LINUXCOVERCOMMUNITY USERSTORY SchlagwortSchlagwortBrave GNU sollte Worldsollte hier hier stehen stehen Schlagwort sollte hier stehen COVER STORY The Monthly GNU Column BRAVE GNU WORLD This column looks into projects and current affairs in the world of free software from the perspective of the GNU Project and the FSF. In this issue, I’ll focus on Comspari and the EU decision on software patents. BY GEORG C.F. GREVE n the past, the German government the Kroupware project in 2002. The pub- principles back to front. For example, has often caused a (positive) stir due lic tender by the BSI was aimed to pro- many other solutions are based on the Ito its activities with free software. duce a groupware solution that would principle that the server is the king of The Federal Ministry of the Economy support strong cryptography and inte- the hill and the users have to bow down (BMWi) sponsored Gnupg [1], for exam- grate seamlessly into a heterogeneous and worship it. The Kolab server does ple. Add to this a number of accompany- environment. things differently. The program makes ing activities, such as a report by the The government office gave a consor- the user king, and gives the user power Bavarian Accounts Office, the KBST let- tium comprising Erfrakon, Klarälvdalens to do things. The software simply helps ter, and the highly acclaimed migration Datakonsult [2], and Intevation [3] the coordinate things as a central intermedi- guide by the Federal Ministry of the Inte- task of developing the software. Inter- ary. rior (BMI). nally, the design and the software was Kolab 1 combined so-called partial referred to as Kolab 1. free-busy lists from multiple calendars to Kolab After completing the project, the trio provide a unified view. It displays over- Besides dedicated sponsorship, the Fed- continued development work, releasing lap, but it does not show you blocked eral Office for Security in Information a beta version 4 of the Kolab 2 server at dates. Kolab 2 improves this design by Technology (BSI) part of BMI launched the end of March 2005. At present, the using advanced free-busy lists. For the Kolab consortium is responsible for members of a calendar group, the list Comments & Suggestions directing software development. Thus, in displays the entry headers for easier ori- The email address column@brave-gnu- the best tradition of free software, a new, entation. The design even allows you to world.org is available for your com- internationally competitive product – collate lists from multiple Kolab servers, ments on and suggestions to Brave and one that does not have any competi- although the current server does not cur- GNU World. The GNU project homep- tion in some areas – has arisen. This rently support this. age is at http://www.gnu.org. Georg’s looks like a case for Brave GNU World. “Brave GNU World” column is available Like the first version, Kolab 2 [4] is Soft Manipulation online at http://brave-gnu-world.org basically a groupware solution. Kolab This approach is driven by the user and and the “We run GNU” initiative has a builds on a special server-client model prevents overlap, while at the same time http://www.gnu.org/brave- website at: by Martin Konold. In contrast to other protecting a user’s privacy – this was an gnu-world/rungnu/rungnu.de.html groupware designs, Kolab turns a few important criterion in Kolab’s design. 94 ISSUE 56 JULY 2005 WWW.LINUX - MAGAZINE.COM Schlagwort Bravesollte GNUhier stehen World COVER STORY The other important criteria are extreme they integrated with their own project in nomic territory. Whereas previous con- scalability, full integration of low band- close cooperation with the inventors, tracts involved the growth of skills and width sites, the ability to work offline before giving any changes back to KDE. quality assurance, the future will show if productively, and the ability to define As a result, KDE 3.4 has the complete major corporations have the vision to appointments. Kolab client in its Kontact application treat the consortium fairly. The Kolab server uses the following (Figure 1). The only thing missing is As all the components are free soft- central components: OpenLDAP for support for personalized distribution ware and the work that has been put authentication, Apache, PHP, and Horde lists. Although Evolution [9] works with into the project has been dedicated to [5] as the web interface, Cyrus IMAP Kolab in a mail context, Gnome lacks a developing free software – most of Server [6], SASL [7] for mail, contact similar level of Kolab connectivity and which is licensed under the GNU Gen- and calendar data storage and forward- integration, although the Kolab consor- eral Public License (GPL) – there is no ing, and finally, Postfix for email trans- tium has stated that this is an important danger of the Kolab project simply disap- port with spam and virus filtering via goal, as is the integration of other cli- pearing from the face of the earth over- Amavisd-new [8], which integrates both ents. night. Clamav and Spamassassin. When necessary, Perl and PHP provide KDE Integration Recommendations programming glue. Whenever changes Thanks to KDE support, any Linux dis- The Ägypten project [10] is another were necessary, or improvements tribution that gives you KDE out of the example state initiative and sponsorship needed to be introduced, they were box is geared for Kolab connectivity. of free software development; the project developed within the framework of the This means you will be able to use your is the first to completely implement the individual projects and made available Linux laptop on the road in offline mode Sphinx standard (ISIS/ MTT) for secure to other users. to manage appointments and coordinate communications. If you are interested in The core of the Kolab server is the them with users of other groupware more information about free software at Cyrus IMAP daemon; its disconnected products on Microsoft Windows or the Federal level in Germany, check out mode is the basis for Kolab’s offline Apple machines. The typical user will be the excellent BSI website. ■ functionality, and it provides the scal- people who prefer to compose mail and ability the project needs. Besides this, organize appointments or contacts Georg C. F. Greve Dipl.-Phys. has been interoperability is one of the Kolab serv- offline, and of course, workgroups that using free software er’s major advantages, allowing enter- need to coordinate a number of mem- for many years. He prises to run heterogeneous environ- bers. And let’s not forget that the Kolab was an early adopter ments. Thanks to the Kolab 2 XML file server can be used as a simple email and of GNU/Linux. After format, Microsoft Outlook can actually LDAP directory server if so required. becoming active in the GNU project he manipulate the same records directly The Kolab consortium will be the cen- formed the Free Software using a proprietary plugin. tral repository for all future develop- Foundation Europe, of which he is Kolab clients are based on KDE. Again ment, and for any major contractual THEAUTHOR the current president. More the developers deliberately opted for deals. The enterprises can be seen as information can be found at http://www.gnuhh.org. tried and trusted components, which pioneers venturing into unknown eco- INFO [1] GnuPG homepage: http:// www. gnupg. org [2] Klarälvdalens Datakonsult: http:// www. klaralvdalens-datakonsult. se [3] Intevation: http:// www. intevation. net [4] Kolab project: http:// www. kolab. org [5] Horde project: http:// www. horde. org [6] Cyrus IMAP Server: http:// asg. web. cmu. edu/ cyrus/ imapd/ [7] Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL): http:// asg. web. cmu. edu/ sasl/ [8] Amavisd-new: http:// www. ijs. si/ software/ amavisd/ [9] Gnome Evolution: http:// www. gnome. org/ projects/ evolution/ [10] Ägypten project: Figure 1: The KDE 3.4 Kontact contains a complete Kolab client. http:// www. gnupg. org/ aegypten/ WWW.LINUX - MAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 56 JULY 2005 95.