Greetings! Welcome to Vol.2, #4 of Exchange Messaging Outlook (formerly Exchange Center Update), an occasional newsletter about Microsoft Exchange, Windows Messaging and Microsoft Outlook, both for users of Windows 95 and NT 4.0 and for organizations using Microsoft Exchange Server.
Today's highlights:
Regular features:
Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 Service Pack 1 released
SP1 for Exchange Server 5.0 is now available at Microsoft's FTP site. The English-language version can be found at ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/exchange/exchange-public/fixes/Eng/Exchg5.0/SP1. Be sure to read the Readme.txt or Readme.wri file to find out which files you need to download and what is fixed. For more information, see http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/general/sp.htm and http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/exs5sp1.htm.
Among the features that will be most useful is the ability for administrators to create multiple offline address books for remote users to download.
The SP includes Outlook 8.02 (see http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/ol802.htm), but in a "delta" version that updates only the Outlook 8.01 version available with Exchange Server 5.0.
Confusion, frustration with Microsoft Outlook 8.02 release
It seems like I'm spending more and more time trying to account for the way Microsoft is addressing problems with Outlook. This latest release is a case in point. First, the MSKB is full of articles on Outlook 8.02, with no clue as to how one might obtain it. Then they're pulled temporarily. Now they're back, to coincide with the 8.02 release as an upgrade from 8.01, but the retail Microsoft Office/Outlook 97 user with version 8.0 is still left with a lot of head-scratching. We still don't know whether the 8.02 release that will upgrade 8.0 users (due in July) will be available only as a download or also on CD. If it will also be available on CD (as the Office 7.0a and 7.0b service releases were), then why not say so in the KB and on the Microsoft web site and let people put in their orders now?
I appreciate the effort that goes into any service release for a product as complex as Outlook, but there still needs to be better coordination and communication. Let's count up the number of Outlook 8.0 (retail) users and compare it to the number of Outlook 8.01 (Exchange Server 5.0) users.
People are also wondering why they haven't received any feedback on the Outlook survey and beta application. Since Microsoft made such an unusual public appeal for beta participants, an acknowledgement that the application was received wouldn't seem too much to ask.
The (non)future of the Exchange client
Exchange is dead, by the way. Not Exchange Server, which is thriving, but the Exchange name for the client software.
The existing Exchange client software has apparently reached the end of its development cycle. Dave Malcolm, group product manager for Exchange, was quoted in InfoWorld Electric as saying, "The existing Exchange clients will be maintained but not extended."
The preferred client for Exchange Server is Microsoft Outlook, which today exists only in versions for Windows 95 and Windows NT. However, the next major release of Exchange Server, planned for later this year, will have 16-bit Windows and Macintosh Outlook clients for e-mail and some calendar and scheduling functions, according to recent press reports.
Also, with the release of SP1 for Exchange Server 5.0, the ability to access the server via the Internet is renamed "Outlook Web Access."
Sending a Word doc as WordMail
Here's a trick I stumbled across this week. Let's say you have a document open in Word 97 and you want to send it to another Exchange or Outlook user. Normally, if you use File | Send To, the document is sent as an attachment. That's probably best for long documents, but what if it's just a short note that you don't want to send as an attached file? Sure, you could open a new message, then copy and paste the text from Word into the message.
But here's a way that might prove easier: In Word, choose Tools | Options, then switch to the General tab. Clear the check box for Mail as attachment. Now use File | Send To. If Word was selected as your e-mail editor, Outlook creates a message that duplicates the Word document, formatting and all. If you weren't using WordMail, it creates a plain-text message from the document, the equivalent of inserting as text.
Tracking unread messages, Part 2
In the last issue of EMO, I offered some techniques for keeping track of where unread messages are filed. Of course, in the effort to bring you the most exotic methods, we overlooked the obvious -- turn on Folder List! The Folder List always shows you the names of folders with unread messages in bold, with the number of unread messages in parentheses.
It was just a little over one year ago, on June 20, 1996, that the Slipstick Systems Exchange Center opened its doors as an independent support site for Microsoft Exchange, Windows Messaging and now Microsoft Outlook. Over the months, the available information has expanded from about a dozen pages to nearly 100, from one FAQ to six, from sporadic updates to daily headlines. You've shown your enthusiasm by making more than 101,000 visits to the Exchange Center in its first year!
We couldn't have done it without your support! However, the cost of tracking Exchange and Outlook developments is growing, especially here in Moscow, where there is no $19.95/month unlimited Internet access. You can help keep the Exchange Center active by ordering your Exchange and Outlook books through the Exchange Center Bookstore at http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/exchbstr.htm. We have all the titles you need and secure ordering via Amazon.com. In particular, you might want to take a look at my Microsoft Exchange User's Handbook. Even Outlook users will find more in this book on the nuts and bolts of e-mail and faxing than in any of the omnibus Outlook books. The complete outline for the Handbook is available at http://www.slipstick.com/handbook/.
CaBook
The first shareware custom action for Inbox Assistant and Outlook Rules Wizard. From the creator of ExLife, it adds addresses from incoming or outgoing messages to your PAB or Contacts folder, depending on rules you set.
http://www.mokry.cz/exchange/cabook.htmReorder Contacts Form
A Microsoft Outlook form to update Contacts records so that they display in the Address Book sorted as you choose -- by last name, first name or the FileAs field.
http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/olforder.htmOutlook Get Messages
Downloads messages in a separate thread so that you can view, edit or delete messages while downloading. Latest version adds multithreading for receive and send, ability to just retrieve without sending, and many other improvements.
http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/6532/Imaging for Windows Professional Edition
Latest version adds support for Windows NT, plus a quick viewer so you don't have to launch the entire application just to look at a fax.
http://www.eastmansoftware.com/imaging/pro11.htmYooDoormat
Converts Eudora nicknames, including distribution lists, to the Personal Address Book.
http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/gallery.htm#yoodoormatSPAM Attack Pro
Filters messages against a list of known junk mailers. Works with Exchange or Outlook.
http://www.softwiz.com/html/spam_attack_pro.htmlBanyan Vines MAPI service provider
Provides access to Vines mail and StreetTalk address book in Exchange and Outlook.
http://www.banyan.com/messaging/mapi/PLEXLINK POP3 Provider
POP3/SMTP transport service (like Internet Mail or OpenSoft ExpressMail), supporting MIME, UUENCODE, delivery receipts, international character sets. Demo available.
http://www.isocor.com/PRODUCTS/PLEXPOP/ABOUT.HTPAT&T Mail for Windows Messaging
Latest version adds support for sending faxes through your AT&T Mail account, an address list manager, and auto-reply to other AT&T Mail users.
http://www.att.com/easycommerce/easylink/winmail.html
Get the answers from the Microsoft Exchange, Windows Messaging and Microsoft Outlook FAQs at http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/faqs.htm.
The Microsoft Outlook FAQ has a Table of Contents at http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/outlfaq.htm to help you find answers faster. New and updated items are at the bottom of the page.
Ask new questions and provide other feedback for the Slipstick Systems Exchange Center FAQs at http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/faqfdbk.htm.
ISSN 1523-7990
Copyright 1996-2006, Slipstick Systems and CDOLive LLC. All rights reserved.