[Kolab-devel] How to get involved?

[Sascha Deutschkron]

Am Montag, 11. Januar 2010 22:49:17 schrieb 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!
> >
>     >> Mail at ease - Rent a kolab groupware server at p at rdus <<
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
Hi Gunnar,

thanks for your answer. Yes, I plan to write a local Kolab client for Android. 
Therefore I enlisted with this forum here because I thought that would be the 
correct place to start. But the more I think about it the more I get the 
impression that I will have to start a new open source project of my own.
Intentionally I wanted to join an open source community to achieve my plans. 
And I thought kolab-devel would be a community to develop Kolab clients. Was I 
wrong?
If so, I will simply start my own little project.

Sorry for asking maybe dumb questions but although I'm working with open 
source now for about 15 years, I never came around to join one community. And 
now that I finally find the time for it, it seems that I have to start my own 
community - right?

Cheers
Sascha

-- 
Fear can hold you prisoner.
Hope can set you free!
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