[Zope] Re: Aethera server and functionalities + ZOPE

[Shawn Gordon]

Hi Nicolas,

Here is my quick response on the items I can answer directly:

At 09:44 PM 1/24/2001, Nicolas Pettiaux wrote:
>Dear Mr Shawn,
>
>THank you for your recent mail.
>
>As I said i a recent message, in order to move my institution towards
>open-source products and related services, I need the appropriate tools and
>services.
>
>For me, the KDE applications, aethera and kivio, you are developping, are
>such tools we ( = the community + I) have long expected.
>
>I need a groupware solution (that can use our LDAP directory) closely
>linked to shared calendars, shared folders, connection to PIM (IPAQ and
>Palm V), email lists ...
>
>As the ICT manager, I have a rather strong influence on where we will spend
>our money and how ( for me, this is rather buying services we can rely on
>than products that are closed and that will soon appear not open enough, and
>too limitative)
>
>We are decided to use more and more ZOPE as a backend and server. have you
>considered using ZOPE as the server , for example for the shared calendars,
>for aethera ? How coul I help you considering ZOPE for such a use : this
>would be really convenient for us as it would mean we could integrate aethera
>and the  web based calendar+groupware+workflow we are considering.

A good explanation of ZOPE would help.  I've heard about it a number of 
times and looked at the site, and I really don't get it from a quick 
look.  ZOPE my be a perfect fit for us, but I don't have enough information 
to evaluate it.

>I suppose such requirements are similar to the ones many companies and
>institutions like mine have. Maybe, all these institutions could team up and
>support you along these lines.
>
>For me a VERY important point you satisfy, and for which once again I want to
>thank you, is that the application be free software.
>
>Some more questions:
>
>1/ which standards are you following for example for the calendaing features
>or the taks and appointment requests ?

Forgive me if I get the latest names wrong, I think it's the iCalendar 
standard we are planning to follow.  I haven't had a good discussion with 
the developers on it yet because of being so busy with getting all the 
latest releases out.

>2/ will the application be compatible with Evolution ?

I have no intention of doing anything with Evolution.

>3/ You say
> > > Python will be woven into all of our applications as a scripting
> > > component.  It isn't there yet, but it will be.
>
>For kivio and aethera, what are your plans (release dates ) ?

We are working on it for Kivio right now, and in the basic planning stages 
for Aethera.  We want to get a basic implementation in Aethera soon to at 
least support the filtering, but I don't know how each beta release will go 
so it's hard to judge.  I would say a few months to be safe.

>4/ How can I help you get further ?
>
>- Try and collect money,
>- find people/teams/developpers especially KDE who could help you and your
>company - or shoudl I say kompany at developping or selling local support ?

People I can get, I've got some great ones now and a ton of resumes from 
some really good people, it's a matter of having the finances to pay for 
them.  Since pieces of Aethera are for sales such as the server and various 
plug ins that extend the functionality, it isn't proper for me to solicit 
free help to work on these things, unless they want to work on the free 
portions of the project.  But if you can raise money it would certainly 
make a difference.

>I am better at that - convincing people and finding money - than at writing
>applications so I'll stick to what I am best of.
>
>Best regards,
>
>Nicolas Pettiaux
>
>--
>Nicolas Pettiaux
>Avenue du Pérou 29
>B-1000 Brussels


Regards,

Shawn Gordon
President
theKompany.com
www.thekompany.com
949-713-3276