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May 4, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Easy, effective, and affordable Microsoft® Outlook™ calendar sharing software
alternative to Exchange Server now available with OfficeCalendar 1.0
Dallas, TX – Lookout Software, Ltd. has released OfficeCalendar 1.0, a low-cost
and easy-to-use software program that allows Microsoft Outlook users to share calendars
with co-workers without the need for Microsoft’s Exchange Server. You can also share
Outlook contacts, and tasks with OfficeCalendar.
According to industry sources, since the release of Outlook 97, Outlook's installed
user base has grown to more than 200 million users around the world. Much of this
user base is comprised of small businesses that either do not have the monetary
resources, hardware, and/or expertise to license, install, configure and maintain
Microsoft Exchange Server.
Because Exchange Server is now the only solution offered by Microsoft to allow users
to exchange and/or share Outlook calendars, contacts, and tasks, many small businesses
are faced with the problem of not being able to share important business information
with their co-workers, due to the relative cost and complexity of implementing Exchange
Server, resulting in inefficient time management and, in some cases, loss of business.
“We rely heavily on Outlook to manage many facets of our business, and until now
we haven’t been able to get the most of Outlook because we can’t see each other’s
calendars and tasks given that we don’t have Exchange Server, says Charles Milsap
with ServiceLedger, a small business owner with 4 employees and beta tester of OfficeCalendar.
Without the ability to collaborate on appointments and tasks in an automated fashion,
we’ve had to be very careful not to miss important follow-ups with customers, prospects
and partners.”
OfficeCalendar can be installed on practically any Microsoft Windows® based network,
even basic peer-to-peer networks, and is designed to be easy to install, use and
manage by computer users with little-to-no technical expertise. Thus, OfficeCalendar
provides an attractive alternative to Microsoft’s Exchange Server, which often requires
a significant investment in additional hardware, software, and expertise costs.
OfficeCalendar 1.0 offers the following features and benefits:
 Share Outlook Calendars, Contacts, and Tasks with office co-workers- View shared calendars, contacts, and task offline (when not connected to your office’s network and synchronize changes when reconnected- great for laptop users)
- NET architecture allows synchronization of shared Outlook calendar, contact, and task information over the Internet (requires dedicated IP address or DNS Service on OfficeCalendar Server computer – great for at-home workers and/or road warriors with an internet connection)
- Outlook group calendar allows you to view all staff member’s appointments in one consolidated calendar
- Simple, yet comprehensive security, allows the OfficeCalendar administrator to determine each Outlook users access rights (read, write/edit, and delete) to other user’s Outlook calendars, contacts and tasks
- User’s can mark calendar, contact and task items “private” so they are not viewable even with people in which you share Outlook calendar, contact, and task information
- Works on networks with or without a computer dedicated as a network server (operates on Windows-based peer-to-peer networks – reduces cost because there is no need to invest in additional network hardware)
- Does NOT require Microsoft Exchange Server (Microsoft’s required solution for sharing outlook calendar, contact and task information)
- Does NOT require Microsoft Server Operating Systems (required to use Exchange Server)
Each person wishing to share Outlook calendars, contacts, and/or tasks using OfficeCalendar
must have a copy of Microsoft Outlook 2000, XP, or 2003. However, OfficeCalendar
can work with a mixture of these Outlook versions. (OfficeCalendar does not work
with Microsoft Outlook Express, a different product from Microsoft Outlook.)
OfficeCalendar 1.0 is available immediately. Introductory pricing starts at $79.95
(US) per user with quantity discounts available, and a free 14-day version is available
at www.officecalendar.com.
About Lookout Software
OfficeCalendar, Lookout Software’s flagship product, is a computer software program
that is an alternative to Microsoft Exchange Server. OfficeCalendar allows its'
users to share Microsoft Outlook calendar, contact and task information with other
Microsoft Outlook users on a computer network. OfficeCalendar makes Outlook calendar
sharing and group scheduling with its' group calendar view easy and affordable because
it does not require Microsoft's Exchange Server, which is considered too expensive
and complicated for many small businesses.
OfficeCalendar v1.0 was released by Lookout Software in May 2004, and since that
time has evolved through several versions to the most recent, v2.4. Lookout Software
staff and developers are continually striving to better OfficeCalendar and gladly
embrace feedback from customers.
Lookout Software was founded in the summer of 2003 with the goal of providing the
small business community with choices. To us that means cost effective solutions
and alternatives to applications that might otherwise be out of the budget ranges
of small businesses. Keep your eyes open in the near future for other practical,
effective, and affordable business software applications from Lookout Software.
For more information about Lookout Software and OfficeCalendar, visit the OfficeCalendar
website at www.officecalendar.com.
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