Re: Exchange Server for Linux?

[k_wayne linuxpower org]

hi all,

> I just share here some thought I had when I had a look at GMail...
> Gmail is Gnome Mail client that uses MySQL for its internal storage.
> 
> Now this is what I think...
> Instead of Using MySQL which I think does not have good authentication and
> capabilities (no flame war please), you can use PostgreSQL. Then instead of
> reading the mail directly from the table you use a view to show only the
> mail pertaining to an authenticated user.

Both have excellent permissions capabilities. Ideally you would do it in an independent way, say, using gnome-db.

> You create a local delivery agent to postfix/sendmail (something like
> procmail) that drop the e-mail received by sendmail/postfix directly in the
> database.

I would do this via perl-dbi scripts, then you can get database independence.

> The Local Delivery Agent can check some extra tables to read some server
> rules on how the mail could be handled. You have now server side mail
> filtering. You can also add some storage size limits and other fancy stuff.
> 
> The Mail Client(gmail) look in a special table to read a libglade form and
> uses it to generate a mail form instead of the default mail form.

Yes all you would have to do is decide on a standard for the storage, and you can let people choose from a number of different clients.
 
> The end result: you have something very close to Exchange Server....
> I would implement it , if I wasn't already committed to other OpenSource
> Projects...

As the gmail author, I've thought about exactly the same project myself. If anyone would like to pay me money to develop it, please come knocking!

It would be very easy to do. 
I think the key to getting it right is to have a well designed database. Our design for gmail has some cruft we are going to improve, but our basic design has evolved and stabilised nicely. Of course the exchange idea would require a more complicated design.

You could even write a small server to act as an IMAP interface so you can talk to existing mail clients, but have the option for more advanced clients (like gmail) that interact via gnome-db for full capabilities.

cheers,
Wayne Schuller
Gmail Author. http://gmail.linuxpower.org