Turning an iPad or an iPhone into a Linux-based photography companion

If only an iPad or an iPhone could run Linux tools like Rsync, ExifTool, ImageMagick, etc., you wouldn't have to schlep around a Linux notebook when traveling, especially if your photographic needs are limited to keeping your photos and RAW files safe.

iPad, USB-C hub, Nikon D800

Enter iSH, an app that bestows Linux powers on Apple devices. Once installed, iSH offers a Linux environment that gives you access to a plethora of Linux tools. More importantly, iSH can access the iPadOS and iOS file systems and external storage devices connected to the iPad or the iPhone. This means that you can run commands and scripts in iSH to back up data from a storage card connected to the Apple device. Better still, if you use a USB-C hub that features both a card reader and USB connectors, you can back up data directly from a card to an external USB storage device, bypassing the iPad's or iPhone's internal storage.

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Weekend reading: "Britain is dead" edition

The engineers have a new nest now

Remember the engineers, the two collared doves who have been trying to build a nest right above our kitchen window for several years in a row? Well, after another half-hearted attempt at finishing their project, they decided to try something different. This time, they've managed to build a new nest... right on an awning above our terrace door. Actually, they hedged their bets, and they started working on two nests in parallel. But at some point, they probably liked one of them better than the other.

Snapshot of the nest

I'm not a dove, but I think it's a very good place for a nest: it's hidden, there is not much traffic around, cats can't get to it. The only drawback is two curious humans gawking at it every now and then.

The engineers are now sitting on eggs, and by our calculations, they should become proud parents sometime this week (or maybe next week, at the latest). Until then we 1) can't use the awning and 2) have to be very careful and quiet when going out on the terrace. Taking a proper photo of the nest is out of the question, so we all have to make do with a mediocre snapshot.

digiKam: Find and remove unused tags

Tags are great. But no matter how meticulous your are with tagging items in digiKam, you'll inevitably end up having multiple unused tags dangling around. Good thing then that the Tag Manager tool makes it easy to remove unused tags. In digiKam, choose Tag > Tag Manager, then choose Mark Unassigned Tags from the Organize drop-down list. This automatically selects all unused tags, and you can delete them by pressing the Delete selected items button.

Remove unused tags animated GIF

Want to get the most out of digiKam? Read the digiKam Recipes book.

Weekend reading: "Scarlet letter" edition