Slashdot Mirror
Mozilla Lightning 0.1 Released
Mini-Geek writes "MozillaZine is reporting that Lightning 0.1 is released. Lightning is a new Mozilla-made calendar extension for Mozilla Thunderbird that will eventually (once it becomes more mature and stable) be built into Thunderbird. From the article: 'The Lightning Project is a redesign of the Calendar component. Its goal is to tightly integrate calendar functionality (scheduling, tasks, etc.) into Mozilla Thunderbird.'"
I'm using it at home already. Screenshots at my blog.
I thought lightning comes before thunder.
If I found in my own ranks that a certain number of guys wanted to cut my throat, I'd make sure that I cut their throat.
Why must calendar apps be merged with mail apps? Seriously?
Too bad my pocket PC will only properly sync with Outlook. Althoug to be honest Outlook 2003 is not that bad. I would still like to try an open source based e-mail client, but until it will sync with my PDA correctly I can't make the switch.
K Man
Lightning and Sunbird share the same codebase, and therefore have the exact same functionality and bugs, but Sunbird is standalone, whereas Lightning requires Thunderbird or the like.
I used Sunbird for a little while a while back, and while it is a step in the right direction, it really needs a lot of work. Of course, this new release may have fixed all the bugs that irked me, and it is of course only version 0.1 - and with that in mind, Sunbird/Lightning really is a factor to consider, but not quite ready for widespread use. When it is though, it will be good.
At work we use GroupWise, and I find the integration most annoying. There is no connection between when I want to check my calendar, and when I want to send or read mail. Not to mention that I hate the GroupWise mail client, and use another when possible. I also hate the GroupWise calendar client, but I don't know if there are alternatives (I obviously need access to the information entered by our secretary, and she need to se the meetings I have entered).
I understand that the calendars for the people in the workgroup need to be synchronized, but is email really the best protocol for that? And if so, does it need to be integrated in the same client?
Well, Finchsync is a program that allows you to sync your contacts with Thunderbird, and apparently your appointments with Sunbird (though that was broken last time I tried it).
I just hope they don't make thunderbird suck in the process. All I really want is a program that does mail that doesn't suck, and thunderbird is currently the closest I can find.
Group sharing of contacts, resources, etc?
Scheduling with multiple complex calendars? Meeting invitations and e-mail reminders seemlessly included (and able to be sent from one outlook client to another)?
A lot of that is based on the fact that you're using outlook as an exchange client.
I definitely believe that Exchange is a steaming pile. It crashes frequently and has severe problems when the data in it exceeds a certain size for no good reason. Occasionally it corrupts itself.
It takes an expert in Exchange to administer despite the fact that the tasks that it is designed to handle are relatively simple concepts. (In contrast, SQL Server, which does something far more complicated to understand is actually easier to administer, IMHO, because it mostly works right).
However, at a lot of places we're all stuck with it, and with Outlook, until we've got a complete scheduling and e-mail solution that has features that are close.
Mod me down and I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine!
The next step is that Thunderbird+Lightning will be integrated into Firefox -- and then we'll finally have the Mozilla-based internet suite we've all been waiting for!
Lightning and Sunbird share the same codebase, and therefore have the exact same functionality and bugs
That's not quite it. Sunbird and Mozilla Calendar share the same codebase, and therefore have the same functionality and bugs. The difference between them is *only* packaging. Sunbird is packaged as a standalone app, while Mozilla Calendar is an extension for Firefox or Thunderbird.
Lightning, however, is a Thunderbird extention that puts the calendar UI directly in the Thunderbird window. The calendar provided by Sunbird/Mozilla Calendar uses a separate window. The group of products probably shares a codebase for handling calendar and related data, but the UI code is different between Lightning and the others. It's going to have its own share of bugs and features.
I'd like to see schedule templates for helping me organize my busy life. I suggest the following pre-made ones for typical Firefox users:
The Leveller
7:45AM-8:50AM - Worlds of Warcraft
8:50AM-8:53AM - Ninja fast shower, gotta get to work!
8:53AM-9:05AM - Drive to work, clock in late
9:05AM-11:30AM - Read and post to WoW forums from work computer
11:30AM-12:30PM - Lunch! Just enough time to get home and mob, try to get Enchanted Axe of Althar or something.
12:30PM-5:30PM - Do enough work to keep that ass boss off your back, sell some WoW gold on eBay.
5:30PM-6:00PM - Drive home, resolve to buy some groceries and make a real dinner
6:00PM-6:10PM - Realize that Jack in the Box is faster, just get something there.
6:10PM-1:00AM - Worlds of Warcraft
1:00AM-7:45AM - Fitful sleep, plagued by dreams where nobody can read your chat messages in game.
The GPLion
9:30AM - Wake up, play some TuxRacer.
9:32AM - Check for updates to KDE, hit slashdot.
9:50AM - Finish writing screed defending Stalman while untarring a new nightly build in the background.
9:55AM - Start a new kernel compiling, then head off to CS class.
10:00AM - Listen to stupid Microsoft-loving professor tell me about stuff I'll never need. What do I care about 'big-endian' crap, this is COMPUTER SCIENCE, not freakin' Gulliver's Travels.
11:15AM - Get out of class, eat the macaroni & cheese I brought in tupperware.
12:00PM-2:45PM - Various classes about stuff I'll never use. Why do I need an english class? I _SPEAK_ english!
3:00PM - 4:00PM - Spent telling the TA who runs the computer lab why their PSP is inferior to my Samsung phone that runs linux, demo java TuxRacer.
4:00PM-6:00PM - Kernel has finished compiling at home, spend time trying to get computer working again.
6:15PM - Post comment to blog about how easy it was to get the new kernel going, and how you don't understand the problems other people are having.
7:00PM-10:00PM - Xena marathon! Watch on my MythTV setup. With this transparent weather overlay over the screen, I can totally tell what the weather is like outside, even if the audio is out of sync, it's STILL better than a goddamned tivo.
10:00PM-11:00PM - Porn.
The Hipster
7:00AM - Wake up with gentle alarm clock
7:15AM - Bagel and LOX down at the coffee house.
8:00AM - Bicycle to work while listening to all my podcasts on my Apple iPod(tm)
9:00AM - Start work, be sure to check all my RSS feeds.
12:00PM - Lunch. Did someone say sushi?
1:00PM - Back to work, adjust my square DKNY glasses and buckle down for at least an hour of email, then back to websites.
2:00PM - Boba/Bubble tea break!
5:00PM - Outta work, begin bicycling home.
6:30PM - Get home.
7:00PM - Dinner time, zagats sez to try that place on 14th.
9:00PM - Start watching all my Tivo'd shows, all PBS of course. I don't keep the idiot box for anything but PBS. Oh, and maybe Lost, and the Simpsons, but don't tell.
Lighting is and always will be a Thunderbird plugin. It is not a separate product. It is a plugin for calendaring that integrates into the Thunderbird GUI. If you don't need it, don't install the extension. Simple as that.
you sir, are in luck ;)