[Kroupware] Re: client compatibility

[Bo Thorsen]

On Monday 20 January 2003 21:38, Kervin L. Pierre wrote:
> Bo Thorsen wrote:
> >>The first approach would be a MAPI provider which enables Outlook to
> >>store its information on a server instead of the local .pst storage.
> >>
> >>Programming a MAPI provider is no easy task, but Kervin L. Pierre has
> >>started a project on Sourceforge (http://otlkcon.sourceforge.net/) in
> >>November. There has been no (visible) progress since then but
> >>considering Kervin's message to this list, he won't start working on
> >> it until about now ;-)
> >
> > Why on earth do you want to reimplement Exchange with using the
> > proprietary fileformats we're all trying to get away from?
> >
> > Your proposal here shows that you're in the wrong area. The whole
> > concept of the kolab server is orthogonal to what you want. We're
> > focusing on open standards, writing a client that supports them and
> > getting Outlook to work with it too.
>
> That's exactly our goal as well.  Different approaches I guess.
>
> We're not re-implementing exchange.  The initial plan is to store all
> exchange calendar properties as-is in the IMAP server.  Future goal is
> to translate those for interoperability with IETF protocols based
> clients.  A bunch of the calendar properties are floating on the web
> here-and-there, so that's a start.
>
> Outlook was written in a way that makes it possible to function without
> exchange, not an easy task, but possible do to the MAPI layer.
>
> Working at the MAPI layer of the client ensures that you don't have to
> modify your server whenever MS changes an RPC call, etc.
>
> In the end I think it's a harder fight tricking outlook into thinking
> that it's speaking to an exchange server or something similar, than it
> is to provide alternate default MAPI service providers for the outlook
> client.

Ahh, I see. You don't to reimplement Exchange, you want to reimplement the=
=20
Bynari plugin. If you want to implement a free alternative to that, then=20
all power to you. If not, I don't see the point.

Bo.

=2D-=20

     Bo Thorsen                 |   Praestevejen 4
     Senior Software Engineer   |   5290 Marslev
     Klar=E4lvdalens Datakonsult  |   Denmark