Mozilla's Sunbird Reviewed 208
comforteagle writes "Mozilla Sunbird is the latest stand-alone application from the Mozilla foundation that follows in the footsteps of now revered browser Firefox and email client Thunderbird. OSDir reviews their first public release, version 0.2. Screenshots included."
that's 0.2 not 2.0 (Score:5, Interesting)
if they make it so I can sync with my P900 that'd be a big plus.
Actually... (Score:5, Interesting)
Kjella
Problems with remote calendars (Score:3, Interesting)
Duh... (Score:3, Interesting)
You totally have your chickens and eggs backward.
Netscape comes from Mozilla, not the other way around. All of it's functionality is imported directly from the "development version", Mozilla. That's why now that we have a new stable Mozilla platform, lo and behold, Netscape 7.2 is announced!
As for the calendar app, it's a clone of Outlook's calendar page. With 100's of thousands of users already accustomed to using it's UI, there is a lot of sense into trying to make the user comfortable with a familiar look and feel. iCal is probably a similar clone of Outlook, hence the similarities.
Apple and Mozilla are both missing the point... (Score:5, Interesting)
Woo hoo. WebDAV. Could I be any *less* excited? WebDAV calendars are not going to replace a *real* calendaring/scheduling system any time soon...
Unfortunately, even open-source project I've seen that has attempted to tackle this problem has very quickly fallen apart.
Please, somebody, take a look at Corporate Time or the older Netscape Calendar Server. *That's* what we need. An LDAP-integrated, replicable, multi-user calendaring/scheduling system with a web client that was pretty much the equal of the full client application and integrated quite nicely with the email client.
Netscape SuiteSpot is what made Netscape Communicator Pro make sense. If anyone out there in a development team would like it, I would be more than happy to provide a copy of my my old SuiteSpot CD for reference/testing purposes...
Re:Actually... (Score:1, Interesting)
Mozilla has tons of infrastructure technology, but right now they are copy-pasting it into every application.
Re:FP (Score:2, Interesting)
Don't forget the extensions for Firefox/Tbird (Score:3, Interesting)
The Thunderbird extension is a different story, because the extension system does not seem to be in place. I followed the directions to go to tools -> options -> extensions button, and there is no extensions button.
A failing of Thunderbird 0.7.3, it seems, maybe it is in the nightlies, dunno.
All I can say is: If Sunbird follows the kick-ass nature of Firefox/Tbird, this seperate "suite" is going to be perfect, IMO.
Heck, Firefox fixed (read: got rid of) the find toolbar, and Thunderbird would be perfect if they added a "Sync" button to avoid the File -> offline -> download/sync -> press enter if setup, but remember it only is available if you've clicked on your PRIMARY ACCOUNT/Folders.
Arugh!
Yet more clicking and re-accessing the menu.
C'mon guys (and gals) I LIKE buttons that make life easier.
Heck, I like blinky lights and shiney objects, too!
OOOoooo!
Where was I?
Re:Innovation (Score:5, Interesting)
Not to say that calendars couldn't improve. Sunbird could do things like allow for RSS feeds from public calendar sites such as a theoretical ticketmaster or local band, theater, sports team, etc.
You do a pub/sub thing and when you look at your calendar you can filter through events or ideas and see events that you may be interested in and when they are. Why browse 5-10 different web sites when are trying to schedule a cookout or meeting with clients?
In fact I have been thinking about adding publish/subscribe type features to some of my company's products.
Sunbird's OK but kinda buggy (Score:5, Interesting)
And like I said, it's buggy. For example, I sucked in my old Outlook calendar in ical format using a converter, and it kinda puked on recurring appointments with exceptions. In fact, it appears that if you have a weekly meeting but you try to delete more than 5 or so of the individual recurrences, it starts forgetting about some of them! Pretty annoying. As a result, the old Outlook habit of setting up a weekly dept meeting, and then hitting delete on individual meetings that are cancelled doesn't work with Sunbird.
Still looking for a decent group calendaring app for UNIX users.
Exchange Server? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Exchange Server? (Score:2, Interesting)
Anyway
Re:Innovation (Score:2, Interesting)
Regards,
Steve
Re:Mozilla tries the unintegrated method. (Score:1, Interesting)
But that explains how Apple can do things like reinvent Active Desktop/HTAs as "Dashboard" and sell it like it's the greatest new idea ever. Maybe they were just totally unaware that MS did 8 years ago.
Re:Apple and Mozilla are both missing the point... (Score:3, Interesting)
The mental hurdle that I have with WebDAV systems is how to implement the ability for someone else to add an unconfirmed meeting to your calendar. With WebDAV, it would seem you either have read access (no additions at all), or write access (add anything you want, including confirmed meetings and deleting other meetings). Specialized calendaring protocols can compartmentalize this type of thing.
Rob
Re:Actually... (Score:4, Interesting)
How about this system: each program can save data nuggets for other programs in data "gifts" little chunks of data encoded in XML or other easy format. Then the other programs can look in their "gift inbox", and choose which stuff to integrate.
This has two advantages:
1. programs dont have to have access to other programs data files. The control is always in the hands of the destination app, because gifts can be rejected at any time.
2. programs dont have to understand other programs data stuctures, or adapt to changes in database format.
3. For security, there could be shared keys in each program, that the gifts get touched with. So a program can choose to accept or reject gifts based on source.
4. It can extend to multi system environments with shared inboxes.
I know thats 4 not 2 but I got carried away.
Any comments?
an example:
a URL "gift" could be sent to Firefoxes Bookmarks menu. A contact "gift" could be sent to Thunderbird's Address book.