Odd Mactopia thread on sync services not active

[Kerryd]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel
Email Client: imap

I was reading the thread on sync services not working in Mactopia and came across the following post which I went to respond to and found the thread was closed. Its odd as the topic is still totally relevant. Anyway, the post I was going to respond to was posted in Jan 2009 and is:

Re: iCal sync does not work in Entourage 2008 Print This Reply
It's been almost an entire year since this thread started and basic sync is still as much of an issue as day one- read the first few posts, then read the latest few. The MVPs on this forum are well-intentioned but clearly have no ability to make a difference in this product. Feedback to Microsoft has been provided, but still no fixes.

Within hours of installing Mac Office 08, I downgraded to Entourage 04. Many months later I am still cleaning up the mess it wreaked on my devices. I will not approve additional upgrades for the rest of our organization until sync is fixed. (We reached a similar decision regarding Vista and will not approve additional OS upgrades until Windows 7 demonstrates better stability)

All too well I understand the impossibility of pleasing everyone, but when a very capable and well-funded development team is encouraged to focus it's resources in 'improvements' in UI design, then evidential functionality will likely suffer.

Syncing is complex and not trivial to pull off between multiple OSes and numerous applications. However, there are API's defining the elements and processes. And please remember that Mac Office is a Mac product designed to run under Mac OS. The onus is on the developer to follow the host OS guidelines and APIs. Trust me, Microsoft won't support developers or certify products for their platforms that don't follow their rules. Mac Office sync services do not adhere to the defined APIs. Who's the developer, in this case? In a reversal of usual roles, it's Microsoft. They need to follow the rules, or at least break them with no ill effect to the product's functionality.

Cutting thru all the reasons and explanations offered by Microsoft spokespeople and other posters here and elsewhere, what REALLY is the problem here? Why is this still not adequately addressed after more than a year? I tend to believe that Microsoft simply didn't feel syncing was as important as interface improvements for mainstream users. At the time priorities were being set, syncing may not have been considered mainstream, and numbers set priority for product development.

Perhaps more rapidly than expected, the user environments are becoming more and more dependent on multiple platforms for their daily functionality - just scan this thread for a glimpse. Therefore, the need for reliable sync services have quickly become more mainstream.

If my assumption is true, and now that it's been over a year since release and the number of people needing reliable sync services has grown rapidly, then I would hope there can be momentum toward fixing the issues. The time for excuses is long past - it's time for fixes.

 

[William Smith [MVP]]

I was reading the thread on sync services not working in Mactopia and
came across the following post which I went to respond to and found
the thread was closed. Its odd as the topic is still totally
relevant. Anyway, the post I was going to respond to was posted in
Jan 2009 and is:

The MVPs suggested a long time ago to Microsoft that threads should
expire after about three months. This was meant to prevent threads "that
wouldn't die" because folks kept adding their comments long after the
discussion was over. However, I too have noticed some of the threads are
expiring much too early. Not sure why.

Unfortunately, the Mactopia forums have other long-standing problems
that still need to be addressed. Feel free to send feedback about the
website here <http://www.microsoft.com/mac/feedback.mspx>.

--

bill

Entourage Help Page <http://entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>
YouTalk <http://nine.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/youtalk>
Twitter: follow <http://twitter.com/meck>

 

[Kerryd]

Thanks. I submitted feedback. I've wanted to do that but just kind of forgot.

 

[Diane Ross]

Adding to what Bill said...when multiple people start adding their problem
to the same thread it can get confusing. It's generally best to start your
own thread and give your info. Often the differences between what version of
Entourage and/or the OS you are using makes the questions different and each
deserve the attention it needs.

The MVPs on this forum are well-intentioned but clearly have no ability to
make a difference in this product.

I can say MacBU does value and listen to us, but the product is Microsoft
and only they in the end determine what gets attention. The issue with sync
is complicated. Entourage now uses Apple sync so who's at fault? Microsoft
or Apple? Sync involves so many different parts it's a very complicated
issue. I agree it's critical. Losing data or having it duplicated over and
over makes it worthless.

Personally, I wish they would fix it. We don't get paid and there are lots
of questions on sync we have to answer.

 

[Kerryd]

Agreed. It would be so nice if this would get fixed and its taking way too long. I've read that Apple's next release of OS X, OS X 10.5.7 will have a fair bit of tweaks to sync. Not sure what this means to Entourage but hopefully something. So if Apple is tweaking sync significantly lets hope Microsoft steps up to the plate and gets Entourage working properly with sync services. My only issue with Entourage is sync however, this is a significant piece of my and a lot of people's computing. In 1997 the Palm Pilot revolutionized computing by providing seamless sync. This is broken when using Entourage and who knows whether this is an Apple or a Microsoft problem but everything I've read suggests its Microsoft's problem. Using the Apple apps there isn't any significant sync issue. If Microsoft were a rinky dink company maybe there'd be a reason they couldn't get this working. But, they are the biggest software company not only with a lot of talent but with a lot of muscle. If they needed Apple to do something to get this working, I suspect they could accomplish that. Something just isn't quite right.

 

[dakotakid]

I finally gave up on Entourage completely over this issue. Wrapping my head around Mail, iCal and a separate task manager was tough at first... I use Apple's Mail, which is quite a bit quicker and more responsive to search than Entourage, and doesn't suffer from the one giant database problem iCal is sufficient, but I miss the single calendar and category approach that Entourage uses. Not crazy about multiple calendars to keep things organized.

But I replaced the Task and Notes modules with a great GTD app, OmniFocus, and Notes with Yojimbo. Both are more useful than the corresponding Microsoft apps. I liked the all-in-one approach, but, just like a hardware fax/scanner/copier solution, if one breaks, they all break. Keeping things separate seems to run faster, and keeps the data partitioned.

Together the non-MS solution works well for me, but it took some serious pain to migrate, and it likely won't work in a big networked environment.

Jim

 

[Kerryd]

I finally gave up on Entourage completely over this issue. Wrapping my head around Mail, iCal and a separate task manager was tough at first... I use Apple's Mail, which is quite a bit quicker and more responsive to search than Entourage, and doesn't suffer from the one giant database problem iCal is sufficient, but I miss the single calendar and category approach that Entourage uses. Not crazy about multiple calendars to keep things organized.

But I replaced the Task and Notes modules with a great GTD app, OmniFocus, and Notes with Yojimbo. Both are more useful than the corresponding Microsoft apps. I liked the all-in-one approach, but, just like a hardware fax/scanner/copier solution, if one breaks, they all break. Keeping things separate seems to run faster, and keeps the data partitioned.

Together the non-MS solution works well for me, but it took some serious pain to migrate, and it likely won't work in a big networked environment.

Jim

Yes, many people have switched to something else. I've thought about doing what you've done and have sort of tried. However, I do come back to Entourage as it has capabilities I like and need. The integration and linking, categorization etc. However, as you point out there is pain in breaking away and I don't think I've pushed myself hard enough as there is a ton of pain staying.