[Kolab-devel] How to get involved?

[Gunnar Wrobel]

Hi Sascha,

Quoting Sascha Deutschkron <sascha at deutschkron.de>:

> Hi guys,
>
> I'm a senior software developer - with a new toy: an Android phone.
> I'm also using and administrating Kolab Groupware Server for a  
> couple of years
> now and I just love it.
> Naturally, I want to combine those three passions of mine - software
> development, Android, Kolab.
>
> Therefore, I want to write Kolab clients (calendar, contacts, tasks etc.) for
> the Android system (since I couldn't find any ready solution out there).
>
> How can I get involved? What do I need? How's the process?

Puh, broad question ... :) Let me give you my view as a client  
developer (Kolab webclient / Horde):

I'd start with choosing the technology you want to use. This is  
probably no easy choice. I could imagine the following options:

  1) having a local Kolab client on the android
  2) using a web based Kolab client
  3) Synchronize the data with the server

For 1) the easiest choice would be to look into Kontact: Can you  
compile it for the android and run it there? Which fixes might be  
needed to get it running? Kontact is by far the most tested and  
feature rich Kolab client out there. So being able to use it with  
minor modifications is the best way to go for a local client. Of  
course you could also consider starting from scratch but in my opinion  
coding a complete groupware client is extremely demanding. And for  
Kolab you need all that Kolab Format reading, the IMAP caching and so  
on and so on. Usually takes a lot of time.

For 2) you check how good or bad the current Kolab web client looks on  
the android. What does it need to look better or be more useable?

For 3) you'd look into the different data exchange models the android  
might support. Does it do SyncML or ActiveSync? Other forms of  
synchronization available? Mind you: I consider synchronizing a lot  
less effective than a real client. Synchronizing data usually  
introduces another transport of data and as groupware data tends to be  
complex each synchronization method usually comes with its own set of  
problems.

In all three areas you can expect to be ongoing work to support mobile  
phones. Once you chose the technology check if you can join the effort.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Gunnar

>
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Kindest regards
> Sascha
>
> --
> Fear can hold you prisoner.
> Hope can set you free!
>



-- 
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p at rdus Kolab work is funded in part by KDAB and the Kolab Konsortium

____ http://www.pardus.de _________________ http://gunnarwrobel.de _
E-mail : p at rdus.de                                 Dr. Gunnar Wrobel
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