You've got m@il
By Sankarshan Mukhopadhyay
One of the major hindrances to a complete migration to Free/Open Source Software has always been the mail transport/user agents. Indeed, it has been heard once too often on LUG mailing lists that "I could switch over to GNU/Linux but what to do with my mails ?"
Part of this problem lies with the fact that MSOutlookExpress & MSOutlook (MSOE & MSO) create a proprietary .dbx format in which to store the mail, and part lies with the fact that no *good* utility was available to facilitate the switchover.
Lament no more !! Help is at hand and break free as you've got m@il
ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT
[1] Assumes that you know where your mail agent stores the data
[2] Assumes that you realise the importance of not disturbing your production data
[3] Assumes that you are familiar with working from the command-line interface
OBJECTIVE
Simply put, the aim is to convert .dbx mail datastores into .mbox or .mbx datastores that are compatible with conventional FLOSS mail agents.
TELL ME HOW
A Google search with the string "DBXConv" will return the relevant page as the topmost result. However, if you are too unwilling to do the search, the utility we will use can be found here.
The site states:
This program will extract the messages from an Outlook Express (5.0 - 5.5) mailbox and convert it either to the standard mbox or the Outlook Express eml format. The advantage of saving your mail in mbox format is, that it's a plain text format, which can be read by many mail-clients
Do not take the MSOE version at face value !! The utility seems to work fine with MSOE v6.0 also
Steps are:
[i] take a copy of the entire mail store to some different folder. eg assuming that the store was at D:\Mail, copy it to (say) E:\Mail
[ii] unzip the downloaded dbxconv.exe into this (E:\Mail) folder
[iii] from the command-line interface browse to this directory
[iv] run dbxconv *.dbx
voila !! you have got m@il... importing/copying the .mbx/.mbox files so created to the directory/store of your preferred mail agent/client will enable you to access all stored mails without missing any of them or switching between OSs.
Converting to eml is simple.
Run from a command-line interface dbxconv -eml *.dbx
DBXConv.zip can be found here
The complete source code for this GPL-ed utility can be found here
- posted by sankarshan @ 4/11/2003 10:34:00 PM 0 comments
All Knowledge Management solutions and techologies are based on the concept of bringing order into chaos and focussing the knowledge wealth of a Company. While the fissured nature of knowledge demands such managerial techniques, it also demands a holistic approach towards integration.
Knowledge Integration is not a current 'buzzword' or some new fangled corporate communication and management technique. Such integration across domains have been carried out in a limited fashion. What it does aim is at utilising the 'knowledge centres' already present to optimise the Return Accrued from such investment.
In normal course, companies possess 'knowledge centres' or more importantly 'knowledge silos'. These are defined as centres of domain specific knowledge populated with Subject Matter Experts. Such vertical portals of knowledge are isolated from one another and do not function as a complete whole towards utilising the resource pool. Such isolationist tendencies are the result of factions as well as 'turf wars' between the various departments and divisions. The consequence of such events means that the knowledge flow is stemmed. Knowledge Integration aims to integrate these knowledge silos and leverage their domain expertise.
So does such Knowledge Integration mean that the information is available for all to access ? The short answer is no. Knowledge Integration methodologies seek to leverage the domain expertise so as to ensure that the channel of knowledge is uninterrupted. Accurate and in-time information is the main requirement in managerial decision making processes. Integration of knowledge centres in a seamless transparent manner ensures that such decision making is based on the 'complete picture' of data flows. It seeks to utilise and optimise existing business processes of knowledge acquiring across vertical domains and present a coherent picture. Knowledge integration uses tools from Content Management Systems, Knowledge Management Systems and Document Management Systems to attain the objective.
With proper implementation across the functional processes and authorisation, Knowledge Integration provides an easier alternative to massive Business Process Restructuring in relation to Knowledge Management
Sankarshan Mukhopadhyay is a Free Software enthusiast and a practitioner of KM techniques. His personal blog is at :
Random Thoughts
and he can be reached at :
Sankarshan Mukhopadhyay. His other writings on technology of OpenSource can be found at iLUG-Kolkata - May the source be with you and AsiaOSC - Open Source and Free Software Centre
- posted by sankarshan @ 4/09/2003 07:32:00 PM 0 comments
