[Kroupware] OpenGroupware.org formed through SKYRiX open sourcing its Groupware server

[Helge Hess]

On Donnerstag, 10. Juli 2003, at 16:39 Uhr, Ian Reinhart Geiser wrote:
>> agreed, and they have the bigger databases non-opened, so that might 
>> be
>> a big catch..
> I had problems understanding the arch, because the webserver is 
> slashdoted
> now.

Actually the public CVS server got us done. Traffic should be OK now.

> I get the impression they are a bunch of peices cobbled together, imho
> KOLAB will be easier to maintain and upgrade because of the bulk of 
> storage
> is in imap.

Practice will show. We have a long experience with maintenance and 
upgrading under practical conditions and it was never an issue.

>>>    Now advantages we can catch up with quickly.  The webdav
>>> support is pretty easy with a nano (i think this is the webdav python
>>> server) and they pyimap code.  Someone with time and energy could
>>> duplicate this quickly.
>> no idea how much work this'll be.
> its not trivial, but its something someone could do as OSS...  It 
> would be on the magnitude of complexity of a simple web client (aka no 
> css, just raw
> basic html) I would have taken this up but my company has already 
> dedicated
> and well into a native GPL mapi service for windows.

What is "your company" ? (your mail address is @yahoo.com) Konsec ?

>  Webdav only works with
> outlook, so this effectively locks any company doing CRM or addons to 
> outlook
> from using this service.  The native mapi will allow users to drop out
> exchange and replace it with kolab.

I don't understand what you are talking about ? How does WebDAV relate 
to Outlook ? Outlook can only use WebDAV for mail on it's own (called 
HTTPMail).

SKYRiX provides a full MAPI storage provider which does MAPI over 
WebDAV (called ZideLook). The WebDAV interface of ZideStore, the server 
part, works with both, Outlook and Evolution Connector and will work 
with OOo Glow in the future.
Actually even Korganizer can sync over the E2K WebDAV protocol, even 
though it doesn't provide live access (yet ?).

> The truth is in america no-one wants or cares about linux on the 
> desktop.  But linux on the server is a done deal.  If KOLAB has a 
> native outlook connector it should gain faster acceptance.

Yes, providing a full MAPI SP connector is very important for a 
successful calendering project. OGo already does provide one on a 
license basis. Will Kolab provide a GPLed one ??

> This all being said, from what I can tell is they have a server that 
> just
> exports everything via webdav.

We have several servers for various protocols. We currently export 
groupware functionality and data over
- XML-RPC
- WebDAV (with Exchange extensions for Evolution Connector)
- WCAP
- iCalendar over HTTP
and have people working on CAP support.

> While this is imperfect it can talk to most
> things.  I think kolab while a little behind out of the gate, has a 
> better
> chance at long term success because its more open, and more flexable.

Hm. In which way is Kolab more open ? We certainly support much more 
standards than Kolab currently does. Adding iCalendar over IMAP4 is 
definitely interesting for us to support the Kolab client as a native 
frontend. We'll look into this, as soon as the Kolab client is part of 
the stable KDE tree.

Please let us join forces against propritary software instead of 
working against each other. While we think that we are better at 
collaboration services, we are definitely going to recommend Kolab as a 
good messaging backend. This should be good for both projects.

best regards,
   Helge Hess
-- 
OpenGroupware.org	- http://www.opengroupware.org/