Considering moving away from Outlook

[Allograft]

So, I've used Outlook for 14 years. I'm pretty well instantiated in that program. I have recently switched from a windows box to a 15" rMBP and loving it. I have Office 2011, but haven't got Outlook '11 up and running yet..still using the Windows box for much of that, but I do have all the PIM (contacts, calendar, tasks, notes) in iCloud, so I'm somewhat functioning. I really like the Mac mail app also.

Is there another program that I could use that works better in Mac than Outlook. I really like how to the OS 10.10 and iOS 8.1 interplay is developing and I want to take full advantage and not be bogged down in a vestigial Office suite.

Thoughts? Input?

 

[velocityg4]

I use Thunderbird with the Lightning, Provider for Google Calendar, and Google Contacts add-ons. Mainly because it is consistent across multiple platforms.

Setting up calendar and contact syncing is easier with Google. Even if you don't use Thunderbird. I would use Google for syncing services. It has a wider range of compatibility than iCloud.

 

[campyguy]

I use Office 365 and Exchange Server 2013.

I use Office 2011, with current patches - it's not that bad. I also use Parallels Desktop with Windows 8/8.1 and Office 2013.

If you're looking to go Mac-only with MS servers, stay far, far away from Thunderbird - it's a POS and you'll be ruing the day you synched it to an MS server.

I recommend NOT mingling Google anything to anything - Google uses their own implementation of EAS. If anyone tells you otherwise they just don't know what the hell they're talking about. I used to use Google Apps - I know better now. Don't mix environments - period.

Exchange services are 3rd party - not native. The Mac apps are OK - I do not edit any of my Exchange-related items in my Mac apps - I resort to using web apps or native apps for this. Again, don't mix environments - I used to, but know better now.

Office 2011 doesn't suck. For email, Airmail is a good alternative. For the price of Parallels Desktop and a Windows installation I get what I want - it's cheaper than therapy or dealing with cleaning up the kludgefsck mess of getting Google services involved.

 

[glenthompson]

Having used Outlook on Windows for years, I gave it a try when I switched to the Mac. It was so different I found it easier to switch to Mac mail than adapt to the differences between the windows and Mac versions. It has worked well for me. Best feature is the seamless access on my Mac, iPad, and iphone. The one feature missing that I would like is the ability to change my server based rules from the mail client.

 

[0970373]

I also need to find an alternative to Outlook for work email. I keep it separate from my other email (I use Airmail for personal email). One of my clients requires that I use their email which is on an Exchange server but I really dislike Outlook. Is Mac mail in Yosemite playing nicer with Exchange? Or Postbox?

Thank you.

 

[nefan65]

When I was on Mavericks, the replacement of Outlook was solid; Mail, iCal, etc. Yosemite has been a tad flaky [mostly Mail]. iCal has been fine, but Mail is still a work in progress, IMO, when it comes to Exchange. I'm sure it'll get ironed out, but as it stands with the 10.10.0 release, it's need of some patching. However, I still prefer it over Outlook 2011, so that's saying something.