r00typooh
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 5178
Location: Miami, FL
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 Posted: 01/14/05 - 21:54 Post subject: Exchange Server / Options
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My old boss, Jim, someone I still do tech/consulting work for, uses software called Now Up-to-Date and Contact for event/contact management (http://www.nowsoft.com/). He was using this software before I had started working for him back when he was only using Apple systems in his office and at home. This software was perfect… it allowed him to have shared calendars, events, and contacts with everyone else in the office and was VERY cheap. Each copy of the software (1 license) was only $99.00 and had very minimal server requirements.
After he closed his business down and I left to Alienware, I set him up with 2 laptops: one for him, one for his wife. The same company, Now Software, by that time had ported their software over to the PC so he could use his same Apple “server” system and use the same familiar software to share his calendar with his wife.
Over a year later now, he loves his PC laptops and has almost completely ditched his iMac (he still likes iPhoto and iMovie). Jim has become a commercial real estate broker and pretty much works from 60 – 80 hours a week. He’s never at his office and always away from home.
To stay connected, he’s decided to look into getting a PDA phone (he currently has a Palm device) but he would like a Pocket PC device. Unfortunately, his old piece of crap software doesn’t support any sort of Pocket PC application. To this end, I’ve suggested looking into equipping him with an Exchange server so that he’ll be able to share his contacts and calendar events with his wife and another person he’ll be adding to his workforce.
The problem is, although I’m sure I could setup an Exchange server with no problem, I’m not sure how good the shared functions of Exchange are. I have personal experience with Exchange, but only when using it as an e-mail server, nothing else.
Can anyone give me a review of the software when using in a small, few user environment? How easily can you share contacts and events?
The main functions/features that I need are (stolen from the Now Software website):
• Shared calendars and contacts - True sharing and network calendars and address books. Schedule meetings, reserve rooms and resources, share client information.
• Internet integration - update your calendar and contacts from anywhere with internet access.
• Palm Synchronization - most flexible syncing available. You choose which contacts to sync to your Palm. (in my case, Pocket PC synchronization),
Additionally, would the web-based features of Exchange work decently over a ~40-50kB/sec upload DSL connection with only 1 – 2 users MAX connecting at one time?
Any help or suggestions for alternate software are appreciated. The key to this is easy for the end user to use, easy to synchronize with a pocket pc device, and ability to update from anywhere with internet access.
Thanks Guys!
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