Outlook for OSX

[julianb]

Does anyone think we'll ever get a proper Outlook Exchange client for OSX?
We've used Entourage for 12 months now, and it just doesn't measure up.

[MisterMe]

Originally Posted by julianb

Does anyone think we'll ever get a proper Outlook Exchange client for OSX?
We've used Entourage for 12 months now, and it just doesn't measure up.

Entourage 2004 is supposed to be better.

[serpicolugnut]

Entourage 2004 is supposed to be better.

I can tell you, it isn't. At least as an Exchange client. Entourage is a much better email client on the whole, but it doesn't interface with an Exchange network to the full level of Outlook. It's about 50% there. It's main deficiencies are:
1. Inability to have more than one Exchange mailbox. For example, my company uses several Exchange mailboxes that each member of our team has access to. These serve as queues for production, as well as general customer email boxes. With Entourage, I can't access any Exchange account but the one I'm assigned. Ridiculous.

2. No interface with Exchange notes. Any notes you create in Outlook, and can see in your Outlook Web Access, can't be seen in Entourage. To make matters worse, Entourage has it's own notes system, but it doesn't interface at all with Exchange. Pathetic.

3. Inability to assign tasks.

4. Limited ability in setting up meetings.

5. Interface with Exchange Address Book is severly limited. You don't get the full access you get with Outlook.

If Microsoft had "carbonized" Outlook 2001 for the Mac, I would have no need to use my PC at work. As it is, Entourage is barely usable as an Exchange client, and keeps the PC in use. For awhile, I even used Outlook 2001 in Classic because it was a full featured Exchange client. But with the release of 10.3.5, it stopped working, so I had to go back to the PC.

Microsoft clearly does this on purpose. Users of Entourage have been yelling for full Exchange server compatability for years, and Microsoft refuses to implement it.

[MisterMe]

Originally Posted by serpicolugnut

I can tell you, it isn't. At least as an Exchange client. Entourage is a much better email client on the whole, but it doesn't interface with an Exchange network to the full level of Outlook. It's about 50% there. It's main deficiencies are:
1. Inability to have more than one Exchange mailbox. For example, my company uses several Exchange mailboxes that each member of our team has access to. These serve as queues for production, as well as general customer email boxes. With Entourage, I can't access any Exchange account but the one I'm assigned. Ridiculous.

2. No interface with Exchange notes. Any notes you create in Outlook, and can see in your Outlook Web Access, can't be seen in Entourage. To make matters worse, Entourage has it's own notes system, but it doesn't interface at all with Exchange. Pathetic.

3. Inability to assign tasks.

4. Limited ability in setting up meetings.

5. Interface with Exchange Address Book is severly limited. You don't get the full access you get with Outlook.

If Microsoft had "carbonized" Outlook 2001 for the Mac, I would have no need to use my PC at work. As it is, Entourage is barely usable as an Exchange client, and keeps the PC in use. For awhile, I even used Outlook 2001 in Classic because it was a full featured Exchange client. But with the release of 10.3.5, it stopped working, so I had to go back to the PC.

Microsoft clearly does this on purpose. Users of Entourage have been yelling for full Exchange server compatability for years, and Microsoft refuses to implement it.

Thanks for your assessment. Next week, I will replace my old beige G3 running Outlook 2001 under MacOS 9.2.2 at work with my new G5. So far, Apple Mail/iCal have better Exchange compatibility than I expected. If I am to believe you--and I have no reason not to--I cannot expect appreciably greater Exchange compatibility when I install Office 2004.

[HomunQlus]

You're better off using Thunderbird.

[ora]

Is thunderbird fully exchange compatible? For me, the need isn't for the best email client, or i'd be on thunderbird or Mail, but one that is able to deal with my work systems, which are exchange based.As it stands, Entourage is the best, though it is still a piece or c$@p as software goes, and only gives me very limited exchange functionality.

NB serpicolugnut- you can access multiple exchange accounts, but you need to set up different identities, and switch between them to do it. Its a hassle but it does work at a pinch.

I just wish work would ditch ms products, but its not going to happen anytime soon, its a battle enough to keep the mac support going.

[HomunQlus]

As far as I know Thunderbird is fully Exchange compatible.

[ora]

I just checked it out, and it seems to only deal with exchange accounts via IMAP, and this only gives limited functionality, less than in Entourage. I'd love to be wrong, but i think i'm still stuck with Entourage.