[imp] "big three" webmail providers courting campus

[Michael M Slusarz]

Quoting Liam Hoekenga <liamr at deathstar.org>:

> Anyhoo... some of the results could be changed by offering different
> Horde modules ("No IM or calendar functionaliy", "Can't get my mail from
> my mobile phone."), but the big one was a cry that the UI for IMP was
> too complicated.  These are early results, specific to our school...
>
>     What would you like to change about your school's current email system?
>      - Complicated Interface (24%)

IMHO, 1 out of 4 people complaining about an interface isn't bad at  
all.  I can guarantee you that there are at least 25% of Windows Vista  
users that complain about its user interface, and I can only begin to  
guess how many millions of dollars Microsoft has spent on interface  
design.

> We don't have Kronolith or MIMP installed.  We're eagerly awaiting DIMP,
> but I fear that google's goal here is to organize a grass roots movement
> to get students to demand that we switch to GMail institutionally.

Sounds about right.  It's the "try to push google without looking like  
you are trying to push google" tactic.

> I guess this is just a cautionary tale.  With the big three webmail
> providers offering free or massively subsidized hosting for entire
> student populations,  Horde is going to have to work real hard to stay
> attractive and / or relevant.

As others have pointed out, the question is how much you are willing  
to accept in order to relinquish control of the system.

michael

___________________________________
Michael Slusarz [slusarz at horde.org]