best Outlook replacement?

[kalos]

hello

which is the best Outlook replacement, that has all Outlook features and more, it performs faster and more stable and it is fully compatible as Outlook?

thanks!

[40hz]

The closest (and pretty much only) desktop client aiming to be a direct replacement for Outlook is Evolution.



Read all about it here.
Main GNU project page is here.
Get the Windows version (which lags significantly behind the official FOSS release) here.

If you need a closer match than that, resign yourself to buying a copy of Outlook or writing your own software.

[Shades]

Planning to use the replacement with Exchange?

If the answer is yes to that one, forget about replacement, Outlook is the only one. Maybe there is a replacement, but you will not have all the features that Outlooks has. Period.

If the answer is no, Thunderbird (with Lightning plug-in) covers most of the functionality, it is fast and very stable (in my personal experience, YMMV).

Outlook (whichever version) is a piece of crap, nicely wrapped up with a ribbon (pun intended).

[40hz]

Shades is correct about Exchange. Evolution no longer directly works with any version of Exchange from 2007 forward.

[Josh]

I am with 40hz on this one. You are not going to find anything that has ALL of the features of outlook, is "faster" or more "stable" and is fully compatible with outlook. You will likely find few clients which support exchange and the ones which do are only partially supported.

I use outlook in a very large scale enterprise and have never had problems with it. The only issues which ever arise are usually when we incorporate poorly coded third-party plugins. Outlook is very fast, works well, and requires little administration once a proper GPO is setup for directory services deployment.

Like 40hz said, the only way you are going to get something that does everything Outlook can do + more (what would more be is my question?), is to code it yourself.

[Stoic Joker]

+1^ I'm not about to trade my Outlook/Exchange config for anything.

[Tuxman]

Least Outlook users need "all its features". Most live fine with Thunderbird/Lightning/Enigmail .. 

[Josh]

I use thunderbird on my home machine but swear by outlook in the enterprise. Even when using my exchange servers with IMAP, outlook offers unmatched performance and functionality that cannot be touched by thunderbird/evol/notes.

Tux is right, thunderbird is great for most users, but it is not outlook and cannot compare to it.

[Tuxman]

Depends on what you want to achieve. If you need Exchange, it could be rather difficult to find a decent alternative.