I haven't signed up to the NE agreement yet - that decision will take place on Thursday when I speak to my manager with the costs. However, my opinion has now changed from "recommended" to "recommended, but..." and it's a big "but". To be honest, the recommended is only there because of the work already done in preparation.
I wouldn't have been happy if Google had bought it either, but out of all the big companies who could have stepped in with the cash, Yahoo is only preferable to MS in my opinion. I would have been so much happier if Zimbra (inc.) had said "Thanks for the offer, but we're doing okay on our own". I can't see how Yahoo will help in any way that interests me as a sysadmin, but I can already see the dark clouds rolling in.
Partnering with a large-ish hosting business with a vested interest in the future of Zimbra would have seemed like a good move, but selling up to a company with their own infrastructure and a business model based around ad revenue certainly doesn't. Yahoo's documented interest in SaaS makes me worried about the direction of Zimbra and it's suitability as an internal collaboration system for SME's. The noises of MS's interest in Yahoo worries me even more.
A few years ago the future of OS collaboration seemed pretty rosy, with the likes of Zimbra, OX, e4l and Kolab coming in leaps and bounds, and proven techs like OpenMail and Netmail reinventing themselves as the OS-friendly Scalix and Hula. Scalix has gotten into bed with Xandros (and therefore tarred with an MS brush) and seems more intent on sales than developing (still no native antispam/AV), Hula has been pulled as Novell look increasingly shaky, OX is just messy, Kolab is just confusing and e4l vanished as an OS project. It's all a huge shame if you ask me.
It's all well-and-good Zimbra employees saying "it's business as usual" but (and this is no sleight on the honesty of any who've posted, who I'm sure have the best intentions) if this kind of news comes out of nowhere who knows what is next. Choosing an email/collab platform is a huge decision for a company and I'd certainly not have staked my reputation on anything Yahoo was involved with before today.
Just my two-penn'orth. Maybe my mood will lighten tomorrow.
Kev  |