Microsoft's iCal Clone (Screenshot included)

[bousozoku]

I'll stump for Outlook...I generally found it quite useful.

But so MS is going to abandon having an integrated PIM app and go for separate apps à la Apple?

No, this is for people who are not buying the professional version of Office, where Outlook is included.

 

[mkrishnan]

No, this is for people who are not buying the professional version of Office, where Outlook is included.

Oh, okay, thankya. I have mixed feelings, to be honest. I think it works fine as separate apps, the way it is on my Mac, but I was also quite happy with Outlook. Well, except when I did a search in a folder, and I wanted to see my calendar, and I forgot I'd been searching, and clicked over to the Calendar. Then, I was *pissed*!

 

[Max on Macs]

IMO it looks too much like iCal. But all the switchers at the local MUG go on about all the bundled apps with their Mac and I think Microsoft knows it and wants to make the same thing true of Vista. I have found all through the Vista builds that they are trying to do what the switchers say is good about their macs, nothing original here, or anywhere. Windows Live is just an attempt to hook people with Windows. Microsoft aren't what they used to be, they can't rely soley on their marketing to put out any **** they want. It's just a shame they have to copy others. (A lot of Windows Live is like .Mac, but free, and some more stuff .Mac doesn't have).

 

[Project]

Windows Mail is simply an updated Outlook Express really. They are also throwing in Windows Calendar, so yes it looks like they are going to Apple route. Ive messed with the Vista beta, and none of these things have the kind of integration the iApps do. So while they look prettier, they are not better than what we have.

In regards to Windows Live, some of the services step on .Mac's toes (Live Bookmarks for instance and the rumoured LiveDrive), but .Mac despite being overpriced is so beautifully integrated its crazy. Allowing developers to make hooks into it is nice too..

If I was Apple, I would seriously offer .Mac for free. They have a million subscribers, so with discounts they probably make around 70-80m dollars a year from it. While this is not chump change, they can easily afford to absorb these costs to give a far better experience to ALL Mac users, and make OSX even more competitive to the upcoming Vista/Live combo. They could then offer extra services as they currently do to add more space to your standard 1GB and make money back here. I feel its kind of criminal to make the best use of iWeb you have to pay for a .Mac account.

 

[Bern]

.... Being a M$ basher does change the point that it is a good program. All it does is making you opinan on the program rather worthless because it clear that it very very tainted and doesnt matter how good the program is you are going to bash it.

I'm not bashing Microsoft, but why do you put a dollar sign instead of an "S" as Microsoft's initials???



Just because I say it's bloated, which is a well known fact, doesn't make me a MS basher. IMO Apple's apps are far better integrated, (mail is backed up with .Mac), reliable and I don't get any junk mail either in the Mail.