Very Computer

at first: Sorry for crossposting.
Im interested in developing a groupware solution, thats compatible with MS
Exchange 2000 and based on Open Source Technologies.
Currently there is no alternative to Exchange 2000 (Notes, but thats not
everybodys taste) and the Windows platform. In every company, ived worked
for, there is an (not really good scaled) Exchange as the primary Groupware
solution. Im experimented private with exchange in the case of beeing a MSDN
Universal Member - and likes the functionality.
The biggest featues for me are:
Using Oulook with centralised Contacts and Calender entrys,
viewing them from the Internet (via OutlookWebAccess),
synchronizing with Palm / PocketPC (thats phpgroupware doesnt),
using many different access methods for Mail (imap, pop3, smtp, rpc !).

Okay, the imap,pop3 and smtp way was written by many people, and threre are
many groupware solutions out, but nothing with the functionality of an
Exchange Server. IMHO its easier to use a written programm for Mailing and
Contacts and so on, so a only webbased solution like phpgroupware isnt the
right way.

So, whats to do ?
Developing a interface for the RPC Protocol of MS Exchange / Outlook.
Using standard mailer like Q-Mail / Cyrus / sendmail for the mail-thing.
Developing a webbased Interface for it or developing an interface to
phpgroupware.
Developing an alternative for Ximian Evolution Exchange Connector for Linux
guys. (because the Exchange Connector of Evolution isnt free)

It should run with Q-Mail / Cyrus-IMAP as backend mailer, and the modules of
the system should talk to each other via SOAP (RPC over HTTP / XML) for
interchanging modules of the software and developing parts of the software
in different languages.
My focus is to develop in C# and the .NET framework, which should be
converted by Ximian to the Linux Community - so its possible to run the
software with any platform (currently its easier to develop with Visual
Studio .NET - after that it should primary run under Linux !)
Also its possible to develop parts of the software in Java or C++.

Okay,
would be nice, if there are some people out, which are interested in this
kind of project and want to help me.
Currently I havent any draft-scripts, so this mail is really early. But Im
sure, that for me allone its too much work, so I really need some of you.

The full project is only in private interest, so there isnt any company
behind me. Also I want to use any Open Source Licence, such as G(L)PL.

of this - shitty - crossposting.

Regards,

Sascha Kulawik