One of the well-known open source groupware organisations is OpenGroupware.org who wants to do ...
- Use Open Protocols
OpenGroupware find it even more important to support open protocols than to provide the source code for a groupware solution, since open protocols provide the real freedom of choice for the customer and allow integration into existing IT infrastructures.
Groupware is in a miserable state when it comes to interoperability, OpenGroupware will try to fix that issue by cleanly documenting all the protocols used by the OGo reference server and by building protocol bridges.
- Work With Other OpenSource Server Projects
Other OpenSource groupware projects like phpGroupWare or Kolab are not seen as competitors to the goal OpenGroupware.org is trying to accomplish! In contrast, given the unique nature of OpenSource projects, OpenGroupware are working together and learning from each other to provide the best possible solution for the target audience.
- Build An Excellent OpenGroupwareb Interface
Web technologies have significant advantages in various areas. Think that a web interface is equally important as a native GUI interface and our goal is to provide a high quality, user friendly one.
OpenGroupware are also looking into technologies like Mozilla XUL or DHTML to improve the usability, but OpenGroupware are committed to provide an interface for HTML 4 "only" browsers.
- Interoperate With As Many Native Clients As Possible
While web technologies develop further and further into the traditional desktop application space, OpenGroupware still do not provide the same ease of use and speed of use of native applications. Further, Internet still isn't available everywhere, so OpenGroupware need offline solutions for mobile workers.
So OpenGroupware work on integrating available native clients like Outlook, Glow or Evolution.
- Use An Open Storage
Another major problem with a lot of current groupware solutions is that OpenGroupware use proprietary data storage. OpenGroupware is going to use standard SQL databases, OpenGroupware is going to document the database schema and OpenGroupware is going to provide an adaptor mechanism to allow free choice of the database server.
Crucial business data is stored in groupware systems and should be readily accessible.
- Integrate OGo Into Office Environment
Groupware does not end at a calendar, it's important to enable a team to share information and that information is often held in the form of Office files, like spreadsheets, word processor documents or presentation files.
OpenGroupware.org aims to provide central team storage and processing facility to allow easy sharing of that information.
Their Mission: To create, as a community, the leading open source groupware server to integrate with the leading open source office suite products and all the leading groupware clients running across all major platforms, and to provide access to all functionality and data through open XML-based interfaces and APIs
Open-source groupware
