From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Eric Abrahamsen Subject: Re: exported contacts problem Date: Sat, 03 Aug 2019 14:32:38 -0700 Message-ID: <87pnlmvssp.fsf@ericabrahamsen.net> References: <20190802160236.GR17561@protected.rcdrun.com> <87mugrb7fi.fsf@ericabrahamsen.net> <20190802213421.GZ17561@protected.rcdrun.com> <875znfaycd.fsf@ericabrahamsen.net> <20190803103340.GN23820@protected.rcdrun.com> <874l2yxnrs.fsf@ericabrahamsen.net> <20190803163219.GZ23820@protected.rcdrun.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Return-path: Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([2001:470:142:3::10]:56176) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.86_2) (envelope-from ) id 1hu1dw-0004Ub-QG for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sat, 03 Aug 2019 17:32:49 -0400 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1hu1dv-0007il-RG for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sat, 03 Aug 2019 17:32:48 -0400 Received: from 195-159-176-226.customer.powertech.no ([195.159.176.226]:34072 helo=blaine.gmane.org) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtps (TLS1.0:RSA_AES_256_CBC_SHA1:32) (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1hu1dv-0007hl-LB for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sat, 03 Aug 2019 17:32:47 -0400 Received: from list by blaine.gmane.org with local (Exim 4.89) (envelope-from ) id 1hu1ds-000Lc3-Ft for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sat, 03 Aug 2019 23:32:44 +0200 List-Id: "General discussions about Org-mode." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Sender: "Emacs-orgmode" To: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org Neil Jerram writes: > I've tried to work on contact conversion and synchronization in the past, > aiming to merge and unify contacts that I've built up in BBDB, Google > Contacts, email systems, pre-Android phones, etc. The problematic aspect > was different systems using different field names and structures, e.g. one > with separate First Name and Last Name, and another with a combined Name > field; different approaches to breaking up addresses; additional arbitrary > notes fields; etc. > > With that in mind, I'm curious if the writers on this thread could comment > on: > 1. is this situation any better now? If by "this situation" you mean fragmentation of data formats and approaches, I don't think it's getting any better! > 2. if you favour using org-contacts or org-vcard, what do you see as the > benefit of Org as your master contact format, as opposed to say BBDB or > .vcf? I think something similar happens with Org as with happens with Emacs in general: it's such a nice environment to be working in that people want to move all their stuff into it. But there are some areas (contact management, email, large datasets) where Org just isn't going to work as well as a specialized tool. But Org can be an excellent *interface* to those tools, mostly through dynamic blocks. I've started using small sqlite databases to keep track of things, and dynamic blocks as sql composers/views, and it works great. It's very easy to play with the queries, and this is the first time I'm actually starting to feel comfortable with sql. I think in general Org is best used as a compositional tool for data drawn from elsewhere. Eric