Topic: bye-bye e-smith

[Tyrone Miles]

So is the e-smith server as we know it gone? I noticed that the main web page had changed to Mitel? And now the name of the software has changed also? What about people using the current version of e-smith and will there be any more updates to that or will we have to buy the Mitel version. Also will he how 2's and forms go away?

[Kim Morrison]

Hi Tyrone,

The server has changed names.  Version 5.0 is really cool and will continue to be freely available.  The open source community and project will continue to exist and really very little has changed from that point of view.  

The server software is licensed under the GPL and will continue to be so.  We are as committed as ever to this open source platform.  Our sponsorship of the project will continue as is...  Things have only gotten better!

- Kim Morrison

General Manager
Network Server Solutions Group
Mitel Networks

(former co-founder and COO, e-smith, inc.)

[Eek]

I would like to see the new version 5.0.
Where can we download it to review the cool features?

-Eek

[Sidney]

Kim,
 
  Will the SME software replace e-smith 4.1.2.

Will there be a charge for the software.

When will SME be release?

Is there any beta version available to download?

Do you have to purchase a support contract in order to use SME ?

E-smith has been a great product for me.

It was easy to setup and it was running in a few minutes.

Comming from a windows base environment not knowning much of

linux made e-msith in my mind a great product.

I am looking forward to seeing new features.

I wish Mitel the best of luck and I hope Mitel will provide us
with a great product like e-smith.


Thanks

[Kim Morrison]

Hi Sidney,

Sidney wrote:
>
>   Will the SME software replace e-smith 4.1.2.

Yes
 
> Will there be a charge for the software.

It will continue to be GPL'd and freely distributed.

> When will SME be release?

Mid September.

> Is there any beta version available to download?

I believe that the beta program has been completed. You'll have to wait to September for the download.

> Do you have to purchase a support contract in order to use
> SME ?

Nope - the base server software remains open source and freely distributed!  You may want to consider purchasing a subscription to our terrific new services, though.

> E-smith has been a great product for me.

Glad to hear it!

> I wish Mitel the best of luck and I hope Mitel will provide us
> with a great product like e-smith.

Thanks to you!

- Kim

[Kim Morrison]

Version 5.0 will be available for download in a few weeks.

- Kim

[Jason Ebacher]

Could you list some of the new additional features, I would love to know whats coming down the pipe so I can make some plans as in hardware to use for some testing, and will it be a upgrade or will we have to do a reinstall of the OS?

Thanks,
Jason

[Mike Smith]

I love E-Smith, its a great linux version and i hope mintel continues to work on it.  How are they making money if it is free?  Advertising the name?  What are some new features?  Any screen shots?( :p )  
Thanks.
Mike Smith
P.S. Keep the Great! work up. there should be a chating server built into e-smith and maybe someother type of server like IRC maybe.  that would be kool also Frontpage extensions for the MS people and a asp type thing plus PHP4

[Dan Brown]

There are people working on adding an IM server to e-smith (jabber, IIRC).  Frontpage isn't likely to happen from e-smith; it's a security hole big enough to drive a train through.  PHP4 is already included.

Of course, if you want to see these things, you could always try your hand at integrating them.  It doesn't take a huge amount of work, but there's only so much time to go around, and everybody tends to work on what they're personally interested in.

[Tyrone Miles]

THANK GOD NO FRONTPAGE! Must want everyone to have the code red! LOL!

[Peter]

Just had a look at the new pricing list at e-smith.com for the SME-V5

I must say I'm not very pleased!

Whilst I like everything about e-smith and its reliability etc.  The service now on offer is more like a Microsoft solution. I have no problem with the price of Server Base pack other than 90 days support. The Price of other support is questionable.

24 x 7 Alerts  If my or my customers server/s is down or has problems I know it. I can get it to e-mail me why via reports anywhere, no charge.

Anti Virus protection:   Always good but there are others that will work in SME

Mail Protection:  Why!  If my server is down my ISP will automatically store it until  I'm back up. If it's my ISP that is down how can you contact them to collect my mail and if he has not got a backup mail server he will not be my ISP of very long.

DNS  It cost about UK £15 or $25 per year

VPN I can do this now without any extra hardware and the software is free via open source

How will I be able to justify all the added cost to my/your customers?

[Dan Brown]

So what you're saying is that you don't think ServiceLink is worth the money.  OK, fine--don't use it.  Just pay for the standard support contract at $595/year.  What are you complaining about?

[Peter]

Dan it's my understanding that the standard support pack is at $595 per 90 days and not per year ?

[Dan Brown]

No, the $595/90 days is for ServiceLink.  Server Support only (w/o servicelink) is $595/year.  See http://www.e-smith.com/pdfs/products_table_8.23.pdf.

That said, there's a mention of prerequisites, which is somewhat unclear.

[Scott Smith]

Dan

The pricing situation is unclear when some of the statements on the forum and developers list are compared with the information posted here:

http://www.e-smith.com/pdfs/products_table_8.23.pdf

First let me say that the base server package is still freely available via download and is fee-free. No disputes there.

But, from the way some people talk, you can still get support for the basic server for $595/year, just as with prior e-smith products. That would be nice, then you'd just be paying for ServiceLink if you needed/wanted to.

However... as I read it (see the above link) that is not the case.

According to the price sheet, you can get 1 year of server support for $595 BUT only if you first purchase ESL-B03 or ESL-B12 (those are the ServiceLink Base Packs.) This is how I understand the use of the term "Prerequisite" that is listed with all products except for the first two. Which means the cheapest offering that includes 1 year of server support is ESL-B03 +PLUS+ ESV-X12, which is $1190.

It also means that with 12 months of ServiceLink at $1,885, plus 12 months of server support at $595, plus 12 months of Mail Protection at $1,295, plus 12 months of VPM at $795 -- in other words, a fully loaded SME V5 server -- is $4,570 per year (equivalent to ~$381 per month.)

I'd be happy for someone at Mitel to tell me that is not the case, but that is what the price sheet says due to the inclusion of the term "Prerequisite". If it is in fact not the case, then the price sheet definitely needs to be reworded.

Scott