How to install Zimbra on Ubuntu

Yahoo Zimbra
Yahoo Zimbra

Zimbra is a Web Client is a full-featured collaboration suite that supports email and group calendars using an Ajax web interface that enables tool tips, draggable items, and right-click menus in the UI. Also included are advanced searching capabilities and date relations. Online document authoring, “Zimlet” mashups and a full administration UI are also included. It is written using the Zimbra Ajax Toolkit.

It exposes a SOAP application programming interface to all its functionality and also is an IMAP and POP3 server. The server runs on many distributions of Linux as well as on Mac OS X.

ZCS is compatible with proprietary clients such as Microsoft Outlook and Apple Mail, both through proprietary connectors, as well as the open-source Novell Evolution, so that mail, contacts, and calendar items can be synchronised from these to the ZCS server. Zimbra also provides native two-way sync to many mobile devices (Nokia Eseries, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, iPhone with 2.0 software).

source: wikipedia

One thing i love about gmail is its free pop mail service that allows me to use a mail client like Thunderbird to receive and send my emails. However i have an old yahoo account which i still maintain for old contacts sake and it is usually a pain to have to do the traditional web browser thingie just to check my emails.

Along came a Zimbra

Then i stumbled upon zimbra (no pun intended) and my life has been easier. with it i can check my yahoomail without opening Firefox and although its not as integrated has Thunderbird and evolution it still does the job for me.

Installation

Dead easy just make sure that you enble the partner repository by going to System/Administration/Software Sources then go to the Thirdparty Software Tab and Tick/Check the http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ hardy partner repositories.

ubuntu-software-sources-tool
ubuntu-software-sources-tool

when you are done close the the software tool. it would prompt you to reload.do what it says. when you are done. open synatic System/Administration/Synaptic, search for Zimbra right click,install and apply. once installed you will find the program under Application/Internet/Zimbra Desktop Installer . From there its easy just follow the prompt. and provide what ever information its asks email,name etc. when it prompt you if you want an icon on your desktop say yes. once installation is complete. it would sync with your yahoo mail and download all your mails into the program which can be lunched by double clicking its icon on your desktop.

NB this was tested on Ubuntu Hardy Heron. am quite confident that it should work with latter versions of ubuntu. i cant however guarantee or conform if it would work on older ubuntu releases .

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