Alternative to Groove?

jpmahala asks: "We had been using Groove internally at our company for quite some time (before the Microsoft buyout), and were interested in adding more users to the program. However, after clicking on the link to the store on Groove's website, I find a message from Microsoft that the product is no longer being offered. Following the link provided by Microsoft, I find that it is bundled into the Office2007 product now and it does not seem to be offered as a standalone product. I'm sad to see that sort of thing happen, and I am unwilling to upgrade everyone to Office2007 just for the sake of Groove. Is there any viable alternative out there?"

That's what you get

[Anonymous Coward]

for using proprietary software.

My boss told me to look into "Microsoft groove"...

[haakondahl]

...and he started to describe it. I helpfully pointed out that "It sounds like Micro-Soft wants to charge for rsync".

He just smiled.

So I guess I'll have to look into it.

Meanwhile, perhaps TFA is familiar with rsync?

Re:My boss told me to look into "Microsoft groove"

[baldass_newbie]

I guess the integration is worth something to unskilled users?

What do you think? MicroSoft isn't looking for /. people as Users, but as (potential) employees. Or not.
Unskilled users ARE their user base.
Apple is going after unskilled users with money or folks who don't want to hassle with drivers/software/etc.
Linux is great, but very specialized and lacks out-of-the-box integrated tools. Sure, you can write a script or pipe output, but that's besides the point. Most users (think Admin Assistants) want and need nice GUIs.

They're just making it easier for the knucle-dragging, mouth-breathers of the world.
And getting paid handsomely for it.

My boss told me to "Think of the User"

[Anonymous Coward]

"They're just making it easier for the knucle-dragging, mouth-breathers of the world.
And getting paid handsomely for it."

Highlighted and underlined. It's this fundamental disconnect between OSS and everyone else that keeps (and will contine to keep) OSS out of a lot of places. Just look at the list of Ask Slashdot's asking for an OSS solution to proprietary and at best the alternatives are an ill-fit, or at worst there's none at all despite years of asking. Elitism is it's own worse enemy.

Re:Business case?

[jeevesbond]

Glad you're contributing today. Perhaps you could, I don't know, Google for what it is.

I have no intention of getting into a flame war with you, just wanted to point out that Googling for Groove returns nothing but dross, from the Microsoft site:

Office Groove 2007 is a collaboration software program that helps teams work together dynamically and effectively, even if team members work for different organizations, work remotely, or work offline. Working in Groove workspaces saves time, increases productivity, and strengthens the quality of team deliverables. Office Groove 2007 is just one example of how the 2007 Microsoft Office system helps teams and organizations collaborate more effectively.

Ummmm, right.

I had the same problem when wanting to find out what Sharepoint actually does (eventually had to take the online test drive [microsoft.com]). Same problem with this product, why would we Google for the marketdroid speak when we have the near-unique opportunity of hearing it from the people who're using it?!

Honestly, brow-beating people for not searching on Google is not often helpful.

As someone who is currently looking into creating an ODF Document Portal [slashdot.org] I would be very interested in hearing about the features of Groove that real users find useful.

Re:My boss told me to look into "Microsoft groove"

[drooling-dog]

Linux is great, but very specialized and lacks out-of-the-box integrated tools. Sure, you can write a script or pipe output, but that's besides the point. Most users (think Admin Assistants) want and need nice GUIs.

Lacks tools? One of the (many) reasons I switched to Linux is because I use a broad range of software and there's no way I could have afforded to duplicate under Windows what comes "out of the box" with any standard Linux distro. No crippleware, either.

And yes, you'll be surprised to learn that Linux has had pretty GUIs for quite some time now (as long as I can remember, anyway). I'd suggest that you update your FUD, but then it might lose its potency, no?

Re:My boss told me to "Think of the User"

[drooling-dog]

It's this fundamental disconnect between OSS and everyone else that keeps (and will contine to keep) OSS out of a lot of places.

Really, as an extensive user of OSS software, I couldn't care less whether you use it or not. In fact, if we're ever in competition with each other, I'd even prefer that you didn't. While you're dealing with licensing hassles and BSA audits, we'll just keep chuggin' away.

Just look at the list of Ask Slashdot's asking for an OSS solution to proprietary and at best the alternatives are an ill-fit, or at worst there's none at all despite years of asking. Elitism is it's own worse enemy.

Well, if you want free open-source software that is exactly like some commercial offering, you're being unrealistic. Ditto if you think that OSS means that a corps of dedicated software professionals is supposed to drop everything to focus on your specific needs. Microsoft doesn't do that, either: You eat what they put on your plate, and you do it in the way they proscribe.

Regarding "elitism" though, let's look at the situation here. I listen to people all the time who put up with no end of grief and hassle dealing with proprietary closed-source software, and I see them paying handsomely for the priviledge. When informed that excellent free alternatives exist, they think of every nutty reason you can imagine not to try them out, but what they all boil down to is a fear of having to learn something new (ah, but here comes Vista!). Rather than do that scary thing, they'll just keep dropping their pants and bending over for more of the same. They'll eagerly believe whatever absurd FUD is pitched to them because it justifies their otherwise irrational behavior. They are beyond help because they build and maintain their own cages.

So maybe what you see as elitism over here is really just some of us shaking our heads in dismay...