Spicebird 0.4
- Integration of email, calendaring and instant messaging into one suite
- Home screen
- Application related applets
- Tasks as a separate application
Spicebird 0.7
- Code cleanup and remove temporary code
- Basic email tabs
- Calendar theme cleanup
- Fix card view
- Restore and test lost features (import/export dialogs? calender prefs, etc.)
- Blogs as Email (Thunderbird addon/Spicebird built-in)
- Post to blogs just as you send mails to your friends!
- See comments as replies to your mail
- Event filter should detect more patterns and allow context based operations on matched within the mail.
- Instant Messaging
- UI improvements to make is as easy as typical IM application
- Store IM conversations
- Home screen applet for buddy list
- Card view improvements
- Formatting options instead of just keyboard shortcuts
- Better chat window
- Move accounts configuration to accounts wizard
- Support account types using gateways
- Get license issues resolved
- Better message alerts
Spicebird 1.0
- Integration with a CMS (Drupal)
- Document management
- More views for calendar and tasks
- Microsoft Exchange connector
- Multiple backends for tasks management
- Partial project management features
- A more meaningful address book
- Last conversation/chat with a contact
- Source of contact
Later
- Social networking inside address book
Comments
Mac OS X version
There are 3 main desktop systems in the world: Win, Linux and MacOS.
The whole world waits the SpiceBird for Mac OS X! :)
I agree.
To be able to run Spicebird on OS X would be very important.
Mac OS X version
+1 for cryo's comment - please don't forget Mac!
I use Eudora (Penelope) for the moment, but integration with other tools would be useful.
Groupware-Connectivity
I see you plan to integrate connectivity with Exchange and Drupal, which is great. Instead of each we use eGroupware (its calendar, address book and site-manager, to be specific), though, to support open source efforts. If spicebird could support that too, it would help us a lot. Thumbs up!
Dual boot with same mail store
One thing that I've always liked with Outlook is that I can keep my mail store on a different partition and use it with both OS from my dual boot. I haven't found a way to do this with Spicebird or Thunderbird and I'm not sure if there is a way, but it would be nice if this could be added. This also keeps my email file safe and easy to back up.
I use 1 thunderbird profile
I use 1 thunderbird profile for both windows and linux. It's easy enough.
Your profile by default is in "C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\thunderbird"
(for vista like c:\users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\thunderbird)
there is a profile.ini file and a folder with random name (like "yhlde4p2.default"). This folder stores your profile's data. One folder for each profile.
Move this folder ("yhlde4p2.default") to another location and then edit profile.ini to handle new location. example:
[Profile0]
Name=default
IsRelative=0
Path=d:\information\mozilla\thunderbird\yhlde4p2.default
Default=1
Warning! if thunderbird fail to find profile (if you made a mistake in path or didn't set Relative to 0), it will not start. Error sounds like "Thuderbird is already started or does not respond". Then just check folder, etc...
Sorry for my English...
Spicebird for MAC OS X
Recently I moved from Windows to MAC OS X. What I miss most is Spicebird version!
Mac???
It is so difficulty to port it to the mac?
two missed features...
Hi,
I'm a regular user of thunderbird and I found very useful the '' key sequence. I tried this with spicebird but the sequence was ignored.
Finally, although the thunderbird filters were imported, the mail module in spicebird didn't filter the incoming e-mails. Then, I tried to run the filters over the inbox folder but it didn't work, too.
Anyway, it looks that will become an amazing tool, thanks.
Multiple instances of Spicebird
I am having trouble opening two or more instances of Spicebird on a single computer (one each for multiple users on a single computer). Am I doing something wrong?
As of now (using the latest .7 release) I have to close the DBUS-daemon process, switch user and then open spice bird for that user?
Any help would be appreciated
thanks
Re: Multiple instances of Spicebird
On GNU/Linux this should not be a problem. On Windows dbus-daemon listens on a fixed port and causes a clash when multiple instances are run. Although we were aware of the problem, we didn't think it was serious and set to fix it later. I raised a bug in the issue tracker and marked it as blocking next release (which will have much shorter release cycle).
There might be work around for this by having multiple copies of Spicebird with different dbus server configuration. Follow the bug at:
https://bugzilla.spicebird.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1049
Project management...
Hi,
Is there any way to share documents, agenda and task to perform basic project management with Spicebird? In the near future? Any other tool like this?
Thanks in advance.
Jose
Mac OS X
You must provide a Mac OS X version. Thunderbird and Sunbird are available for Mac OS X, so that should help you with any porting issues.
Mutiple calendar snyc
Sync calendar with: home & work; Send/recieve calendars to other PIM users; Group calendar for entry by all users in that group, then available for cross-loading.
microblogging intergration
integration of federated microblogging support would be nice, default setups to something like identi.ca would be nice
nice to have...
Im working a lot with spicebird since 0.4 which must mean that i like it. :-)
however what i miss:
Ability to add own tabs (especially with google applets)
a small light weight browser?!
A nice RSS Reader
in pre 0.7 for me is not working:
- Calender import from google just imports partial.
- Mail are not shown in Home applet if IMAP
- Contact import is not working at all for me.
Can you provide compatibility for Citadel 2.0 Calendar/Task/Note
Please see if you can provide compability for Citadel 2.0 for shared calendar/task/notes area.
This Spicebird coupled with Citadel 2 would be a back breaker for Exchange.
Backup Spicebird for Linux
I've just transitioned to Linux and have obtained Spicebird. I'm using Ubuntu, latest release, with the Gnome desktop.
I have a folder titled .Spicebird. Does this contain all the info for my install? Windows like to scatter things around. I don't know if Linux does the same thing.
If I do a nightly copy of my .Spicebird folder to my USB drive, will this constitute a complete backup? And can I copy this folder to my laptop and have a complete Spicebird system?
Thanks.
Backup Spicebird for Linux
The .spicebird folder will contain the entire profile and data including mails, imap cache, addressbook, calendars, preferences, certificates, account info, passwords etc. There are exceptions though, mostly when you explicitly change the settings:
1) If you explicitly change the settings to store mails to a folder outside .spicebird
2) Your signature files if they are present outside .spicebird
Thanks! I appreciate the
Thanks! I appreciate the help.
SyncML
I think this will be a great outlook substitute (even better) if it got SyncML support!
Exchange compatability is NOT "meaningless"
Outlook rejection is not "MS hate." Outlook is for those who yearn for a proprietary, locked-down system of 1997 vintage. Anyone who thinks Outlook is free, please try and find it in shareware or freeware. Lets face it: most of us use Outlook not because we choose it as the best option but because our employers have Exchange servers and we can't access the Exchange server with anything else (unless we beg and plead with the IT people to enable IMAP or POP.) You can't sync your Outlook data with other applications that do not pay homage and license fees to MS because of Outlook's proprietary file structures.
Many of us are yearning for a modern system with some combination of e-mail, task, calendering, contacts and journaling that will allow data migration between other applications.
So, please press ahead with Exchange compatability and free us from the tyranny of Outlook. And while working on sync, please do not forget the legions of Palm OS users.
Absolutely! If you guys are
Absolutely! If you guys are serious about taking on the Outlook-dominated office world, face it by the front door and make proper compatibility add-ons/modules. Once done, people will have a real alternative and this will mean the arrival of the transition era.
thundebrowse for more comfort
thunderbrowse is a addon for Thunderbird. Somit hat man die verlinkten Website im Nachrichtenfenster lesen. Ohne das Email Programm zu verlassen. Wie eine Brücke. Diese Zusatz diese Idee ist so natürlich das es alss Killer Applikation für Spcebird dienen soll.
Great product - Any timeframe for next release?
Hi, I've been using Spicebird exclusively since March or so. It's a bit buggy obviously (which is why it's a 0.4) - particularly with email fonts and sizes. Are you guys working on any kind of timeline for the next release? Or is it more a situation of "whenever we get around to it?" The Roadmap doesn't have any dates on it which implies the latter.
No disrespect intended, but we all would like to know whether this is a serious program that will be improved, bugs fixed, etc., or whether 0.4 pretty much stands on its own and is effectively dead in the water.
(Please don't make me go back to Outlook!)
-I Love Spicebird
Guys- Wonderful program. I
Guys- Wonderful program. I do see from your posts that you are working hard. The only thing that i keep wondering about is the future stability of your company. I know that Mozilla will be around for some time. How do you respond to my above statement. Who are you guys. What is your revenue stream? are you solid.
I already am using your program. But i would not risk implementing it in the corporate environment. I would install and experiment with it personally.
Import Thunderbird mail and settings
Any plans to allow Spicebird to import Thunderbird settings and mail, residing on the same or another computer? It seems a bit silly that one can only import TB stuff in a hackish kind of way.
Hi, Do you have a schedule
Hi,
Do you have a schedule for release for each of the beta versions and 1.0?
Thanks!
What is the status of the next release?
I have been enjoying Spicebird for sometime now but I am wondering when the next release when be done? I do not want to stick with a product if it is not going to be develop anymore.
CMS integration
I second trond on the CMS integration issue. Why Drupal and not other systems? WP, MODX, Silverstrpe, Joomla....
IMHO it will be better to leave CMS integration alone.
synching
synching with mobile devices (esp. nokia) via synchml or something like webdav.
more calendar-features like reminder-fox. better integration with rainlendar.
some gtd-functionality & integration with thinking rock task-lists
synching
synching with mobile devices (esp. nokia) via synchml or something like webdav.
more calendar-features like reminder-fox. better integration with rainlendar.
some gtd-functionality & integration with thinling rock task-lists
synching
synching with mobile devices (esp. nokia) via synchml or something like webdav.
absolute neceessity for future releases
Hi!
I am one of the desperate users looking for an Outlook alternative WITH synching capabilities to my smartphone/PPC.
The software looks great and works great already, but the missing synching is crucial for complete migration. Are you planning to implement this? I couldn´t even find any information in the road map...
Regards
Philip
better foreward
I'm still searching for a client that is able to foreward the attachments from an incoming email but JUST the attackments.
With the Netscape client it is possible by manually deleting the rest with Alt-A,Del.
All other clients i've tryed to fare (like Spicebird) always foreward email.eml.
workarround is only saving to disk, etc. :/
hopefully some1 will add this funtion, bc it would prevent spam by blocking old included email-adresses.
sry it is ctrl-a, Del
sry it is ctrl-a, Del
Forwarding attachments
Goto Preferences->Composition->General and set "Forwarding attachments" as "Inline".
Then when you click forward, you can remove the content of the mail and selectively remove the attachments and send the mail.
Exchange integration meaningless
Exchange? Major brainfart!
If you run Exchange, you are in a Windows environment.
If you are in a Windows environment, you run Outlook.
Outlook clients are FREE when you buy the Exchange server.
Why in the world would this product try to compete on Exchange's turf? Needing the expensive Exchange license, but not offering anything more than Outlook (standards compatibility? Ha!, corporations couldn't care less)?
I have tried to persuade many of my customers to switch to OSS solutions. The big dealbreakers are: 1)syncing with phones and PDAs 2)subscribing to other's calendars and contacts 3)push email. This can be done with OSS, but not without significant hoop-jumping. And some syncing just can't be done.
What needs to be improved with the OSS alternative is not the client side (except for syncing). It's the server side. And thus, this project is doomed from the beginning, because it has not tried to define and understand its target market. This is, by the way, the reason so many OSS projects fail. It's why Mozilla (pre-Firebird/fox/foo) almost failed.
If you want to compete with Exchange, start by defining robust protocols for syncing and package a robust contacts + calendar serving application. Writing Yet Another Email Client won't change anything.
Lots of the world is stuck with Exchange - let's support it
Exchange is one of the least clueful, poorly written excuses for a mail server I've ever seen. Outlook and Outlook Express are security-unaware, bloated pieces of excrement. But for some reason, huge numbers of major corporations continue to dictate Exchange as the corporate mail server. That's not likely to change for a good while.
Those of us who work for those large corporations don't have a lot of choice in mail clients. If you run OS X, you get Entourage. If you run Linux, the choice is Evolution. Please, offer us an alternative. Spicebird looks like a very attractive MUA; if it could be made to communicate with MS Sexchange to coordinate calendars, I'd use it in a heartbeat.
Encouraging corporations to move away from Exchange is an excellent idea, but companies that have been in bed with MS for years aren't going to do that any time soon.
not true [PRESS ON WITH EXCHAGE COLLABORATION]
In EMEA and basically anywhere, when you purchase Exchange,outlook [and i'm talking of outlook 200,2003,2007 not outlook express] DOES NOT COME FREE...
If you want ask Microsoft...
outlook express is your basic Thunderbird, and anyone will tell you Thunderbird has blown it out of the water. So Please press on with what you are doing...
"Exchange or Burst"
Exchange Integration NOT meaningless
At my company we run in a shared environment Win/OSX/Linux. The collaboration server is Exchange for various reasons. Our Windows users are using Outlook, our OSX users are using Entourage, but what about our Linux users? They want to be able to access the collaborations tools too.
We tried using Evolution but it was too slow. Right now we are using Thunderbird as mail client and we love it, but we are still without a task/calendering option.
While I agree that the OSS is needing a good server side contender for Exchange (Zimbra is starting to do a good job at that, but a lot of interesting stuff is commercial), this is not the goal of this project. And even if we do have a good server in the future, we will need a good client like Spicebird to be able to use it properly!
So Spicebird people go for it, I'm looking forward to use your product with Exchange!
Exchange integration meaningfull
>If you run Exchange, you are in a Windows environment.
>If you are in a Windows environment, you run Outlook.
>Outlook clients are FREE when you buy the Exchange server.
yes, but I don't run in a Windows environment. I'm running Ubuntu, so I need the Exchange-support.
>I have tried to persuade many of my customers to switch to OSS solutions. The big >dealbreakers are: 1)syncing with phones and PDAs 2)subscribing to other's >calendars and contacts 3)push email. This can be done with OSS, but not without >significant hoop-jumping. And some syncing just can't be done.
Yes, I do agree that syncing with PDA and Windows Mobile Phones (and now probably also iPhone) is important - prioritize iPhone (I don't have one, but why not support the hottest phone out there?)
trond
I agree: Exchange compatibility is useless
I completely agree with you. Exchange compatibility is totally useless. Even if it is not much effort to code, it is still wasted effort.
Nobody wants Exchange compatibility. They have it with Outlook.
In fact, nobody even wants the Exchange server. What they want is the services that Exchange provides:
- a shared address book
- a shared calendar
- an email client which can uses those shared address books and calendars
OSS needs a good alternative to provide this.
- For email, IMAP is fine.
- For shared calendars, you can do it with .ics files on WebDAV shares, but it could be much better (updating an event rewrites the whole .ics file, and other issues). Sunbird also still needs some work (better printing, offline mode and syncing, etc.)
- For a network address book, I haven't found a good OSS solution. LDAP comes to mind, but that's a protocol and a (weird) server, not a complete solution. Building a solution with LDAP to provide all the functionality of Exchange would end up being much more expensive than just setting up Exchange.
So yes, please do not waste effort in Exchange compatibility, but rather in building/improving the Exchange functionality currently missing or incomplete in OSS servers.
What about GroupDAV?
If you guys are looking for shared Calendars and network address books, take a look at Scalable Opbengroupware which is at http://sogo.opengroupware.org/.
It gives you GroupDAV as a protocol to access all of it. It works quite reliably with Thunderbird/Lightning.
OSS is taking over
My friend OSS is taking over the enterprise in the server room.
i can give you hundreds of examples.
Stop discouraging projects like this.
i know u are correct about user side but functionality with the existing
infrastructure is important as many companies have exchange server.
Clarifications
> "Outlook clients are FREE when you buy the Exchange server"
Outlook comes bundled with MS Office which means it is not free.
More over you need to buy an access license for Outlook to talk to
Exchange server.
> "Why in the world would this product try to compete on Exchange's turf?"
Its not just the standards compatibility that we bring. It's Freedom
- from all proprietary bull shit - ranging from support options
available to the discrete customization needs a firm.
Syncing wit h PDAs and mobiles, calendar sharing - will be part of our solution.
> "What needs to be improved with the OSS alternative is not the client side (except for syncing). It's the server side"
Our server software is also based on OSS and provides additional
functionality for cleaner integration among various services and clean
administration.
> "It's why Mozilla (pre-Firebird/fox/foo) almost failed"
Mozilla thunderbird is targeted at retail end users. With millions of users, i don't think its a failure.
>Outlook comes bundled with
>Outlook comes bundled with MS Office which means it is not free.
More over you need to buy an access license for Outlook to talk to
Exchange server.
1) Outlook is free with an Exchange server. One CAL, one Outlook license. With Exchange 2007, there is the addition that you must have SA for the server, but everyone has that already. Why didn't you know this?
2) The access license is called a Client Access License (CAL), meaning that regardless if you have 75 Outlook clients or 75 Thunderbird clients talking to the server, you must have 75 CALs. You buy the CAL for the SERVER, not the CLIENT. So there is no cost saving. Why didn't you know this?
Now again, why would anyone choose Thunderbird over Outlook? Not cost. Not compatibility. Just good old fashioned MS hatred, which won't buy you many users. So, in the end, you're doing lots of work for no reason.
Thanks for proving my point. Not only have you not understood your target market (end users don't run Exchange, corporations do), you have also completely failed at analyzing the terms you are competing on.
Drop Exchange compatibility. It's of no use. The rest is useful. But not this.
Exchange compatibility is
Exchange compatibility is crucial for projects like this. This software has all the makings of a top-notch application with wide appeal. To ignore one of the (if not THE) major platforms is essentially the same as asking to become irrelevant before launch. Your recommendation to eliminate Exchange is laughable, at best.
Re: Exchange integration meaningless
You were very true there.
The target of Spicebird is to provide an alternative for people who want it. And providing an exchange integraion is no big deal at all in terms of effort.
Why CMS-integration and others
Why focus on cms drupal integration. As you have already seen you then get questions like: Joomla, WordPress etc.
I also don't see the need for an integrated Instant messenger. Focus on creating the best replacement for Outlook and Evolution, not create a competitor to the mentioned applications + a so so replacement for programs like Pidgin, Windows Live etc.
Less is sometimes better. In this context: Less to focus on, less requests to handle.
As for my wishes:
I'd like to see seamless import of mail ++ from Outlook, Thunderbird and Evolution, a community that creates "home-page" widgets and so on.
This seems like a very promising project and software, keep up the good work.
Trond