[tgdf]

First if it turns out I've duplicated a thread or missed a simple answer lying all over the place, please excuse me. I didn't page through a lot of threads, but I did a fairly extensive search of this site on as many key words as I could think of.

I'm trying to find a Linux replacement for the Win version of PaperMaster. There is another similar Win program called PaperPort which I think is similar to PaperMaster though it must be much more extensive as versions of PaperPort can cost more than $600 whereas PaperMaster costs only $200.

Papermaster uses a file cabinet metaphor for organizing scans. It is very simple and direct but has trouble with large files. I believe it is originally a Win95 program that is still working under WinXP. I don't need the OCR capabilities, but I need the simple, scan and file operation. And in particular it is an extensive filing system. Multiple cabinets with multiple drawers containing multiple folders containing multiple documents. I only have 1000-2000 annual documents going into annual cabinets, and perhaps 10-100 nonrecurring docs going into multi year cabinets.

I'm trying to go all Linux and this is one application I can't do without.

There seem to be two choices for replacement:

First, there are what seem to be, very involved, Web based Document Management programs. I haven't tried one yet because they seem intimidating.

Second, I've thought of just using Kooka to file scans in an ordinary disk directory structure in the form of: drive:/cabinet/drawer/folder/document.

This second option looks good at first glance especially since one could store documents in any format and use a browser to view them. However, on second look, there are problems. Long names of cabinets, folders or docs could lead to huge long path names which might choke some subsystems. Papermaster could only store docs as compressed TIFF files and generated random directory and filenames of only 8 char each. This was a nice discipline. If I can store docs in any format I choose, I have the feeling I will begin storing HUGE amounts of data and wind up with a storage problem. As it is now, I have every bill I've ever paid since 1973 on line in only about 50Gigs. Third, as papermaster only stored one kind of image, it was versatile. It could scan, straighten, OCR, rotate, zoom and anotate all within one program. This allows you to scan, inspect and store a document within about 2 minutes. If you have to switch programs even once to do this it can take 5-10 minutes per doc.

I'd appreciate any help but please, refrain from speculation. Unless you have a real genius answer, please only answer if you actually have a system in operation for storing scans of your own documents.

Thanks a bunch!!