SyncML and Symbian smartphone support
SyncML is a standard for synchronisation that has been adopted in the Symbian OS used by the majority of smartphones. This will make Lighning compatible with Nokia Series 60/80 handsets and SonyEricsson p900/910 devices plus many more.
Paul A.
Thunderbird-Sunbird/Lightning for Pocket PC
One of the features I miss the most, when using Thunderbird/Sunbird, is the ability to synchronize my calendar and contacts to my Ipaq running pocket PC 2003. Are you going to develop a Pocket PC version of Lightning (Thunderbird/Sunbird)?
I third that notion. If you need to use a Pocket PC, there are no real alternatives to outlook for sync at this time. It would be really nice to use Sunbird/Lightning for this task. Some places to look for inspiration would be the Sync4j project and MultiSync project.
Yet another request in support of this idea. The Pocket PC is my lifeline when I'm away from the PC, so synchronization with my calendar/contacts is vital. Only, please do a better job than the wretched ActiveSync! The HotSync system for Palm, particularly the DataViz sync products, are far superior to ActiveSync in letting the user control how they handle conflicts.
It would also be nice to have some form of 'Shared' calendar functionality, similar to how Outlook's calendar works with M$ Exchange - So users can share a sort-of 'Global' calendar and see each others events. Panther
It could be important for old Outlook users to have the Free/Busy indicator on shared calendars. Merome
Palm Sync & Pocket PC
I Would Like To See Lightning Synchronize With The Palm Date Book.
Please don't forget about the Pocket PC. I would ditch Outlook if there was a Mozilla based project that could replace the contacts, appointments, and other data through the activesync.
Please post information about how to get involved with the development. This Palm Sync with the Mozilla calendar issue has been troubling me for a long time. So far there has been no information on this site except for the fact that this project has been announced.
I could move my company tomorrow if we had this feature. I may even be able to get sponser dollars. How would I go about this?
The folks at Sync4j (http://www.sync4j.org) have an open source product that could be used to sync Palm and PocketPC with Thunderbird. All it needs is someone who can program. They would be keen to help but don't have the resources. I am happy to test but I can't program. Any volunteers?
Exchange
Since Novel has released their exchange interface Open Source will this functionality be included into Lightning? This feature would allow me to switch straight away.
Notes
I was very excited when I heard of the announcement of this project. It has almost everything I need to make the switch. If it includes a "Notes" feature, I would make the switch. Not that me making the switch is very significant for anyone but me.
Other Open Source Projects
Evolution is backending to the opengroupware, which has a html interface to most exchange like functions. I am not sure at which level that lightning could replace outlook. Will it just be on the interface level ? Connecting to an exchange server ?
Red Hat has also recently purchased Netscape from AOL, I believe that this may also include the Netscape Calendering server, which may be an interesting addition to any server side application which may wish to replace exchange.
What is the Public's Desire
As the Product Manager for an application that adds Infuzer powered events and itineraries directly into electronic calendars without the need to cut and paste or type anything(currently Outlook, Lotus Notes and Palm Desktop), I am charged with keeping up with the pulse of consumer demand for supporting new platforms. If I make a case for it, I can pressure our developers to start the process of supporting this project. Let me know if this type of convenience feature is important to all of you. Additionally, sports schedules, public holidays and weather are also "events" that can be added in a single click.
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We need more visibility about this project, a lot of sys admin (like me) are looking to Mozilla Lightning in order to replace their Exchange/Outlook solution. We need an official full description of functionalities and a clear roadmap (what will really be available mid-2005 ?). Please save us from a new couple of years with Outlook/Exchange !
Delayed Sending
In order to achieve professional usability of Mozilla, delayed sending of emails by using date/time of a Calender dropdown (similar to Outlook) should be included.
Actually this feature should appear on a 'most wanted' list.
brgds Manfred
Exchange replacment
I have removed Exchange and replace it with Linux running Cyrus IMAP, Postfix SMTP, Amavisd-new, Spamassassin, ClamAV and OpenLDAP, but the lack of Calendaring is a problem.
Most of my users don't want to work in a web interface (but they do want it available when they are out of the office) Thunderbird with Lightning may be the missing piece of the jigsaw.
Thunderbird / Lightning needs to have an interface to the Cyrus sieve server rules (at the moment we use a webmail plugin to manage the rules).
It also needs to have a Calendar with the ability to view other users calanders and send / receive meeting requests.
A server based address book (LDAP or SQL) so that my contacts are available in Thunderbird / Linghning and Webmail would be great.
Actually, your mentioning SQL makes good sense. Why not just use an SQL based database server for calendar and contacts? Think about it:
1) Built for speedy data access (reliable data indexing, etc.) 2) Built for multiple simultaneous users from the ground up 3) Standards compliant (ANSI SQL) (could be fueled by Interbase/firebird, MySql, PostgreSQL, Oracle or SQL Server) 4) Anyone could build a web interface, or you could even use the existing scheme for a web based calendar like Horde 3 or e-groupware giving users web based access right off the bat!
Tablet PC Integration
I've been looking for a good place for tablet integration inside of the mozilla products. Task management, notes and calendaring, integrated with email/rss would be the perfect home for Ink support. See OneNote and FranklinCovey TabletPlanner
-Andrew
Making Task Management more Collaborative
I hope this is an appropriate place for posting this...please forgive me if it should be elsewhere (directions to the appropriate location appreciated).
The biggest limitation for Outlook / task management applications is their myopic, user centric focus. This may sound a bit misguided since the calendaring being discussed is "my" calendar, but hear me out.
Collaborative task management is the primary focus of what many of us do for a living. Get this done by making sure he finishes this; make sure she does that, etc. Within the discussion for Lightning (that I've seen), the focus is on my managing what I've done by actively adjusting the list AND communicating separately surrounding the tasks. If I want Bill to finish something that I had originally placed on my to-do list, I will need to revise the original to-do so that it incorporates the revisions (assigned to Bill, follow up by date, check status on this date, etc.) and I will need to communicate the changes to Bill. This should happen more seamlessly.
The functionality I'm suggesting is a combination of Outlook and Project, incorporated into the email project. Basecamp is an excellent example of the elegent simplicity that task management can be...integrated into a mail/calendar app it would add amazing leverage. If the systems were indeed used as an exchange replacement with a SQL db, centralized management should be available.
With a centralized management, repeatable functional tasks could be templated and assigned quickly (See basecamp example). Beyond basecamp functionality, tasks could interplay with messages to re-assign, elevate, note exception while continuously showing status to the access group. This notion will require administrative functionality for management of access levels and participation, but shouldn't be too difficult.
If distributed is the primary structure, then an integration of mail and task to record assignment, completion, acceptance, etc. would still be a valuable part of the calendaring ability.