Microsoft and Bugs

Does Microsoft put bugs in their software that are time sensitive that will cause programs to have problems with time. Do these bugs, bug you enough so you go out and buy the latest version.

We have been using Outlook 2000 for years, we like it at work because we can share calendars via email. I can share calendars with people all over the world with it. The newer version 2003 does not allow you to do that. However, in the last year now each of our computers with the 2000 version are having problems with the Outlook program. They worked great for years, even if I do a format C: and reload everything they will have problems.

So what is everyone's thoughts here.

murph

Please define "will have problems". Does the calendar sharing stop functioning after you install a service pack? Is the sharing totally dead? Unreliable? How is it not functioning properly?

As far as intentional time-bombs in software from MS, despite what many consider to be very shaky business practices, and poor software strategies, I seriously doubt there is anything in there to intentionally break the software after x amount of time.

MS tries to integrate all into one tool and then make it work with every hardware combination possible for the x86 world. A challenging task to say the least. While the basic OS works okay the built in add on's such as Internet Explorer, Outlook and Outlook Express all leave much to be desired from my point of view.
I don't use calendar programs that way so I do not know of anything to recomend as a replacement ....but, just so you know. FF has a calendar which you can share with all members. While that probably would not work for a business solution, I would look for a stand alone calendar program that runs on MS operating systems.

Companies who tie it all together do it for a reason. We use Notes at my day job. Years ago we had CCmail. It had a calendar built into it. We were ready to move on to MS exchange but managment stopped that move solely on the basis that MS Exchange would not convert the CCmail calendar entries. Notes was the upgrade from CCmail and it would keep the calendar entries in tact (or so they claimed). So, we moved to Notes. Notes lost 75% of the calendar entries, but we were to far along in the planned upgrade to change the path we were on.
So .... I think stand alone solutions give you more options down the road. You can go for best of breed for whatever your trying to accomplish instead of being tied to one that is just okay, but it does a little bit of everything.

To answer your other question, no I do not upgrade the OS just because a new OS comes out. I'll never run XP at home. Win 2000 does what I need for Windows stuff. The new MS OS's try to assume to much for my liking. They try to do everything for everyone, and it gets in my way more than helps me out.