[czaveri]

I have been looking at a number of people asking for plain Webmail client or some who just want to use their Webmail client or some who want to run Zimbra on a low config machine with not all features that Zimbra supports. There are also many who want to use all features of Zimbra and in addition add some of theirs.

Would it be in the interest of Zimbra (the company), to provide a completely (multi-level) modular architecture, such that:

1. If I want to use my existing mail server, and Zimbra Web Client, I can do so. (1st level modularisation)

2. If I want to use my existing web client (e.g Outlook, Evolution, Thunderbird, ...) and use only the Zimbra Server with Anti Spam and Anti Virus features, I can do so. (1st level modularisation)

3. If I want to setup Zimbra Mail Server and Zimbra Client, but no antispam or no antivirus, I can do so. (1st level modularisation)

4. If I want to use Zimbra Client, with Calendars and Tasks (yet to come), and Address Book and other Apps, I can select the ones I want. (2nd level of modularisation).

5. I can run a command, such as, zmzimletctl listAllZimlets and have a list of all zimlets on my local disk as well as the ones on the Zimbra Server. (third level modularisation)

Perhaps, saying, something such as: zmzimletctl deployRemoteZimlet com_zimbra_zimletname would download the zimlet from Zimbra's server and deploy it on my instance of Zimbra.

6. A well-defined API for adding modules on all of the three levels:
1st level: Operating System Applications (to modify or add core Zimbra functionality)
2nd level: Zimbra Apps (to modify or add higher level functionality)
3rd level: Zimlets (to allow easiest means to develop mashups)

So the person wanting to use Zimbra needs only to install something like a Zimbra Framework, which comes with many commands and utilities to add 1st, 2nd or 3rd level modules. (The concept is like CPAN or Ruby Gems)

This will be too much effort, I understand, but wouldn't this attract many more users?

Zimbra may decide to keep certain 1st level, 2nd level and 3rd level modules paid. Thus, a good revenue stream and charge as per which modules are required.

Additional Support Contracts, Indemnity, etc. charged additional, of course.