Topic: SME has Competition ?? ClarkeConnect now = ClearOS

[stephen noble]

to create a server-manager panel to manage users, groups, roles ecc.

smeserver-zarafa already has two panels, check smetest or cvs

[shawnbishop]

Yep...Zafara and LDAP...nice, I have managed to get it working..Zafara that is, not the integration..

[Stefano]

smeserver-zarafa already has two panels, check smetest or cvs

ok.. I'm going to test it asap

thank you

[soprom]

I'm testing CC and comparing both systems (sme7). My notes are here:

Why bother?

Now that CC goes free, contributors will have a better look at ClearOS and some energy-merging may be possible.  With SME-s falling behind because of a lack of dev resources, ClearOS has the advantage with a paid dev-team.  If ClearOS accomodates for "contributions from the ouside", it may take a definite lead.  As it is a substitue for Exchange, which SME-s is not, there again, it has the avdantage.

http://drupal.logiciel-libre.org/compare-sme7-clearos

[Elliott]

I'm testing CC and comparing both systems (sme7). My notes are here:

http://drupal.logiciel-libre.org/compare-sme7-clearos

Thanks... interesting to see from an SME users perspective.

[soprom]

smeserver-zarafa already has two panels, check smetest or cvs

Rather one panel. CFG panel is empty...

[Stefano]

Rather one panel. CFG panel is empty...

yes.. and, as far as I understand, I have to create users.. so this contrib uses zarafa db (mysql) backend.. I'd prefer unix backend (i.e. SME users/groups) or ldap one..

just a question.. where is the proper place to discuss about this plugin development? bugzilla? dev's ML? private mail?

thank you

[soprom]

just a question.. where is the proper place to discuss about this plugin development? bugzilla? dev's ML? private mail?

Well, believe or not, I would bet on the bugtracker!!!

[byte]

I'm testing CC and comparing both systems (sme7). My notes are here:

http://drupal.logiciel-libre.org/compare-sme7-clearos

That's really like testing apples and oranges, and technically you could say it's not a true comparsion as SME Server 7 is based on CentOS 4.x where as CC is based on CentOS 5.x, a better comparsion would be SME Server 8beta.x as that is based on CentOS 5.x.

[soprom]

That's really like testing apples and oranges

No sir! My comparison will be dealing with 2 systems that are currently supported, and in "stable" state.  SME8 is beta with no contribs.  ClearOS will be same as CC5-enterprise.

Technically, it could be Debian, Suse, or anything else. Just 2 supported, stable, free server distros.

[byte]

No sir! My comparison will be dealing with 2 systems that are currently supported, and in "stable" state.  SME8 is beta with no contribs.

You say your comparison is with 2 systems of which both are in a stable state but that is again not true as ClearOS  5.1 is in beta mode at the moment is it not ?

[soprom]

I'm using CC5-enterprise for my comparison...
I don't see any point in comparing 2 centos4 systems since it is not relevent.

[soprom]

After spending some time comparing what I can do with both distros, I come to the conclusion that I must be prudent before I use ClearOS.  The list of contribs for SME-Server is the main indicator of what I mean. It is impressive and I did not find a contributor's space in ClearOS.

Reading the ClearOS webconfig php sources, with the little knowledge of php that I have, let me think it is not easy or organized to receive contributors addons. In other word, ClearOS does not appear to be contributor friendly like SME-Service is with no doubt.  As a dev-team usually works on ideas they approved, with SME-Server, someone can work on it independently with no problem. Recent examples of this: zarafa, openvpn-bridge, ejabberd, etc.

With a single line of instructions I can install Scuttle, and with a few ones, I can install eGroupware, etc...

If someone needs only what ClearOS offers out-of-the-box, it's a good choice.  But if we need an open-minded system, SME-Server is better structure to adapt to new software. 

Also, being able to do almost everything from the command line is a big point in favour of SME-server for those who have to maintain many sites, remotedly.

It is obvious that SME8 is overdue and that it hurts to certain point.  But "jumping the ship", as someone put it, might not be a good advise.  Unless contributors find their way into CLearOS's menu system, the strenght of SME-Server is in its contribs and howtos.

For a user like me, it translates into a system that will adapt to needs that I don't know about, yet.

My 3 cents...

[barrief]

All right! ,  I read all, staying away of attacks and others bad words, we, SME users / power users, etc we have to be patient.

I use SME now for years, and I will continue as many of us.   the shiny and modern look is not sufficient to me to jump somewhere else.

I'll keep SME 7.4 for my basic disk  and file sharing functions, with backuppc and openvpn plugged into it.  And as  I need mysql 5 and PHP 5, my idea is to build a debian vmware server with SME on one V box and some debian server (or similar) to home applications who needs mysql 5 with php 5. Purpose is to wait SME8 . when this version will comes up - it will it will.. - will be the time to move back everything on SME 8.

don't be desperate when you see few users online : I come here every 3 months... BUT I have a daily look on distro watch to check if SME 8 is out. the day will come ...

We have just to be patient, not easy in this world where everyone wants everything now.....

rgds
Fred.

[Amir Inbar]

I think you all are overlooking something very important.

the fact that we all comment here says that we all care for SME and that we all use it and enjoy it's benefits.
The Important thing i think should be to understand the needs of the admin that installs SME and to understand what will affect her/him to choose SME over other distros.

I think that it is obvious now that SME as a core system is very reliable and stable and has very good basic features that  comes along with it.

For me, this community is one of the 1st things that influenced my choice and caused me to install SME at most of my clients.
Another important thing for me is the option to add functionalities (contribs) and the fact that the dev team and the community are checking the contribs and helping fix things when they happen !

BUT

The long time that takes between upgrades is something i took as a "price" for such a good distro.
It start to be in the way when i can't install NEW third party software on SME - just because it is old and doesn't fulfill the minimum requirements for most of what i want to install !!!

SME8 is on the way - yes, i know, and i do understand the time it takes for dev team to actually do the work but 8 is in BETA and since it's in BETA, no contribs are released.

Also, i don't know if the fact that 8 is in the background dosent affect contributors to "hold" thire ideas and to wait with releasing new contribs for 7 !!!

I don't know how many installations of SME include contribs but for me, this is one of the things that makes SME something i can just integrate at the customer and afterwords add functions to the server with a click of a keyboard !

Giving the community an option to test SME8 without its contribs may be the reason for fewer testers than years before - i did install SME8 on one of my test servers but what interest me most with the new version is how it works with the current contribs and what other new exciting contribs will be added to it since it supports all the new generation of servers and applications.

In short, since i am NOT a developer, the only way i can help is by testing SME8 and i will want to do that when it will contain the stuff that i need and use and know how it should be working.

I don't know and don't understand the considerations for including or excluding stuff from the BETA version or what must happen for the BETA to become RC but i do want to start using the next generation of SME and i am patiently waiting for it to happen.