[pnorman]

Hi!

Anyone know anything about Microsoft's Watson? Like, when it is due or if it is in fact still in development?

My office is mixed platform with a Microsoft Small Business Server (NT+Exchange Server). The current Outlook 8.2.2 is far behind the Windows version of same and presents too many problems to be a satisfactory solution. I was therefore excited to hear about Watson. It didn't ship with Office 2001 so I am wondering if anyone knows whether Microsoft may be aiming at a MacWorld release next week.

Any news or info would be greatlt appreciated.
Thanks a lot!
-Peter

[AlbertWu]

to go with sherlock2

Was it entourage? I hear it can converse with exchange. If not, oh well.
Sorry, I can't help you. I've actually never heard of watson before, and I doubt that they would ship an office email application with a consumer productivity suite. I find entourage very helpful.

------------------
Albert Wu <- No life.
http://web.harker.org/

24/7 Cell phone use can not kill you. I am half-consious proof. (It's not because of the cell phone.)

Caffine is not a mind-altering drug.
It is a life-altering drug!

[pnorman]

No, Entourage is a POP mail app. It ships with Office 2001. Its simply a pumped up version of Outlook Express. Entourage cannot converse/communicate with Exchange server's propreietary mail/scheduling format.

Watson was announced in May 2000 as the next vesion of Outlook 8.2.2, Microsoft's Exchange server email/scheduling client for the Mac. Check out Microsoft's own page on Watson: http://www.microsoft.com/mac/product...ge/default.asp

Firstly, Microsoft's Office 2001 for Mac is an expensive Consumer Productivity Suite - its priced exactly the same as Microsoft's Office Professional for Windows. Secondly, whether Microsoft promotes it as a Consumer product or not, it is still in fact used in Offices on Macs for compatibility with its Windows Office counterpart. Given this, why does Outlook 8.2.2 not ship with Office 2001? Its only a further 24 MB for the installer. Maybe Watson simply wasn't finished in time for Office 2001.

If Watson ever comes out, I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft dropped Outlook Express for Mac in favour of Entourage and included both Entourage and Watson with Office 2001. It would make more sense than the current lineup.

-Peter

[AlbertWu]

MS needs free email client. Maybe Entourage Express.

[pnorman]

www.MacWindows.com reports that Microsoft will make an announcement regarding Watson today, January 10, 2001, at day two of MacWorld San Francisco. They also have a report on the feature set from as recent as October 12, 2000.

-Peter

[pnorman]

Well, Microsoft released a beta of Outlook this morning. Watson was the codename for it. I downloaded it and it rocks!!! Check it out at:
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloa...p?area=outlook

Remember: Outlook 2001 is not a POP/MAIL app - if you want that go get Outlook Express or Entourage. Outlook 2001 is Microsoft's client application for use with their Windows 2000/NT Exchange E-mail Server. BIG difference. Not a home email app. Just for Macs in offices that have a Microsoft Windows 2000 or NT 4 Server running the Microsoft Exchange Email Server.

I haven't spent A LOT of time at it so please don't catch me on fire if this turns out to be incorrect; the shared Contacts stored under the Public Folders is not displaying according to category - nor is there any way to define views that I can see. But that may just be my idiotic way of trying out the software. I will post back here with a more coherent description of the contacts category question.

The calendar is REALLY sweet, though. And the entire App works so nicely - very similar to Outlook Express or Entourage in its layout and look and feel - whereas Outlook 8.2.2 looked and felt like Microsoft Word 6, which in turn looked like Windows 3.1.

Those people over at Microsoft's Macintosh Business Unit do AMAZING work. I wonder why the rest of the Microsoft programmers do such a shoddy job with Windows? Well, I guess I just answered my own question. Ha!

Explorer 5, Outlook Express 5, Office 2001, and Outlook 2001 are ALL great pieces of work.

Thanks a LOT!
-Peter 'i can't believe its microsoft' Norman


[This message has been edited by pnorman (edited 01-10-2001).]

Peter, I agree about the new Outlook beta. It totally rocks and it's about time! I'll be waiting for the final release this summer to upgrade my design team, but I am a happy guinea pig in the meantime.

One thing I haven't had success with however, is converting personal folders from 8.2.2 to 2001, and wondered if anyone has tried it. I tried drag-and-drop, importing, and setting up through preferences/services, none seem to work (although I haven't quit and relaunched yet). I am able to create a new empty personal folders file, but opening the old one just results in a single email file with nothing in it.

Other than that, this beta feels like a final release!

Keith

Peter, I agree about the new Outlook beta. It totally rocks and it's about time! I'll be waiting for the final release this summer to upgrade my design team, but I am a happy guinea pig in the meantime.

One thing I haven't had success with however, is converting personal folders from 8.2.2 to 2001, and wondered if anyone has tried it. I tried drag-and-drop, importing, and setting up through preferences/services, none seem to work (although I haven't quit and relaunched yet). I am able to create a new empty personal folders file, but opening the old one just results in a single email file with nothing in it.

Other than that, this beta feels like a final release!

Keith