Kube (software)

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Cube
Basic data

developer KDE and Kolab Systems AG
Current  version 0.8
(October 1, 2019)
operating system Unix- like ( macOS , Linux ), Android , iOS , Windows
programming language C ++ ( Qt )
category Personal information manager , groupware
License GPLv2 + ( Free Software )
German speaking Yes
kube-project.com

Kube is a personal information manager and e-mail and groupware - client . The comprehensive cross-platform application is being developed under the leadership of Kolab Systems AG as part of the KDE project; These are the same project managers as in the "predecessor program" Kontact , one of the most important e-mail clients under Linux (sometimes better known as the e-mail component "KMail").

The new development "Kube" is intended to expand the strengths of the current KDE groupware client Kontact and to eliminate weaknesses. The KDEPIM team (PIM stands for Personal Information Manager ) is now responsible for both projects in parallel.

concept

The "Kube" project for the new development of a groupware client within the KDE project is being developed entirely with Qt , using parts of the current KDE groupware client Kontact . Sink is used as the backend (data management and authentication), which was partly newly developed and partly based on the current KDE backend Akonadi . Until 2017 the backend sink was developed under the name "Akonadi Next".

The background to the new development of Sink (and Kube) are frequent complaints from users and administrators that Akonadi (and Kontact) did not work properly and without errors, especially in professional use. The developer Christian Mollekopf wrote in March 2016 at the start of the Kube project: “ Kube is based on the lessons learned from KDE Kontact and Akonadi, building on the strengths and replacing the weak points. "(, German:" Kube is based on the experiences made with Kontact and Akonadi by KDE; we want to use the strengths of these programs and replace their problematic points with something new. ")

The concept of Kube envisages a considerable scope: E-mail processing, contact and file management, calendar function and other functions of a groupware are planned. The aim is to be able to use the software for use in companies. Both end users and project managers are the target audience; the basic function is the e-mail client, which is also the focus of development.

A special feature of Kube is that the groupware client is completely cross-platform developed from the start; the program works with Windows, Linux, macOS, Android and iOS. In addition, Kube should work on mobile devices and be able to work together with a wide variety of (graphical) user interfaces ("[Kube] should be portable accross a variety of platforms, including mobile, not only due to a portable codebase, but also due to different UI's for the various formfactors ").

Planned differences to existing software

The development of the vision for the new development was published on Github between October 2015 and January 2016.

Difference to Roundcube or Horde (web clients)

  • Kube should be a native application that is integrated into the operating system (e.g. with regard to notifications, integration into the start menu).
  • Works even without an active internet connection.
  • Data can be encrypted and sent encrypted.
  • Multiple e-mail accounts can be managed in one user interface.

Difference to Kontact , Evolution or Thunderbird (desktop clients)

  • The user guidance should be easier.
  • The setup of the accounts and the synchronization of the accounts with other devices or users should be easier (largely automated setup; simple deletion of the entire account setup without data loss).
  • Should also work on mobile platforms.

Difference to existing mobile platforms

  • Extended range of functions (e.g. categorization, appointment calendar, to-do lists, notifications).

Software architecture

  • Graphical user interface: written entirely in QtQuick and divided into completely independent components. Kirigami UI is used to program the respective user interface; With this software, a suitable and customized user interface can be created for every form factor (e.g. tablet, PC, smartphone).
  • Storage: "Symas Lightning Memory-mapped Database" (Symas LMDB).
  • Full-text indexing: “Xapian” open source search engine.
  • Serialization library: FlatBuffers.

Development and release cycle

The first functional published version 0.10 was released on March 3, 2017 by KDE developer Christian Mollekopf after only a year of development. At this point in time, it was mainly the email functions (IMAP) that were implemented. Despite the low version number, IMAP accounts could be set up and managed in March 2017, emails could be retrieved, moved, deleted and written, and encrypted messages could be read; Gmail accounts could initially only be used to a limited extent due to their special IMAP implementation.

After the publication of the first test version 0.10 in March 2017, the regular development should then be pushed forward “milestone per milestone”. The first goal was to fully implement all e-mail functions and then to program an address book function and improve the search function.

In May 2017 the version (milestone) 0.2 was deleted in order to bring the version 0.3 directly to publication. The version 0.31 following 0.1 was released on July 4th, 2017. The developer Christian Mollekopf wrote in a blog entry that this version could be used for most of my email needs (“I can use it for most of my email needs”) ). The version (milestone) 0.5 was released on December 30, 2017.

Milestone 0.6 appeared on March 20, 2018. Version 0.6 added a full-text search (for e-mails) based on the search engine Xapian. Version 0.7 from July 13, 2018 contained a complete encryption function ( GNU Privacy Guard with the ability to automatically attach the public key) and a new, simple address book; Version 0.7 also appeared for the first time in a version for macOS (alongside Linux; an experimental Windows version was not yet fully functional). An appointment calendar has been part of Kube's development since August 2018; first a week view was developed, a month view was planned.

The next version 0.8 was released on October 1st, 2019.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Joey Sneddon: Kube, a new KDE email / PIM app, sees first tech preview release. In: OMG! Ubuntu! March 5, 2017, accessed March 27, 2017 .
  2. ↑ Home. Retrieved March 27, 2017 .
  3. ↑ a b Future of KDE PIM -> Kube & Sink. Retrieved March 28, 2017 .
  4. ↑ 6 Best Email Clients for Linux Systems. Retrieved March 27, 2017 (American English).
  5. ↑ Slant - 9 best native e-mail clients for Linux as of 2017. Retrieved on March 27, 2017 (English).
  6. ↑ a b cmollekopf: So what is Kube? (and who is Sink?). In: Finding New Ways ... March 2, 2016, accessed March 27, 2017 .
  7. ↑ iX: Tech Preview: Version 0.1.0 of the Kube groupware client released. Retrieved March 27, 2017 .
  8. ^ Discovering the Kube project . In: Moved by Freedom - Powered by Standards . July 10, 2016 ( standardsandfreedom.net [accessed March 27, 2017]).
  9. ↑ iX: Tech Preview: Version 0.1.0 of the Kube groupware client released. Retrieved March 27, 2017 .
  10. ↑ Author cmollekopf: So what is Kube? (and who is Sink?). In: Finding New Ways ... March 2, 2016, accessed March 27, 2017 .
  11. ↑ First technical preview of the PIM suite Kube - Pro-Linux . In: Pro-Linux . ( pro-linux.de [accessed on March 27, 2017]).
  12. ↑ Akonadi - still alive and rocking. In: LWN.net. Retrieved March 27, 2017 .
  13. ↑ Akonadi for e-mail needs to die. Retrieved March 27, 2017 .
  14. ^ Discovering the Kube project . In: Moved by Freedom - Powered by Standards . July 10, 2016 ( standardsandfreedom.net [accessed March 27, 2017]).
  15. ↑ First technical preview of the PIM suite Kube - Pro-Linux . In: Pro-Linux . ( pro-linux.de [accessed on March 27, 2017]).
  16. ^ Kube Project Features and Goals. Retrieved March 27, 2017 .
  17. ^ Discovering the Kube project . In: Moved by Freedom - Powered by Standards . July 10, 2016 ( standardsandfreedom.net [accessed March 27, 2017]).
  18. ↑ project.md kube. Retrieved January 16, 2018 .
  19. ↑ KDE / kube. Retrieved May 14, 2018 .
  20. ↑ Join Kube! Retrieved March 27, 2017 .
  21. ^ Converging Kubes . In: mbohlender . May 2, 2016 ( wordpress.com [accessed February 12, 2018]).
  22. ↑ Author cmollekopf: The year of Kube. In: Finding New Ways ... January 23, 2016, accessed March 27, 2017 .
  23. ^ Ferdinand Thommes: First technical preview of the Kube PIM suite. In: Pro-Linux . March 6, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2017 .
  24. ↑ iX: Tech Preview: Version 0.1.0 of the Kube groupware client released. Retrieved March 27, 2017 .
  25. ↑ Ferdinand Thommes: KDE developer shows first preview of email client Kube. In: golem.de . March 6, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2017 .
  26. ^ Ulrich Bantle: Preview of the Kube mail client. In: Linux magazine . March 6, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2017 .
  27. ↑ Author cmollekopf: Release of Kube 0.1.0. In: Finding New Ways ... March 3, 2017, accessed March 29, 2017 .
  28. ↑ Kube, a new KDE email / PIM app, sees first tech preview release . In: OMG! Ubuntu! March 5, 2017 ( omgubuntu.co.uk [accessed March 27, 2017]).
  29. ↑ cube (0.2). Retrieved June 4, 2017 .
  30. ↑ News. Retrieved July 6, 2017 .
  31. ↑ Kube - Finding New Ways… Accessed on July 6, 2017 (English).
  32. ↑ Prepared release of v0.5.0. Retrieved January 12, 2018 .
  33. ↑ R162: 100b34ab6280. Retrieved March 23, 2018 .
  34. ↑ Find your mails with fulltext search - Kolab Now. Retrieved March 23, 2018 (American English).
  35. ↑ Kube on Mac OS - Kolab Now. Retrieved April 14, 2018 (American English).
  36. ↑ Kube 0.7.0 is out! In: Finding New Ways ... July 12, 2018 ( wordpress.com [accessed July 16, 2018]).
  37. ↑ Kube - Finding New Ways ... Accessed November 6, 2018 .
  38. ↑ Author cmollekopf: Kube 0.8.0 is out! In: Finding New Ways ... October 1, 2019, accessed October 11, 2019 .