Hi Everyone,
I've recently completed an all new version 2.0 release of WHS Outlook. It's feature complete and pretty darn solid as far as I can tell. However, I'd like to get some more folks looking at it before I call it a final release. If you're interested in trying out the beta, then please read on.
A couple of caveots...
First, I'm undecided at this point whether or not I'm going to release version 2.0 to the general WHS public once it's completed. I've had some bad experiences with the WHS community lately, which kind of left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. That combined with the fact that I make no money whatsoever off the program, means that I'm not in any rush to release it to the general public. However, the version 2.0 release will be a FREE upgrade for ALL of my existing (and newly) paid version 1.0 customers. Furthermore, all of my version 1.0 customers will receive the final release of the program even if I decide not to release it to the general public.
Second, please note that the version 2.0 beta is setup as a standard commercial release and so you will have 21 days to evaluate it before it expires. The program can be registered at any time using a personalized registration code from version 1.0 (if you happen to buy a copy), and it will run fully registered until its hard-coded expiration date of August 31, 2009. If you're not a registered user of my version 1.0 release (and don't want to be), then you can still run the beta for a minimum of 21 days. Also, for each new beta or release candidate I put out, the 21 day time period will be reset, and so you can in theory, run the beta free of charge for up to 21 days after the final release becomes available (which should be plenty of time). There are no differences between the registered and non-registered versions of the program with exception of the 21 day time limit.
So, if you're still interested in trying out the beta, then please head on over to the Groups section of HomeServerLand (http://www.homeserverland.com/groups/), click on the "Beta Testing" category, and then click on the "Apply to Join" link shown below the "Office Maven Beta" group. Once I receive your request to join the private beta group, I'll grant you access, and you can then download the latest beta version of WHS Outlook 2.0 and give it a good workout.
For those of you that don't already know what WHS Outlook is... It's a Windows Home Server add-in that allows you to install Microsoft Outlook on your home server and then access it via the Windows Home Server Console. For more information on the version 1.0 release, please see its web site located at:
http://www.TheOfficeMaven.com/WHSOutlook/
Version 2.0 of WHS Outlook is a HUGH leap forward for the program. It's a complete re-write of the program from the ground up, adding in many new features and enhancements including (but not limited to):
Here’s what the new version looks like (click on any of the photos to see a larger version)…
When the Administrator user account fires up the WHS Console and clicks on the WHS Outlook tab, a new startup screen is displayed. From this screen, the administrator can choose what they want to do with WHS Outlook (e.g. start WHS Outlook using the default profile, start WHS Outlook using the Choose Profile window, access WHS Outlook’s Console Settings panel, or access the Mail Setup applet):
Selecting the “Choose Profile” button starts up WHS Outlook with the new Choose Profile window displayed. From here, you can select from all of the available Outlook profiles, or create a new profile using the “Mail Setup” button. Note that most users will only ever need a single profile, but it’s nice to be able to have access to other profiles when the need arises. I personally use different profiles for my work and home e-mail accounts:
After selecting the profile you want to use, WHS Outlook starts up and you can see the new more tightly integrated Outlook window. You can now use Outlook EXACTLY as you would as if it were running stand-alone on your desktop:
Note the new "Open Items" and “WHS Outlook” drop-down menus on the Menu Bar. From the drop-down menus, you can quickly access any Inspector windows (i.e. mail messages, contacts, appointments, etc.) that are open in the background, choose to switch to using a different mail profile, exit WHS Outlook, etc.:
You can also access many of WHS Outlook’s non-administrative settings, such as telling WHS Outlook to initially startup using the default profile, initially startup using the Choose Profile window, select which profile you want to use as the default profile, set the folder that WHS Outlook displays when it first starts up (like a particular mail folder, the Contacts or Calendar folders, etc.), etc.:
Here’s a screen shot of WHS Outlook’s new WHS Console Settings page. You can see the new Remote Desktop Connectivity feature at the top. The local access (i.e. User Account access) status, as well as the Internet access (i.e. Web Site access) status is displayed, and you can change the current status by clicking on the “Configure” button:
Clicking on the “Configure” button displays a new Remote Desktop Connectivity page filled with all of your home server's enabled user accounts (minus the administrator and guest accounts):
Clicking on the “Settings” button displays a new Remote Desktop Connectivity Settings page where the administrator can change settings specific to WHS Outlook’s remote desktop connectivity (like adding links for WHS Outlook to the built-in Remote Access web site, etc.):
Checking the new "Turn on User Accounts access" check box enables multiple user access in WHS Outlook. You (the administrator) can then select the particular users you want to grant remote access to WHS Outlook. WHS Outlook will take care of all the dirty setup work for you behind the scenes (there’s a lot!), and after a bit of turning and churning, a Remote Desktop Connection file named "WHS Outlook.rdp" is created and placed in the selected user's share on the home server.
When the user executes their personalized RDP file, a remote desktop connection across the local network is initiated with the home server, and the user is granted full access to a stand-alone (i.e. WHS Console free) version of WHS Outlook that can be displayed at any size up to 1600x1200:
Going back to the new Remote Desktop Connectivity page, you'll see perhaps the best feature of all... A new "Enable Web Site access" check box. When this box is checked, WHS Outlook will build a custom WHS Outlook Web Access web site on your Home Server that your users can visit from anywhere in the world!
WHS Outlook Web Access is fully integrated into the Windows Home Server's built-in remote access web site. It uses the Single Sign-On (SSO) capabilities of the server as well as the server's built-in remote desktop proxy for improved security. All of the user authentication, remote desktop connections, etc. are handled directly by the server itself. Here's a look at how WHS Outlook Web Access is integrated into the built-in remote access web site of the Windows Home Server...
The Single Sign-On page that you're all familiar with:
The new WHS Outlook Web Access home page that's fully integrated into the server's built-in remote access web site:
The first time you connect to WHS Outlook Web Access, it will prompt you for your password (after that, it will log you on automatically as soon as you've gone through the SSO authentication process). You have the option of connecting as the authenticated user or as the WHS administrator. For security reasons, the administrator password is never stored. Therefore, you will always have to enter it in order to connect as the administrator:
Once logged on, the user is presented with the new WHS Outlook Web Access interface filled in to whatever size the current web browser window was set to when they first went through the SSO authentication process (up to a maximum resolution of 1600x1200):
Also, if you're the owner of an HP Media SmartServer running the latest version of their server software, then you'll find WHS Outlook Web Access fully integrated into your server's home page (note that you can always remove this feature if you don't want it):
Another great new feature that's part of the latest WHS Outlook beta is an all new WHS Outlook Connector application. The WHS Outlook Connector can be installed on any of your client machines (that are running the standard Windows Home Server Connector application). Once installed, the WHS Outlook Connector appears as an icon down in the notification area of the client machine's task bar . The Connector has three main functions:
1) Displays new item alerts. Whenever new mail arrives in WHS Outlook, the Connector lets the user know the number and type of messages that have arrived (e.g. mail, rss feed, meeting request, etc.). It monitors all of your Inboxes (POP, IMAP, Outlook Connector, etc.) and any RSS Feeds folders you happen to have setup in Outlook 2007. The best part of it all is that the Connector works with WHS Outlook running via the WHS Console, via a user's custom RDP (local) connection, OR via the Web Access interface. It's pretty darn cool launching WHS Outlook through its web access interface and then having the connector report newly arrived mail messages as the web page sits open on your desktop.
Here's what the Connector looks like...
WHS Outlook Connector installed on a client machine:
A new item notification for a single item type:
A new item notification for multiple item types:
Mouse roll-over tooltip for a single item type:
Mouse roll-over tooltip for multiple item types:
Right-click popup menu:
2) Allows the user to open e-mail attachments on the client machine instead of on the server. You simply right-click on an e-mail attachment in one of your e-mail messages and select "Open (on Client)", and WHS Outlook sends the attachment over to the Connector where it is opened on the client machine (word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PDF documents, pictures, etc., etc.). This feature also works via the Console, RDP, or Web Access interfaces of WHS Outlook.
3) Allows the user to open any hyperlink within the body of an e-mail message in the default Browser of the client machine (instead of on the server). When you click on a link in the body of an e-mail message, WHS Outlook checks to see if the Connector is available. If it is, then it sends the Connector instructions to open the link in the default browser of the client machine. Otherwise, the link is simply opened in the default browser of the server. This feature also works via the Console, RDP, or Web Access interfaces of WHS Outlook.
There's a 32-bit (x86) and a 64-bit (x64) version of the Connector available. Once you've installed WHS Outlook, and the administrator has logged on to a WHS Outlook session using the WHS Console at least once, a new folder named "WHS Outlook Connector Software" is added to the Software share of your server. Inside the folder is the Windows Installer applications (i.e. MSI files) for the Connector. Simply run the appropriate MSI version on each of your client machines to install the Connector.
As you can see from all the photos, the new version of WHS Outlook is quite a powerhouse. I think you’re really going to like it!
Requirements:
1) Windows Home Server with Power Pack 1 or later.
2) Microsoft Outlook 2007, 2003, or 2002 (installed directly on your home server).
Known limitations:
Unfortunately, the terminal services/remote desktop license that comes with the Windows Home Server (i.e. Small Business Server 2003) operating system, limits the number of simultaneous remote desktop connections to the home server to just two. Therefore, unless you want to pay for an upgraded license from Microsoft (which I understand is quite expensive), you’ll be limited to having only two of your users be able to connect to the server at any one time.
The Windows Home Server operating system is limited to having 10 separate user accounts. Therefore, WHS Outlook is also limited to having 10 user accounts, since it uses the built-in WHS user accounts feature.
Well, that's about it. I hope that everyone enjoys the new version. I look forward to hearing all of your comments about it (both good and bad).
Mike Craven The Office Maven
This looks fantastic WOW
WOW, Looks really cool ! ! !
Thanks guys. I'm glad to hear that you like what you see.
I look forward to hearing your comments once you've downloaded and installed the beta.
-- MIKE
@The OfficeMaven:
That looks very good. I don't use the mail program from MS, but when i see that...mhh. Is there somewhere a description about the add-in, about multiple user and so on?
Hi Mike,
Thanks! I'm glad that it sounds good to you. I only hope that it works just as good as it sounds.
As for documentation... I'm afraid not. Other that what I've described above, there's nothing else written up about the new features in the WHS Outlook program. However, if you have a specific question, then please feel free to ask it here and I'll do my best to try and answer it for you.
Of course the parts of the program that folks are most interested in are indeed the new multiple user access and Web Access features. I'll try to expand on those two features just a bit for everyone.
In the original WHS Outlook release (i.e. version 1.0 - that was released more than a year ago now), you were limited to using WHS Outlook only through the Windows Home Server Console. And, as you most likely already know, the WHS Console can only be accessed by the home server's administrator account (as that's how Microsoft built it to work). This was a big limitation to most folks as they really didn't want to give their administrator password out to other users/family members just so that they could access their e-mail through the WHS Console (using WHS Outlook).
So... For version 2.0, I setup WHS Outlook so that you can now grant access to any (or all) of the user accounts that you've setup on your home server. Each WHS user account that you grant access to can log on to a custom remote desktop session over the local network which allows them to use WHS Outlook in a stand-alone (i.e. Console free) session. This worked out nicely as the users are no longer restricted to running WHS Outlook in the tiny little Console window. Instead, they can now use a WHS Outlook session of their own at any size up to a maximum resolution of 1600x1200. Another benefit, is that the administrator no longer has to give away the admin password to other family members so that they can use WHS Outlook. Instead, the users/family members can now log on to a WHS Outlook session using their own WHS user name and password. Lastly, family members are no longer limited to sharing the same mail profile, PST/OST, e-mail accounts, etc. in Outlook as they were when running WHS Outlook through the WHS Console. Instead, each user/family member now gets their very own profile, PST/OST, e-mail accounts, settings, etc. in Outlook.
However, all of that still wasn't enough. What folks really wanted was a way to access WHS Outlook over the Internet. I met that challenge by creating the new WHS Outlook Web Access feature in WHS Outlook version 2.0. Using WHS Outlook Web Access, all of your users/family members can now access their personal WHS Outlook setups from anywhere in the world using the Internet Explorer web browser (Firefox works as well if you run the IE Tab add-on: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1419). WHS Outlook Web Access is fully integrated into the Windows Home Server's built-in Remote Access web site. Therefore, if your users are setup to use the server's remote access features, then they can also be granted full access to using WHS Outlook in the very same way. Basically, the user signs on to the server's standard remote access web site, and once they've been authenticated by the server, they can then fire up a stand-alone (Console-free) session of WHS Outlook that is automatically sized to fit the browser window (up to a max resolution of 1600x1200) . It all works really well, and this is now my main method of accessing my e-mail even from my home computer. I simply fire up Internet Explorer, log on, and get all the power of Outlook's e-mail, contacts, calendar, etc. right from the browser window. It's like having Microsoft Exchange installed on my home server without having to pay the huge costs associated with it.
To go one step further... I had lots of users telling me that they didn't like the fact that when they clicked on a hyperlink within the body of an e-mail message, or attempted to open an e-mail message's file attachment, that all of that took place over on the server instead of on their own local machines. To get around that limitation I wrote a small application called the "WHS Outlook Connector", that installs on the user's local client machine, and then listens to the server waiting for instructions to open a hyperlink or e-mail attachment on the client machine. Now when users attempt to open an attachment (like a Microsoft Word document, or an Excel spreadsheet), it opens on their own machine instead of on the server (where Word and Excel most likely aren't even installed).
I hope that helps explain things a bit more for you. Again though, please feel free to ask any questions you may happen to have and I'll do my best to try and answer them for you.
-- MIKE (The Office Maven)
OK, now i need a licence version of on of the windows mail versions. Then install it on my smallest WHS and get the test version. Uff, me as UNIX grandpa must buy MS software, ahhhhh. Don't let hear that my friends. My friends will burn me at the stake .
Yes, I'm afraid so. WHS Outlook requires that Microsoft Outlook 2007, 2003, or 2002 be installed directly on your home server. However, the nice part about it is that instead of having to purchase a separate version of Office/Outlook for each of your (up to 10) client machines, you only need to buy one copy and install it directly onto the server. That alone will save you big bucks!
Also, just so everyone knows, WHS Outlook works just fine with the 60-day trial version of Microsoft Office 2007 which can be downloaded free of charge from Microsoft here:
http://us20.trymicrosoftoffice.com/product.aspx?re_ms=oo&family=officepro&culture=en-US
Simply do a custom install of it on your home server and opt to install ONLY the Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 application (as there's no need to have any of the other Office 2007 apps installed on your server if you don't need or want them). If you happen to have a headless home server (i.e. one without a monitor, keyboard, and mouse), then I've posted instructions on how to do the Outlook install here:
http://www.TheOfficeMaven.com/WHSOutlook/faq/#Q01
Lastly, I won't tell your UNIX friends that you're installing Microsoft software, but you better watch out or else they'll find out that you're running a Windows Home Server box instead of a standard Linux NAS box.
i have found the download for the 60 days trail version on the MS site. The download is running.
Lastly, i have freeBSD and openSolaris systems running. The system does more then NAS. Also NFS (testing with unix service on te WHS), webserver, ssh, smb = ahhhh, uPnP and any other services. But the WHS from MS has something that likes on: 'where no unix man has gone before' .
--Mike
Hi, do you have an expected date for full release and a cost
Hi welchwerks,
As mentioned in my original post, I've not yet decided if I'm going to even release WHS Outlook version 2.0 to the general public. However, I'm 100% certain that it will be made available in final release form to all of my version 1.0 customers as a FREE upgrade. Therefore, if you happen to purchase a copy of WHS Outlook version 1.0, then you will get a free upgrade to version 2.0 whether or not I decide to release it to the general public. The price of WHS Outlook version 1.0 is currently $24.95 USD and it can be ordered from the WHS Outlook web site located here:
http://www.TheOfficeMaven.com/WHSOutlook
If I do decide to release version 2.0 to the general public, I'll most likely increase the price to $29.95 to help cover its ongoing development costs. The program took an incredible amount of time and effort to develop, and I'm currently still running in the red on it (which doesn't make my wife very happy since I've been spending 12 hour days working on it lately ).
As for an availability date for the final release of WHS Outlook... While I don't have a set date yet, I'm hoping that it won't be too far away. The program has been in a private beta (which was available only to my paid customers) for a while now. It's looking pretty solid and so I'll probably be putting out the first release candidate next (within a week or two). I'm currently working on getting the program translated into German and French languages (I need volunteers to help with the string conversions!) as well as adding in support for the upcoming Microsoft Office Outlook 2010 release. Both of those features will be available in the first release candidate.
If the first release candidate is solid, then I'll probably call it a final release a week or two after that. So, all toll, I'm hoping to have WHS Outlook version 2.0 wrapped up as a final release sometime around mid June.
Hi Mike WHS Outlook looks great I have a quick question the "new item alerts" does that only work with Outlook 2007 or will it work with 2003 Outlook?
thanks
Hi Zwen,
The "new item alerts" work with Outlook 2007, 2003, or 2002 (i.e. all supported versions of Outlook). Of course you need to have WHS Outlook running on the client machine (via one of WHS Outlook's WHS Console, Remote Desktop, or Web Access interfaces) in order to receive the alerts though as the connector itself does not poll for mail (Outlook does that). What I do is fire up WHS Outlook's web access interface and then leave the browser window running on my desktop as I work. As mail arrives in Outlook, the connector reports it to me and then I can simply activate the browser window and check the newly arrived mail whenever I desire.
VERY cool...
I'll contact you when I have my WHS setup. :P
NLS
Hi Mike
I'm looking forward to install it! What kind of license do I need for Outlook to do it in the legal way? Is it enough with a license for 1 pc or do I need a license for as many users as I have?