New interface

[mschering]

Hi,

We're in the process of creating a new interface for Group-Office and two options are in the race:

1. Our own HTML5 based responsive interface
2. A new interface based on Extjs 6.0 which would be very similar to the current interface

Both options have pro's and con's in my opinion:

Responsive HTML5 interface: Example: https://go7.group-office.com login: test pass: test
Pro's:

1 One interface that will work on any device
2 Simpler for the end user

Con's:
1 To get the responsive interface to work we'd have to drop some features like: resizing panels, grid component to be replaced by a simpler list without configurable columns. You won't be able to sort on custom columns but we could add smart filters on the left panel that might make this irrelevant.
2 Less configurable for the power user

ExtJS 6: Examples: http://examples.sencha.com/extjs/6.0.0/examples/
Pro's:

1 Less change for the end user. All current components are available and are similar.

Con's:
1 No mobile support
2 Tablet support can be done but the library is quite heavy for it.

[mstritzelberger]

Hi,

I dont think mobile support is very important since there is a good synconisazion available. Maybe we should get the tasks solved, but the rest works fine. Tablet support is important, because then we could work with all other modules, too. To display them on a mobile is not very convinient anyway. On Android, Firefox is displaying the current version nicely btw.

[vuo]

Considering that all clients use the native email client, calendar and tasks synched with DAV and that that's how most other CRM does it, then that is probably the way to go. Drop mobile web GUI support since it's already native to the mobiles.

On the desktop, they want a bigger overview with sortable lists and draggable columns and having these huge windows and lists that are on the HTML5 version makes it impossible to get an overview over large lists and much content. This will add more dragging and clicking that will only annoy the current clients.

Other disadvantages of HTML5:
- Have to be maintained and built from scratch.

Other advantages of HTML5:
- Once it's built, it might be easier and cheaper to change drastically.
- Easier for the community to contribute changes and improvements.
- Perhaps longer life-cycles

Considering that you'd have to build and maintain the HTML5 version with all widgets, it does seems like EXTJS 6.0 is a better choice for the short term while HTML5 might be better in the long-term. But you know this better than us users do.

[searchco]

I would choose for the html5 option, mostly for performance reasons. The other option seems heavy and slower. If you use GO heavily like we do, performance is a key issue.

[vuo]

I would choose for the html5 option, mostly for performance reasons. The other option seems heavy and slower. If you use GO heavily like we do, performance is a key issue.

Heavy usually means more feature complete and if all of the system parts only need to load ONCE, then it's not an issue.

[globalunion]

I completely agree, smartphone displays are too small to be used efficiently, even with a responsive GUI. For them, the native apps and synchronization is the best.
Tablet users need to have full GUI support, and this works nicely on an iPad Mini with the current system too - except for double clicks which cannot be done due to iOS.

It would be bad loosing useful functions like customizing the grid, so my vote is for ExtJS 6.

[mcharvat]

You know my opinion HTML 5 UI is big change for most of customers you have.

With ExtJS 6 you simply need create universal app to support all devices - classic toolkit for desktop/touch panels, modern toolkit for tablets/mobiles.

ExtJS 5 could also run on mobiles (with IE11, Chrome, Safari browsers) but as you wrote app is too heavy and UI is simply too big.

Don't forget ExtJS 6 have GPL license !! When you create app that uses GPL you cannot release it on Apple Store.

[vuo]

You know my opinion HTML 5 UI is big change for most of customers you have.

With ExtJS 6 you simply need create universal app to support all devices - classic toolkit for desktop/touch panels, modern toolkit for tablets/mobiles.

ExtJS 5 could also run on mobiles (with IE11, Chrome, Safari browsers) but as you wrote app is too heavy and UI is simply too big.

Don't forget ExtJS 6 have GPL license !! When you create app that uses GPL you cannot release it on Apple Store.

Hybrid apps have terrible performance and is a very bad idea anyway.

[rosetta]

On behalf of our 250 happy GO users I would like to cast 251 votes against going for HTML5.

For us the current GO is a huge productivity tool and we make extensive use of the configurable grids.

Users appreciate viewing relevant columns in the mid panel, clicking each item and seeing *all* info in the east panel.

The claim "2. Simpler for the end user" will not be true in our case and I do not think we ever will be able to adopt this new UI.

Eagle.

[mcharvat]

Hybrid apps have terrible performance and is a very bad idea anyway.

Did you see comparation between hybrid Sencha's Fastbook and native Facebook app? Both were compared on iPhone 4 and you didnt have any chance to know which was which - maybe fastbook was a bit faster. In these days mobiles have more memory and faster CPU so I guess when you create app with good architecture you dont have performance issues.

[salespitcher]

=> HTML5
Please enable support of custom code injection for use of configuration and customization.
Mobile support is really important to us, as we use it in meetings and elsewhere and want to have our office with us all the time.

[r-system]

HTML5 Yes. But not native. As you get really frustrated with with the Animations. Consider using GSAP Library. http://greensock.com/gsap

AND IMHO You should really consider using a Bootstrap Design. This is a really good approach http://themeforest.net/item/angulr-boot ... js/8437259

Here the non Angular Version
http://flatfull.com/themes/angulr/html/

[peter_stirnberg]

I agree to those who fav Extjs6. We and our GO customers highly apreciate that.
There's no need for responsive design because everything useful is syncable via DAV and ActiveSync. We and our customers use GO in a way which can't be substituted by HTML 5 and there are some custom made modules out there which prob. can't be used then too.

[npnilsson]

You can do a lot with responsive themes.
I think you should build for the future.

Jquery + HTML5
http://www.catswhocode.com/blog/super-u ... web-design
http://www.jqueryrain.com/?lEMFOjZ1
http://dev.vanillagento.improove.se/sve ... shoes.html
http://www.jqueryrain.com/?bxYlytmL
http://www.jqwidgets.com/jquery-widgets ... 8arctic%29

Features I miss with using the existing sync is:

- links (for example files in calendar like a schedule in PDF format)
- CRM info on adressbook
- Project
- Tasks
- Notes

[kln26rogg]

I completely agree with rosetta. Everything I need on my smartphone is in sync with ActiveSync.