[SoCoSA/discuss] Outlook-compatible group calendar?

[Kevan Benson]

Check out Scalix (http://scalix.com).  A full exchange replacement that sits 
on a linux box and provides *seamless* exchange functionality in Outlook and 
Evolution with a plugins (that works well and are free).  The web client, 
SWA, beats OWA for functionality and being outlook-like (it's a full 
javascript web app,with context menu's, dragging, etc.), and has calender 
support and integrated public folders in it as well.  Works seamlessly in 
Firefox and IE.  iCal functionality for calenders supported as well.

Community edition is free for up to 25 premium users (Outlook/Evolution 
plugin), and supports unlimited Standard users (web access, POP and IMAP) and 
they recommend you use the free version until you have 25 users.  

If you want to test easily, I would suggest installing CentOS on a test box 
and just changing /etc/redhat-release to match the banner for a redhat 
enterprise box (just look it up).  Easiest commercial product install I've 
ever seen.  Automatically installs and sets up Tomcat and it's own LDAP, 
IMAP, and POP services, and configures sendmail for you.  May be a bit much 
for what you want, but seems to be a nice product.

OK, that's enough advocacy for me know, sorry for the top posting...

-Kevan

On Wednesday 05 April 2006 14:19, Steve S. wrote:
> Hi, all...
>
> Over where I work, folks are looking for a better way to share
> calendars, schedule meetings, and share "unique resources" (meeting
> rooms, vehicles, etc).  Ideally, I'd love to go open-source (specially
> if it had an option to "buy" a "professional" version -- open source,
> in this case, likely functioning as an indefinite demo-period 'til
> everyone who was interested could try it out, but then we could "buy"
> it (e.g. get support, maybe a few extra features, etc)).  Cost *is* an
> issue, but free isn't really desirable...
>
> Most people here use MS-Outlook; I'm not likely to get that to change
> (alas for iCal!), so we need something that works with the Outlook
> calendar.  For e-mail, it's Communigate Pro for the server, with
> mostly Outlook or Outlook Express clients, and a few oddballs (e.g. a
> couple of Mac users, at least one Thunderbird, and some folks who use
> the web-interface to CGP)... but, back to the calendar issue.
>
> MS-Exchange has a poor reputation on both the complexity front and the
> cost; it's likely we won't go that way.
>
> Anyone have experience of non-Exchange programs for
> Outlook-calendar-sharing, that they can share here?
>
> At the moment, we are in demo-mode with "Workgroup Share;" see:
>    http://www.softalk.ws/products/workgroupshare/more_info.asp
> for more details.
>
> It has a few weaknesses, though.  It's being a bit tough to configure
> for everyone (it appears to be very sensitive to Outlook vs. Outlook
> Express; everyone needs to be on Office03sp2, etc).  It wants to share
> data via e-mails (making the oddball mailclients possibly
> non-compatible -- but one of the Mac users is one of the owners, and
> another is a VERY senior (& invaluable) person here; etc.).  It
> doesn't seem have a category for meeting-rooms -- it looks like we're
> going to have to set up a bogus "meeting-room" account, and send an
> e-mail "inviting" the room to the meeting; ditto for vehicles.  It
> can't run on its own -- it needs  to have the Admin account logged in
> on the server, for the Workgroup Share server to operate.  And so
> on...
>
>
> I asked this before... I think on the nblug list (sorry if I'm
> repeating here!).  I'm hoping the different orientation here will get
> me folks with more-relevant experiences.
>
>
> - Steve S.

-- 
- Kevan Benson
- A-1 Networks
- 707-570-2021 x102