Microsoft Opening Outlook's PST Format 319
protosage writes to tell us that Microsoft Interoperability is working towards opening up Outlook's .pst format under their Open Specification Promise. This should "allow anyone to implement the .pst file format on any platform and in any tool, without concerns about patents, and without the need to contact Microsoft in any way." "In order to facilitate interoperability and enable customers and vendors to access the data in .pst files on a variety of platforms, we will be releasing documentation for the .pst file format. This will allow developers to read, create, and interoperate with the data in .pst files in server and client scenarios using the programming language and platform of their choice. The technical documentation will detail how the data is stored, along with guidance for accessing that data from other software applications. It also will highlight the structure of the .pst file, provide details like how to navigate the folder hierarchy, and explain how to access the individual data objects and properties."
Oh no... (Score:4, Funny)
Another sign of the Apocalypse - and it's a doozy. I always figured hell would freeze over before Microsoft opened up something like the .pst specs.
Re:Oh no... (Score:3, Funny)
In other news, Microsoft disables the ability for all of it's software to import and/or export PST files...
Re:Never even heard of it (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Oh no... (Score:5, Funny)
They're switching to OpenPST files (.pstx)
Re:Oh no... (Score:3, Funny)
Embrace... (Score:2, Funny)
Embrace
Extend
Extin... oh wait
Re:Oh no... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Oh no... (Score:5, Funny)
(6) It's a trap!
Re:Oh no... (Score:4, Funny)
With only a single binary 'blob' element...
Re:Oh no... (Score:3, Funny)
I'm thinking more "The Ring" for software - thousands of software developers open the specifications file and all die horrible deaths within a week.
Re:Oh no... (Score:5, Funny)
Outlook not so good
Re:I Don't Have a .PST (Score:3, Funny)
I have an .ost file on my laptop you insensitive MS clods.
In Swedish, a .ost file would imply that you have a .cheese file. Maybe it's a really cheesy format?
Re:Never even heard of it (Score:3, Funny)
It isn't, but what's surprising is how EASY it is to hit 10GB with a PST file - you'd think that that the incredible slowness in Outlook was caused by some sort of mega compression that reduces the file size to a tenth of what it was, but nooooo, I guess it's just a feature - gotta have time to drink some coffee and have a donut while switching between IMAP folders...