Computer Geeks Unite! And farging help me!

[Diomedes]

what so hard to believe?  it's 2010 man:  the car has special pedal extenders and a booster seat, and the voting booth is tiny

[charlie]

OK, so my boss needs us to start using the Exchange server at work.

I use a Macbook and work from my home office.

How in the hell do I do this?

I'm a mac tech support guy. The short version... you don't.

You're gonna have to install windows on a seperate partition, and then have your office IT people install a VPN client... which will basically mean you're either flip flopping all day to both sides of the OS's. or you access just email through the exchange web interface and lose almost every piece of functionality other than clicking open an email.

Even if you have entourage (which is a piece of shtein but it's what's there) you still need to be on the office network, which you can not do unless you have a VPN client installed.. which, i guarantee your office only has for windows.

So... you need to install windows, install office on PC side, install a VPN client.... and pretty much start kicking yourself for getting a Macbook when your office is not outfitted for remote macs.

[Diomedes]

they do make cute tiny PCs you know, won't have to stretch your hands at all to type

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Indeed they do.  Netbook.  Lock it up.

[Diomedes]

short joke FAIL

[Susquehanna Birder]

...which, i guarantee your office only has for windows.

So... you need to install windows, install office on PC side, install a VPN client.... and pretty much start kicking yourself for getting a Macbook when your office is not outfitted for remote macs.

Most likely. There's a bit of variability on what companies use for their VPN setup. My employer uses Sonicwall's Aventail program, and Sonicwall is currently working on a beta version for Mac. There's a growing demand for Mac VPN clients, so it's just a matter of time.

PG, does your employer provide an Outlook Web Access program? You might be able to access a knocked down, web-only version of Outlook from any web browser (even on a Mac).

[Sgt PSN]

OK, so my boss needs us to start using the Exchange server at work.

I use a Macbook and work from my home office.

How in the hell do I do this?

I'm a mac tech support guy. The short version... you don't.

You're gonna have to install windows on a seperate partition, and then have your office IT people install a VPN client... which will basically mean you're either flip flopping all day to both sides of the OS's. or you access just email through the exchange web interface and lose almost every piece of functionality other than clicking open an email.

Even if you have entourage (which is a piece of shtein but it's what's there) you still need to be on the office network, which you can not do unless you have a VPN client installed.. which, i guarantee your office only has for windows.

So... you need to install windows, install office on PC side, install a VPN client.... and pretty much start kicking yourself for getting a Macbook when your office is not outfitted for remote macs.

if i'm not mistaken, her company bought the mac for her so i would assume that they should already be outfitted for remote access.

nice to know you're a mac techie though.  when i buy one next year, i'm going to decline the extended warranties and have you answer my questions online and in return, i'll send you pics of random members' members. 

[PhillyPhanInDC]

You're gonna have to install windows on a seperate partition, and then have your office IT people install a VPN client... which will basically mean you're either flip flopping all day to both sides of the OS's. or you access just email through the exchange web interface and lose almost every piece of functionality other than clicking open an email.

Even if you have entourage (which is a piece of shtein but it's what's there) you still need to be on the office network, which you can not do unless you have a VPN client installed.. which, i guarantee your office only has for windows.

So... you need to install windows, install office on PC side, install a VPN client.... and pretty much start kicking yourself for getting a Macbook when your office is not outfitted for remote macs.

The above is true only if you are remotely accessing your network. According to that e-mail, they aren't talking about doing so. You probably don't need to do all this, you can use the mail app, or Entourage to get your mail. Worse case, you can do the BootCamp Windows installation, which is easy enough. In summation: Find out where they want you to be accessing the mail from, and go from there.

[Susquehanna Birder]

If I recall correctly, PG has Windoze and Parallels already set up on that machine (I might be remembering wrong, so don't hold me to it), so running VPN in the Windoze environment shouldn't be too much of a problem.

[PhillyGirl]

Well, I found out today that my version of Office for Mac is the home/student version and it does not support Exchange.

So....my boss is figuring out what to do. I am going to try to return this (at the urging of the guy at Microsoft for Mac tech support) version since its only 3 months old. And then get the Business version. In the meantime, I have ZERO access to my work email and I can't call to return it until Monday. Boss will clearly have to pay for the Business version...its like 350 bucks and downloadable so I can get it right away.

Yes, I have Windows/Parallels. But seriously? I'd have to use Windows JUST for my email? I don't even have Office to put on Windows either. I have not even touched Windows (not opened it once) since getting the Mac.

[ice grillin you]

any of you computer people know if you can get rosetta stone on the net...i wanna learn a language or two but they cost like 800 bucks

[PhillyPhreak54]

Yeah, those shteins are expensive. I need the spanish ones.

[Sgt PSN]

i get them for free at work. 

[Seabiscuit36]

yes i do

[reese125]

Yeah, those shteins are expensive. I need the spanish ones.

There is one I started for Spanish about 6 months ago. It is free and was very helpful. Its called Livemocha--check it out.