Topic: webmail interface

[sodjazero]

Is there a contrib to change the way webmail looks? Is there a more "user friendly" version of it? Is there anyway to make it look more like yahoo, or gmail or godaddy webmail?

Just wondering, I will be doing Sme 7 server install soon for a company in the near future.

Thanks for the input

[Stefano]

Hi

I've searched a lot for Horde themes but no success..

If you want something fast, light and ONLY for mail, take a look at roundcube in the wiki

HTH
Ciao
Stefano

[mrjhb3]

Hi

I've searched a lot for Horde themes but no success..

If you want something fast, light and ONLY for mail, take a look at roundcube in the wiki

HTH
Ciao
Stefano

Not sure how or what you were searching on, but there have always been horde themes.  To find them, login to webmail, options, global options, display options, select your color theme.

John

[gzartman]

There are a number of webmail alternatives out there that can be installed on SME.   It really depends on what you are looking for.  Roundcube is definitely a better looking interface than Horde, but doesn't offer quite the functionality.

Zarafa offers a nice interface for those who are accustom to using Outlook.  There is a demo setup here:  http://zarafa.com/ 

Just recently a group of SME users have developed a preliminary Zarafa contrib for SME, listed in the Wiki.

[mrjhb3]

There are a number of webmail alternatives out there that can be installed on SME.   It really depends on what you are looking for.  Roundcube is definitely a better looking interface than Horde, but doesn't offer quite the functionality.

Zarafa offers a nice interface for those who are accustom to using Outlook.  There is a demo setup here:  http://zarafa.com/ 

Just recently a group of SME users have developed a preliminary Zarafa contrib for SME, listed in the Wiki.

Zarafa's interface is definitley much better looking than horde's and looks just as good as Zimbra's to me.  The only drawback I see is for those that want to sync contacts, calendar, etc, you have to buy a license from Zarafa if you have more than 10 users that want to do this.

Me personally, I haven't looked at Zarafa, so I don't know about it's setup, how or if you can customize it, if there are any issues with backing up/restoring data, etc.

John

[gzartman]

Zarafa's interface is definitley much better looking than horde's and looks just as good as Zimbra's to me.  The only drawback I see is for those that want to sync contacts, calendar, etc, you have to buy a license from Zarafa if you have more than 10 users that want to do this.

Perhaps egroupware would be a good alternative then.  The interface isn't as nice as Zarafa, but you can easily sync data.

[Stefano]

Not sure how or what you were searching on, but there have always been horde themes.  To find them, login to webmail, options, global options, display options, select your color theme.

John

Hi..

thank you, but I was looking for a different theme.. something lighter and with more appeal

Ciao
Stefano

[CharlieBrady]

thank you, but I was looking for a different theme.. something lighter and with more appeal

Create one!

[calisun]

Create one!

that was not very helpful.

I can understand sodjazero's concern, if one is used to using googlemail, hotmail or yahoo; horde seems very klunky and cumbersome. It took me a while to get used to Horde, and even now there are some functions about it that drive me crazy. Now after update to SME7.4 a lot of things function better, but it still looks clunky.

Sodjazero, if you are willing to look beyond the looks, Horde does have a lot to offer with a lot of functions not available on "pritty" looking distros. Plus if you install contribs for Horde ( Kronolith, mnemo, nag, mimp - see contribs section for details http://wiki.contribs.org/Category:Contrib)  than horde becomes one awsome groupware system.

But if you are really set on using "pritty" looking email client, look here:

 
http://wiki.contribs.org/Category:Mail
http://wiki.contribs.org/Category:Groupware

[gzartman]

that was not very helpful.

It's reality.   Everyone has the choice to either pay companies like Microsoft thousands of dollars, along with the technical expertise to deploy it, to provide turnkey solutions OR "do it yourself" with free software.

This is kind of like remodeling your house yourself.  Might be difficult and time consuming, but there's something to be said for sweat equity.

Bottom line is the OP wants a pretty interface.   Typically pretty interfaces mean quite alot more work from a development standpoint and this comes at a premium.  Horde certainly provides all the functionality of any mainstream groupware app.  It just isn't as pretty as what Exchange can offer.

Apps like Zarafa certainly get us close in terms of look and feel to what Exchange can offer

[calisun]

I was not talking about "satisfaction" one gets from doing something themselves, I was talking about helping someone that is not technically proficient.
If someone who is not technically proficient asks for help and you answer them "Create one!" how is that going to help them?
That is the exact reason why many businesses don't bother getting into linux. I have talked to many business owners and they said that they will never go to linux because people on linux forums are rude and condescending.
I had many business owners requesting for me to install Microsoft or Macintosh system at greater cost so they don't have to deal with that attitude.

And if he wants "pretty interface" why do people have to make negative comments? Some people like pritty interfaces, some don't, to each its own.
Lets just give him options, like I did with the links and let him decide.

But as far as Zarafa, I would not recomment that to someone who is not technically proficcient. Especially when it says in the wiki: "Risk of inconsistencies with SME methodology, upgrades & functionality is high. Must be knowledgeable about how changes impact their SME Server, Significant risk of irreversible harm. "

[CharlieBrady]

And if he wants "pretty interface" why do people have to make negative comments? Some people like pritty interfaces, some don't, to each its own.

It's your interpretation that a comment is negative. I don't see "Create one!" as a negative comment.

Lets just give him options, like I did with the links and let him decide.

If you wish to provide the theming that the OP wants then go right ahead.

I have talked to many business owners and they said that they will never go to linux because people on linux forums are rude and condescending.

Nobody says that business owners need to go to linux forums. They can buy support from competent professionals.

[gzartman]

I was not talking about "satisfaction" one gets from doing something themselves, I was talking about helping someone that is not technically proficient.

Neither was I.  I was trying to make a very simple point:  Either spend the money to get something done or personally spend the time to get it done. 

That is the exact reason why many businesses don't bother getting into linux. I have talked to many business owners and they said that they will never go to linux because people on linux forums are rude and condescending.

I had many business owners requesting for me to install Microsoft or Macintosh system at greater cost so they don't have to deal with that attitude.

That is a ridiculous set of statements.   Businesses do not make decisions based on the the behavior of individuals in a support forum.  They base their decisions on money -- the bottom line.

Speaking mainly about workstations:  Windows is the defacto standard in the workplace, just about everyone on the planet has at least seen windows, and just about everyone who gets a college education gets it while working with windows machines.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the cost of switching to something other than windows in the workplace goes well beyond the price of software.

On the other hand, Apache is the most widely used web server on the planet by quite a large margin. 

Not seeing the support forum connection here.

But as far as Zarafa, I would not recomment that to someone who is not technically proficcient. Especially when it says in the wiki: "Risk of inconsistencies with SME methodology, upgrades & functionality is high. Must be knowledgeable about how changes impact their SME Server, Significant risk of irreversible harm. "

This statement has been attached to this contrib because it is a work in progress and not completely turnkey.  Perhaps at some point it will be, but at this point the novice will have a hard time installing it.  This statement has nothing to do at all with the usability of the application itself. 

I'm not defending Zarafa.  I don't even use it.  I'm just pointing out your incorrect statement.

Bottom line is that there are many alternatives out there for SME users.  Some cost money, some don't.  Some cost time, some don't.  It is use to the user to decide which is more important.

[calisun]

Quote from: CharlieBrady on Today at 09:13:41 PM

    Nobody says that business owners need to go to linux forums. They can buy support from competent professionals.


Couple of years ago, couple of business owners (who are friends but in different businesses) asked me for a bid on a new network/ server installation in their offices. I gave them 3 different bids: Linux, windows and macintosh. They decided to do some research on their own before they made a decision. They decided to ask around on different forums for peoples opinions.
They both said that they were treated very rude and users were condescending twords them on couple of different linux forums.
They said they had very pleasant expariance on Macintosh forums, so they decided to go with Macintosh Xserve system. Even if the price was much more than linux system.

Quote from: gzartman on Today at 10:01:03 PM

    Businesses do not make decisions based on the the behavior of individuals in a support forum.  They base their decisions on money -- the bottom line.


That is not true, if it was all about money, why woould anybody purchase windows when one can get a free very good windows replacement Ubuntu?
Why would anybody purchase Microsoft Office when one can get free Open Office?

If it was all about bottom line, nobody would purchase Macintosh Xserve or SUN server if you can get linux box for 1/2 the price.

[calisun]

Anyway, this topic is getting way off topic.

Sadjazero, my recommendation is this:

Sodjazero, if you are willing to look beyond the looks, Horde does have a lot to offer with a lot of functions not available on "pretty" looking distros. Plus if you install contribs for Horde ( Kronolith, mnemo, nag, mimp - see contribs section for details http://wiki.contribs.org/Category:Contrib)  than horde becomes one awesome groupware system.

But if you are really set on using "pretty" looking email client, look here:

 
http://wiki.contribs.org/Category:Mail
http://wiki.contribs.org/Category:Groupware