Plone NGO Mailing List Christian Aid go for Microsoft over Open Source
michael nt milne
michael.milne at gmail.com
Thu Nov 16 15:51:18 UTC 2006
Yes, I see what you're saying. Plone does have scaled down CRM type tools
and that's useful. Just that full email integration is very tricky and often
involves a lot of data. I don't think Plone does email very well at the
moment and am not sure if it is a priority. Probably not. I understand what
you're trying to do though. Have you thought about using Plone together with
something like Salesforce as well. It integrates with email and also speaks
to Plone. You've got power on both sides then. Salesforce Enterprise is free
for NGOs as well. Works with Plone 2.5. Member objects, contact info in
Plone are available to Salesforce and Salesforce data is available to Plone.
On 11/16/06, sisi <sisi at foei.org> wrote:
>
>
>
> michael nt milne wrote:
> > "My preference is to integrate email lists."
> >
> > Yes, but you're getting into Customer Relationship Managment and Plone
> > is not a CRM tool and it's best if it never becomes or tries to be one.
> > Most CRM tools allow Outlook integration and it's best if that is kept
> > there I feel.
>
> I don't want to interface with everyones mobile phones, faxes and credit
> card details, just their emails :-)
>
> And the point is, I still need such a tool, so if it can be created
> within plone that would make me very happy.
>
> Also, a scaled down CRM seems to me very like the kind of tools that are
> being developed by people in the plone community to handle the
> information of volunteers and supporters, mostly in combination with
> ldap. So this sounds like semantics to me. I don't want the
> functionality of most of a CRM tool, just one part of what they do
> (though I wouldn't say integration with outlook was functional...)
>
> If I have the wrong end of the technical stick please set me right!
>
> > I'm not sure if MailBoxer is a solid solution from some comments on the
> > Zope list. Doesn't it use the ZODB for storing all the email etc?
>
> I don't know I'm afraid. I'm backing the concept more than the technical
> details at this stage. I hope someone who is developing listen can
> answer this, I think they are on the list.
>
> Cheers,
> sisi
>
> > On 11/16/06, * sisi* <sisi at foei.org <mailto:sisi at foei.org>> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > Andy McKay wrote:
> > > Unfortunately offline is here to stay for quite a long time, and
> for
> > > organisations that go into places with poor internet connectivity
> a
> > > common problem that isn't going to get solved soon. Gosh I have
> > problems
> > > getting online in the north of england :)
> >
> > +1
> > Poor internet connectivity is not just to do with the technology
> > available but largely to do with a country's communications
> > infrastructure and political situation.
> >
> > Many of us on this list either work in or with organisations in
> > countries where water or electricity aren't taken for granted, never
> > mind internet connectivity.
> >
> > My preference is to integrate email lists. People tend to want to
> use
> > the tools they are used to, and email is so institutional now. It's
> the
> > way most people communicate electronically, it allows easy access
> when
> > on a dial up connection and most people have an email address for
> > communicating with friends, family, and other work contacts. And
> it's
> > cross platform. So why would we make them access yet another tool in
> > order to collaborate? At any rate, in my organisation people are
> very
> > resistant to moving away from email as a way of collaboration and
> > communication. Very.
> >
> > But, as Peter pointed out "Sole use of email usually means a
> dramatic
> > loss institutional memory" Yup! Couldn't agree more.
> >
> > So if we can integrate email lists into plone, I think we'd have a
> good
> > collaboration tool. I'm personally pinning my hopes on Listen. I
> know
> > this does not work so well with collaborating on documents but in my
> > experience people want to stick with word documents, track changes
> and
> > email. That's what they want because it's also what they know, and
> it's
> > easy.
> >
> > If there is any chance of designing an online/ offline solution that
> > makes sense for people I'm very interested in supporting it. After
> all,
> > people flocked to skype and instant messaging. These tools can be
> > intrusive and entail people being constantly online, but they were
> easy
> > enough for people to adopt without a steep learning curve.
> >
> > For the time being, did I mention Listen yet? :-)
> >
> > Cheers,
> > sisi
> >
> > --
> > # sisi nutt # extranet coordinator
> > # Friends of the Earth International
> > # PO Box 19199 # 1000 GD Amsterdam # The Netherlands
> > # Tel 31 20 6221369 # Fax 31 20 6392181 # http://www.foei.org
> > # email sisi at foei.org <mailto:sisi at foei.org> # skype foei_sisi
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > NGO at lists.plone.org <mailto:NGO at lists.plone.org>
> > http://lists.plone.org/mailman/listinfo/ngo
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > michael
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > NGO at lists.plone.org
> > http://lists.plone.org/mailman/listinfo/ngo
>
> --
> # sisi nutt # extranet coordinator
> # Friends of the Earth International
> # PO Box 19199 # 1000 GD Amsterdam # The Netherlands
> # Tel 31 20 6221369 # Fax 31 20 6392181 # http://www.foei.org
> # email sisi at foei.org # skype foei_sisi
>
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> http://lists.plone.org/mailman/listinfo/ngo
>
--
michael
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