes me
>     want to gouge my own eyes out.
>
>     Documentation and Support and FAQ and Wiki are really similar
>     concepts, if
>     you ask me.  Maybe these could all be grouped together under a single
>     "support" heading.
>
>     The wiki. http://userbase.kde.org/Digikam
>
>     Wtf is this?  "View, manage, edit, enhance, organize, tag, and share
>     photographs." it says.  Yeah, I know.  I got that part.  That's why I'm
>     here.  Do you realize that the wiki is nothing but screen shots of the
>     software working.  There's no information on how to get it to work.
>     There's no info on errors.  There's nothing.  It's not a wiki.  It's a
>     collection of screen shots.
>
>     What am I supposed to do with this?
>
>     http://userbase.kde.org/File:Digikam_camera.png
>
>     Set that as my desktop background and masturbate to it?
>
>     So the wiki is a bust.
>
>     As I mentioned previously, I did find the forum.. It wants a
>     username and
>     password... No idea how to to get those... no link to sign up.  You
>     don't
>     think that kind of idiocy is going to maybe turn people off just a
>     little
>     bit?  And it shows ZERO posts in the forum.  ZERO.  You have a forum
>     with
>     ZERO posts?  Either that's a bug in the software and it's reporting
>     incorrectly, or you actually maintain a forum with ZERO posts.
>       Because no
>     one can get a user name and password to get into it.  I can only assume
>     the donations are used to fund a healthy drug habit.
>
>     http://www.digikam.org/docs
>
>     Documentation
>
>     "The digiKam documentation comes as a separate package usually called
>     digikam-doc) which you have to install for local use."
>
>
>     Well, okay, now we're getting somewhere.  Not.  The documentation that I
>     have in my help menu is pretty lame and buggy at that.  How do I know if
>     the documentation that comes as a separate package is the documentation
>     that I already have?  Logically, if it comes as a separate package,
>     then I
>     shouldn't have it, given that I have not downloaded and installed any
>     separate packages.  But so far nothing about this user interface is
>     logical, so how the hell would I know for sure?
>
>     But you can read it online as well (some options might differ from your
>     local installation because the online manuals belongs to the development
>     versions):
>
>          digiKam and image editor plugins
>          Showfoto
>          Kipi-plugins
>
>
>          digiKam PDF handbook
>          Showfoto PDF handbook
>          Kipi-plugins PDF handbook
>
>
>     Okay... the decision tree you are sending me down at this point is
>     getting
>     to be a bit much.  Wtf is showfoto?  Why do I care about it?  Kipi
>     plugins?  Hello?  Before you throw something at me, give me an
>     introduction.  Give me some context.
>
>     "digiKam and image editor plugins"   Is this a link to plugins?  Or to
>     documentation for plugins?  Is a keyboard monkey part of the interface
>     design team, whacking on the keyboard with a stick?
>
>     "A wiki page hosted by KDE project is under contruction."
>
>     Yeah, I gathered as much.
>
>     "Every one can contribute to add and fix wiki contents."
>
>     That should be "everyone" not "every one."  And yes, I'm aware of how a
>     wiki works, thank you.
>
>     API and Database schema
>
>     If you plan developing for digiKam you might find these links
>     interesting:
>
>          digiKam API
>          libkipi API
>          libkexiv2 API
>          libkdcraw API
>          libkgeomap API
>          Database schema
>
>     Use SQliteBrowser or the sqlite firefox extension to play with SQlite3
>     database files.
>     Online Source Code
>
>          digiKam source code.
>          kipi-plugins source code.
>          libkipi, libkdcraw, libkexiv2 source code.
>          libkface, libkgeomap source code.
>
>
>     No.  I don't want this.  I'm looking for documentation.  That's all I'm
>     looking for.  That's why I clicked to come here.  Why is all this
>     crap on
>     this page?  How many users are going to actually want to read any of
>     this?
>       1% of 1% of 1%?  You couldn't put this info on a different page?
>       With a
>     simple link to it?  I'm looking for documentation, trying to
>     overcome the
>     learning curve of a new software, new jargon, etc, and you're
>     throwing all
>     this stuff at me about how to find the source code for libkipi,
>     libkdcraw,
>     libkexiv2 AND ALSO libkface, libkgeomap.  Because of course, I don't
>     just
>     want the libkipi, libkdcraw, libkexiv2 source code.  I might also
>     need the
>     libkface, libkgeomap source code too.  I'm so glad this loaded on my
>     screen to give me more information to parse in this god-awful migraine
>     inducing color scheme.  Because I didn't already find enough useless
>     superfluous and generally distracting information and links on this web
>     site.
>
>     I did finally click on the non-obvious "digiKam and image editor
>     plugins"
>     after exhausting all the other dead-ends, and what do you know, it's
>     NOT a
>     link to plugins, it's a link to documentation.
>
>     So I wind up here:
>
>     "Any configured digital camera will be listed here. You can use the "Add
>     Camera" menu entry to add a new camera to the list. Please, read the
>     Setup
>     Camera Section for more information. "
>
>     So I click the "Setup Camera Section" link which directs me here:
>
>     http://docs.kde.org/development/en/extragear-graphics/digikam/using-setup.html#cameraselection.anchor
>
>     The anchor is apparently misplaced, because it lands me in the middle of
>     some text, with no heading to indicate where I am.  I scroll up, and I'm
>     pretty close to being where I need to be.  I scroll up, and yes,
>     there is
>     a screen shot of the function that isn't working for me.  And look,
>     it has
>     an "auto-detect" button.  I don't have that button.  wow.  wtf?
>
>     You need to enter here the path where you mount the camera, usually
>     "/mnt/camera" or "/mnt/removable".
>
>     Um?  I'm using Windows 7?
>
>       To be able to use your digital camera with digiKam, connect the
>     camera to
>     your computer, switch the camera to the image display mode and turn it
>     on.
>
>     Try and see if digiKam can auto-detect the camera; if not, you can
>     set the
>     camera model and port manually. Once you have the camera setup, go
>     to the
>     "Cameras" menu in the main interface and you will see the camera
>     listed in
>     the menu.
>
>     Right.  If that would have worked, I wouldn't be here in the first
>     place.
>
>     When I try to add my camera, it gives an error with "102CANON The folder
>     name is not valid"
>
>     See, this is how a support interface would work.  I would search or
>     browse
>     for my error message, and I would get information on the error.  I don't
>     see that as really being an option here.  Google says:  No results found
>     for site:docs.kde.org <http://docs.kde.org> "the folder name is not
>     valid".
>
>     Google further says:  "No results found for site:kde.org
>     <http://kde.org> "the folder name
>     is not valid"."
>
>     Wow, look at that, I'm the first person who has ever gotten this error
>     message before.
>
>     If only I could log into that support forum I could do a FRIST PSOT!
>
>     Well I was hoping to have the software pull my photos off my camera, it
>     might preserve the metadata that way.  man.  It's a sad world we live in
>     when this might possibly be the best the open source community can
>     do.  I
>     need to start looking at commercial software.  Nothing against
>     people with
>     Aspergers I probably am a bit of an aspie myself but god damn I
>     don't want
>     a support interface designed and managed by someone with such extreme
>     microfocus as to be unable to see the forest for the trees.
>
>     Good luck with y'alls project, I'm signing off this list now.
>
>     -Elliot
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>     Hi,
>
>     I just wanted to check if there was any reason for the
>     complaint concerning the support documentation; most of it
>     seems up-to date and working.
>     BUT: some links in the index give an error: "The file
>     /development/en/extragear-graphics/digikam/inedex.html could
>     not be found."
>     Well, the "inedex.html" seems quite suspicious to me, guess
>     that too many thumbs have been hammering a keyboard somewhere...
>
>     So, if the bug is true, Elliot has already (indirectly)
>     contributed to the wonderful open-source world - despite the
>     rant...
>
>     Best regards,
>     Sveinn í Felli
>
>     Þann lau  3.ágú 2013 20:56, skrifaði Peter Mc Donough:
>      > Am 03.08.2013 20:58, wrote ELLIOT SMITH:
>      >>
>      >> I am looking for a photo management application, so I
>      >> downloaded digikam
>      >> to give it a try, and I found some features that are
>      >> broken, so I thought
>      >> I would check the support docs and forum to see if I could
>      >> get any help,
>      >> and I found that the support docs
>      >> a) suck,
>      >> b) are buried and hard to find
>      >> c) something about how I can't use them until I download
>      >> and install them,
>      >> but no link to do so... so maybe there are better docs
>      >> that I could get if
>      >> only there were a link to download them?
>      >
>      > Welcome to the world of Digikam.
>      > I have been running Digikam successfully for quite a while.
>      >
>      > If you have a problem with Digikam, this list may be able to
>      > help you.
>      > Have also a look at http://www.digikam.org/
>      >
>      > Within my system I just have to click the help button and
>      > there it is.
>      > Digikam is opens source, free of charge, and very powerful.
>      > Which means, you will have to invest some effort to unlock
>      > that power.
>      >
>      > You should include some information about your system and
>      > specify the problem.
>      >
>      > For example my system runs digikam Version 3.2.0, unter KDE
>      > 4.10.5 "release 1", OS is opensuse 12.3.
>      > It also runs under Windows, which I don't use for photo
>      > management
>      >
>      >> And there is a mailing list.  Very retro.
>      >
>      > Yes, you get the information via email and can read it when
>      > you have spare time. Some like it that way and not being
>      > retro doesn't automatically mean "advanced".
>      >
>      > Have fun
>      > Peter
>      > _______________________________________________
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>      > [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
>      > https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/digikam-users
>
>     _______________________________________________
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>     [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
>     https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/digikam-users
>
>
>
>     _______________________________________________
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>     [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
>     https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/digikam-users
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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--
Daniel Bauer photographer Basel Barcelona
professional photography: http://www.daniel-bauer.com
google+: https://plus.google.com/109534388657020287386
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Re: where is the user support?

tosca


2013/8/4 Daniel Bauer <[hidden email]>



Using the occasion to thank once again the digikam developers for an application I use everyday since many years for personal and professional tasks. It might not be perfect sometimes, but it's still the best in this field (knowing many win and mac apps, too, none of hem can reach digikams usability).

Daniel


+1 to this one, too!

Marie-Noëlle



--


De l'AIgoual à l'Aubrac, un voyage photographique en Cévennes et Lozère
Un livre à offrir ou à s'offrir, en souscription jusqu'au 31 août 2013.
Cliquer sur l'image ci-dessus ou ce lien pour en savoir plus

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Re: where is the user support?

Peter Mc Donough
In reply to this post by ELLIOT SMITH
Am 04.08.2013 08:45, schrieb ELLIOT SMITH:
> If I can find some software that does a screen recording, I can upload to
> youtube a video of what I am talking about. ...

 From the length of your email I take that you are more than slightly
annoyed.

Keep in mind that Digikam is open source, free of charge and a work of
volunteers who strive to beat commercial programs. Their work is
dependent on input from users. If the input is unreasonable, why should
they bother?

> ...
> So I'm looking for information on how this broken software can work.  I go
> here:
> http://www.digikam.org/
>
> wtf?

not wtf but

> FAQ
> ...
> Documentation and Support and FAQ and Wiki are really similar concepts, if
> you ask me.  Maybe these could all be grouped together under a single
> "support" heading.

Different people work on that. There is no master who gets paid to get
things in line. Suggestions are always welcome, help is appreciated.

> ...
> The wiki.  http://userbase.kde.org/Digikam
> ...
> What am I supposed to do with this?

Read, try, ask !

> ...
> As I mentioned previously, I did find the forum.. It wants a username and
> password...

What is the deal: Shit happens. No idea what's wrong with that forum.
Your input will probably help addressing that problem.

> ...
> http://www.digikam.org/docs
> Documentation
> "The digiKam documentation comes as a separate package usually called
> digikam-doc) which you have to install for local use."
>
> Well, okay, now we're getting somewhere.  Not.  The documentation that I
> have in my help menu is pretty lame and buggy at that.  How do I know if
> the documentation that comes as a separate package is the documentation
> that I already have?

You are not serious. There is usually an introduction and some
information on the Digikam version.
You are right in so far that the documentation is not always as complete
as a user may want it.
As I wrote, DK is the work of volunteers, who sometimes assume more
knowledge from a user than he/she at present has.

> ...
>      digiKam and image editor plugins
>      Showfoto
>      Kipi-plugins
>      digiKam PDF handbook
>      Showfoto PDF handbook
>      Kipi-plugins PDF handbook
>
> Okay... the decision tree you are sending me down at this point is getting
> to be a bit much.  Wtf is showfoto?

Why not take it one step after the other. With Linux I get all of them
at once. It doesn't say I have to use them.
Digikam, the Kipi-plugins and the digikam-pdf should be sufficient.
The plugins enhance Digikam.

> ...  Give me some context.

Open source is self service. If you want service you will have to pay
for it.

> ... You couldn't put this info on a different page?

There is no "You". Think like a computer. Solution step by step.
Procedure is: You describe you computer environment. What you want to.
Where you get stuck. What you should do next.

> ... source code for libkipi, libkdcraw,
> libkexiv2 AND ALSO libkface, libkgeomap.

You don't need to know about that unless you have a problem with Digikam
and know where to look. Try:
http://www.digikam.org/download?q=download/binary/

> ...
> You need to enter here the path where you mount the camera, usually
> "/mnt/camera" or "/mnt/removable".
> Um?  I'm using Windows 7?
> ...
> Try and see if digiKam can auto-detect the camera; if not, you can set the
> camera model and port manually. Once you have the camera setup, go to the
> "Cameras" menu in the main interface and you will see the camera listed in
> the menu.
> Right.  If that would have worked, I wouldn't be here in the first place.
> When I try to add my camera, it gives an error with "102CANON The folder
> name is not valid"

It should work. Especially the world of computers is full of "should work".
Digikam as well as other photo management programs gets the information
on the camera from the EXIF info in photos. So you don't have to connect
your camera to the computer. If you really want, I' sure there is a way.

The cover for the USB port on my camera doesn’t look very reliable, so I
prefer putting the memory card in a card reader and download photos with
a file manager to a directory of my choice. There I set them read only
before I open any of them with a photo application. Keep in mind that
"read only" does NOT protect your photos from being deleted.
BTW. I keep the original photos in a separate folder and work only on
copies.

Have fun
Peter

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Re: where is the user support?

Bugzilla from rogersjd@gmail.com
Sometimes I think there is a problem with documentation and opensource software that works pretty well.. when it mostly just works, fewer people need docs, so they get neglected. I can agree that the docs on digikam are not the best in the opensource world, but I also think it is rare that I have felt I needed them. Most problems I have had are bugs or other specific problems that probably wouldn't be found in even good documentation.

Eliot: I can assure you that my workflow is pretty close to what it sounds like you want. I take photos on various Canon SLRs and a point-and-shoot.  I connect them to a usb port on a linux laptop running ubuntu (and sometimes tell the file manager to unmount the camera, since digikam will communicate directly through gphoto2 without having the camera storage mounted in the filesystem). I start digikam, and select the import menu. My camera is usually auto-detected. When I select the camera, it opens a window which allows me to import photos with all the metadata intact. It even allows me to download only new photos (although this has been hit or miss over the years). I can organize, rate, sort, view, batch modify. I tend to rename on import so that the date is part of the filename. I can auto convert from raw into several other formats. I can view a map with the locations of the photos that have been geotagged with gps.

I find it quite remarkable how much I can do, and all for free because some very dedicated people spent a lot of their spare time making it possible. Its far from perfect, but you get a lot more than you pay for! If you have specific points in this process where things aren't working for you, try asking a specific question and I bet you get a lot of help. If you are willing to help make the docs better, especially the wiki, I bet there would be many grateful individuals, myself included.




On Sun, Aug 4, 2013 at 7:35 AM, Peter Mc Donough <[hidden email]> wrote:
Am 04.08.2013 08:45, schrieb ELLIOT SMITH:
If I can find some software that does a screen recording, I can upload to
youtube a video of what I am talking about. ...

From the length of your email I take that you are more than slightly annoyed.

Keep in mind that Digikam is open source, free of charge and a work of volunteers who strive to beat commercial programs. Their work is dependent on input from users. If the input is unreasonable, why should they bother?

...

So I'm looking for information on how this broken software can work.  I go
here:
http://www.digikam.org/

wtf?

not wtf but

FAQ
...

Documentation and Support and FAQ and Wiki are really similar concepts, if
you ask me.  Maybe these could all be grouped together under a single
"support" heading.

Different people work on that. There is no master who gets paid to get things in line. Suggestions are always welcome, help is appreciated.

...
The wiki.  http://userbase.kde.org/Digikam
...

What am I supposed to do with this?

Read, try, ask !

...

As I mentioned previously, I did find the forum.. It wants a username and
password...

What is the deal: Shit happens. No idea what's wrong with that forum. Your input will probably help addressing that problem.

...

http://www.digikam.org/docs
Documentation
"The digiKam documentation comes as a separate package usually called
digikam-doc) which you have to install for local use."

Well, okay, now we're getting somewhere.  Not.  The documentation that I
have in my help menu is pretty lame and buggy at that.  How do I know if
the documentation that comes as a separate package is the documentation
that I already have?

You are not serious. There is usually an introduction and some information on the Digikam version.
You are right in so far that the documentation is not always as complete as a user may want it.
As I wrote, DK is the work of volunteers, who sometimes assume more knowledge from a user than he/she at present has.

...

     digiKam and image editor plugins
     Showfoto
     Kipi-plugins
     digiKam PDF handbook
     Showfoto PDF handbook
     Kipi-plugins PDF handbook

Okay... the decision tree you are sending me down at this point is getting
to be a bit much.  Wtf is showfoto?

Why not take it one step after the other. With Linux I get all of them at once. It doesn't say I have to use them.
Digikam, the Kipi-plugins and the digikam-pdf should be sufficient.
The plugins enhance Digikam.

...  Give me some context.

Open source is self service. If you want service you will have to pay for it.

... You couldn't put this info on a different page?

There is no "You". Think like a computer. Solution step by step.
Procedure is: You describe you computer environment. What you want to. Where you get stuck. What you should do next.

... source code for libkipi, libkdcraw,

libkexiv2 AND ALSO libkface, libkgeomap.

You don't need to know about that unless you have a problem with Digikam and know where to look. Try:
http://www.digikam.org/download?q=download/binary/

...

You need to enter here the path where you mount the camera, usually
"/mnt/camera" or "/mnt/removable".
Um?  I'm using Windows 7?
...

Try and see if digiKam can auto-detect the camera; if not, you can set the
camera model and port manually. Once you have the camera setup, go to the
"Cameras" menu in the main interface and you will see the camera listed in
the menu.
Right.  If that would have worked, I wouldn't be here in the first place.
When I try to add my camera, it gives an error with "102CANON The folder
name is not valid"

It should work. Especially the world of computers is full of "should work".
Digikam as well as other photo management programs gets the information on the camera from the EXIF info in photos. So you don't have to connect your camera to the computer. If you really want, I' sure there is a way.

The cover for the USB port on my camera doesn’t look very reliable, so I prefer putting the memory card in a card reader and download photos with a file manager to a directory of my choice. There I set them read only before I open any of them with a photo application. Keep in mind that "read only" does NOT protect your photos from being deleted.
BTW. I keep the original photos in a separate folder and work only on copies.


Have fun
Peter

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Re: where is the user support?

Fabio
In reply to this post by ELLIOT SMITH
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.

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.

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.

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.



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Re: 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
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Re: where is the user support?

Michael Gerdau-3
In reply to this post by Fabio
> 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.

I beg to differ.

In my personal experience a forum tends to fill up with more noise than
a mailing list. Searching a mailing list is equally simple as searching
a forum, so no advantage for either approach in that arena.

Forums are hard to read offline while this is no problem for mailing lists.

> 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.

You are free to start your own community. If you do this nicely you will
attract people. If you don't they'll stay here.

Asking others to do that for you would seem kind of rude though (not
sure you actually did mean to ask others to do that though).

> I have faced many issues with digikam that seems to be wo.rking 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

90% of desktops out there are Windows according to a recent census I've
seen.

[description of windows specific issues with digikam snipped]
> 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.

I have no idea. But then I'm on linux...

> Hope I expressed my frustration in a positive way... If not, I apologize.

I did not take any offence :)


What about the following option:
Install VirtualBox or VMware or Hyperview or whatever virtual machine
you like and install a linux in that VM. That would allow you to try
linux and learn how to use it and you would run digikam in it's natural
environment.

The performance degradation should be moderate so given the problems you
described in your email you still should be better off.

Apart from that all I can suggest is learn how to code and join the team.
If that is not an option (and for many that is not) then you just may be
out of luck.

Best wishes,
Michael
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Re: where is the user support?

Gilles Caulier-4
Hi all,

I follow this thread from start without to contribute...

I'm fully agree with all response given to this users, who won't try
to understand OpenSource alternative, in a constructive way.

What i can say again... How people can critic work of team working on
free software ? By critic, i want mean using violent words...

I'm not opposite to critics, especially when arguments are
constructive, and i'm sure that it's the same for all peoples working
in this project. But the arguments used sound like more adapted to a
closed source application, where an user has pay an amount of money...

I agree that digiKam is not perfect, as all software in fact,
especially under non Linux system. But it's not a simple task to
polish a large application under multiple OS. This take a while.

About users place to share experience, a wiki can be a good solution,
to write a solid documentation. The current one, based on KDE
framework, is not the best, and it's a little bit outdated. But it's
can be a good base to create something new. This can be a task fully
delegated to end users and fans. A wiki is certainly the modern and
the best way to do it.

A project around an users wiki documentation cannot be managed by
development team. We are too much busy... But of course, we will
always present to respond if necessary. I do it personalty about
digiKam Recipes ebook...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004774LJS

Just my viewpoint, as developer...

Best

Gilles Caulier




2013/8/4 Michael Gerdau <[hidden email]>:

>> 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.
>
> I beg to differ.
>
> In my personal experience a forum tends to fill up with more noise than
> a mailing list. Searching a mailing list is equally simple as searching
> a forum, so no advantage for either approach in that arena.
>
> Forums are hard to read offline while this is no problem for mailing lists.
>
>> 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.
>
> You are free to start your own community. If you do this nicely you will
> attract people. If you don't they'll stay here.
>
> Asking others to do that for you would seem kind of rude though (not
> sure you actually did mean to ask others to do that though).
>
>> I have faced many issues with digikam that seems to be wo.rking 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
>
> 90% of desktops out there are Windows according to a recent census I've
> seen.
>
> [description of windows specific issues with digikam snipped]
>> 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.
>
> I have no idea. But then I'm on linux...
>
>> Hope I expressed my frustration in a positive way... If not, I apologize.
>
> I did not take any offence :)
>
>
> What about the following option:
> Install VirtualBox or VMware or Hyperview or whatever virtual machine
> you like and install a linux in that VM. That would allow you to try
> linux and learn how to use it and you would run digikam in it's natural
> environment.
>
> The performance degradation should be moderate so given the problems you
> described in your email you still should be better off.
>
> Apart from that all I can suggest is learn how to code and join the team.
> If that is not an option (and for many that is not) then you just may be
> out of luck.
>
> Best wishes,
> Michael
> --
>  Michael Gerdau       email: [hidden email]
>  GPG-keys available on request or at public keyserver
> _______________________________________________
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> [hidden email]
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Re: where is the user support?

Peter Mc Donough
In reply to this post by Michael Gerdau-3
Am 04.08.2013 22:08, schrieb Michael Gerdau:

>> ...
>
> What about the following option:
> Install VirtualBox or VMware or Hyperview or whatever virtual machine
> you like and install a linux in that VM. That would allow you to try
> linux and learn how to use it and you would run digikam in it's natural
> environment.
>
> The performance degradation should be moderate so given the problems you
> described in your email you still should be better off.

This is easily said from a point of an operating system user who also
likes to try out other OS and software of that OS.

If you look at if from a point of someone who just likes to run a
program like digikam it gets much more work intensive.

My suggestion: Look at the main problem you want to solve with a
computer. Find the software which promises a solution, then go for the
OS and the required hardware.

Linux on a virtual machine might be a solution. A more powerful one
should be a partition for Linux. That way you find out whether Linux
works with all your hardware and whether Linux performs as promised
50 GB should be enough if you take care that you can access the Windows
data partition from Linux.

If you then find out that you can work with Linux, great. If not just
kill the Linux partition.

BTW I moved from Windows to Linux more the  10 years ago and haven't
missed it since.

cu
Peter

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Re: where is the user support?

jdd@dodin.org
In reply to this post by Gilles Caulier-4
Le 04/08/2013 23:40, Gilles Caulier a écrit :

> A project around an users wiki documentation cannot be managed by
> development team. We are too much busy... But of course, we will
> always present to respond if necessary. I do it personalty about
> digiKam Recipes ebook...

I could easily build a PMwiki for Dogikam, with it's own domain, but I
don't have the time to populate it and so I doubt it could be usefull.

I already did similar thing for video
(http://dodin.org/frsv/index.php), but was always the only one to
populate it, so of very limited interest

but if somebody want to go, I can give technical help...

jdd


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Re: where is the user support?

Gilles Caulier-4
But why not to use KDE wiki for that ? All is already in place. Just
the content need to be add...

http://userbase.kde.org/Digikam/Tutorials

As you can see, there are already few tutorials here...

Gilles Caulier

2013/8/5 jdd <[hidden email]>:

> Le 04/08/2013 23:40, Gilles Caulier a écrit :
>
>
>> A project around an users wiki documentation cannot be managed by
>> development team. We are too much busy... But of course, we will
>> always present to respond if necessary. I do it personalty about
>> digiKam Recipes ebook...
>
>
> I could easily build a PMwiki for Dogikam, with it's own domain, but I don't
> have the time to populate it and so I doubt it could be usefull.
>
> I already did similar thing for video (http://dodin.org/frsv/index.php), but
> was always the only one to populate it, so of very limited interest
>
> but if somebody want to go, I can give technical help...
>
> jdd
>
>
> --
> http://www.dodin.org
>
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Re: where is the user support?

Gilles Caulier-4
Also, the advantage to use KDE server, is possibility of translations...

Gilles Caulier

2013/8/5 Gilles Caulier <[hidden email]>:

> But why not to use KDE wiki for that ? All is already in place. Just
> the content need to be add...
>
> http://userbase.kde.org/Digikam/Tutorials
>
> As you can see, there are already few tutorials here...
>
> Gilles Caulier
>
> 2013/8/5 jdd <[hidden email]>:
>> Le 04/08/2013 23:40, Gilles Caulier a écrit :
>>
>>
>>> A project around an users wiki documentation cannot be managed by
>>> development team. We are too much busy... But of course, we will
>>> always present to respond if necessary. I do it personalty about
>>> digiKam Recipes ebook...
>>
>>
>> I could easily build a PMwiki for Dogikam, with it's own domain, but I don't
>> have the time to populate it and so I doubt it could be usefull.
>>
>> I already did similar thing for video (http://dodin.org/frsv/index.php), but
>> was always the only one to populate it, so of very limited interest
>>
>> but if somebody want to go, I can give technical help...
>>
>> jdd
>>
>>
>> --
>> http://www.dodin.org
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> [hidden email]
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Re: where is the user support?

jdd@dodin.org
In reply to this post by Gilles Caulier-4
Le 05/08/2013 07:42, Gilles Caulier a écrit :
> But why not to use KDE wiki for that ? All is already in place. Just
> the content need to be add...
>
> http://userbase.kde.org/Digikam/Tutorials

no problem, I just had the feeling you didn't want to use kde wiki

but for me it's certainly better :-)

jdd


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Re: where is the user support?

Gilles Caulier-4
2013/8/5 jdd <[hidden email]>:
> Le 05/08/2013 07:42, Gilles Caulier a écrit :
>
>> But why not to use KDE wiki for that ? All is already in place. Just
>> the content need to be add...
>>
>> http://userbase.kde.org/Digikam/Tutorials
>
>
> no problem, I just had the feeling you didn't want to use kde wiki

Why i don't would ? All mutualized solution are fine. Time is
precious, so KDE wiki is a good way if it's stable in time. And it's
the case since 2 years now.


Gilles Caulier
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