Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Switching from Microsoft Exchange Server to Web Mail Calendar Contacts and To-Dos
Since leaving full-time employment yet again, I've made some major changes in my computing and contact managment solutions:
1) I switched from a Windows-based Sony Vaio to an Apple MacBook Pro
2) I moved from Microsoft Outlook and Exchange Server -- I first tried to antsy-pants it with Entourage (essentially Outlook for the Mac) but I grew increasingly frustrated and just made the full move to Google GMail, Google Calendar, Google Contacts and Todoist (a non-google product!)
My thoughts:
a) The Apple MacBook Pro is awesome -- however, it's not the nirvana that many make it out to be. Many of my issues are simply learning issues (keystroke differences, program differences, etc.) but some have been needless pain.
1) Specifically, people haven't made enough noise about how great Exchange Server is as a platform for mail, calendar, contacts and tasks. Personally, I think it's awesome, and for the normal user, the synchronization performance (to mobile phones, online/offline, etc.) is not being touted as loudly as it deserves). There really doesn't seem to be a Mac solution that rivals it. That said, I'm done with it (for the time being). I really grew to despise Microsoft for how hard they make it to get your data out of the Outlook/Entourage world (heck, those 2 programs don't even exchange data very well!)
2) I've also had issues getting my MacBook to print to the HP G85 printer that I have connected to my home computer (a Dell running Windows XP). Granted, the printer is 6 years old, but I have had no problems with it (kudos to HP) and it is recognized by every PC/laptop I've connected to the network without a problem -- however, the Mac can't print to it over the network. This seems to be an HP Driver Support issues, and I'll just live with it by buying a new printer. However, HP lost me as a customer due to their lack of driver support -- I just shelled out a meager $200 for a new Canon PIXMA MP530 -- will see how that works out.
3) apple doesn't make ergo keyboards and mice -- i'm stuck using crappy microsoft alternatives (and they were the best of the bunch... i looked at them all!). i can't wait to pay for a premium priced Apple Ergo keyboard and mouse... I'll happily fork it over!
b) Now, the things that I love about the MacBook Pro:
1) It turns on and off in seconds rather than minutes -- amazing!
2) It hasn't crashed yet -- really -- and this is after dealign with daily Vaio crashes for more than a year -- I am so happy to be done with that (blamed on Microsoft, not Sony... I had same performance on Gateway, Dell, IBM, etc.)
3) everything about it is elegant (keyboard, screen quality, web cam, desktop, photos, music, on and on and on)
4) How fast everything runs -- granted, i've probably installed less junk, but there aren't all of the annoying pre-installed test programs that you get with every PC-center computer -- I'll never miss those!
5) how easy all of the software is to figure out -- they keep the obvious stuff front and center, and hide the rest
6) battery life amazing
7) cheap thrill, but i love the magnetic power connector
c) Finally, this is what I've settled on for my productivity solutions:
1) eMail -- Google GMail -- so elegant, fast, and supported by LifeHacker Tips
2) Calendar - Google Calendar -- very nice and easy to use -- also, I'm running Google Apps for Domain for ooGooRoo, so as I add employees, we can easily synch calendars and contacts -- nice... also lets me import other calendars from the cloud like 'Mariners Games', etc. And, Google made it easy enough for ME to set up Apps for the Domain -- that's a trick!
3) Contacts -- i'm tentatively using Google Contacts, but I must admit that it really sucks -- I put the data into a nice CSV file (spent an hour cleaning it up) -- google promptly sucked it in and dumped everything other than Name and email into a 'Notes Field' -- thanks fellas! So, I've kept that data in Entourage temporarily, just in case I get a Blackberry and possibly use the Blackbeery for Contact mgmt
4) Task List / To-Do List -- i found this amazing little program called Todoist -- Lifehacker pointed me to this as well, and it was easy to set up, fun to learn about (a few screencasts), and integrates nicely with Gmail!
I've added a few other programs to make life a little easier, such as:
1) Clipboard management - iClip - nice little tool to enable multiple clipboards
2) Chat - iChat replaced Adium (because iChat has integrated Video Chat) -- but I have Skype and Adium on the machine as well, just in case
3) QuickSilver -- I still haven't mastered this one -- I see the reason for it -- I just need to find an expert who can give me the crash course
4) Music - Pandora's become my daily music player -- of course, I have iTunes, but Pandora keeps it fresher
5) Office Apps -- I like having Office for the Mac on my machine. But, I've also enjoyed using online office replacements Zoho (for Wiki, word processing, spreadsheets and powerpoint functioality)
That's about it -- lots of meat there -- if anyone happens on this article and has other questions about what works for a new Mac convert, just drop me a line!
Dave
1) I switched from a Windows-based Sony Vaio to an Apple MacBook Pro
2) I moved from Microsoft Outlook and Exchange Server -- I first tried to antsy-pants it with Entourage (essentially Outlook for the Mac) but I grew increasingly frustrated and just made the full move to Google GMail, Google Calendar, Google Contacts and Todoist (a non-google product!)
My thoughts:
a) The Apple MacBook Pro is awesome -- however, it's not the nirvana that many make it out to be. Many of my issues are simply learning issues (keystroke differences, program differences, etc.) but some have been needless pain.
1) Specifically, people haven't made enough noise about how great Exchange Server is as a platform for mail, calendar, contacts and tasks. Personally, I think it's awesome, and for the normal user, the synchronization performance (to mobile phones, online/offline, etc.) is not being touted as loudly as it deserves). There really doesn't seem to be a Mac solution that rivals it. That said, I'm done with it (for the time being). I really grew to despise Microsoft for how hard they make it to get your data out of the Outlook/Entourage world (heck, those 2 programs don't even exchange data very well!)
2) I've also had issues getting my MacBook to print to the HP G85 printer that I have connected to my home computer (a Dell running Windows XP). Granted, the printer is 6 years old, but I have had no problems with it (kudos to HP) and it is recognized by every PC/laptop I've connected to the network without a problem -- however, the Mac can't print to it over the network. This seems to be an HP Driver Support issues, and I'll just live with it by buying a new printer. However, HP lost me as a customer due to their lack of driver support -- I just shelled out a meager $200 for a new Canon PIXMA MP530 -- will see how that works out.
3) apple doesn't make ergo keyboards and mice -- i'm stuck using crappy microsoft alternatives (and they were the best of the bunch... i looked at them all!). i can't wait to pay for a premium priced Apple Ergo keyboard and mouse... I'll happily fork it over!
b) Now, the things that I love about the MacBook Pro:
1) It turns on and off in seconds rather than minutes -- amazing!
2) It hasn't crashed yet -- really -- and this is after dealign with daily Vaio crashes for more than a year -- I am so happy to be done with that (blamed on Microsoft, not Sony... I had same performance on Gateway, Dell, IBM, etc.)
3) everything about it is elegant (keyboard, screen quality, web cam, desktop, photos, music, on and on and on)
4) How fast everything runs -- granted, i've probably installed less junk, but there aren't all of the annoying pre-installed test programs that you get with every PC-center computer -- I'll never miss those!
5) how easy all of the software is to figure out -- they keep the obvious stuff front and center, and hide the rest
6) battery life amazing
7) cheap thrill, but i love the magnetic power connector
c) Finally, this is what I've settled on for my productivity solutions:
1) eMail -- Google GMail -- so elegant, fast, and supported by LifeHacker Tips
2) Calendar - Google Calendar -- very nice and easy to use -- also, I'm running Google Apps for Domain for ooGooRoo, so as I add employees, we can easily synch calendars and contacts -- nice... also lets me import other calendars from the cloud like 'Mariners Games', etc. And, Google made it easy enough for ME to set up Apps for the Domain -- that's a trick!
3) Contacts -- i'm tentatively using Google Contacts, but I must admit that it really sucks -- I put the data into a nice CSV file (spent an hour cleaning it up) -- google promptly sucked it in and dumped everything other than Name and email into a 'Notes Field' -- thanks fellas! So, I've kept that data in Entourage temporarily, just in case I get a Blackberry and possibly use the Blackbeery for Contact mgmt
4) Task List / To-Do List -- i found this amazing little program called Todoist -- Lifehacker pointed me to this as well, and it was easy to set up, fun to learn about (a few screencasts), and integrates nicely with Gmail!
I've added a few other programs to make life a little easier, such as:
1) Clipboard management - iClip - nice little tool to enable multiple clipboards
2) Chat - iChat replaced Adium (because iChat has integrated Video Chat) -- but I have Skype and Adium on the machine as well, just in case
3) QuickSilver -- I still haven't mastered this one -- I see the reason for it -- I just need to find an expert who can give me the crash course
4) Music - Pandora's become my daily music player -- of course, I have iTunes, but Pandora keeps it fresher
5) Office Apps -- I like having Office for the Mac on my machine. But, I've also enjoyed using online office replacements Zoho (for Wiki, word processing, spreadsheets and powerpoint functioality)
That's about it -- lots of meat there -- if anyone happens on this article and has other questions about what works for a new Mac convert, just drop me a line!
Dave
Labels: canon pixma, g85, gmail, google calendar, macbook pro, microsoft, outlook, pc, switching to mac, todoist
Comments:
Making the switch isnt the easy but once you do it you'll wonder how you survived in the PC world.
If you want to make the calendaring thing easier try out Calgoo, its an app that lets you take gCal offline and sync up with iCals etc. Its in beta right now but pretty solid (all be it a little ugly).
Also you need simple things like Stuff-It Expander and Flip4Mac (awesome program that puts wmv's into quicktime).
Hope that helps!
- S
If you want to make the calendaring thing easier try out Calgoo, its an app that lets you take gCal offline and sync up with iCals etc. Its in beta right now but pretty solid (all be it a little ugly).
Also you need simple things like Stuff-It Expander and Flip4Mac (awesome program that puts wmv's into quicktime).
Hope that helps!
- S
Glad to hear you've switched. You'll get through the motor memory issues quickly.
Check out Yojimbo by BareBones, makers of BBEdit. It has become my most useful utility.
Basically, it keeps track of URL's, notes, passwords (encrypted - actually, you can encrypt anything), and other info collectibles. Everything can be tagged, associated with collections. You can install it on multiple computers and with a .Mac account, automatically or manually sync anything/everything you gather on any of them. Really elegant.
Check out Yojimbo by BareBones, makers of BBEdit. It has become my most useful utility.
Basically, it keeps track of URL's, notes, passwords (encrypted - actually, you can encrypt anything), and other info collectibles. Everything can be tagged, associated with collections. You can install it on multiple computers and with a .Mac account, automatically or manually sync anything/everything you gather on any of them. Really elegant.
Thanks for all of those reco's -- reminded me of some other apps that I've really enjoyed:
1) BBEdit is fantastic -- http://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit/
2) StuffIt was a must have -- http://www.stuffit.com/mac/index.html
I'll let folks know as I add more
1) BBEdit is fantastic -- http://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit/
2) StuffIt was a must have -- http://www.stuffit.com/mac/index.html
I'll let folks know as I add more
Hi David: I am thinking of switching but have these doubts. Any thoughts?
My company uses MS Exchange Server and I can't live without my Blackberry which ensures my contacts, calendar and e-mail is automaticcally updated both ways between my current Dell notebook workehorse and my Blackberry. Can I maintain this functionality if I change?
I give Powerpoint presentations around the world (in conference centers and hotels)and they provide the beamers for projecting my presentations onto the big screens. Will my future Mac plug in seamlessly into these beamers for projection?
Many hotels worldwide provide internet connections via LAN cables instead of WiFi: do they work with Mac?
And finally, all of the AV files that link to my Powerpoint presentations were downloaded via my Dell notebook: mpeg files, windows media, some real media etc. Are they compatible? Would I need to redefine all the links in my Powerpoint presentations if I need to convert them?
Thanks so much for your answers, and your blog has been really useful for me.
Greetings from Barcelona in Spain.
Joost
My company uses MS Exchange Server and I can't live without my Blackberry which ensures my contacts, calendar and e-mail is automaticcally updated both ways between my current Dell notebook workehorse and my Blackberry. Can I maintain this functionality if I change?
I give Powerpoint presentations around the world (in conference centers and hotels)and they provide the beamers for projecting my presentations onto the big screens. Will my future Mac plug in seamlessly into these beamers for projection?
Many hotels worldwide provide internet connections via LAN cables instead of WiFi: do they work with Mac?
And finally, all of the AV files that link to my Powerpoint presentations were downloaded via my Dell notebook: mpeg files, windows media, some real media etc. Are they compatible? Would I need to redefine all the links in my Powerpoint presentations if I need to convert them?
Thanks so much for your answers, and your blog has been really useful for me.
Greetings from Barcelona in Spain.
Joost
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