Topic: Somewhat Newbie question....

[Ron Blaschke]

OK,

Here is what I am wanting to do, and I landed here after some good references....

1.  Web based email and local email server.  I want to be able to access email from the web and from local PC running Outlook 2000.

2.  Calendar.  I would like private and shared calendar function...much like Hotmail, but with the ability to have a shared calendar, and possibly check someone elses calendar.

3.  Shared and private address books.

Will this software do this?  If not please point me to a software (free or not) that will do what I am wanting....

Thanks very much!

Ron

[guestHH]

Hi,

1. Standard functionality

2. Additional 'module' e.g. sherpath. phpproject, etc.

3. See No. 2.

In short easaly possible.

Regards,
guestHH

[chris meredith]

At the cost of being strung up, let me recommend Exchange 2000.  It is the best groupware server I have run.  You get your shared calendar and contacts, and a nice Webmail server.

I have used a few Linux based solutions for pop/imap/web based mail, and they work great.  E-Smith is hands down the easiest of the lot to get working.  Once you add groupware functionality though, Microsoft seems to work the best (yes I have tried Notes, and don't like it).

For the downside on Exchange, it costs a lot.  Expect to spend $700-$800 for a 5 user license, plus a Win2k Server license (another $700 or so) and you need a nice robust box.  All in all, you figure on spending $2000-$2500 for around 5 users.  As you scale up in users and sites, your costs will increase, but with an enterprise level budget it doesn't seem like that big of a hit.

Also, with Exchange Webmail you get IIS, so be prepared to patch like there is no tomorrow.  Maybe you could get Webmail working with Apache, but I haven't seen it done.

[John Crisp]

Exchange is all very well and good if you happen to be a Windoze/Exchange guru, but it isn't at all easy to setup and run especially if you are a beginner at it.

I don't dispute it's good. BUT.

E-smith is a very neat, easy to install and run, solution. Not necessarily as fancy, but just as efficient and much cheaper. Plus you get a great bunch of people in these forums who will do their best to get you going.

That's my 2 cents worth

John

[Ron Blaschke]

Well Exchange is well and good.  I have some experience with Exchange, but I do not want Exchange for my small business email.  I am looking at a max of 10 users.

So the e-smith sounds promising...

Could anyone please point me twords the "add ons" for the calendar and group address book?

Thanks.

Ron

[John Crisp]

>

http://www.e-smith.org/cgi-bin/contrib.cgi

Have a look there for starters.

B. Rgds
John

[Ron Blaschke]

OK,

I am somewhat confused now.....

Is e-smith just a server and gateway??? Not an email server?

I am really confused...

I like the look of SUSE Email III but at 1k it is a little steep for 10 users....

I have looked at Twiggi also...

Please learn me as to what exactly e-smaith is...

[guestHH]

Hi Ron,

Mitel SME is a networkserver (acting as a NT PDC if you wish) Printserver, Webserver, Mailserver, Firewall.

Next to these features there are multiple GPL projects that can be implemented on Mitel SME.

One alternative to the exchange functionality would be www.sherpath.org. Twiggy is another one as is phpproject. There are many options to choose from.

Don't be confused just give it a try on a test server and play with it. It's only you that can give the definite answer.

There are no dumb questions, so you're not alone in your quest.....

Regards,
guestHH

[Ron Blaschke]

OK so if I understand this SME is a full Linux Distro??

Or do I need Mandrake/SUSE/Red Hat/Slackware installed first then SME?

[Dan Brown]

The best source for the answers to many of these questions would be the manual, which is handily linked from this very page.