PHPGW, SM, Promethius, and Open Source

[Luke E. <leh...@cs...>]

Some really cool things are happening to SquirrelMail.  I never realized how
popular we are becoming.  Check out our SourcEForge statistics.
https://sourceforge.net/project/stats/?group_id=311

I think I've talked with you guys before about the discussions I've been in
with PHPGroupWare, but they've started to go to a new level.  I wanted to see
what you guys thought before continuing without your concent.

Promethius (PIMP webmail) and PHPGW are both doing similar things with what we
were hoping to do with SM2 (standardized API backend).  The more I've been
thinking, it is really stupid for us to duplicate work that has been done many
times before.  During these discussions with these guys, it's become clear that
we are all very similar.

PHPGW has developed APIs very similar to what we are needing for SquirrelMail.
In fact, they ported SquirrelMail 1 over to their APIs last week.  Anyway, they
are wanting us to join with them in helping to make these APIs generic enough
to be used in other projects (i.e. Squirrelmail).  What this would mean is that
we use PHPGWAPI (possibly renamed Zookeeper, but that's still in discussion
with them).  In return, we work with them in getting everything we need build
into these APIs.

They are very open to our "demands", or what we need to be in these APIs.  If
we work with them now, we would have the power of the PHPGW developers behind
us, and us them.

My main concern with this is that SquirrelMail stays an entity of its own.  Not
because I don't want SM to be included in PHPGW, but because all of our users
don't want the whole groupware thing, they just want webmail.  I made this
point very clear to them, and they assure me this wouldn't happen.

What this would be doing is taking advantage of the open source model.  Tehre
are no boundaries between "competition", and I really do see this as boosting
both of our projects forward.  Not only would this boost SM2 development way
ahead, but it also provides them with a kick-butt webmail client and some of
the best developers on the earth working with them on their API stuff (i.e.
you).  :)

I would like all of us (including their developers) to get together next week
some time in an IRC room.  Would Tuesday afternoon at about 1:30 (EST) work for
you guys?  I realize you're at work, but maybe you could stop by for a half
hour and present some of your concerns and we could all talk about the
possibilities.

What do you think about these possiblities?  (please do write back, response to
other emails has been minimal, but this is pivotal to our future)

Thanks!
Luke
-- 
    _
   . .   Luke Ehresman - "Codito, ergo sum"
 /  v  \  lu...@sq... 
/(     )\  http://www.css.tayloru.edu/~lehresma
  ^^ ^^     (Move sig for great justice)