Yes, the UiO director has approved that Exchange should be used on the servers, and this will be implemented. What is not true, is that all emplyees must use Outlook. IMAP support will be kept and a number of clients will be supported, for Linux, Mac OS, Android, iOS and Windows. Most Windows users will probably want to use Outlook, but there will be other alternatives for Windows users too. Access to the e-mail will not be limited to Microsoft clients or indeed clients based on proprietary technology. That client support and recommodations have not been settled yet, was clear both in teh e-mail and on the linked pages.
If you want to be the harbringer of truth, you should think about moderating the sentence "everyone is supposed to use Microsoft Oulook".
Another thing is the statement that teh users just let "the IT people decide". If we should decide, it is very possible that things would have continued as is, or tried to develop an extened version of some open solution. What the IT people have done now, is listen to what the IT users at the UiO are saying: "Give us a user friendly, integrated e-mail, calendar and room booking system that works." And that voice is quite strong. People do care. A lot of users want Outlook. If anything, we have given in to popular opinion. It is, of course, very possible to criticize that too. Most people don't care whether the software is free or proprietary, as long as it works. And Exchange will work well on UiO, for Outlook users and for those who choose to use other clients.
Best regards,
Gyda Kjekshus
Let me try to explain: I don't care if all employees use Outlook or not. My concern is not about the clients at all.
My concern is about the infrastructure, that is, the servers. And it is sad that, as you say, most people don't even know the difference between proprietary software and free software. This is what I wanted primarily to change with my posting.
I strongly disagree that "everyone wants an integrated calender, e-mail and room booking system" (I suppose the administration may want it, but there are other users at a university, too). But especially I would expect a lot of people to disagree if this means that the university email system goes under the control of a software company which (naturally) wants to make profit. This is the reason for my campaign.
So my concern is not about the clients or what people can use (even though you probably are aware that users who do not use Windows HAVE to use Windows for administrative purposes, for example to interact with the system for reissegodkjenning, ferie, etc.), but about the _political_ problem of being in the hands of a commercial software company for running a public university infrastructure.
Since I apparently was not clear enough in my worries, and did not explain correctly what I think is the big problem, I wonder if I can talk to the IT director about this (this is why I am copying him).
I will in any case add a footnote to the site explaining that "strictly speaking, not everyone is supposed to use Microsoft Outlook, but it looks like the project leader is doing his best to get at that, quote: "Alle vil få tilbud om opplæring, og vi i prosjektet vil legge stor vekt på brukeropplevelsen både av programmet, opplæring og veiledningene".
This is how I interpret this sentence, from https://www.uio.no/tjenester/it/e-post-kalender/ny-e-post-og-kalender/aktuelt/vi-er-i-gang.html
Maybe this is not what is meant? Anyway, I thank you for taking the time to read what I wrote and helping clarifying my ideas. Diana
If needed, you can find the quote from the project manager in English on the English website: http://www.uio.no/english/services/it/email-calendar-chat/new-e-mail-and-calendar/
The English translation is: "All will be offered training, and the project will place great emphasis on user experience, both for the program, the training and the tutorials."
The offer for training is, of course, an offer. The offer is extended to those who need it because they switch e-mail clients. If you do not switch e-mail clients, there is probably no need for training. But I see that the sentence will benefit from clarification. I'll talk to the project manager, and see if we can change it to "All who switch e-mail clients will be offered training." Thanks for bringing my attention to a possibly ambiguous sentence.
Best regards,
Gyda Kjekshus
For the New e-mail and calendar project group