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List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    Re: kmail status w/addressbook
From:       Mirko Sucker <mirko.sucker () unibw-hamburg ! de>
Date:       2000-05-10 21:46:58
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pbrown@redhat.com wrote:
> 
> On Tue, 9 May 2000, Don Sanders wrote:
> 
> > <Very frank>
> > It's difficult to enter just an email address, and has no support for groups
> > or aliases (last I looked). So address book GUI wise KMail will probably go
> > it's own way.
> > </Very frank>
> 
> Well IMHO this needs to be addressed before KDE 2.0 final.  We can't have
> an addressbook in kdelibs that no one uses because they feel the API AND
> the UI are too limiting or whatever.  No insults to Mirko intended, but
> this is a major issue.
My statement here:

I do not want to force anybody to do anything. 

But...

I cleaned the addressbook library as much as possible. Every user
interface stuff has been removed from it. The string class has been
replaced by QStrings. 
Adding the library and thus an interface from any application to the
users local addressbook is a matter of merely 20 lines of code. Just
have a look at the kabapi_test in kdeutils/kab. 
-> To look up an email address from anywhere you do not need more. 
-> To add a "Send to..." menu item in Konqueror, the same.
Anyone who wants more API should have a closer look - it is possibly to
use the complete interface through kabapi->addressbook(). kab is written
only by using the API. Remember what the library is meant for. It is no
directory server. 
Anyone who wants another GUI - just write it. The library is the
INTERFACE to the users LOCAL addressbook. 
Anyone who wants LDAP - write an interface to LDAP that allows the user
to use LDAP servers and store some of the entries locally (using
libkab). 
Anyone who wants something the library does not support should think
about: 
° is it a matter of the users local personal information or maybe a
directory server feature?
° couldn´t it be added by digging deeper into the code of the library
than just a few lines? 

So, if you want to have one addressbook for the desktop, you have to
find a standard. This is my try. Anybody, make a better one NOW, or USE
IT!

And there is no feature needed for a nice interaction of kmail with the
addressbook that is not there. Some esoteric stuff will always be not
implemented.

Greetings,
--Mirko.
PS: Adding a simple address of name and email address: 
° create an address object
° set name
° set mail address
° add to address book.
Can it be more simple?
-- 
Drei Dinge gibt es, denen alle Menschen gern gemütlich zuschauen:
° fliessendes Wasser,
° knisterndes Feuer und (am allerliebsten)
° anderen Menschen beim Arbeiten. (Charlie Brown).

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