When looking for alternatives to the dominating groupware suites Microsoft Outlook/Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes/Domino, one comes across multiple Web-based groupware solutions such as Zimbra. Since groupware is first and foremost about group collaboration—including messaging, calendar sharing and appointment scheduling, and managing of contact information—it seems like a good idea to implement it as a Web application, removing some of the hassles and inefficiencies of conventional client/server applications and allowing access to the software from a broad range of devices, including mobile phones or tablets.
There is, however, one significant drawback to Web-based groupware: It requires the user to have Web access in order to use the software. While offices in most parts of the world today have fast Internet connectivity, there are—even without thinking of less developed parts of the world—situations in which online connectivity is not given. A few examples follow. (more…)