Outlook Plugin...

[jbittle]

I am looking at the possibility of releasing a plugin that I've been building for Outlook. Currently it works flawlessly in Outlook 2003 with Exchange Server accounts. It connects directly to the MySQL database, rather than going through the Sugar interface. It's extremely fast.

It has been designed to handle Open Source with LDAP installed, or in an environment where users are created with the same username as their email alias/domain login.

I plan to release a limited version with Contact and Calendar syncs. Here's what I had in mind:

I don't really want to handle any kind of licensing.
I'd like to release a full version as open source.
I'd like to see some compensation for my time.

My proposal:

After release of the "limited" version as an installable plugin, I'd take "donations". Donations of XX amount (25-35 bucks) would recieve a better version that allows archiving of emails and etc. Once a donation amount of XXXX (2k-4k) has been reached, I would release the entire plugin as open source.

Please feel free to PM or discuss here this proposal/idea. I believe this would be a good opportunity for myself and the rest of the Sugar community.

Josh Bittle
bittlej@gmail.com

[HenrikE]

Hi Josh!
That sounds great! I understand that you would like to get something for all the hard work and the donations sounds like a good idea. One question though, does it require Exchange server accounts?

[jbittle]

At this time yes. I expect to try and program around that. Here's what happens...

When outlook is started, the plugin gets the current Outlook user (by filtering the Active Directory crap) and matches that up to usernames in the DB. When it finds a match, it gets the user ID from the DB to aid in insertion of contacts and etc so that they end up in that particular users Contacts.

I can tailor the plugin to work with just about anyone's system. I would expect it, to be expected of me, to fully support Outlook XP, 2000, 2003 etc. until the source is released. I also planned to set it up so that you could build a "custom" install so that each client machine you put it on would be setup properly to work with your system, rather than you having to setup each machine properly by hand.

[HenrikE]

If you can do all that your'e a hero =) This community really needs an open source version of the outlook plugin. Like the spl*id folks have. But:
1. We dont't use excange server and I don't think were alone that doesn't`.
2. I don't think LDAP should be required either, maby there should be an option to set your account setting like you do in the outlook plugin?
3. I really hope ppl are willing to cash up, but I think you may be disappointed . I hope I'm wrong...

[jbittle]

I expect to be dissapointed, in which case I'll end up having to go through the trouble of licensing. I'm trying to avoid that as it will make my life, and their life far easier.

It's not 100% necessary to use LDAP, like I said, currently as long as the "filtered" username from outlook and the sugarCRM username match up, things will go according to plan. I agree that an account setup will probably be the way to go.

Exchange server isn't necessary, it's just what I'm used to. I'll have to setup some Outlook accounts that aren't Exchange server and see how it goes. Won't be difficult, it just happens that working with AD and hard coded it in.


Thanks,


Josh Bittle
bittlej@gmail.com

[HenrikE]

Sounds like you know what your'e doing so all I can do is to wish you the best of luck and I'm looking forward to see your first limited version!

[jbittle]

limited version is now available for download... take a look at this thread...

http://www.sugarcrm.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16939