Will there be a fix for Entourage to continueto access Hotmail after September 1

[medgirl2001]

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

Dear Entourage Support - Will there be a fix released for Entourage to allow Entourage to use Delta Sync to maintain the ability to synchronize with Hotmail? After September 1, Hotmail access will be POP only without a fix, an unacceptable solution for those of us who rely on the capability to use folders and synchronization, and those of us who have ISPs that block port 25. Outlook has already released an "Outlook Connector" to fix this problem for Outlook users. Will a similar fix be avilable for Entourage?

I have asked about this in the Hotmail support forums, and they say to ask Entourage, so here I am. Thank you for your time.

 

[Michel Bintener]

Hi,

you're not talking to Microsoft here, but to other users who do not have the
authority to change things. If you want to leave your feedback with
Microsoft, click on Help>Send Feedback about Entourage in Entourage's men
bar.

 

[William Smith [MVP]]

I did that, but it seems like it gets sort of sent off into the
ether, since there is no response. Makes me wonder if anyone actually
reads those suggestions. There doesn't seem to be a way to get a
direct answer from Entourage, and yet Microsoft's Windows Live Mail
people say to ask Entourage. I was just hoping that maybe someone
will read these forums, or that someone will know if a fix is in the
works.

I suspect the "Windows Live Mail people" are the same as us here. Just
folks who use the product too. You're not talking to Microsoft here and
you are probably not talking to Microsoft there either.

You're asking for a "fix" but keep in mind that nothing is broken and
nothing will be breaking. This is a service that is simply getting
discontinued. You have three months to determine whether or not you can
adjust to the new service offerings or will have to migrate to a
different service.

Hope this helps!

--

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>

 

[Adam Bailey]

and those of us who have ISPs that block port 25.

In most cases you can simply use your ISP's own SMTP server.

 

[medgirl2001]

and those of us who have ISPs that block port 25.

In most cases you can simply use your ISP's own SMTP server.[/QUOTE]

Which changes every time you use your laptop in a different place/network, which would require changing your settings everytime you are using it somewhere else on another WiFi network. Even worse, same would go for your mobile phone.

I am well aware of how to change an smtp server. I went through all of the POP issues, port 25 problems, etc. in 1998, and my solution was to switch to Hotmail. It has worked for me for almost eleven years, but apparently now Microsoft wants to switch back to decades old technology, ostensibly in order to allow larger mailbox sizes. Unfortunately, your gazillion gigabyte mailbox can only be in one folder due to POP's limitations. That's not going to be very usable. In this age of users who have more than one computer as well as mobile devices, POP just doesn't make any sense.

 

[medgirl2001]

I suspect the "Windows Live Mail people" are the same as us here. Just
folks who use the product too. You're not talking to Microsoft here and
you are probably not talking to Microsoft there either.

You're asking for a "fix" but keep in mind that nothing is broken and
nothing will be breaking. This is a service that is simply getting
discontinued. You have three months to determine whether or not you can
adjust to the new service offerings or will have to migrate to a
different service.

I consider making changes that eliminate major functionality of a program that I paid for with a service that I continue to pay for to be "breaking" it. But when I use the word fix, I really just mean whatever you would call offering something like the Outlook Connector for Entourage users. Fix, patch, whatever. Something that allows Delta Sync to function with Entourage. I'm not sure why Microsoft isn't willing to allow Entourage users the same functionality as Outlook users.

I know that the people here are not Microsoft employees, but there are many frustrated people out there who don't know where else to turn. For Windows Live, that's now the only "support" available. I used to have access to technical support as a paying user of the Hotmail premium service, but now that no longer exists. I'm not expecting the MVPs here to have to defend these changes (and really, if you think about it, you shouldn't be). I just wanted to know if there will be some sort of "connector" available for Entourage. It doesn't seem like to much to ask.

 

[William Smith [MVP]]

I know that the people here are not Microsoft employees, but there
are many frustrated people out there who don't know where else to
turn. For Windows Live, that's now the only "support" available. I
used to have access to technical support as a paying user of the
Hotmail premium service, but now that no longer exists. I'm not
expecting the MVPs here to have to defend these changes (and really,
if you think about it, you shouldn't be). I just wanted to know if
there will be some sort of "connector" available for Entourage. It
doesn't seem like to much to ask.

Entourage does not support plug-ins and therefore it cannot support a
"connector". If it were to support plug-ins then anyone, not just
Microsoft, could develop a plug-in.

You've already done what you can by sending feedback to Microsoft. They
do see it, believe me. Unfortunately, I doubt the number of Entourage
users who are also Hotmail Plus subscribers is very high. Nothing is
going to change in Entourage 2008 since Microsoft is already working on
the next version of Office for Mac. So don't hold your breath for that.

The DAV protocol, which is going away, has been on the chopping block
for a couple of years and removing it has been postponed once before
already. Nothing indicates that it won't go away this time. This is a
needed change so that support can be discontinued and other features and
services can come online.

You can still use your account (keeping your address) and you can even
achieve similar or the same functionality if you access it through other
services such as Gmail. Just explore your options a little.

Hope this helps!

--

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>

 

[medgirl2001]

It is disappointing to hear that there is no technical way for Entourage to support Delta Sync. I know DAV has been on its way out for a long time. I don't mind DAV being eliminated, just that there's no support for IMAP or Delta Sync to replace it for Mac users. POP was only barely tolerable 10 years ago, and certainly isn't acceptable now. Microsoft knows this, which is why they have given PC users alternatives (Windows Live Mail and Outlook). Unfortunately, Mac users have apparently been left out. I came here hoping to hear that there would be a solution for the Mac, and I'm sorry to hear that is not the case.

I have "explored my options," thank you. Unfortunately, Hotmail does not allow forwarding to other domains without using the pay service, which I will certainly not continue to use. I am in the process of switching most things over to Gmail, although I am now forwarding those accounts to Hotmail (Gmail allows forwarding) until I decide what to do.

I will hold out for a little bit since I have heard word of a 3rd party developer creating a program for the Mac to allow Hotmail use that doesn't require DAV (they currently have a really terrific iPhone app, that is really the only thing holding me back from leaving Hotmail right now, since it's much better than the built-in Mail app, but it's for Hotmail only). I have only been a Mac user for several weeks now, so I don't much mind giving up Entourage. It's all right, but if it doesn't do what I need it to, I won't use it. I just wish I never wasted the money on it. I won't again. After this experience, I think it may be kind of freeing to give up the rest of my ties to Microsoft.