Zorin Connect - Very nice - but important feedback/suggestion

[d-man]

I set up Zorin Connect on my mum's laptop today. It's quite a nice fork of KDE Connect - it's attractive and simple enough to use - once it works.

Upon first run, it should check to see if the Firewall is on, and if it is, prompt the user to update the rules to allow the required ports. It would be super awesome if it actually, with user permission, actually made the firewall change for the user.

Perhaps even if the firewall is not on, it should mention the requirement via the 'searching for devices' window, where there is ample room to mention this requirement. Even better, add a link to an FAQ on that window.

EDIT - forgot to link to the post that gave the easy fix: Zorin Connect ... not connecting! - #15 by anon37206250

@staff suggestion for your consideration.

[swarfendor437]

I have written a guide on this in Tutorials and Guides:

Zorin Connect the easy method

For security you should have ufw (uncomplicated fire wall) and it's gui, gufw installed. Launch via the terminal using the command: gufw you will be prompted for your password to give you root access. It will show up as turned off - turn it on. Once ufw is turned on you will notice that all incoming traffic is blocked. Click on 'Rules' Tab then click on the '+' sign bottom left. A new interface opens: [Screenshot from 2023-01-02 12-54-23] Go to the Application field and scroll down either…

I realise I should have included a link to this in the unofficial manual I wrote for Zorin 17.

Just to add can only find Zorin and KDE Connect Apps on F-Droid.

[d-man]

While your doco is nice to have, the ootb experience is not a good one and it can be quite easily improved upon.

I suspect the effort is miniscule. It's a matter of priorities for the devs.

I would really love to know what becomes of suggestions posted here. Do they ever get to the devs?

btw, Zorin and KDE Connect are available in the Google Play store, don't need F-Droid.

[swarfendor437]

@d-man

btw, Zorin and KDE Connect are available in the Google Play store, don't need F-Droid

Good to know. When I checked recently could not find it on murena App Store, but that is probably due to the current outage with only major apps available.

You raise a valid point about do the Devs read the posts. Historically zorink is the brother who maintained the forum. You couls always DM the brothers or include @staff in your posts to bring attention to it.

I do agree that it can be problematical. I remember historically that it was a hybrid between KDE Connect and Gnome's equivalent, GSConnect. On a personal note I find KDE Connect much simpler and easier to set up than Zorin Connect. I've already stated elsewhere that on a recent install I have ditched Gnome and the Zorin Desktop for Plasma 5.24 and Enlightenment, but I am tending to use Q4OS 5.6 as my daily driver with Plasma 5.27.

[Aravisian]

@swarfendor437

Good to know. When I checked recently could not find it on murena App Store, but that is probably due to the current outage with only major apps available.

Google Play store, much like YouTube, has an automated system for pulling apps. This means that legitimate apps get pulled, at times.
ZorinConnect is one of those apps that GooglePlay has pulled automagically, which then required the ZorinGroup to jump through some hoops and bide their time to get it reinstated.

So references to F-Droid can be helpful, given that Google Play Store is... Google.

[d-man]

Ah yes, i remember KDE Connect also got yanked once. It should be rare, or possibly a once off.