Re: Using CentOS as a file server on a win2K domain

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On Thu, 2005-07-28 at 00:50, Bryan J. Smith wrote:
> On Wed, 2005-07-27 at 23:46 -0500, Les Mikesell wrote:
> > The recipients don't have to use the same server for meeting requests
> > to work, although when creating one you only see the availability
> > of the people that are.
> 
> That's because the servers synchronize their stores.  In fact, server
> distribution is why Microsoft doesn't do server-side scheduling.  They
> merely replicate the stores.

That's only a factor on the availability side.  Often you have
to just pick a time anyway and let the recipients deal with
conflicts.  What I mean is that outlook will send meeting
requests to email destinations on servers that don't sync
and it goes into the recipient's personal calendar regardless.

> Now if you're using "Shared Folders" inside of the client itself (client
> attached meta-data for calendaring info), that doesn't require a server
> at all.  Of course, most of that automated functionality _breaks_ if you
> install security patches for various Outlook versions and lock them
> down.

Right, but personal calendars still work whether you share anything
or not.

> Evolution supports the standard vCalendar attachment for scheduling
> without a server-store.  Unfortunately, pretty much _nothing_ else does.
> |-<

Outlook will do this too when used without an exchange server.  However
different versions don't even interoperate with themselves.  The
office2000 version has a bug in the mime format that is fixed in the
xp/2003 versions but they don't work right with each other.  Evolution
works with these but it was too buggy to depend on back when I tried
to use it that way.

> > However, when using pre-2000 exchange server and evolution working
> > with it in imap mode, all the attachments show up as non-standard
> > tnef's instead of mime vcal/ical format. 
> 
> AFAIK, Outlook-TNEF don't do vCalendar, but a variation.

Hmmm, I think I was running some tnef->mime converter via procmail
on my mail server when I had it working without exchange, but that
was only needed when the outlook settings were wrong.  I haven't
found a way to glue that functionality into evolution itself when
pulling messages directly from an exchange server via imap.  I assume
this is unnecessary when using exchange2000 and the evolution
adapter.

> > I'm looking for something that will eliminate the need to keep a
> > windows box on my desk just to beep at me when I'm supposed to join
> > a conference call.
> 
> In other words you want a way for Freedomware/Standardware** clients to
> keep up with the moving target of Hostageware** clients/servers that are
> being mandated in your organization.

Yes. 

>   It's one thing to expect
> Freedomware/Standardware** to work with Commerceware**, because
> Commerceware vendors value their customers and won't break compatibility
> between versions.  But Hostageware vendors do precisely that with each
> version, to _prevent_ compatibility.

The email side is moderately standard.  I think even the tnef cruft is
understood well enough if someone wanted to deal with those attachments.
> Gartner said it best (paraphrased), "Organizations must be vigilant in
> Open Source adoption, as a vendor will never offer a way out of lock-
> in."

The problem is that there aren't any great alternatives that combine
the features of outlook/exchange and even if some are available now it
is too late. 

> > But, exchange2000 will probably work right with evolution as the
> > client.  Does anyone know if the notifications and updates get
> > into the evolution calendar when received even if you don't
> > open/accept the request?
> 
> Good question.
> 
> Because Exchange is _not_ a server-side collaboration system, but only a
> store for client-side collaboration, the question becomes ...
>  - Does the Outlook client making the request do this?
>  - Or does the Evolution client receiving the request do this?
> 
> Now exchange _is_ an e-mail server, with e-mail rules.  So it might be
> tied into this and the user store.  It's a good question.

As I understand it, the evolution connector to exchange2000 uses the
webmail interface under the covers so the web interface might even
play a part here.  We're still on pre-2000 exchange and its web
interface sucks, so I don't know much about how the newer versions
are supposed to work.  Anyway, I consider it a feature that outlook
adjusts calendar updates like the time of a conference call when the
mail is received even if you don't open the message.

-- 
  Les Mikesell
    lesmikesell@xxxxxxxxx



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