Carl,
Thank you for the complement. I thought maybe I was just hard headed... :)
Actually, I see so very much potential in the whole OpenACS /
DotLRN model, that I couldn't let my own inadequacies cause me
to just give up. There are too many others that were having too much success!
Andrew, I hope you are not implying that dotLrn doesn't need an email client? If so, then maybe we have different visions.
A little while ago, I had to admit the stark, ugly truth, I am
a Windows administrator. That revelation precipitated deep depression and no little time in the fetal postion with much weeping and gnashing of teeth. A dark chapter in my life. I have administered the windows world since before NT 3.51 days. I have administered windows domains from linux since Redhat 5.1. Consequently, I love linux; I despise ANYTHING from MS. Words cannot express the depth of loathing that I have for anything Microsoft.
I see dotLRN/OpenACS as having the potential to move my users to a better world. I see it as having the potential to replace ALL client based activities, and move them to a DotLRN/OpenACS platform. I can not just merely replace the windows boxes with linux. I can however provide linux based services, rendering the client platform type irrelavent. On that wonderful day, I will send my minions out with a CD that builds a linux thinclient that boots to X and a web browser, a kiosk type platform.
I could build a portlet that connects to something like squirrel mail. The problem with that is while they can send email, they now lose all the functionality so wonderfully built into dotLrn. If the email client is a dotLrn app, they now have access to all their files, all their homework, gradebook, class info, etc while in the mail client.
I believe the dotlrn / openACS platform is so much more than "Exchange killer", it has the potential to be a Microsoft killer.
That's the dream, that's the motivation.
...as it Shall be written, as it Shall be done,
amen
-al
also, I believe a real email client should be server non-specific. It should be nothing more than an MUA.
