On 11/04/12 14:51, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In ,
wrote:
Its an optional part of Office.

Eh?

Outlook is an optional part of Office.

I've never bought 'office' but have OE as part of all the Windose
operating systems I've ever bought - with the exception of 7, since
they've obviously realised at last it's not worth bothering with anymore.

Outlook and Outlook Express are completely different programs.


Its the one OSS keeps trying to copy (not very well).

Eh eh?

There are numerous OSS projects trying to do what Outlook does.

Why would they want to 'copy' a broken application?

Outlook is a MAPI client which interfaces directly with Exchange Server.
The MAPI standards are part proprietary and wholly opaque. But Exchange
is still the default mail handling system even for many companies that
could implement a UNIX based mail system if they wanted to. The
stumbling block is that Exchange/Outlook is a very effective calendar
system, for instance enabling users to compare many people's diaries to
find a time when all of them are free.

As far as I am aware there are no UNIX based equivalents. This is partly
because by merging multiple functions seamlessly Microsoft can
effectively shut out the simpler single-function applications that is
favoured in the UNIX world. They have done the same thing with Access
which bundles a database engine, forms designer and report-generator in
one program.


--
Bernard Peek