Why aren't you using Outlook?

The question needs to be what do you use Outlook for.

I do NOT use Outlook as my primary email.   Microsoft does not follow standards and some messages generated in Outlook (and Top Producer) are not easily readable by other email readers.   What results is a cryptic message with attachments that say Part1A.   Many of my clients are techies and will use anything *Not Microsoft*.    In addition, using Outlook email opens you to virus issues galore unless you really know what you are doing.  Just the other day I met a client at an Open House who refused to leave contact information because of a bad experience where an agent had sent her a virus that destroyed her computer.   Although this may often happen with other email programs, the chances are much lower.  I use Thunderbird. Occasionally I'll forward a "cryptic" message to Outlook to read but usually I figure it's not important.

Contacts -  I use Outlook contacts to sync with everything else I have.  It is the consistent place that most programs sync to.   This includes my contact database (homegrown), my CardScan software, my cell phone and my ITouch.  But I put updates in all the places so Outlook is more a data sync program.

Calendar - I use Outlook as my primary calendar though I'm considering just using something like Google Calendar.  Again, everything seems to sync with Outlook.

That's really all I currently use.  In a previous job, we were required to use Outlook and I used a lot of the tasks and notes features and ability to link data between Outlook applications.   Learning to customize Outlook is key to success.

I DO use Outlook and love the features and its syncing ability with my Palm 700wx...tried Top Producer and didn't like it.