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+---
+date: "2004-07-13T05:05:04Z"
+title: LDAP Should Be Beaten, Shot Twice, then Beaten Again
+---
+
+<p>
+I'm trying to set up an address book that's accessible from arbitrary
+clients.  The logical way to do that is set up an <acronym
+title='Lightweight Directory Access Protocol'>LDAP</acronym> server (in
+my case, <a href='http://www.openldap.org/'>OpenLDAP</a>), then populate
+it with contact information.  That's all fine and good.  I can add
+entries with <a
+href='http://olivier.sessink.nl/directoryassistant/'>Directory
+Assistant</a> and <a href='http://biot.com/gq/'>GQ</a>.  I can even
+query the <acronym title='Lightweight Directory Access
+Protocol'>LDAP</acronym> server with <a
+href='http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/'>Thunderbird</a> (and
+presumably <a
+href='http://www.novell.com/products/evolution/'>Evolution</a> as well,
+although I haven't tried).  Here's the snag:  I'd like to be able to
+store modern attributes, such as <acronym title='Internet Relay
+Chat'>IRC</acronym> nicknames, <a href='http://www.aim.com/'><acronym
+title='AOL Instant Messenger'>AIM</acronym></a> and <a
+href='http://www.icq.com/'><abbr title='I Seek You'>ICQ</abbr></a>
+screen names, web sites, etc.  <a
+href='http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/'>Thunderbird</a>
+allows you to enter in those attributes, and you can export entries in
+<acronym title='Lightweight Data Interchange Format'>LDIF</acronym>
+format, but when I try and import them into <a
+href='http://www.openldap.org/'>OpenLDAP</a>, it complains about missing
+attributes (obviously).  Well, <a
+href='http://www.topology.org/linux/ldap.html#server'>this page</a>
+talks about the exact same problem.  The author references the <code><a
+href='http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/attachment.cgi?id=104858&action=view'>mozillaOrgPerson
+schema</a></code> and <code><a
+href='http://www.netpress.com/mozilla/ab2ldap_1/mozilla_op20.schema'>mozilla_op20.schema</a></code>,
+but when I include those in my <code>slapd.conf</code>, I get the
+following error:
+</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<code>
+/etc/ldap/schema/mozillaorgperson.schema: line 135: AttributeType not found: "nsAIMid"
+</code>
+</blockquote>
+
+<p>
+Huh?  The schema is supposed to be <em>defining</em> attributes, not
+referencing them.  I guess I'll keep plugging away.  One other problem:
+<a href='http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/'>Thunderbird</a>
+can only <em>query</em> <acronym title='Lightweight Directory Access
+Protocol'>LDAP</acronym> servers, not add entries to them.  That means
+I'll have to create entries locally, export them as <acronym
+title='Lightweight Data Interchange Format'>LDIF</acronym> files, tweak
+them slightly for my DN, then import them by hand.  Ugh.  I'd like
+something as simple as <a
+href='http://olivier.sessink.nl/directoryassistant/'>Directory
+Assistant</a> that supports the extra attributes (an extra bonus would
+be a console interface; I do believe I might be writing another console
+application ;-)).
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This seems like a simple problem.  I'm <em>sure</em> lots of other
+people have tried to do what I'm doing right now.  So where's the simple
+solution?  I just want to set up a modern address book that's accessible
+via LDAP, and I'd prefer not to have to reinvent the wheel, electricity,
+indoor plumbing, and nuclear fusion in the process.  Suggestions?
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<b>Edit:</b> The grammar police detained me for questioning.
+</p>
+