[Calendarserver-discuss] Free Software calendaring and groupware (in and beyond Debian)

[Paul Boddie]

Hello,

I'm not completely sure if this is the right place to post this, but since I 
imagine that this list might have started out as a place to discuss Apple 
Calendar Server (or just happen to have a similarly generic name), I'll take 
my chances.

For a while, I've been looking into the issue of calendaring and groupware 
integration focusing primarily on Debian. I spent some time looking at 
furthering the existing unofficial Kolab packages before giving up on trying 
to get them into Debian, and I've been following other, similar, more 
successful packaging efforts at a great distance.

While looking at the all-in-one groupware solutions, it began to occur to me 
that many solutions are all probably doing similar things internally, and 
presumably rely on certain common technology choices, but the technological 
building blocks they provide don't always make it into Debian as packages that 
can be reused. My feeling is that the technology stack isn't as transparent as 
it could be, in certain cases at least.

Meanwhile, I started to wonder what people do actually use if they decide that 
they want to, say, have calendaring functionality as a complement to their 
existing e-mail system. Are people satisfied with the existing solutions? Have 
people put off adopting calendaring and instead use things like Google 
services for their needs? Where is Debian (and Free Software more generally) 
arguably letting people down?

Is there a consensus about improving Debian's calendaring and groupware 
offerings, and does Debian offer a venue where such Free Software offerings 
can be developed and enhanced - a bit like the way Debian offers FreedomBox 
such a venue - to become a more obvious choice for people wanting to take 
advantage of such functionality?

Apologies in advance if this is all too vague for this list! If so, 
suggestions of more appropriate venues for such discussion would be greatly 
appreciated.

Paul