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Novell To Release Ximian Connector Under GPL
ashmodai9 writes "According to this article on LinuxToday.com as well as this press release directly from their site, Novell announced that its "Connector for MS Exchange Server would be integrated into Evolution 2.0 and made available as open source, beginning today with the current Connector 1.4." Apparently, downloads will be available for the current version of Evolution starting May 14th."
Thanks to reader crafterm, a snippet from Novell's Connector website: "With the Connector for Microsoft Exchange installed, Evolution functions as an Exchange client, enabling users to become full participants in company-wide group scheduling and other collaborative tasks. Linux and Solaris users can access public folders, Global Address Lists, email, calendar, task lists, and group scheduling information." Update: 05/11 17:58 GMT by T :
In related news, ChiralSoftware writes "Codeweavers' long-awaited sequel to Crossover 2.1 is here. Just like the old version, the new version lets you install MS Office on Linux desktops. The new version adds support for Outlook XP, Lotus Notes and Microsoft Project."
Download the source now!
When did Novell pick up ownership of Evolution?? ... when they bought Ximian?
It's been, what, a year now since Novell bought Ximian? Anyway, that's how it belongs to Novell now.
When Novell bought Ximian.
When I tried using linux at government organizations, a big stipper was the exchange acces, now we have one less barrier! Thank ou Novell!
Check out Website development, maintenance and accesibility cons
Novell bought Ximian in August last year; Ximian wrote evolution, and the exchange connector plugin.
Remember kids, it's all fun and games until someone commits wholesale galactic genocide.
Well we ended up with an Exchange 2003/Outlook 2003 solution here...an expensive solution, but once they spent the money - well It's actually been quite good! Active Directory seems to be a bit of a headache ;) But Exchange/Outlook really is running well! Two things stand out (well having different mail views in OL2K3 is awesome - for example having a view of "follow up" items, or "unread" items separate from the folders they are in):
One is cached mode - no more online/offline dicking around - it really works *well*. I have not had any screwy problems as of yet. (Basically Outlook caches your email - a seamless synchronization of your folders and it automatically detects a connected state)
The other thing is the RPC over HTTP - so I can get full exchange functionality over the internet, just as if I was using IMAP or POP standards, but with the full exchange server deal: contacts, calendars etc. It's really been handy - no opening VPN connections or using webmail to check my work mail on my laptop.
Are these two features available with Novell's solution? Even if they aren't I'm sure they will be. And having the option is great for the future even though, we are on the MS road for the time being. But for now, Exchange 2003 has worked very well, certainly better than our Linux pilot (Debian/FetchMail/Exim etc. with Thunderbird) - but our Linux pilot was kneecapped by having to operate in a mixed environment (which these new connectors would fix), and obviously going with Exchange cost us a whole lot more money! (Like $20K or thereabouts instead of free - consulting and hardware fees would've been required in both cases - and the Linux consulting was a lot cheaper believe it or not)
Before this, Evolution was already available on OS X in the past (Install X11, then use Fink to get Evolution).
To complete it, just build yourself a Connector package.
It's been tested internally at Ximian and Novell in the past, although it was determined it wouldn't be worthwhile to release it as a product. But now that it's free, you can do it.
a.
OpenGroupWare.org is a great open source project tackling this effort.
Groupwise does the trick. I might not fall in your definition of affordable though...
You could use evolution in fink. It's only in CVS at the moment, but I'm sure that evolution 2 will be supported officially in fink eventually. Alternatively, it looks like you could compile it yourself, when it's released: unofficial ximian guide to evolution on osx
Remember kids, it's all fun and games until someone commits wholesale galactic genocide.
Also this might be of interest
Should be possible -- you can either use the HTTP/XML interfaces (like Ximian connector), or you can use the "Notes C API" library that comes with Domino for Linux to communicate using the native protocol. Domino also has CORBA and Java RMI interfaces.
The big issue is that someone has to be bothered to write the stuff, but (unlike with Exchange 'MAPI' RPC) the tech & documentation is there.
From the KDE 3.3 Release Plan:
Redesign filters to use Sieve internally. Allow editing of Sieve scripts on IMAP servers to get rid of the bug reports a la "KMail doesn't support IMAP folders for fitering"
My other account has a 3-digit UID.
It looks like the was the missing piece that kept Evolution from connecting to OpenGroupWare. Now that looks to be solved. OGW provides Contacts and Calandar services (an can be integrated with a mail server like Cyrus to provide mail)
Uhhh yea i think you did miss a few things..
Novell Buys Ximian
And later Novell buys SuSe
So obviously, since Evolution is a product by ximian, it is now owned by Novell
According to this interview with Miguel de Icaza at OSNews, "Ximian is working on a native port of Evolution 2.0 to Windows using the WIMP engine to make the application look XP-native."
I imaging the reference to WIMP is the WIMP-GTK theme for GTK-on-Windows that mirrors the look of Windows.
This is how Gaim handles their Windows "port" (thought I don't think "port" is really the rigtht word.
Novell baught Ximian was a long back story.. find more info with below links..
m ls s/1 57901.asp
http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0804ximian.ht
http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Apr/04172004/busine
Another good news for Linux in the Enterprise came from CodeWeaver's CrossOver Office 3.0. It now supports Lotus Notes 6.5.1 on Linux.
/ change_log/
CodeWeaver is happy to announce that today we have shipped version 3.0 of CrossOver Office.
We've added new, official, support for Outlook XP, Microsoft Project, and Notes 6.5.1. Unofficially, we're excited by users comments that far more applications are working now. These include programs like Framemaker and Microsoft Money. You can see the full list of changes here:
http://www.codeweavers.com/site/products/cxoffice
Further, this version marks some fairly ubstantial changes in our CrossOver Product line. First, we have merged the CrossOver Plugin product into the CrossOver Office product offering, so now all non server versions of CrossOver automatically provide
the Plugin functionality.
Well, Mail.app already has Exchange support. You can download an exchange connector for Address Book -- since Address Book already uses LDAP, you can just configure it to query the Active Directory server. It should be tied together better, but the pieces are in place.
- oZ
// i am here.
cannot believe, there are not 10.000 alarm bells ringing in redmond right now.
Ximian Connector has been listed on Microsoft's website for a long time as a partner product, so they have no reason be suprised. Connector uses APIs which MS built in for the explicit purpose of interoperatbility.
Be clear on one thing (bolded for emphisis): In order to use Ximian Connector, you need to buy an Exchange CAL and a Windows CAL.
MS gets paid whether you are using Outlook or not -- in fact they get paid more because Unix cilents aren't using a free IMAP server or something.
AFAIK Mozilla only works with Exchange Server via IMAP. Many companies turn off IMAP/POP3 on their servers. The only way to grab your mail is to use outlook or a connector.
Please correct me if I'm wrong, I'll load up mozilla now and try it.
What would be the advantages of writing the server-side in Mono over Java? Not a flame, I'm sincerely curious.
:)
They would both be nice choices -- Miguel is largely responsible for Mono, however. So, you might say he is biased
Miguel on Mono
(Score:-1, Wrong)
Isn't Mail.app's Exhange support closer to glorified IMAP? Ability to schedule? I don't think that part's there ...
And, there are issues with iSync for AddressBook and Exchange.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
Now, if only we had something affordable that could do that on the Linux server side, with clients on Linux, Windows and Mac platforms...and no, webmail doesn't cut it...
I'm not so sure webmail doesn't cut it. I recently rolled out a web based groupware server based on qmail/vpopmail/phpgroupware and the users couldn't be happier. They do everything they used to do on Exchange and I freed up a sizable chunk of IT's budget by no longer needing Win2k/2k3 Server license, Exchange license, and CALs. That adds up.
I installed Mozilla Firebird on the Ghost build host and have the browser start with all the pages they need in tabs. Aside from some Oracle and AS/400 users, most never have to leave the browser to do their work.
Web applications are great in an enterprise environment, they free up a bunch of my time so I can do useful things like post on slashdot ;)
You've got an easy breezy wind at your back...most of the time.
Completely integrate; fraid not. Afaik, Thunderbird still uses the MPL (Mozilla Public License) which basically is a convoluted BSD license as far as my IANAL self can figure. That's what allowed Netscape to use Mozilla as its core and still close it up and sell it.
Now can Thunderbird provide a hook so that you could personally set up some module someone else writes to integrate with Exchange? There I have to think it's an easy yes. As long as Thunderbird doesn't incorporate GPL code and just provides standardized hooks, you could add a GPL module that does the trick. Alternately, someone could write an "Exchange to POP3 converter" like Hotmail Popper and other similar projects.
And certainly there's nothing keeping you from forking Thunderbird into a GPL project that I know of, but I don't think your fork, Exchange or not, would be the dominate one.
It's all 0s and 1s. Or it's not.
Wouldn't getting a "per user" license solve the problem of having to get additional licenses for each user? As far as I know, there isn't a special "OWA" license for Exchange servers.
1f u c4n r34d th1s u r34lly n33d t0 g37 l41d
http://www.opengroupware.org/ ?
New things are always on the horizon
I'm using it. I'm pretty happy with it. I got it because my boss wanted Exchange like features to not use.
We use some of the features, but not all of them. I've got no complaints. Remember, what you're really buying is the connector component which translates the Outlook info into "regular" mail that can be stored in Cyrus IMAP -- everything else is open source.
Their version-in-the-works will integrate Spamassassin and ClamAV too. Hopefully they'll have the hooks for other AV products as well.
--J(K) DOS is like Unix in exactly the same way that a pinto is like an aircraft carrier.
>>> The only thing I'll miss from a windows client perspective is Visio
CrossOver 3.0 Supports Visio XP.... I know.. I'm running it..
I never bought it because it wasn't absolutely necessary. Our exchange server here provided IMAP and POP3 inboxes that I could use in any standard mail client.
No it isn't, because Evolution also works with OpenGroupware etc... so no reinforcement there.
Ask 8 slackers a question, get 10 awnsers (a citation, but I can't remember from who)
All because Exchange can't be accessed via HTTP internally (here, at any rate), and won't "finger" me.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the Evolution connector uses WebDAV (i.e. HTTP) to connect through Outlook Web Access. It doesn't speak the MAPI protocol that Outlook itself uses to connect to Exchange. If you can't use the webmail internally, the connector won't work either...
The cross platform Groupwise client is in Open Beta right now. http://beta.novell.com/public.jsp (free reg required) "I don't exactly see a Groupwise client for Linux (or a free one on the Windows side)."
"Would you, could you, with a goat?" Dr Seuss
Been awhile since you've worked on an Exchange box? First, in Exchange 2000 it is enabled by default. Second, the user CAL will satisfy the user access for OWA.
Care to point out an MS article that dictates otherwise?
This is great news for OpenGroupware. It's a full featured calendar, email and groupware server.
Previously, the only end to end open source solution you could set up with OpenGroupware was using Mozilla Calendar, another iCalendar app, or by using the built in web client. The Mozilla/iCalendar support is good, but "provides little "groupware" functionality and the support for it is to be consider experimental".
There are plugins for Outlook and Evolution, but they were both not open source. It was actually pretty funny, an open source server, an open source client (evolution), and a closed source, very expensive connector to get the two to talk to each other! Look for "Ximian Connector" in their FAQ:
http://www.opengroupware.org/en/users/faq
OpenGroupware will not be able to use this Evolution connector directly, but since it is open source, it will be adapted for this purpose. Helge Hess the main developer for OpenGroupware has said as much.
SPA (aka NTLM) is an authentication mechanism, sort of like CRAM-MD5 or DIGEST-MD5 for example. Just because Mozilla can do SPA, doesn't mean it can connect to Exchange. Mozilla can only do IMAP and POP. Evolution can do IMAP and POP without the Connector (it can also do NTLM without Connector).
What the Connector does is allow Evolution to access the Exchange Calendar/Addressbook/Mailboxes via the WebDAV protocol (the calendar/addressbook data is not accessable from Mozilla over IMAP).
You're wrong. Pure and simple. If I can't go to my local CompUSA and find it in a box on the shelf, I'm not going to use it. Crank your nose up in the air if you want, but not all of us want to mess around with downloading and/or building the kernel, or frankly even buying off the net on a CD. I want to get it retail, stick the disk in, and watch it install. Right now, Red Hat has abandoned that. SUSE and others have not. That pretty clearly demonstrates the level of customer committment.
So yes, the mindshare is gone.
the latter only works if exchange has IMAP turned on, which apparently most corporations turn off, and it doesnt support CAL integration. the ximian connector uses the OWA instead of IMAP, and fully supports CALs as long as you have the server license.
U.S. War Crimes blog. Email for free Mandriva support.
Try Sun's Messaging and Calendar server.. It's cheaper than OpenExchange, runs on Windows, HP-UX, AIX, Solaris, Linux, and integrates nicely with both evolution and outlook. WebMail, WebCalendar is also part of the package.
You may also try the java desktop system with crossover or wine to run the propriatary programs...