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Two years and three months ago, a friend of mine and me decided that it would be moderately awesome to have access to our own Microsoft Exchange Server technology platform.

Being students, however, meant that we could not pony up the cash one needs to get the appropriate licenses and required hardware to actually run those tools, so we set out to find the best solution that would work for us, with the hardware (Linux servers) we have and, obviously: the lowest cost to us, in both the short and long run.

Looking back over the last two years and three months, I think it is a fair assessment to say that we have seen it all:

In the beginning, there was Zoho’s Virtual Office, which performed so sadly that it regularly crashed on our server with only one user actually using it and doing nothing but syncing a few calendar items.

We spent long evenings on doing our best to get it up and running and even managed to get a license for free, by translating the Virtual Office suite into Dutch but we still could not get the hardware to run.

Zoho realized that the Virtual Office platform would not work in its current form, so they rolled it up and created a new product from it: Zoho Mail, promising that there would be an on-premises version of Zoho within a couple of months.

It never happened, but we did not feel too sad about it, for we had discovered Mintersoft’s Truedesk, which, like Zoho Virtual Office, utilized a Java backend and managed to crash our server a number of times.

Once again, while testing it on different hardware, it turned out that the software was flawed and Mintersoft folded pretty quickly, too - another bit the dust.

Then came Scalix and PostPath, both of which we were not even able to install for whatever reason(s) I do not remember, so we had to skip those in their entirety.

@Mail, on the other hand, looked promising, but too expensive since there was no real entry-level license (and who can blame them?), but there was light at the end of the tunnel:

At one point, Jeroen discovered Zarafa, built by a Dutch company and, in our eyes, the most interesting contender of all, for Zarafa licensed the actual looks of Outlook Web Access and was able to re-create the original style.

Moreover, Zarafa offered something all the other tools did not: a PHP version. Both their Webaccess component and the Windows Mobile device syncing gateway utilize PHP and can be modified to your heart’s content.

At first, Zarafa, like the others, did not play well with our set-up: a CentOS 4.x server with Plesk 8.x running on it but we kept at it, mostly because we got a good price on a three user license for Zarafa and we did not want to waste our own money.

Try as we might, it would not work and at one point, we just gave up. Up until a year ago, when we moved to the CentOS 5.x branch and gave it another try, again, to no avail.

For one reason or another, we were always able to get one of the three main components working: we either had syncing with Outlook or syncing with Mobiles or access to our data via a browser, but never, had we access to all three of them.

Ever so often, mostly days after new Zarafa updates were released, we would give it another try. We knew that it worked, we had seen and experienced it first hand, we just never figured out the magical combination that would allow us to make all three components work at the same time.

We went from 5.x to the 6.x branch of Zarafa, we tried 32-bit and 64-bit solutions, but all of them, somehow, did not work the way we wanted them to work, so eventually, we stopped trying again and waited for the next release cycle.

A couple of days ago, I decided to give the whole thing another try. I had managed to get Zarafa working on my personal fileserver at home, which also runs on a 32-bit version of CentOS and I was able to sync contacts and Outlook with it, so I knew that there was a way.

Lo’ and behold: I have finally succeeded and created a working solution that encompasses Zarafa 6.04, Plesk 8.3, CentOS 5.2 (32-bit), mySQL 5.0.58 , PHP 5.2.6, Outlook 2007 and Windows Mobile 6 - all secured via SSL and not killing your CPU.

If you are interested in setting up a low-cost, high-yield Microsoft Exchange-compatible gateway, that utilizes your current (CentOS) Linux hardware, click here to read my tutorial on it.

A few days ago, I was installing the newest version of Windows Messenger to test out some features that my chat client of choice does not currently have and saw this:

At first sight, this may look like an install process gone sour (and in fact, it did take longer than it should have), but what is interesting, is the way Microsoft notifies the user:

Sorry, this is taking a little longer than expected. Please bear with us just a few more minutes.

Simple, yet powerful and even better: they use the same simplistic thinking to describe the various other utilities that are available, summing up their respective functions in a short sentence.

Nothing world breaking of course, but not bad by any definition.

iPhone prices dropped by one third yesterday and apparently customers started reacting. This is just crazy:

In response to yesterday’s iPhone price drop, a number of shootings in Apple stores across the country have been reported. Preliminary reports suggest that at least 15 people lost their lives in the line of duty.

Only two hours after the shooting, local police forces, working with the security firms that provide perimeter security to Apple stores, have been able to identify all the assailants and while no video footage has yet been officially released, our sources report that all gunmen appear to be early adopters of the iPhone platofrm.

Eye witness reports from different stores all claimed that the gunmen stormed into the store, armed with customer-level submachine guns and filled the iPhone demo stands with bullets. When approached by so-called Apple Geniuses and asked, in a calm, manner, to stop the shooting and put down the gun, many of the attackers seemed to snap and started shooting at the store’s employees.

Although many police departments deployed SWAT teams on-site almost immediately, the massacres could only stopped after the shooters ran out of ammunition, all the while police forces had to watch helplessly and try to contain the situations as good as possible.

Due to the large scale of this rampage, the FBI has taken interest in the case and will be conducting investigations.

A FBI spokeswoman would not give us any more comments at this time, stating that until a thorough investigation was conducted, everything was simply speculation. The FBI also would not comment on the backgrounds of the killers and their, possible, affiliations with each other.

Once again it becomes evident that Apple’s way of toying with it’s customers is not the right way to treat customers. Liberated in thinking by famous customer-related weblogs such as The Consumerist, this time, customers really did bite back, with lead.

I wonder when companies will realize that the first adopters are, in part, the most important customers a company has, not only because they help iron out any bugs that made it through quality assurance, but also because these are the guys (and, of course, gals) that help create a buzz around your product and ensure that more people feed the machine…

Please note that the above article is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. No harm, misrepresentation, libel, malice or copyright infringement is intended. At no time is this meant to be construed as reality.

After writing my last two reviews on both Spb Phone Suite and Spb Mobile Shell, I came to the conclusion that Spb really needs to do one thing: mash up.

As a mobile power user, you most certainly have at least one, if not multiple Spb products installed on your device. While there is no problem at all with that, Spb would be well advised to just create one application that contains all the features people need, namely:

from Spb Pocket Plus:

• Explorer: ZIP Support
• Explorer: Properties
• Pocket IE: save image
• enhanced close button
• useful shortcuts on Today screen

from Spb Mobile Shell:

• big icons menu
• World Time
• Now Screen

from Spb Phone Suite:

• (automatic) Profiles w/ Wireless Settings
• Call Filtering

That is all there is to it. Put all those things into one application and you will have a(nother) bestseller. The codebase is there already and while I am no developer myself, I do not believe this would take that long to implement.

Yes, Spb released their Communication Pack, but that still is not what I am looking for. The communication pack, while offering two out of three of the applications that this mash up would require, is really only a software bundle, not one, single application.

So, Spb, how long until you release this application?

Let me preface this article by saying that it is not really a rant, more like a big question mark above my head.

When I first researched the XDA Flame, I came across a listing that stated that the device came with a selection of commercial applications, namely:

• DeveloperOne’s CodeWallet 6
• MobiMate’s WorldMate 2007 Standard Edition
• Jeyo’s Mobile Extender 2.0 for Outlook

All in all, three very good applications with a total retail value of $85 and even though O2 probably does not even pay 50% of that value, the applications still add tremendous value to the device.

You can guess how amazed I was when I found out that only one of the three applications was actually included.

Granted, I did not mind much at first, since the application that was included (on a companion CD) was Jeyo’s Mobile Extender, which is the only application I needed anyway because I use different products for the other tasks.

Earlier today I found a way to access the Extended ROM of the XDA Flame and guess what? Two setup files, one for CodeWallet 6 and one for WorldMate 2007, right there, working and licensed.

It really makes me wonder as to what prompted O2 to include the files but not install them automatically. My guess is that 95% of the XDA Flame users have no clue at all on how to get access to the Extended ROM and as such, will never have access to the two missing applications, which would constitute a loss of value of the device.

Strange, strange indeed.

After having some trouble with GLS Netherlands last week, my package was finally delivered on Monday, undamaged even and I now finally have an OEM copy of Windows Vista Home Premium.

Now, one would think that this chapter is closed but there’s something else that annoys me to no end with GLS. When you receive packages from a courier, you normally have to sign for them. That is, the person who receives the package has to sign for it. Sometimes you have to identify yourself with a driver’s license or an ID card, sometimes you don’t. In any case, those people have your signature and you’re legally bound to the package at that time.

Obviously, this isn’t an issue if you or someone you know signed for it, it is a problem though, if the driver has the audacity to sign in your name, like the GLS driver did. Granted, he delivered the package and saved me the time of calling GLS (yet again) and getting them to redeliver the package, but if the package shows up damaged, he’s not liable for it anymore. I’m the last person to look for filing charges, but if I receive software that is damaged and I supposedly signed for it, what would GLS compel to solve this problem for me and make repairations?

Well, lesson learned - don’t ship with GLS if you want your package to be delivered in a professional way. Sadly, Perfect Systems has no intentions of switching carriers and as such, I don’t believe I’ll keep ordering stuff from them anymore …

Ten days ago, I ordered a piece of software from a Dutch computer store. I’ve been a customer for a few years now and they have my exclusive business for anything computer related that I buy in the Netherlands. I normally don’t care about being loyal to a company, unless they provide me with something I’m looking for.

Perfect Systems does just that. They have great customer service, they will try to help you out on special occasions and they are quick to dispatch your order. Most of all, their prices are highly acceptable for a Dutch company. There’s only one downside - they use GLS as their freight carrier. A fatal decision because I’m starting to seriously consider switching to another store.

Ten days ago I ordered a copy of Windows Vista, Perfect Systems shipped it on February 6th and that normally means that the package would be here the next day. TNT Post, another freight carrier is capable of delivering packages next-day (at no additional cost) across the Netherlands, but GLS seems to be unable to do the job they are assigned to.

Yesterday the package was tagged as “returned from delivery” and my first thought was that the courier stopped by at a time when no one was at home (it happened before) but no, they just “managed” to sort the package the wrong way. This makes me wonder, how is it that a company like UPS is able to sort massive loads of packages and divert them to the right locations, across the globe and GLS is unable to sort a package so that it ends up on the right truck? I’ve probably received 50 packages via UPS now and I’ve never had a problem with one of them.

Today, on my day off, I thought I’d be able to install Vista. I got up early and checked the status of the package - no updates, then, at ten to 1:00pm, the status changed to “returned from delivery”. Once again, no courier stopped by. The initial message was that “the courier has reason to believe he might be unable to deliver the package during business hours”. Now, I don’t see how that would make sense. For one, the package is sent to a residential address and not to a business and even if it was sent to a business, my understanding is that they would have to at least try to deliver the package, that’s what a carrier is paid for, after all.

Half an hour later, the package’s status was updated: “missed connection”. Granted, it’s snowing out there, but the delivery vehicles should be capable of withstanding a little bit of snow and rain. Curiously, I also got a little package from UPS today, same weather conditions for them. It was delivered by a friendly courier (as opposed to the unfriendly people from GLS) who even had a minute to chat about the weather (he wasn’t the regular courier that delivers my packages) before he left.

Now, I’m not the first to complain about something like this, but this is the second time in two months that GLS is annoying me. Back in December, I ordered an external HDD, also from Perfect Systems and it was supposed to be delivered a few days later. The first time the courier supposedly stopped by and didn’t find anyone at home, which just happened to be my day off and I spent my time in proximity to the doorbell, just to make sure I could get the package. Nothing ever happened though, second day the package wasn’t even out for delivery and my mom had to go pick up the package from their depot. If you ask me, that kind of defeats the purpose of having a freight carrier. If I wanted to pick up parcels myself, I would just go into a store and grab them there.

That said, this is another lesson I learned - never use anyone except UPS for shipping. They are friendly, fast and their boxes don’t arrive wet and torn. It’s good to see that others are having more luck with their carriers.

UPDATE: GLS didn’t bother shipping my parcel out today either, the status remains unchanged, even though we had beautiful weather and someone was present all day long. At first I thought they were just having a bad day, but this is ridiculous and shows that GLS has no respect for their customers.

Very sad, especially for Perfect Systems, because I feel that I have to start looking for another eTailer, one that offers carriers that actually do what they are supposed to do.