What's So Great About the GroupWise 5.2 Macintosh Client?

Novell Cool Solutions: Feature
By Steve Christensen

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Posted: 3 Jun 1999

It's on the Macintosh, of course. If you work on a Macintosh in a mixed shop, the Macintosh Client brings everyone to the same level. It lets you do the things your Windows 95 counterparts have been boasting about doing in GroupWise. Share documents with GroupWise users on Windows 95. Share your folders or share another user's folder. Represent the Macintosh in shared discussions. You've said all along the Macintosh can do anything that Windows can do, only better. GroupWise wants to give you ample ammunition for your debate.

Why should I move
to GroupWise 5.2 for Macintosh?
Well, if you're working with Windows 95, you probably shouldn't, unless you want a good excuse to use a Macintosh. But if you're a Macintosh user the reason is obvious: All of those cool GroupWise 5 features. Document Management. Shared Folders. Reply Threads. Universal Mailbox. Improved Filters and Rules. You get the idea. GroupWise 5.2 is where it's at.

Will my system administrator
approve the upgrade?
Adding a Macintosh client to an existing GroupWise system is wonderfully simple to do. Since each Mailbox in your post office supports any client, there is no noticeable difference between a Windows 95 user, a 16-bit user, or a Macintosh user. In fact, users can open their Mailboxes from any client, anytime, without causing added stress to the system. Users can even open the same Mailbox from two different clients simultaneously. (By the way, your financial guys will love it too. You pay for GroupWise by the Mailbox, not the client; you can download the Macintosh Client for free as long as you have paid for the Mailbox.) So adding a Macintosh user is simply a matter of creating a new Mailbox (if it's not already created) or updating a post office from GroupWise 4.1a to GroupWise 5.2. All you need to know is the location of the installation program and what the IP address or directory is for the post office. Then voila, you're connected. Even if you're a dedicated Macintosh site, we've made administration so much easier, it should take little discussion to convince your administrator to upgrade. Need more ideas? Check out these suggestions.

Are the clients exactly the same?
No. The Windows 95 and Macintosh operating systems are not exactly the same, so naturally the GroupWise clients are a little different as well. The GroupWise for Macintosh Client takes advantage of the strengths of the Macintosh operating system and leaves the Windows 95 spiffs (right-mouse clicks, mostly) to Windows 95. However, the two are remarkably similar. As a Macintosh user, you will find the same level of functionality that the Windows 95 user enjoys, with a few exceptions. The Macintosh Client doesn't save find results to a folder. In document management, GroupWise doesn't integrate with applications on Macintosh the way it does on Windows 95, so you will need to remember to return documents to the library rather than having GroupWise do it for you. Also, the Macintosh Client will not support WorkFlow or Imaging. Otherwise, you will enjoy the same power you have heard us rant about for that other platform.

When will the GroupWise
for Macintosh Client be available?
Now! Go to the GroupWise Home Page to get a free copy of the Macintosh Client.