Microsoft Outlook

[tiggerlover]

Does anyone use this program, if so how easy is it to use and what do you use it for?

 

[Crankyshank]

Very easy to use. I use it for email and calendar

 

[Ted and Holly]

I mostly use it for its main purpose, Email.

My company has a Microsoft Exchange server so Outlook works well for that. We use it for the email and meeting functions. The calendar function is cool as meeting requests are automatically entered into your calendar with options for reminders and reoccurances.

I use the "Notes" feature (looks like yellow sticky notes) to hold important numbers, like FedEx account numbers and certain logins and passwords.

I synchronize for offline reading when I go on trips so that I can go through my mail when I am flying or whatever.

I got so used to using it at work, I now use it for my email at home. I like it a lot better than Outlook Express, which to me, is buggy and clunky.

Ted

 

[cassi06403]

Microsoft Outlook is for Email. I use it both at work and at home.

Fairly easy to use once you get the hang of it.


--Cassi

 

[airhead]

.....and I don't like it at all. I've lost more email when I have used it. I just don't go there! I only use my comcast email .

 

[Wathel R Bender]

I have it at work, and it's alright. I personally prefer Eudora, which is what I have at home. One nice thing about Outlook is the integration of email and calendar. Like Ted & Holly said above, you get an email request for a meeting or appointment and it automatically gets set in your calendar. The meeting/appoitment reminder thing is nice as well (saved my butt a couple of times with meeting that I had totally forgotten about).

The main thing I don't like about it is that, well, it has to many options. Figuring out how to set all the options to the way I wanted was a real pain in the butt.

One other thing, make sure you keep it up to date with the security patches and keep your anti virus software up to date as well. Outlook seems to be a favorite target of the idiots that code viruses.

 

[NCDisNut]

I'm not sure that email is it's main function. If you want a Microsoft email product, just use Outlook Express, it's free.

Outlook is an bloated, poor attempt at a PIM by Microsoft. It does do email, but it also does contact management, notes, and managing your calender with todos and appointments.

 

[LuvTigger]

I think people like it (or not) depending on the version. At home, I have XP, which I like. It's very simple and easy to use. At work, they just changed ours to 2003 (I think it was 2000 before), and it stinks...we're all very confused. We all wished they would give us the older version back!

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

I use MS Outlook for Calendar. If it was soley my PC I would probably use the note/journal features more. I was never comfortable with the email and prefer Outlook Express to send/receive email.

 

[Ted and Holly]

Originally posted by NCDisNut
I'm not sure that email is it's main function. If you want a Microsoft email product, just use Outlook Express, it's free.

Outlook is an bloated, poor attempt at a PIM by Microsoft. It does do email, but it also does contact management, notes, and managing your calender with todos and appointments.

Spoken like a true MS hater. That's ok. Eventually someone will come up with something that is open source, well written, and generally accepted by corporate IT for their enterprise needs. Until then, Microsoft has it, like it or not.

Ted

 

[NCDisNut]

Nope, I'm not a Microsoft hater. I'm a software developer and I make my living with Microsoft products.

I am somewhat disappointed by this product, though. It uses a huge amout of resources, it's been an easy target for viruses, and it does a poor job as a PIM. I use it every day for it's email, calendar and contact management, but I really miss the PIM functionality that I used to get from Ecco. I think it would be fantastic if MS would build some better PIM capabilities into Outlook.

It does have its positives, and it links well to my PDA.

 

[Wathel R Bender]

At the risk of sounding ignorant, what is a PIM?

 

[Ted and Holly]

Personal Information Manager (or words to that affect).

NCDisNut That explains it a little better. I used to work in software development. When you merely called it "bloated" and "poor", it reminded me of the MANY developers I have worked with that are supposed to be on the cutting edge but were using PINE on a vt100 terminal emulator for email.

Like I said, someday there will be a generally accepted, open source, well written suite of corporate end-user software. But until then, we use Microsoft.

Ted

 

[Nutsy]

I use it too & it's great...real easy

 

[Amberle3]

I've reluctantly moved (mostly) over to Outlook and Outlook Express. Yes, both of them - I'm self-employed and use Outlook for my business email, time management, contact lists etc. Outlook express for my personal stuff.

I've been quite reluctant to move because it seems like every virus is engineered for Microsoft products. I WAS using Netscape for email, until I got a new computer and downloaded the new version of Netscape, which I hate.

I also have a PDA which came with software for calendaring and contacts. When I installed it on the new computer I had the option of continuing to tie in to it's own desktop software or linking with Outlook, and I elected to keep it separate. Whenever I get a new contact it's entered into BOTH Outlook and the PDA programs. I figure that way if Outlook does get hit with a virus, it's unlikely to affect my PDA software.

It's a shame to have to plan things anticipating a viral attack, but that's just the way things are now. I mean you don't buy a car thinking "Wow, these features will be great when I'm in a carjacking" now do you?