Prospective new Mac buyer - Exchange question

Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
As a long time Microsoft user, (not through choice you understand!) I've long wanted to use/buys macs but for reasons beyond my control have been unable to.



So, I'm in the market for a new laptop and I'm considering buying an iBook which looks perfect for my needs, however there is one feature which is an absolute must have, that is it needs to connect to an existing Microsoft Exchange Server.



In my small office we have a Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server which is used for:



email

Shared contacts

Calender

Tasks

Notes



The iBook has to connect to this over an internal LAN, we don't have Outlook Web Access installed, nor do we want to for various reasons (namely security).



So can I use the iBook to connect to my Exchange 2000 server and access/make changes to all of the above? The iBook needs to have full read/write access to the exchange server tasks,contacts etc, just as if I were using Outlook on a PC.



I don't need to be able to dial in and access the exchange server.



Presumable I'll be using Entourage for this? Or am I presuming wrong?



Also, I need whatever email program to be able to use multiple Internet POP3 accounts (e.g. choose which internet POP3 to use to send a message with).



Thanks for your help here, I really want to go down the Mac route, but unfortunatly it all rests on this question!



Cheers



Nezza

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    homhom Posts: 1,098member
    I would check out MS's Entourage page to see if it will accomplish all that you want. But I don't see why there would be any issues.
  • Reply 2 of 13
    Entourage can do just about all you wanted. Check this link: http://www.microsoft.com/mac/product...exchangeupdate

    I used Outlook (not Outlook Express) in my former job, but that was OS9. It could connect with Exchange, but it's features were limited. Entourage (for OSX) is much better.



    Further, a more 'general purpose' email client that can use multiple POP3 accounts: Apple's free Mail will fit your needs. Or Entourage.
  • Reply 3 of 13
    homhom Posts: 1,098member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BigBlue

    Entourage can do just about all you wanted. Check this link: http://www.microsoft.com/mac/product...exchangeupdate

    I used Outlook (not Outlook Express) in my former job, but that was OS9. It could connect with Exchange, but it's features were limited. Entourage (for OSX) is much better.



    Further, a more 'general purpose' email client that can use multiple POP3 accounts: Apple's free Mail will fit your needs. Or Entourage.




    Great minds...
  • Reply 4 of 13
    Thanks for the rapid replies, the link provided answers to my questions.



    The Entourage Exchange link from MS is close to what I need, but no cigar, it doesn't cover everything I need:



    "Exchange Update for Entourage X provides a solution for e-mail, group calendaring, scheduling, and global address book only. Certain advanced Exchange features such as voting, delegation, shared tasks, shared notes, server-side rules, and others are not accessible."



    The only option I have is to use "Remote Desktop Connection" client for the Mac.



    How well does this work in practice?



    Looking into the future, has MS or Apple stated that the exchange integration will be extended to cover all areas?





    Thanks!



    Nezza
  • Reply 5 of 13
    chinneychinney Posts: 1,019member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by nezza

    Looking into the future, has MS or Apple stated that the exchange integration will be extended to cover all areas?





    There was a thread a couple of weeks ago about update to MS Office (including Entourage, I imagine). I have no idea if this will include increased Exchange functionality, but it is possible, I suppose. You might want to go back and look through the thread to see. I am too lazy to do it right now.
  • Reply 6 of 13
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    I would guess that Entourage would never quite cover 100% of your needs because MS kind of wants it that way. Remote Desktop does work perfectly though. If you have a LAN connection to a PC, Remote Desktop is very plausible. Via the net it still works for a program like Entourage but not for anything that needs speed.
  • Reply 7 of 13
    Quote:

    Originally posted by nezza





    The only option I have is to use "Remote Desktop Connection" client for the Mac.



    How well does this work in practice?







    Actually it works pretty well over a LAN or broadband. You might hate it over dial-up, but it will still work. I'd recommend using Entourage for your email, and RDC client for the "advanced" features, when you need 'em (especially over dial-up).
  • Reply 8 of 13
    damn, bunge, there's that Great Minds thing again...



  • Reply 9 of 13
    rokrok Posts: 3,519member
    just to post a semi-sarcastic reply to your request, microsoft has agreed to put as much effort in exchange abilities of entourage as they did for the now defunct outlook for mac.



  • Reply 10 of 13
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Chinney

    There was a thread a couple of weeks ago about update to MS Office (including Entourage, I imagine). I have no idea if this will include increased Exchange functionality, but it is possible, I suppose. You might want to go back and look through the thread to see. I am too lazy to do it right now.



    This is worth paying attention to also. IMHO, the level of Exchange functionality will say a lot about current relations between Redmond and Cupertino.



    The other variable is the rumored iWrite and whether or not it shows up anytime soon.



    My best hope is that MS actually wants Apple to get a slightly bigger piece of the corporate market, and increased marketshare, for anti-trust insulation at least.



    In a perfect world, they'd also do it because "it's the right thing to do", as Chairman Big Brother said on the Big Screen at the infamous Macworld '97.
  • Reply 11 of 13
    Quote:

    Originally posted by rok

    just to post a semi-sarcastic reply to your request, microsoft has agreed to put as much effort in exchange abilities of entourage as they did for the now defunct outlook for mac.







    dammit, rok, you ruined my plot for three posts in a row!!!!



    As penance, I expect you to download this most excellent Radiators song - it's only 13 MB or so.



  • Reply 12 of 13
    Quote:

    Originally posted by rok

    just to post a semi-sarcastic reply to your request, microsoft has agreed to put as much effort in exchange abilities of entourage as they did for the now defunct outlook for mac.







    Oooooh .... That's bad ! Outlook for Mac (for Exchange server) is the worst piece of crap that M$ ever wrote. After Frontpage, that is.
  • Reply 13 of 13
    The Remote Desktop Client for the Mac would be a complete solution if you have access to a Windows XP or 2000 Pro desktop that is always connected to your LAN. I use this feature and it gives you the best of both worlds (full-featured, beautiful little Mac with a full-featured, compliant PC built in).



    It's the easiest thing in the world to setup up (enter the IP address of the target remote PC and you're done). It's performance is nearly perfect, especially if you turn off unecessary graphical touches (wallpaper, animations).



    As a fallback, you always have Outlook 2001 running in Classic which will give you everything you need connecting to your Exchange Server.



    Last, but not least, is Entourage or even Panther's built-in apps for e-mail etc.





    I use a combination of all of the above, but I'm looking forward to MWSF with the hopes that Microsoft announces a OSX complete Outlook/Entourage solution.
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