Groupware Capabilities and Outlook Connector

The Value and Cost of Groupware

Groupware is collaboration software designed to help people work together. It enables groups of people to combine their efforts by sharing calendars, messages, contacts, tasks, notes and more.

Proven Value

Both common sense and common experience prove the value of groupware. Groupware helps people become more productive by enabling them to:

  • Collaborate on email communications.
  • Share contact information.
  • Schedule projects and meetings jointly.
  • Archive historical records.
  • Centralize documentation.
  • Keep a real-time knowledge base of activities and projects.

MDaemon's WorldClient: Email screen shotBecause of its collaborative nature, groupware works well for applications such as conflict resolution, idea generation, issue discussion, negotiation, planning, problem solving, analysis and design.

Cost and Quality

In the past, high quality groupware has demanded premium-priced hardware and software, plus expensive and intense training of specialized professionals. Because of the cost, only large enterprises with deep pockets and large technical staffs could typically afford groupware. Even with the advantages offered by sharing, groupware usually had a cost-to-benefit ratio too high for small and midsized businesses. While several companies have offered groupware products, Microsoft Outlook with Exchange Server has been the most widely-marketed and is among the most expensive to install and operate. To help small-to-medium sized businesses leverage the benefits of collaboration, Outlook Connector for MDaemon removes the complexity and cost issues of using Outlook in a collaborative environment.

While many individuals have become familiar with Outlook, many enterprises prefer a more open and easier to administer server than Exchange Server. For some organizations and businesses a standards-based IMAP server is an attractive option. Alt-N Technologies developed Outlook Connector because the Outlook client itself is so widely-deployed. The connector integrates Outlook's calendars, contacts, journals, notes and tasks with the built-in groupware capabilities of MDaemon.

Outlook Connector and MDaemon

Outlook Connector for MDaemon takes advantage of the groupware features built into MDaemon to help people work collaboratively by sharing calendars, messages and tasks, plus user-defined content contained in IMAP email folders. MDaemon's groupware functions make professional-quality groupware available to budget-minded businesses with or without IT support personnel. These capabilities can be leveraged when used with MDaemon's web-based email client.