Next, I tried to connect Outlook 2007 to the Exchange server I run on my network. It didn't work the way I wanted it to, constantly asking for my user id and password. I guessed that the easiest fix would be to log the Ferrari into my Windows domain. Up to now I've been logging into the computer itself.

After setting the Control Panel to Classic style, I was able to locate the System applet icon. Connecting to my Windows domain was easy after that and very much like with XP.

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Once logged into the domain it was easy to connect Outlook 2007 to my Exchange server. Though Outlook is supposed to be able to connect automatically to an Exchange server given only an SMTP address, it didn't work for me. So, I set up the connection manually, which is just like doing it for Outlook 2003. Once Outlook opened, the tons of email I have on the server began pouring into the email program. After about an hour and one-half, everything had been transferred from every one of my folders on the server to the Outlook cache file on the Acer Ferrari.

Don't tell anyone, but I really like Outlook 2007. At base it's very much like the 2003 flavor, but the layout of information is far better on both the main Outlook window and on the message creation and read windows. Look at how much better the 2007 message composition window presents options and such. The tabs at the top (Message, Insert, Options and Format Text free up space on the window and make it so much easier to find what you need, eliminating the need for the traditional Windows dropdown menus of Outlook 2003 and earlier.

Click image for a larger version.

Click image for a larger version.

Also, I was struck with how fast the Delete Items folder gets emptied in 2007. It's a simple trick, I'm sure. Outlook 2007 just lets go of the client server relationship faster than 2003 and earlier versions of Outlook. The actual deleting is done on the server.