Nutek

I just dropped in a pair of 2012 servers (just member servers, not DCs). Lots there to come to grips with.

Hiro11

I agree with everything here.

If you're thinking about the Surface 2 Pro, I would consider a full Windows Ultrabook or Macbook Air. You can get a nice one for the price of a Surface 2 Pro. I'm a big fan of Lenovo stuff and just bought a Thinkpad Yoga. It's great but a bit more expensive. The Thinkpad Yoga is not much bigger than the Surface.

Two other points:
1. Windows 8.1 is much, much better than 8.0. It's actually somewhat usable now. Actually, I wish MS would just give up and fully commit to the Metro/Modern UI concept, but I understand why that's not going to happen.
2. IMO, Google could dominate here if they made the Chromebook into something a bit more than the web surfing toy it is now. I have KitKat on a bunch of devices and it's great. I think Google could do a lot more with ChromeOS.

Guindalf

That makes ONE person!

Metro may work for a tablet/touch screen, but it has NO PLACE on a desktop computer! 99.99% of screens are not touch capable and even if they were, it wouldn't be convenient as most people do not sit right on top of their monitors!

toopie28

So I was all set on the Surface 2 Pro and now I hear of Ultrabook -

Looks cool plus a lot cheaper WITH Windows 7! Ok, more research.

I have the ipad and despise it - so for me I think it's more of a Windows thing.

You had me at KitKat...

Nutek

Metro (or whatever they are trying to call it this week without being sued), is utterly miserable on anything other than a tablet and, even there, the desktop is more flexible for a lot of (most?) business applications.

Steerpike

Sorry, I overlooked these two posts. You mention RULES. Rules are tricky - SOME rules are server-side rules (execute on the server the moment the mail is received). Other rules are client-side rules, and are executed on the client only when the mail is received by the local client. And that client has to be able to execute those rules - typically, that means, the client must be 'outlook' and not just any old 'exchange client' such as found on IOS or Android.

This article does a good job of explaining which rules execute where, and how you can generally predict where a rule executes. It also depends on which server version you are on. http://www.msoutlook.info/question/371

So you must take care to construct your rules in such a fashion that they don't invoke any client side requirements. I'd be curious to determine if this addresses your issue or not.

ETA (1) - reading the referenced article again (for the first time in almost 2 years!) I am now puzzled by why it would say these are rules that will trigger a 'client only' rule:

◾With specific words in the subject
◾Marked as importance
◾Marked as sensitivity
◾Flagged for action
◾With specific words in the body
...(and a whole lot more).

Why would subject or body words force the rule to be client side ... the server side has the ability to read the words in the message. That's puzzling. Regardless - it may explain why you are seeing the behavior you describe.

ETA (2) - this technet article contradicts the above suggestion that looking for words in the subject would force a rule to be client side ... http://social.technet.microsoft.com/...rclientslegacy

Regardless - understanding that some rules are server side and others are client side should explain the behavior you are seeing (and is not a 'fault' of the Android device, as such).

Steve_

I like how in 2012 it starts up in desktop mode and there are no packaged apps by default, unless you add in (wait for it) "Desktop Experience" Then you get the full-on Windows 8 bullshit.

So basically, even Microsoft thought the Windows 8 UI was hopeless for servers and they don't use it.

The biggest problem I've found with 2012 (and also IE10 and 11 because of the GPO preferences) is that it basically forces you to use a Windows 8.1 admin workstation.

Steve_

Google would dominate more and Microsoft would do better with their phones if they stopped trying to tie everything to their own services. Try syncing a Google Android phone by USB cable with Microsoft Outlook for example (tip: android-sync.com)

The reason Windows came to be so popular in the first place is because it can be used in a wide variety of situations, now they're trying to make it all integrated with Skydrive and whatnot (which lots of people are now scared of using thanks to the NSA).

Can't say I blame them because it's really a contest for money rather than popularity, does Microsoft care if they have 80% share rather than 90% share of the OS market if they make more money out of having 80%?

Nutek

For the most part I RDP into them for now. It's only for Print Services and WSUS / Anti Virus.
I assume that once they take on other roles (AD, DHCP etc), that I will need new admin tools? Those roles are fulfilled by 2003/2008 Servers at the moment and I run the remote admin tools on my Win7x64 Workstation.

Steve_

The RSAT for 2012 only works on Windows 8.x

Like I said it's more than that - the IE10 and 11 GPO preferences in the admx only work in gpedit on Windows 8.x as well. The policies work but not the preferences. And you will most likely need to set some of those preferences, e.g. default home page because that's where that setting is now.

Nutek

Guess I will be setting up an 8.1 box. I can hide it in back of the servers and pretend it's not there.

dakota44

Diehard Android here. I have the Galaxy Note 10.1 and love it more every day. I have no issues using it for just about everything. Also have an Android phone, although not the S4. Plan on getting an S4 when my contract is up in about 5 months, by which time they will no doubt be lower in price as there will be an S5 or some such thing out. I detest anything Apple, so much so that I am tempted to stop eating actual apples.