Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft to Add Exchange Support for Mac OS X
rgmoore writes "MacNN is reporting that Microsoft will finally make a full-fledged Exchange client for Mac OS X. Today, Mac users can only access the full range of Exchange services by using Outlook 2001, available only under Mac OS. Mac OS X users could either use Entourage, or they could run Outlook 2001 under the Classic environment. Microsoft is now promising to update Entourage so that it will be able to access all of Exchange's services, and they're even promising it will be available as a free update. Since many companies love to use Exchange and have made a big deal of Mac OS X's lack of a viable client, this is a big step forward for Mac users in a corporate environment."
Exchange!!! Argghhhhh!!! Let's keep it all the same.
http://www.ximian.com/products/connector/
Guess that one unix pariah chained up in Microsoft's basement was getting bored again.
Operator, give me the number for 911!
I'm sure this thread will have a lot of Microsoft bashing. The fact is that as bad as Exchange is (and it can be a pig to admin), there are precious few alternatives for a centralized email/groupware server. Especially one that integrates seamlessly with Office.
The reality for a lot of people is that they have to use Microsoft products in the work place. When Entourage works with Exchange, at least those people who'd rather use a Mac (and not Classic) will be able to use one at work.
I know you can use OWA, but it isn't the same thing.
I for one can't wait until I can use my Powerbook at work and nothing else!
I've actually been happily surprised by Exchange in our 20 user environment. Coming from sendmail, I expected it to be about 10 times annoying than it has been. Of course, by typing that, my Exchange server is crashing this very minute. Anyway, it's nice to see them finally coming around with a client for OS X. I was very surprised that it was not in the original Entourage release in the first place.
Having said that, it's about God damned time Microsoft got on the stick and provided a true OS X solution for Exchange connectivity. POP, IMAP, and OWA are not optimal solutions, and for places who don't want to be bothered with Classic, continuing to run Outlook 2001 is not an option.
Once this application makes its debut, there's only one dickhead company left who needs to get their ass in gear and produce an OS X native version of their product. <cough>Quark<cough>
BTW, in *recent* news,Apple released OS X 10.2.4 late this afternoon-- it's in Software Update if anyone's interested.
~Philly
I submitted this info two days ago. All I gotta say is, "About freaking time!" Now all the whiners who said they'd switch to a Mac when Exchange rolled out can finally put their money where their mouth is. Who wants to bet they'll come up w/ a new excuse not to SWITCH???
The fact is that as bad as Exchange is (and it can be a pig to admin), there are precious few alternatives for a centralized email/groupware server. Especially one that integrates seamlessly with Office.
Yeah... but Apple might be working on one. They've got Mail, iCal and Address Book already-- all they need is a server app to tie them all together, and/or to make a single, new app that's a hybrid of the three of them.
And as for Office integration, Apple has already released Keynote, and rumors are flying of a new, allegedly-in-development, full-featured word processor called Document. No word of a spreadsheet yet, but they could sufficiently pump up the one in AppleWorks. Any doubters of how well Apple can integrate its apps with each other and the OS need only look at iLife.
If you step back and look at the big picture, it's pretty clear that Apple already has a lot of the disparate pieces of what they rely on Microsoft for-- and that with some work, those pieces could be tied together into a superior, Mac-based alternative to Outlook and Office.
There are many, many Mac users who despise Microsoft but grudgingly use their products because there's no truly viable alternative out there-- those people would switch in a minute if it meant they could cast off the Microsoft chains. Now that Apple seems to be willing to play hardball with Microsoft and release competing products, those people probably scare the shit out of Microsoft.
~Philly
after all osx already comes with all the components: mail, adreessbook, ical. Calendar sharing is a just a couple of dialogues and interfaces away. In iCal new appointmens could launch mail's compose window with the request preattached (no self-send stuff please! we don't want outlook virii) and the location availablity is just a dav calendar flagged to a resource rather than a person.
Apple just has to package a server config interface, add a couple of icons and documantation and roll it's own. Integrated for easy rollout, open (mime-atttach passing across apps) for the sophisticated that want the option, many specialized apps to appease the unixers, cool to stick it at Bill!
Mi domando chi à il mandante di tutte le cazzate che faccio - Altan
Could this have anything to do with rumors coming down the pipe of a GOBE Office / Appleworks / (Open Office?) application suite to finally do away with MS on mac? It seems microsoft is actually going to have to deliver on some long neglected promises to compete in the near future. Get all these people who have just been waiting for Exchange support before Apple comes in with a Rendezvous enabled iLife integrated Office killer. Are Safari and Keynote are the raising of a new pirate flag in Cupertino?
---- The real Slashdot is still here. You just have to browse at -1 to read the comments.
In the announcement the say it will be compatible with Exchange 2000 servers and up. This is not good. Most of the corporate world hasn't had a reason to move off of Exchange 5.5 yet!
Sound waves should be free!
A lot of companies have the same problem my university does, they can't upgrade from Exchange 5.5 to Exchange 2000 because it requires Active Directory. Switching to Active Directory requires a lot of careful planning and in most cases, visits to every seat. It'll happen eventually but it's a lot harder than upgrading a cluster of groupware servers.
This summer our new Macs will run OS X, a first for us outside our department. Fortunately the Exchange server has IMAP enabled so we'll start them off with Entourage without the update then apply it when the server is ready. They won't have group calendaring but all the Macs are going to faculty who only really want email anyway. Entourage makes a pretty good Exchange+IMAP client, the main thing I miss is the Global Address List.
This is not an Exchange client, but "enhanced Exchange functionality" added to Entourage. The only enhanced functionality they seem to be talking about it sharing calendars (more on that below)
The previous Mac Exchange Clients were free. Entourage isn't - a stand-alone copy runs about $90. While it's "free" if you buy office, it's not if you just want Exchange server connectivity.
Microsoft is charging OS X users twice: once for the CAL (Client Access License) and once for Entourage.
There are another two options in a corporate environment that work - one not so well and one that works great:
1. Web Access. This one only works for viewing *your* calendar items: a true shared calendar, i.e. one that lets you see not only what you are doing but what everyone else is doing doesn't work using via Web Access.
2. Citrix. If you're lucky, your company has Citrix implemented for something. Ask your friendly MSCE to create a profile for you that has whatever version of Outlook your company's running. Then you get real feature compatibility.
Note: if you do this, don't use the OS X Citrix client -- it's buggy as hell. Grab the Java version.
I've been running this on my OSX box for about a year now, and it works great, whether I'm in the office or logged into our domain (either VPN or Dial-up).
While Ximian looks promising, they don't appear to have any interest in developing for OS X, and unless they can present a really compelling argument for why I should do so (other than, "we're not Micro$oft"), I don't see why I should give them $60 for their product as opposed to $90 for straight from the horse's...
Whatever.
- learn to swim.
It was like the 11th post in the thread, asshole, and the FIRST one to mention that Apple already has the pieces and could roll its own groupware solution!