Running Linux, 5th Edition

Synching PDAs

Personal digital assistants (PDAs ) have become quite commonplace these days, and as Linux adepts, we want to use them with our favorite operating system. In this section, we explain how to synchronize PDAs with Linux desktops.

This section is not about running Linux on PDAs, even though this is possible as well. People have successfully run Linux and Linux application software on the HP/Compaq iPaq line. One PDA product line, the Sharp Zaurus series, even comes with Linux preinstalled, though it does not show up very obviously when using the device. http://www.handhelds.org has a lot of valuable information about running Linux on PDAs.

Using your PDA with your desktop means, for most intents and purposes, synchronizing the data on your PDA with the data on your desktop computer. For example, you will want to keep the same address book on both computers, and synchronization software will achieve this for you.

Do not expect PDA vendors to ship Linux synchronization software; even the Sharp Zaurus—which, as mentioned, runs Linux on the PDA—comes with only Windows desktop synchronization software. But as always, Linux people have been able to roll their own; a number of packages are available for this purpose.

Synchronizing your PDA with your desktop involves a number of steps:

• Creating the actual hardware connection and making the hardware (the PDA and its cradle or other means of connection) known to Linux.

• Installing software that handles special synchronization hardware ...