MS Exchange Alternatives

If you don’t want to run an MS Exchange server, but you do want to have the groupware functions such as sharing calendars, emails, notes, contacts, etc. there are a few semi open alternatives you can try which also support phone synchronisation.

Most support webbased functionality and allow you to attach any client to it, some come with their own suite of clients.

But if you want to use your Outlook client, all of them require you to buy a connector.

Sogo (connector via which requires Samba4)

OpenGroupware.org Ogo

Scalix

Kolab

Zimbra

Zafara

Citadel

Open Xchange

Unison has a client and server setup which also includes IM and a PBX for IP telephony.

Most work quite a bit like Outlook, but Citadel is totally different, out of the box.

Apple goes patent nuts again!

We’ve covered how Apple has stolen the Ipod from a broke British bloke before (here) and how they’ve ripped the design of the new Nano from Cupertino (here) and whilst we haven’t covered that before, it turns out that the OS-X desktop launch bar (the thing on the bottom) has marked similarities to Konfabulator. Now, Apple has taken it in their head to attempts to patent a pre-existing display software idea, namely Intelliscreen’s notifier for jailbroken ipones.

EFF Sues NSA, President Bush, and Vice President Cheney to Stop Illegal Surveillance | Electronic Frontier Foundation

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filed a lawsuit against the National Security Agency (NSA) and other government agencies today on behalf of AT&T customers to stop the illegal, unconstitutional, and ongoing dragnet surveillance of their communications and communications records. The five individual plaintiffs are also suing President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Cheney’s chief of staff David Addington, former Attorney General and White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales and other individuals who ordered or participated in the warrantless domestic surveillance.

EFF Sues NSA, President Bush, and Vice President Cheney to Stop Illegal Surveillance | Electronic Frontier Foundation

Whilst I wish the EFF all the luck in the world, justice in the States is not a function of right or wrong, but in these cases a function of money. And I have a slight suspicion that these guys have a whole load more money than the EFF. Good job on at any rate making it look like the US wants to hold their leadership accountable for their actions.

Most Awesome Pub in the World!

The Fitzroy Saint Hotel bar in Saint Kilda, Victoria, has caused uproar in the past for hiring a dwarf to pour drinks down patron’s throats, but it doesn’t end there! In a raunchy ad last week, women who took off their panties in the bar got free $50,- drinks cards and if they flashed their bra’s or panties they got free drinks!

For some reason more uproar and this event got cancelled 🙁 Of course it’s hardly surprising that the stopping power consisted of two uptight ugly 75 year old prim virgins. OK I don’t know about the last part, but the bitches come across that way in the article.

Strange Object found by Hubble

On February 21, 2006, […] Hubble began seeing something brighten. It continued brightening for about 100 days and peaked at 21st magnitude in two near-infrared colors. It then faded away over a similar timescale, until nothing was left in view down to 26th magnitude. The object brightened and faded by a factor of at least 120, maybe more.

Basically they have no idea whatsoever what it was or what it could have been…

SkyandTelescope.com – News Blog – Hubble Finds a Mystery Object

Hit & Run > We’re the Government. We’d Rather Pay for It – Reason Magazine

This is one of the reasons why defence contracting costs can go through the roof. This man wants to donate a high grade piece of marble and the costs of transporting it to the US military graveyard to fix a break on the Tomb of Unkowns. The cost of the marble, selected from the same mine as the original piece, was $31.000,-. The military won’t take it though, as they need to set up a tender, set up a committee to oversee the setting up of the tender, set up a committee to check the tender and the results etc etc etc. which means the cost of the project is a whopping $170.000,- to set up for the bid and $2.2 million (!) for the actual marble and transport thereof.

Park attendants ordered to interrogate adults spotted without children | Mail Online

Earlier in the UK, they’ve decided that in order for you to be anywhere near a child, you need to be government vetted, a useless and innefective process that only shows security theatre.

Now, park attendants have been ordered to interrogate adults spotted without children. Adults in the park must have a good explanation for being there, or otherwise they will be kicked out. By a Park attendant. Who is obviously totally trained to spot dangerous people and situations. Not. Other than the fact that they are in no way capable of this kind of security selection, aren’t parks there for the entertainment of everyone? Is everyone without kids now a suspected paedophile? Maybe we should just have everyone neutered at birth, that way there’s no way a peadophile could ever endanger a child.