Keep IT Simple

When Zibra was came out, many email users were ecstatic about its new functionalities. The Zimbra Collaboration Suite (ZCS) consist of a web client which supports email and group calendars with draggable items, tool tips and right click menus in the user interface which is powered by AJAX technology.

The client also features advance searching capabilities, online document authoring and mash up administration. The ZCS server exposes a SOAP application programming and leverages many robust open source projects like MySQL, OpenLDAP and Lucene. The suite is highly compatible with Microsoft Outlook and Apple Mail and other open source organizers like Novell Evolution and can provide two-way sync to varioys hand held devices such as BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Nokia E Series. In short, Zimbra was a big hit.

And then it happened. Zimbra customers were suddenly appalled with Yahoo acquired it and many IT professionals have confessed their upset feelings over possible negative effects. The $350 million deal has caused IT customers to be skeptical about Yahoo and its capacity in serving enterprise customers and suspicions are arising about the planned Zimbra – Yahoo messaging suite.

A nine page discussion forum thread can be found on the internet containing the customers’ collective feeling of dismay and alarm. For instance, one IT manager recounted his story about how just over a year ago he chose Zimbra Collaboration Suite over Microsoft Corp.’s Exchange and Xandos Corp.’s Scalix. But when he learned about the Yahoo deal, he was reduced the contract from 3 years to 1 year. And his reason was there have been too many questions which were unanswered by Zimbra and Yahoo. The biggest of these questions has been: “Does Yahoo, whose online services are heavily focused on consumers, understand the needs of business customers?”

Another sentiment from another IT manager goes: “Before the acquisition, Zimbra had only one purpose: to make a better product. Zimbra now has a different purpose and that is to ensure Yahoo’s agendas are fulfilled.”

A Belfast based Unix supercomputer administrator is predicting that Zimbra will be disassembled by Yahoo and plug the individual pieces into the Yahoo Mail.

But there were also others who felt elated. One systems administrator commented: “Zimbra will become more financially secure and able to access Yahoo resources. I hope this deal works out well for all of us.”

If we have to analyze these mixed feelings, I think the issue boils down to one thing: People are afraid that Zimbra will be dissolved in the shadows of Yahoo. In fact those people have expressed that the best scenario would be one where Yahoo will have as little interference as possible with the Zimbra team and technology while providing a strong backup.

I hope this will end up well and Yahoo will listen to all these people. Many of these laments came from people who have purchased or who have contracts with Zimbra for many years before the acquisition.

“The entire Yahoo team is excited to embrace Zimbra’s customers, partners and community and I want to personally welcome them to the Yahoo! family,” said Brad Garlinghouse, senior vice president, communications and communities of Yahoo.

I hope this results in better service.