Re: GNU GLUE?

[Thomas Aeby]

On Mon, 29 Jan 2001, Dan Kuykendall wrote:

> This assumes that GroupWare belongs in client code. I beg to differ, I
> think web based groupware is the way to go, because it is the most cross
> platform solution.

May I join in?

I think PHP Groupware and GNU GLUE are addressing two different user
classes at the moment and maybe they'll meet somewhere in the distant
future.

The PHP Groupware approach is much better suited for quick development
progress (one application framework, one server, no hassling around with
synchronization issues, different platforms, etc.) and the result already
now looks great! The web based solution is in theory accessible from
anywhere in the world, though there are certain drawbacks: It is not (yet)
possible to have multiple synchronized local servers (imagine a user in
India trying to access the companies groupware server in Europe with a network
latency of around 0.8s - this is an existing setup!), it is not possible
(yet) to use PHP Groupware in an offline mode (imagine a Laptop user working
in a train and having no permanent Internet access due to financial and
technical reasons).

This is where the GNU GLUE concept comes in handy: Imagine a "totally"
distributed Groupware concept where multiple servers share the same
replicated data and applications - one of the servers may even be located 
on your personal laptop and therefore work in offline mode. Well, there 
are lots of synchronisation issues now, but the two problems mentioned 
above are solved. Actually once the basic application framework is built 
it should be as easy to write applications for GNU GLUE than for PHP 
Groupware - maybe :-)

In the distant future someone might add multi-server-synchronisation
and offline support to PHP Groupware and in the distant future someone
might write a version of GNU GLUE accessible via the Web (the latter
should not be too much work if GNU GLUE's design allows this from the
very start).

I'm just hoping GNU GLUE is not going to be too much like Lotus Notes
(where the local "fat" Notes client is just much too fat and the
existing web gateway "Domino"(?) is way from offering the same functionality
as the "fat" client).

And some criticism: As long as GNU GLUE is an abstract thing with no
code at all it will be hard to find someone who will contribute. Maybe
the GNU GLUE should consider the "start small" concept? Maybe not ...

Kind regards,
Tom
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