using evolution with kubuntu

[sgla1]

Hi Group,

For various reasons, several users I have migrated from windows to kubuntu are using evolution for email, etc.  This is not easily changed.

When web links are clicked in evolution, no web browser opens.  This is annoying.  I have set the default email client in kde = evolution.

I was able to resolve the issue (sort of) by installing ubuntu-desktop, but the menus are now cluttered with gnome programs the users don't need/want.

What is the minimum subset of ubuntu-desktop I can install to get better integration with evolution?

[greensh]

Re: using evolution with kubuntu

This is not a direct answer your question but rather a workaround. I'm assuming you're in the same boat as many Linux users- your company insist on using M$ Exchange and installs Outlook (the worst email program there is) on all computers. The problem is there's only two email programs I know of for Linux that allows you to connect to an exchange server- which is your only option if POP is disabled and you don't want to use webmail- these are CrossOver Office (for Outlook) and Evolution. Due to the problems you mentioned Evolution doesn't play so nice with KDE, but CrossOver Office has worked for me for the past 4 years with exchange. But, it's a painful way to do email on ANY Linux distro and there needs to be a better solution.

Maybe someone else here can recommend one?  Communicating with M$ email has hurt Linux's use in business for a long time since many companies won't have a 'better' email server in place for a long time... (if ever).

[sgla1]

Re: using evolution with kubuntu

You're correct. We're stuck with Evolution, and I have found users adapt to KDE relatively easily, but have a hard time adapting to GNOME (I had a pilot group try both).

There's gotta be a better answer--this is why people say Linux is not ready for the desktop. :P

[greensh]

Re: using evolution with kubuntu

I have to also add that I've actually watched a virus attacking a user's email in Outlook running under VMware and it deleted almost all the messages in the Inbox. But using CrossOver Office on the exact same computer didn't do this- even though there's no virus software to install in CrossOver Office (I guess the virus was able to attack Windows).

Try CrossOver- you may esp find it cleaner since it won't clutter up your KDE desktop with Gnome mess. It's worth the small amount- esp since you may find it convenient to work with M$ Office documents until OpenOffice becomes std like Firefox did.

[sgla1]

Re: using evolution with kubuntu

Thanks for your suggestion, but I think it's slightly off point.

My users don't need Outlook per se; they just need Evolution to integrate properly into their DE.

[casperlingus]

Re: using evolution with kubuntu

Does anyone else have the following problems with Evolution?

1) Notification does not work in any form. I have calendar event notification set up. It is supposed to notify me with a popup 30 minutes before scheduled calendar events. It does not.

2) Notification of new email doesn't work either. I have tried both "beep" and a *.wav file. I clearly have sound enabled because I listen to music from my computer in my office all day long. This feature does not work either.

3) Seemingly randomly, Evolution decides not to save some outgoing mail into any of the folders. At first it was only saving original messages to the "Sent" folder, and for some reason saving replies to the "Inbox" folder (kind of annoying). Now it doesn't save much of anything.

4) (Non-evolution) I installed Outlook 2000 via CxOffice and it doesn't seem to find the network/exchange server. When I try to validate my email, it instantly pops up and says it can't find the exchange server.

These things seem simple enough that it would appear to be a personal problem. But I had all 4 of these problems on my other laptop running Evolution on Ubuntu (w/ gnome).

Ideas, suggestions?

Casper...

[sgla1]

Re: using evolution with kubuntu

I have a desktop running ubuntu/gnome.  Integration of Evolution into gnome seems pretty good--pop up notices do work, beep notices of new mail do work, mail does seem to get saved to the right folders.

Evo still crashes or locks fairly frequently.  IMHO thunderbird is a much better mail client, especially for imap.  Unfortunately thunderbird lacks a calender that works with it.

Does anyone know of a calendar program that works well with thunderbird?

[casperlingus]

Re: using evolution with kubuntu

I would use thunderbird, but I need Exchange server. And as I mentioned, CxOffice can't find its way to the network. Anyone else having these problems?

Casper...

[greensh]

Re: using evolution with kubuntu

M$ outlook running in cxoffice under KDE 3.5.2 finds my exchange server fine (Kubuntu Dapper 6.06 LTS).

However, the 'outhouse' install is so bad, I remember having to insert the correct exchange server DURING setup, else it's impossible to go back and change it. One way to verify you have the correct server name is to check a collegue's winders box. This info is buried in their outhouse's email account setup menus. And... from time to time network admins can change this info to update w/o you knowing. So if you wrote down a server name a year ago, the name may be different now (this has happened to me once and it's very frustrating- at least the printer IP addresses never seem to change!).

However the worst is yet to come with 'outhouse'-
if you put an incorrect exchange server name for example, and then it says it cannot connect, and you click to start offline, then you may have to uninstall/reinstall it because there's no way to get into the menus to change the settings! I don't know if office 2003 fixed this or not but I remember this was a showstopper with either office XP or office 2000.