Differences between Standard (HTML) and Advanced(AJAX) versions?

[Dingo42]

Hi,
I'm new to Zimbra, our admin just showed us how to use Collaboration Suite to share calendars, and task and so on in our lab group.

Most of us here use Opera browser (because it's the best, but that's another story) and AJAX version look really scrambled up in that browser. So I tried HTML version and some things seemed even smoother than in the AJAX one in FF (couldn't find way to edit calendar in AJAX, for example, but maybe I just didn't see it).

So the question is, why use AJAX at all (apart from the obvious "it's in" reason)?
Page need to reload for every change, yes, and sometimes it's not that comfortable, but does HTML version lack any important feature?
Is there a list, cause I couldn't find anything in help, it just keeps saying that it's for quicker connections and newer browsers and stuff like that, nothing specific.
So what are the disadvantages of HTML version?

[uxbod]

Welcome to the forums

Drag and drop would be one significant difference between Ajax and HTML. Also Ajax does take extra processing power on your workstation so HTML is great for those lower spec machines.

[mmorse]

FYI: The HTML interface also lacks documents & briefcase right now - we really could go on all day on the benefits of the AJAX client

[mmorse]

For instance with v5 the HTML standard client (formerly 'lite client') got calendaring:
/blog/archives/2007/08/zimbra_standard_client_1.html
/blog/archives/2007/03/zimbra_lite_inline_day_view.html

We also just put an WYSWYG email editor into it: /blog/archives/2007/11/50_coolness_part_2.html

And some sweet FF extensions: http://www.zimbra.com/blog/archives/...ings_ever.html

Add a vote to Bug 5932 - Support for Opera

Trust me the AJAX client is a much richer experience

Again welcome! - Just to orient you a bit:

Bugs & RFE's (requests for enhancements) can be filed/voted for in Bugzilla & tracked (see priorities & what release their going into) via PMweb.

The blog has lots of good articles - you might checkout: Open Source Product Management: How do features get into Zimbra?

Last but definitely not least - the Wiki has all sorts of collective knowledge in it

[Dingo42]

We will use Zimbra mostly for the shared calendar options, so it doesn't matter much the docs are not in HTML version.

But thanks all for info, I wanted to know if it has some really big drawbacks, since usual tasks like adding new calendar action works in both. It's very uncomfortable to have two different browsers opened, so I'll stick with Opera (mmorse: added a vote, thanks!) and HTML version, and in troubles use FF.

Btw I found why the AJAX mode seem too clumsy in FF, my gesture extension blocked all right-click menus, which is solved in this thread.

[tross]

mmorse or other Zimbra employee,

Have you heard any estimates of when briefcase and documents will be added to the HTML client?

I did find (and vote for) one rfe that sounds like a request for documents in the HTML client: Enterprise: Support for docs in lite client, but I didn't find anything for the Briefcase on Bugzilla or PMWeb.

The main reason we are interested at our university is for accessibility requirements. I definitely agree that the AJAX client is much better, but we will probably have a few people with special needs who will need to use the HTML client.

Thanks.