New Paradigm of Webmail Interfaces
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FACULDADE DE ENGENHARIA DA UNIVERSIDADE DO PORTO New Paradigm of Webmail Interfaces Felipe Ávila da Costa Report of Project Master in Informatics and Computing Engineering Supervisor: Prof. André Monteiro de Oliveira Restivo 3rd March, 2009 New Paradigm of Webmail Interfaces Felipe Ávila da Costa Report of Project Master in Informatics and Computing Engineering Approved in oral examination by the committee: Chair: João Carlos Pascoal de Faria (Assistant Professor at FEUP) ____________________________________________________ External Examiner: Pavel Pereira Calado (Assistant Professor at IST) Internal Examiner: André Monteiro de Oliveira Restivo (Assistant Lecturer at FEUP) 19 th March, 2008 ii Abstract This document describes the project, developed in Portugalmail – Comunicações S.A., called “New Paradigm of Webmail Interfaces”. The initial motivation for this project was the development of new features and components to be added to the current Portugalmail webmail solution. However, while researching and analysing other existent solutions, many innovative ideas compelled the aim of this project to evolve to a completely new application. This new application includes many innovative components over the common email functionalities, such as a smart contact manager, which integrates aspects of social networks; a system of small applications, aiming to expand the usefulness of the webmail; a files and attachments manager, which allows the user to easily access existing documents in the application; and a humanized personal assistant that uses intelligent ways to help the user to use and get the maximum benefits from the system. The application is technically based in LAPP (Linux operative system, Apache web server, PostgreSQL database and PHP programming language) architecture, LDAP directory and Horde Platform. Horde platform was chosen due to its stability, robustness, specialization in webmail service, large development and support community and the fact that Portugalmail has a strong development background in this platform. Even if the requirements were design, logical architecture, information architecture and graphical design were defined and the project plan was written, it wouldn’t be possible to completely implement the solution (mainly because of the large number and complexity of requirements). The solution found was to divide the implementation phase in modules, three of them having already been developed (Application Platform Installation; Graphical Design and Information Architecture definition; and Contact Manager) while other modules are planned to be developed within next 6 months.. The project was developed without any major obstacles and its results were highly above what was initially expected. It is predictable that this new application will position Portugalmail as a top player in the world market of webmail solutions, bringing new business opportunities and financial return of investment. iii Resumo Este documento descreve todas as fases do projecto realizado na Portugalmail – Comunicações S.A., entitulado “Novo Paradigma de Interfaces de Webmail”. A motivação inicial do projecto consistia na criação de novas funcionalidade e componentes para a interface de webmail actual da Portugalmail, no entanto, durante a fase de pesquisa e avaliação das soluções actuais do mercado, diversas ideias e soluções geradas levaram a que o projecto evoluisse para a criação de uma aplicação completamente nova. Esta nova aplicação apresenta diversas componentes inovadoras para além das funcionalidades de email tradicionais. São exemplos disso: um gestor de contactos inteligente, que agrega funcionalidades de redes sociais; um sistema de aplicações de apoio ao utilização do sistema; um gestor de ficheiros e anexos avançado, que permite um rápido acesso aos documentos existentes no sistema; e a humanização de um assistente pessoal que ajuda o utilizador de forma inteligente a usar e tirar máximo proveito do sistema. Este sistema está a ser construído recorrendo a arquitectura LAPP (sistema operativo Linux, servidor web Apache, base de dados PostgreSQL e linguagem de programação PHP), directórios LDAP e a plataforma Horde. A escolha deste plataforma deveu-se ao facto de ser estável, robusta, orientada a serviços de email, possuir uma grande comunidade de desenvolvimento associada e a Portugalmail possuir larga experiência com esta plataforma. Apesar de desenhados os requisitos, definida a arquitectura lógica, a organização da informação e o design, e realizado o planeamento, sabia-se não ser possível completar o desenvolvimento de toda a solução (essencialmente devido ao grande número e complexidade das funcionalidades), por isso, a implementação do projecto foi dividida em módulos, sendo implementados até a momento três desses (Instalação da Plataforma de Suporte a Aplicação; Desenho do Design e Arquitectura da Informação; e o Gestor de Contactos), enquanto os restantes preve-se que sejam implementados dentro dos próximos 6 meses. Assim, o projecto decorreu sem problemas, com resultados finais bastante acima dos inicialmente esperados. Prevê-se que a nova aplicação coloque a Portugalmail numa posição pioneira e inovadora no mercado mundial de sistemas de webmail, trazendo com isso, diversas oportunidades de retorno financeiro. iv Acknowledgments This project represents an uncountable number of hours, days, weeks, months and years of learning, creating, testing, failing, correcting, developing, talking and sharing. Many aspects of an academic life fully enjoyed. In each of these activities, many people had direct and indirect effect and I’m deeply grateful to them. A special thank you goes to... ... my family. To my parents and grandparents for all the effort put in the hard mission of educating me to be more than a great professional, but how to become a great person. I own everything that I am to them. ... my friend Ivo Paz dos Reis for immeasurable help reviewing this document. ... all friends that helped the development of this project, testing, reviewing, commenting or suggesting new features and specially giving me motivation to keep going. ... all friends in Portugal, Brazil and all around the world. I’m sure each country, each city and each conversation contributed to my personal development and happiness. ... Portugalmail team and my mentor at FEUP for all the help, motivation and smiles they offered me during the development of this project. Felipe Ávila da Costa v Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Portugalmail ................................................................................................................. 1 1.1.1 Portugalmail Webmail Service ............................................................................ 2 1.2 Project .......................................................................................................................... 2 1.2.1 Motivation ........................................................................................................... 2 1.2.2 Expected Results ................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Report Organization ..................................................................................................... 3 Chapter 2 State of Art .......................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Available Solutions ...................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Activities Associated with Email Use.......................................................................... 5 2.2.1 Keeping in Touch with Friends ........................................................................... 5 2.2.2 RSS Reading ........................................................................................................ 5 2.2.3 Task List Control ................................................................................................. 5 2.2.4 Blog Posting/Email as Info Resourcing .............................................................. 5 2.2.5 Statistics & Info ................................................................................................... 5 2.2.6 Social Networks/Other Communication Alternatives ......................................... 5 2.2.7 Mailing Lists & Groups ....................................................................................... 5 2.2.8 Calendar/Schedule/Meetings ............................................................................... 6 2.2.9 Address Book/Contacts ....................................................................................... 6 2.2.10 Attachments/Repository/Storage ......................................................................... 6 2.2.11 Password Box ...................................................................................................... 6 2.2.12 Webmail Organization ......................................................................................... 6 2.3 Main Issues to Solve .................................................................................................... 6 2.3.1 Email Overload .................................................................................................... 6 2.3.2 Email Organization (Folders versus Tasks versus People) ................................. 7 2.3.3 Pressure to Reply Quickly + Losing Track of Email .........................................