[plug] Opensource groupware STILL SUCKS!

[Peter F Bradshaw]

Hi;

What's Outlook?

On Tue, 8 Nov 2005, Mr Shayne wrote:

>
> Man. Excuse me this dummy spit, but it needs to happen.
>
> Out of the zillion odd linux developers on this planet, half of whom have
> there own "Joes bargain basement web groupware package", have ANY of them
> ever actually SPOKEN to an end user?
>
> CONSTANTLY I am asked "Hey, how come I cant figure out how to book a
> meeting on outlook with bill nextdoor like they can up in admin".
>
> Heres the problem. Every few weeks, someone announces the latest and
> greatest open source groupware package. It'll have email, a calendar, an
> address book, a flipping rss newsreader (cant miss that feature!) and
> maybe a pokemon trading card database.
>
> BUT NOBODY WANTS ANOTHER F$*#@ING WEB CLIENT.
>
> We want to use outlook on the desktop. Yeah , I agree its a pain in the
> ass, and we should be using open source, but lets be honest here. Look at
> the alternatives for the winblowz platform
>
> Aethera: Buggy piece of shit, that hasnt been updated in ages. Lost all
> your data? rofl. But hey, you can buy a IM plugin. wheeee!
> Chandler: Even buggier piece of shit, and at least one proof that release
> early release often is a BAD move when its still a millenia away from
> completion
> Evolution: Vaporware on the windows platform.
>
> Ok, so then theres the "slightly more advanced" versions that have
> "Outlook connectors". Now , dont get me started here. If your
> top-to-bottom open source solution requires a $70 plugin to use a piece
> of software you already bought, then it (A) aint open source, and as ergo
> (B) Will start sucking badly when it becomes clear its a bit broken and
> (C) when I add all the costs up its cheaper just to roll out friggin
> exchange.
>
> Well.... I just watched the zimba flash, and the first thing that pops up
> is "MAPI". So I do a happy dance, track down the FC3 linux install, grab a
> binary, set it up. So far so good. Hmm wonder where the mapi connector is.
>
> So I post a note to the forum, and get told "Its planned for the 'network
> edition', btw, read that as the edition you pay $30 a seat for. And most
> of the other features it advertises as being what makes it better than the
> rest. Yeah.. planned too.,
>
> Dejavu?
>
> So guess what, Zimbra , other than some AJAX smoke and mirrors, still
> sucks!
>
> So regardless, its back to citadel. The only one that at least is HONEST
> about the fact that its not an outlook speaking beast yet.
>
> COME ON OPEN SOURCE WORLD. I AM CONVINCED THIS OUTLOOK PROBLEM IS THE #1
> BARRIER TO FOSS SERVER ADOPTION. Either our staff get to talk to each
> other or they dont.
>
> Frusturated after trying to crack this issue for OVER 2 YEARS.
>
> I swear, when Im old and move on to the next dimension, my grave stone
> will read "TRIED TO REPLACE EXCHANGE. WAS HIS DOWNFALL".
>
> Suck an egg microsoft.
>
> Shayne.
>

Cheers

-- 
Peter F Bradshaw, personal.exadios.com, ICQ 75431157 (exadios).
PGP public key at personal.exadios.com/public_key.html
"Needs more salt" - Archimedes