Open Source Exchange and SharePoint portal server

Yesterday the OpenGroupware.org (OGo) site was Slashdot-ed, so I couldn’t really get a look at the docs, but OGo announced the release of an open source groupware, which according to the OGo FAQ “is something between a mixture of Exchange and SharePoint portal server.”

John sent me a good InfoWorld article as well.

My initial reaction is, “Wow!”

Although, I think it’s lofty and a brash move to make statements like the following during your initial release:

“Just to be perfectly clear, this is a [Microsoft] Exchange replacement.”

Yet I do think, given all the open source groupware that already exists, there is indeed a “missing-link” in the messaging area — specifically an open source Exchange option is something that I think will only help the market.

So far from the OGo FAQ, I really like the fact that WebDAV is one of the primary interfaces to the message store; in addition to XML-RPC.

Overall, I think to really support the Exchange/SharePoint replacement claim, a Windows OS distribution will be vital to the success of the project. Although, being that OGo is a server product, it’s not surprising that OGo is initially available in *nix flavors (mainly Debian at this point it seems) — especially in terms of Total Cost of Ownership and given the fact that Open Office and Mozilla can cover the Windows client needs.

I would certainly like to give OGo a test run and based on the FAQ, they recommend my new favorite Bootable Linux CD, Knoppix, as “the simplest way to get something up quickly.”

I may give that a go.