Submitted by “Back in February, Microsoft released public specifications for PST files, the databases used by Outlook for storing and archiving e-mail. To these specifications, Microsoft has now added a pair of developer-oriented open source projects: the PST Data Structure View Tool for cracking open PSTs to browse inside them, and the PST File Format SDK, a cross-platform C++ library for working with PST files programmatically.”
Interesting that MS released their spec and a few weeks later told everyone to no use PSTs with exchange in the future. PSTs are dead.
Too little too late on that one.
I second that, the format looks dead.
I think Exchange is a stronger reason for Microsoft lock-in, that, and bundling it with Office.
Thunderbird with Lightning was closing the gap, then Mozilla kind if halted the vast majority of Thunderbird development.
My prediction is that OWA will replace Outlook.
OWA eventually. I still don’t see us using OWA fully on our desktops at work.
Though, ActiveSync with Exchange is definitely looking interesting with iPhone, WinMobile, and others. I wonder if it will dominate Blackberry Enterprise Server.
I thought that only last week. I tried Thunderbird again a few days ago. Needless to say I was impressed!
Completely against my expectations it is now my default mail client. I’d definitely recommend people give it another go.
Link: http://www.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/thunderbird/
Anyone using Outlook knows that pst files are the last/least thing that makes one stick with Outlook (I set up an IMAP server specifically to get away from PST files). What makes Outlook a necessity for me are the Calendar and right click -> Find All -> Related Messages/Messages from Sender.
Thunderbird is good because I can set it up as a Desktop interface to my Google apps. I have it on my desktop at home, desktop at work, and portable machines as an IMAP client, and Lightning with Provider for Google calendar on them as well. In the end, all of my information is in my Google apps, but Thunderbird works seamlessly with them.
On the other hand, Zimbra desktop looks real interesting – http://www.zimbra.com/products/desktop.html …but Zimbra has always looked interesting….there just aren’t a lot of providers that offer it.
Via PST? Never heard of it. No PST is a storage format and it’s not even compelling. Exchange is the reason for lock-in here (not that I’m a big fan).