DS,
<< fortunately I have not had the pleasure of implementing Outlook in a corporate environment. I use it on my standalone desktop. >>
"Fortunately" is right. I also use(d) it on my standalone desktop, and laptop, and synched it with Palm, over copper and with wireless, from first release until recently, and when I first installed it, made the mistake of choosing the "Internet e-mail only" option.
Sometime thereafter I beta tested remote access to an Exchange Server for my company, and that's where I incurred my first scars. First task was to reinstall Outlook on my client with the MAPI option. This was before Microsoft added some clues in the Knowledge base on how to do this. Thanks "Bill". It's not impossible, but it sure seemed so, for several days.
In this day and age of malicious viruses, I am wondering if you have all the latest security patches in place and if so, how and when you accomplished that trick. I recently clipped some comments from pros on this over here:
Message 13744786
In many respects I have to agree with you that as an e-mail client, from date of first release, Outlook has been a fine one, (as has OE) in many respects, and I sure got a lot of use out of it, and synchronization with Palm (OE same) and for me ACT! (which also synchs with Palm as well) are additional strengths.
<< I have used several PIMs and find that Outlook integrates the calendar, e-mail, and address book more easily and logically than any others >>
This is indeed one of Outlook's strengths, and a good reason to consider it's use, but it has also one of it's weaknesses. A lot of the kinks have been worked out of the PIM itself and it's integration with the e-mail client, and perhaps the product is becoming better documented.
I know that Outlook is now a pretty good PIM and scheduler.
I myself have never used Outlook as a PIM, using ACT! instead, as well as using ACT! for business contact management. Actually, it was this that deterred me from using OE, and using Outlook instead. ACT! offered early integration with Outlook but not with OE till recently
I have to admit I liked "Rules Management" a bit better in Outlook than OE 5.5, but perhaps that's just because I was used to it's conventions. OE is fine on this.
<< No scars, and I am a heavy user >>
First time it bites you, call me. I might save you some time, and the scars will not be as deep. <g>
Reasonable minds can disagree but I think Outlook Express 5.5 is an outstanding product and in general a better choice of client for the average user.
Meanwhile I advise Outlook users to compact and repair often.
Background compaction is an outstanding feature of OE 5.5. I don't think it is yet available in Outlook, but someone can correct me if I'm wrong.
I might add that the newsgroup reader in OE has become so good that I just recently replaced my long time favorite, "Agent", with it. I have been using "Agent" virtually since the Internet went GUI and you could access it without using a shell account, and UNIX commands.
- Eric - |
