[SOLVED] Linux based groupware recommendations

lpallard · 01-30-2011, 03:10 PM

Hello LQ members!

I was initially asking people about their groupware and smartphone recommendations over my smartphone thread (http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ations-859238/) but I realized that the groupware subject was very extensive and would eventually result in a double-subject thread so I've moved the groupware portion of the discussion here...

I am searching for a groupware solution to install on my slackware server. With this application, I want to have similar functionality to microsoft outlook or KDE's kontact (i.e. all in one setup with emails, calendar, contacts, tasks, RSS feeds, etc) therefore eliminating the need for local PIM solutions and their related annoyances such as akonadi (

).

I want to have a working calendar, contacts, email, task list, RSS feeds, etc, and be able to access all these from my networked machines or from my smartphone via wifi, therefore always being synced together. I am not searching for a email server. I am using Gmail and will continue to use it. For the email portion, this groupware environment will only act as a email client (retrieving and sending emails to/from Gmail servers). I recognize I could use Kontact and akonadi on my laptop and sync my mobile device via either wireless or bluetooth. Having the server running 24/7, I figured it would be better to centralize this in the same box as the other network services and not have to rely on my laptop (its also a "testing" machine so experience tells me that I shouldnt rely on it

)

This solution should be 100% linux based and compatible with slackware.

Unfortunately, most solutions I already found are not ready for slackware and seems pretty complex to compile and install.

Anybody having a similar setup? For example, the M$ exchange server paired with blackberry devices would be a windows based equivalent solution to what I am searching for...

Will be waiting for recommendations!

Thanks to all!

serafean · 01-31-2011, 10:20 AM

Not sure if you're looking for a webbased UI for these things, or a server that serves this, however I know of Horde that could do (at the lease) the WebUI part (maybe more, haven't experimented too much with it).

Serafean

sag47 · 01-31-2011, 10:25 AM

Amahi does calendaring and other tasks. Though I'm not sure if you're looking for a production environment equivalent. This is more for home use.

lpallard · 01-31-2011, 12:54 PM

Thabnks guys for these recommendations! This is a hot topic right now as I need to find a solution soon, kdepim is not functional (due to the fact that it is relying on akonadi and because I got rid of KDE alltogether). For now I am back on the old school PIM: paper calendar and email thru Gmail...

I will look at both Horde and Amahi and post back. For now, Amahi seems to be a complete server environment!? That would mean getting rid of my existing setup? If so I cant afford that. I need something that can be installed within my existing server...

Anybody heard of these: Citadel, Scalix, eGroupware, Zimbra?

salasi · 01-31-2011, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lpallard

Anybody heard of these: Citadel, Scalix, eGroupware, Zimbra?

Well this would probably be a useful article...if it wasn't from 2005. I looked a while back and was, at that time, impressed by Citadel and eGroupware, but, to be honest, things can change so fast and I don't know what the pace of development has been on those two in the interim, that I don't think that there is much useful that I can add.

lpallard · 01-31-2011, 09:36 PM

Mmmmm... have you tried to setup horde before? I am having a hard time with the database creation. I start the setup script in /scripts/setup.php and follow the steps one by one & at the end it says:

Quote:

Writing configuration file

A fatal error occured

DB Error: connect failed

Details have been logged for the administrator.

horde.log contains:

Quote:

Jan 31 21:30:53 HORDE [emergency] [horde] DB Error: connect failed: [nativecode=Access denied for user 'horde'@'localhost' (using password: YES)] ** mysql(mysql)://horde:PASSWORD@unix(/var/run/mysql/mysql.sock)/horde?persistent=&charset=utf-8&ssl= [pid 1784 on line 398 of "/var/www/htdocs/horde/lib/Horde/Perms/sql.php"]

I believe it is a permission or password problem.... I literally tried everything... Create the DB with their script, with a different webUI tool (webmin), with mysql -u root -p < create.mysql.sql from the scripts directory, all bringing me to this result...

I'd like to have it running before I comment on it...

thanks!

frndrfoe · 01-31-2011, 09:42 PM

Have you looked at Zimbra? That's as close as we could get before having to go with Exchange for enterprise calendar.

lpallard · 01-31-2011, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Have you looked at Zimbra?

Big time but it seems rather difficult to get running on slackware... No native support and nobody built a package... building my own looks pretty tough

lpallard · 02-01-2011, 10:59 PM

Ok I've looked at Horde, installed it properly (the error above was due to typo in my password...) and I am pretty impressed!! If it runs well and no major problems within the next fee weeks, I'll be looking for a 100% compatible smartphone like an android based phone or an iphone. If anybody has recommendations for smartphones, please give them at http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ations-859238/ and share your comments!

thanks!!