Calendar freeware?

moho · 30. Nov 2010, 06:23 PM

I am new to the community and I love your site! Thanks for your hard work

I have been searching for some calendar freeware without much luck.

I am currently using Mozilla Sunbird, and love it, but it is no longer being maintained and is starting to get somewhat buggy. While Mozilla's answer is for me to use Thunderbird with Lightning, I have no use for an actual email program, as I use web-based email. I'd rather not have to use something that is not only unnecessary, but is going to be a system resource-hog.

The obvious answer is Google's calendar feature, but honestly, I hate it. Absolutely can't stand the interface. Not crazy about gmail either, but I digress, lol.

All of the other calendar freeware I've found is either not quite along the same lines as Sunbird (which of course, is along the lines of M$ Outlook, ick), or, like Sunbird, is no longer being updated.

Where have all the good calendar's gone?

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Ritho · 30. Nov 2010, 06:47 PM

Have you tried these. http://alternativeto.net/software/ac...s&license=free

Note: Not all of these are for Windows.

Ritho · 30. Nov 2010, 07:01 PM

I forgot this one. http://www.zoho.com/calendar/ I use zoho writer and like it much more than google docs. I havent used their calendar but I assum it is more refined than googles. If you intall google gears, then you can use writer and calendar as well some of the other apps offline. Just click "setup offline" top right.

mrpink · 30. Nov 2010, 07:42 PM

Have you looked here? I used Rainlendar Lite and i liked the way it looked, which was enough for me, though the free version is very limited and if i remember right it uses over 10 megs of ram

moho · 30. Nov 2010, 08:02 PM

Thanks for the quick input!

I should have been a bit more specific with my post, as I am looking for something that is Windows compatible and is not cloud-based. Using the iCalendar file format would also be a plus, if I ever decide to sync it to my Pre.

That omits Zoho, along with several on the "Alternativeto" webpage (great site, btw -- not sure how I didn't stumble onto it already). Many of the alternatives to Sunbird listed are either no longer free (boo), or don't seem to be full calendars, but rather are programs that compliment other calendars or integrate other things like IM.

Of the ones that remain, UK's Kalendar and Rainlendar seem to be the most promising, though I'm not sure either seems as robust as Sunbird. UK's also uses a proprietary file format, as well. I'll download both to investigate a bit further.

moho · 30. Nov 2010, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrpink

Have you looked here? I used Rainlendar Lite and i liked the way it looked, which was enough for me, though the free version is very limited and if i remember right it uses over 10 megs of ram

Yep, I'm looking into Rainlendar. I wish their site was a bit more explict regarding the differences between the free and Pro versions of the program. I will just download and see.

Also, just in case I was unclear before, I am looking for free, full calendar program, rather than a " task or reminder" type program. I'm using Sunbird as an alternative to Outlook, so I'm looking for something that has the same type of functionality -- a tasks area with the ability to decent notes on cenversations, etc; a full calendar for planning and scheduling of events, repeatable and not, etc.

Thanks for your suggestion, much appreciated.

mrpink · 30. Nov 2010, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moho

Yep, I'm looking into Rainlendar. I wish their site was a bit more explict regarding the differences between the free and Pro versions of the program. I will just download and see.

Here is the comparison between free and pro. When i said very limited before i meant
that in the free version you were able to choose between two skins only if i remember correctly

moho · 30. Nov 2010, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrpink

Here is the comparison between free and pro. When i said very limited before i meant
that in the free version you were able to choose between two skins only if i remember correctly

Yikes, totally missed that. Thanks for taking the time to link it.

Looks like I need another cup of coffee...

I'll make a post on Rainlendar and UK's once I get a chance to take a look at them in more detail.

kendall.a · 30. Nov 2010, 09:33 PM

Have you considered PIM's? They might be more than you need, but I've used EssentialPIM before and liked it. They have a free version:

http://www.essentialpim.com/

moho · 06. Dec 2010, 10:37 PM

Thanks again for everyone's suggestions. I also took some time to go through the hits I got on alternativeto.net. It has taken me a bit of time to look into each of the programs, but I finally got through them all and thought I'd post my thoughts below.

First, to put this again in context, I was/am looking for a freeware replacement for Sunbird, which is no longer being supported. I prefer not to use something cloud-based, and it's preferable that the program has import and export functions. I discovered, through people's suggestions, that I would like to have a "Note" feature -- something that Sunbird does not provide. Other things I like about Sunbird include the tasks pane, customizable event/task categories, and it's organized appearance (overall it is very uncluttered). I also like that when I minimize it, that I don't see any part of my calendar on my desktop -- which makes me less stressed, lol.

Here are what seem to be the most likely alternatives:

1. Thunderbird/Lightning - Mozilla's' suggested option for current Sunbird users
Pros: a full replacement for Outlook (email, contacts, calendar, etc); open-source, free, capable
Cons: way more than I need, and alot of memory usage to go along with it
Verdict: thumbs down

2. Evolution - The Linux Community's alternative to Outlook
Pros: free, open-source, capable
Cons: more than I need, time-consuming to install/uninstall, difficulties uninstalling, buggy Windows version
Verdict: thumbs down

3. Active Desktop - See link here.
Pros: capable, lots of configuration/skin options, import/exporting
Cons: not free (there are others, but the point is moot)
Verdict: thumbs down

4. Desktop icalendar Lite - See link here.
Pros: free, ustomizable skins, ical format
Cons: free version loses alot of functionality; very similar format to Active Desktop in that it puts a mini-calendar, events, tasks on the desktop -- not the UI that I am looking for
Verdict: thumbs down

5. Rainlendar Lite - See link here.
Pros: free, lots of skins, works on Mac/PC/Linux
Cons: recurring events have limited customization, no notes feature, UI similar to Active Desktop and Desktop Icalendar; free version loses Google integration covered in paid version
Verdict: thumbs down

6. UK's Kalendar - See link here.
Pros: free, highly customizable recurring events, classic calendar UI, no problems with installation or removal
Cons: proprietary file format, no importing/exporting, cannot view tasks and calendar at the same time, UI a bit dated (think Windows 95),
Verdict: thumbs down

7. Google - Can't stand the UI. Enough said. Thumbs down.

8. Essential PIM Free - See link here.
Pros: free, uses much less memory than Sunbird, attractive UI, import/export options, modules not being used can be hidden, syncing software available (for a price), supports notes and tasks, no email in free version
Cons: paid version is pricey, more than I need, weekly UI could be less cluttered, event categories cannot be edited
Verdict: thumbs mostly up

So far, the free version of Essential PIM seems like the best choice. I didn't want an email feature, and the module for email is omitted in the free version. While I also didn't want contact management, it is easy to hide this module so it doesn't appear in the left-hand menu. It has both a tasks and a notes feature, and allows for importing and exporting of not only calendar files, but the contacts, tasks, and notes as well. The UI is pleasing for the most part, though I have issues with how they display their weekly calendar. Recurring events are configured easily, and modification is a bit more intuitive than Sunbird. The one thing it cannot do is customize event categories, which is probably something I can compromise on. To top it all off it comes with a memory usage of about 12 megs -- a whopping 38 megs less than Sunbird.

The paid version of Essential PIM is filled to the gills with additional features, but at a serious price tag. $40 for the initial purchase, plus a yearly licensing fee. Having syncing software for your handheld device is also a very nice feature, though of course, this software is extra AND is only available to compliment the paid version.

While I'm not 100% satisfied, it looks like the free version of Essential PIM will be my new calendar...for now!

30. Nov 2010, 06:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
moho Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 14	Calendar freeware? I am new to the community and I love your site! Thanks for your hard work I have been searching for some calendar freeware without much luck. I am currently using Mozilla Sunbird, and love it, but it is no longer being maintained and is starting to get somewhat buggy. While Mozilla's answer is for me to use Thunderbird with Lightning, I have no use for an actual email program, as I use web-based email. I'd rather not have to use something that is not only unnecessary, but is going to be a system resource-hog. The obvious answer is Google's calendar feature, but honestly, I hate it. Absolutely can't stand the interface. Not crazy about gmail either, but I digress, lol. All of the other calendar freeware I've found is either not quite along the same lines as Sunbird (which of course, is along the lines of M$ Outlook, ick), or, like Sunbird, is no longer being updated. Where have all the good calendar's gone? Any input would be greatly appreciated!

30. Nov 2010, 06:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
Ritho Foundation Editor Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 1,391	Have you tried these. http://alternativeto.net/software/ac...s&license=free Note: Not all of these are for Windows. __________________ The smallest good deed is better than the greatest intention. Last edited by Ritho; 30. Nov 2010 at 07:02 PM.

30. Nov 2010, 07:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ritho Foundation Editor Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 1,391	I forgot this one. http://www.zoho.com/calendar/ I use zoho writer and like it much more than google docs. I havent used their calendar but I assum it is more refined than googles. If you intall google gears, then you can use writer and calendar as well some of the other apps offline. Just click "setup offline" top right. __________________ The smallest good deed is better than the greatest intention.

30. Nov 2010, 09:33 PM	#9 (permalink)
kendall.a Foundation Editor/Forum Manager Intern Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 1,814	Have you considered PIM's? They might be more than you need, but I've used EssentialPIM before and liked it. They have a free version: http://www.essentialpim.com/ __________________ <-------Is looking for his brain....

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30. Nov 2010, 07:42 PM	#4 (permalink)
mrpink Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 177	Have you looked here? I used Rainlendar Lite and i liked the way it looked, which was enough for me, though the free version is very limited and if i remember right it uses over 10 megs of ram

30. Nov 2010, 08:02 PM	#5 (permalink)
moho Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 14	Thanks for the quick input! I should have been a bit more specific with my post, as I am looking for something that is Windows compatible and is not cloud-based. Using the iCalendar file format would also be a plus, if I ever decide to sync it to my Pre. That omits Zoho, along with several on the "Alternativeto" webpage (great site, btw -- not sure how I didn't stumble onto it already). Many of the alternatives to Sunbird listed are either no longer free (boo), or don't seem to be full calendars, but rather are programs that compliment other calendars or integrate other things like IM. Of the ones that remain, UK's Kalendar and Rainlendar seem to be the most promising, though I'm not sure either seems as robust as Sunbird. UK's also uses a proprietary file format, as well. I'll download both to investigate a bit further.

06. Dec 2010, 10:37 PM	#10 (permalink)
moho Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 14	Thanks again for everyone's suggestions. I also took some time to go through the hits I got on alternativeto.net. It has taken me a bit of time to look into each of the programs, but I finally got through them all and thought I'd post my thoughts below. First, to put this again in context, I was/am looking for a freeware replacement for Sunbird, which is no longer being supported. I prefer not to use something cloud-based, and it's preferable that the program has import and export functions. I discovered, through people's suggestions, that I would like to have a "Note" feature -- something that Sunbird does not provide. Other things I like about Sunbird include the tasks pane, customizable event/task categories, and it's organized appearance (overall it is very uncluttered). I also like that when I minimize it, that I don't see any part of my calendar on my desktop -- which makes me less stressed, lol. Here are what seem to be the most likely alternatives: 1. Thunderbird/Lightning - Mozilla's' suggested option for current Sunbird users Pros: a full replacement for Outlook (email, contacts, calendar, etc); open-source, free, capable Cons: way more than I need, and alot of memory usage to go along with it Verdict: thumbs down 2. Evolution - The Linux Community's alternative to Outlook Pros: free, open-source, capable Cons: more than I need, time-consuming to install/uninstall, difficulties uninstalling, buggy Windows version Verdict: thumbs down 3. Active Desktop - See link here. Pros: capable, lots of configuration/skin options, import/exporting Cons: not free (there are others, but the point is moot) Verdict: thumbs down 4. Desktop icalendar Lite - See link here. Pros: free, ustomizable skins, ical format Cons: free version loses alot of functionality; very similar format to Active Desktop in that it puts a mini-calendar, events, tasks on the desktop -- not the UI that I am looking for Verdict: thumbs down 5. Rainlendar Lite - See link here. Pros: free, lots of skins, works on Mac/PC/Linux Cons: recurring events have limited customization, no notes feature, UI similar to Active Desktop and Desktop Icalendar; free version loses Google integration covered in paid version Verdict: thumbs down 6. UK's Kalendar - See link here. Pros: free, highly customizable recurring events, classic calendar UI, no problems with installation or removal Cons: proprietary file format, no importing/exporting, cannot view tasks and calendar at the same time, UI a bit dated (think Windows 95), Verdict: thumbs down 7. Google - Can't stand the UI. Enough said. Thumbs down. 8. Essential PIM Free - See link here. Pros: free, uses much less memory than Sunbird, attractive UI, import/export options, modules not being used can be hidden, syncing software available (for a price), supports notes and tasks, no email in free version Cons: paid version is pricey, more than I need, weekly UI could be less cluttered, event categories cannot be edited Verdict: thumbs mostly up So far, the free version of Essential PIM seems like the best choice. I didn't want an email feature, and the module for email is omitted in the free version. While I also didn't want contact management, it is easy to hide this module so it doesn't appear in the left-hand menu. It has both a tasks and a notes feature, and allows for importing and exporting of not only calendar files, but the contacts, tasks, and notes as well. The UI is pleasing for the most part, though I have issues with how they display their weekly calendar. Recurring events are configured easily, and modification is a bit more intuitive than Sunbird. The one thing it cannot do is customize event categories, which is probably something I can compromise on. To top it all off it comes with a memory usage of about 12 megs -- a whopping 38 megs less than Sunbird. The paid version of Essential PIM is filled to the gills with additional features, but at a serious price tag. $40 for the initial purchase, plus a yearly licensing fee. Having syncing software for your handheld device is also a very nice feature, though of course, this software is extra AND is only available to compliment the paid version. While I'm not 100% satisfied, it looks like the free version of Essential PIM will be my new calendar...for now!