ClearContext Corporate Blog

The Office 2010 team has posted comprehensive information regarding the 64-Bit release of Office, including details on who should install Office 2010 x64:

“If you’re trying to decide between 32-bit and 64-bit Office, you should ask yourself what your needs are. Are you an Excel power user working with huge amounts of data? Do you need to work with file sizes greater than 2 GB? If so, then you would benefit from 64-bit Office being able to utilize more memory. If not, we’re recommending 32-bit Office 2010 as the default installation on both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows mainly due to compatibility with existing 32-bit controls, add-ins, and VBA.”

Additional detail:

“Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Office are largely indistinguishable, except that 64-bit Office has a much higher memory capacity. As mentioned above, the extra memory capacity comes at the cost of some compatibility with existing extensions to Office, such as 32-bit versions of ActiveX Controls and some 3rd party add-ins, in addition to 32-bit versions of programs that interface directly with Office. New versions of these extensions will need to be obtained, and it will take some time for 64-bit compatible extensions to be made available.

For these reasons, we recommend running 32-bit Office 2010 even on 64-bit Windows operating systems for better compatibility. On 64-bit Windows, more applications and documents may be opened at once, and switching among them will be faster because the machine can have more physical memory for the processes to share. When the 64-bit ecosystem for Office is more mature, you’ll be able to easily migrate to 64-bit Office!”

In the near term, if you want to run ClearContext in Outlook 2010, you should install the 32-bit version of Office 2010.  For information on future ClearContext support for 2010 x64, see this forum post.

Happy New Year from the ClearContext team!  Thanks so much to everyone who has upgraded to v5!

There are a number of big changes in ClearContext v5. This post provides information about these changes, links to relevant forum discussions, and a little bit about what we’re working on now.  We hope this will post will answer your questions about v5 and help you get the most out of the software.

We’ve posted a list of changes in v5 on the upgrade page, along with a little more detail in this blog post.  We’ve also (mostly) updated the User Guide.

Key changes in v5

• Multi-machine support – if you run Outlook on multiple machines, you can now run ClearContext on all of them at the same time!
• Multi-mail file support – you can now file to as many different Outlook mail files as you want – see point 7
• 2010 Support – v5.0 provides provisional support for the Outlook 2010 x86 beta. We’re working on 64-bit support.
• One-click filing and suggestions – redesigned filing buttons, selector box, and suggestions
• Smarter threading – v5 takes advantage of Outlook’s conversation ID where available to more accurately connect related messages
• Message Prioritization – Known and important messages are now marked with “CC OK” or “CC VIP” categories. Set ClearContext >Options >Configuration to use icons or flags for prioritization.
• Contact Prioritization – Click the Mark Important button on contact records to highlight emails from that person as important.
• Views – Outlook color categories now take the place of the old ClearContext inbox views, but we’ve provided 3 color-coded inbox views for people who prefer them.  See this forum thread for discussion and to offer suggestions on specific ways you’d like to have v5 organize and display your email.
• Options – some options in v5 can be configured to work more like v4 if that’s better suited for your personal workflow. Details here.

Coming in v5.1 and v5.2

Some v4 features are being redesigned for v5 and will be in later 5.x releases.

• FolderContext – The Project Dashboard displays all information that was in the v4 FolderContext.  This functionality will be redesigned for the 5.1 release.
• Delete upon reply – we’re planning to add this feature to v5.1.  Please add any thoughts/suggestions about how you’d like it to work in this forum thread.
• File topic – we’re planning to add this feature to v5.1.  Please add any thoughts/suggestions about how you’d like it to work in this forum thread.
• Notification Managers – Existing Notification Managers will still function, but you can’t edit or create new ones in v5.0.  This functionality is being redesigned to be more powerful and easier to use along with AutoAssign for v5.2.
• Alerts –  v5.0 does not include Alerts.  This functionality is being redesigned along with Notification Managers and AutoAssign for v5.2.
• IMAP – We are currently working on IMAP support and will post an update on progress prior to 5.1 release.  We hope to have some level of IMAP support in 5.1, but we won’t know for certain until we get deeper into testing.
• Office 2010 x64 – similar to IMAP, we hope to support this in 5.1, but we won’t know for certain until we get deeper into testing.

As we’ve written previously, v5.1 will be focused on improved project management and dashboard capabilities, with a new flexible project dashboard UI integrated even more tightly into Outlook.  And v5.2 will focus on comprehensive automated filing to process your newsletters, notifications, and other bulk email with quick setup and reporting capabilities

We’re very excited about v5 and look forward to all your feedback to help make our upcoming releases as close to perfect as possible!  Thanks!

We are pleased to announce that ClearContext v5 has been released to production!

ClearContext v5 is about making the things you do in email simpler, faster, and smarter.  You’ll fly through your email and project management thanks to advancements including:

• Smart one-click filing and suggestions to file messages and create projects faster than ever before
• A new prioritization system that highlights email from known senders and VIPs using categories, flags, or color-coded views
• Support for simultaneous multiple computer operation
• Preliminary support for Outlook 2010 beta users (x86 only – Office 2010 64 bit support pending)
• Improved high-performance, high-reliability infrastructure
• And of course all of ClearContext’s powerful task, schedule, and project dashboard capabilities!

Read more about v5 here.  We’ll have new videos and tutorials for v5 coming soon!

New customers can purchase v5 here.  Registered ClearContext Pro users can purchase an upgrade to v5 for here.  Purchase now and you’ll also receive free upgrades to these upcoming releases:

• v5.1 – improved project management and dashboard capabilities, with a new flexible project dashboard UI integrated even more tightly into Outlook
• v5.2 – comprehensive automated filing to process your newsletters, notifications, and other bulk email with express setup and reporting capabilities

Download ClearContext v5 today to get more done in Outlook than ever before!

The release candidate for ClearContext v5.0 is now available for download here.  For more info about changes and new features in v5, see this post.  We’ve addressed much of the beta feedback; updates have been posted in the beta forum.

Our official 5.0 production release will follow shortly, including updated user guide and other documentation and information on upgrading.   We’ll be making more in-depth posts about 5.0 features in the coming weeks, as well as letting you know about the new features planned for the 5.1 and 5.2 releases.  Stay tuned to the blog for all the latest info! 

ClearContext Connect Members: Installing v5 will start a 30-day v5 Professional trial.  You will be emailed your v5 Pro license shortly.

If you are trying out the Outlook 2010 beta, please give the ClearContext v5.0 beta – with 2010 support – a spin as well.  Details and download available here.

In our post v5: Streamlined & Smarter we mentioned that we plan to limit the display of FolderContext to Project Dashboards, removing it from individual folders. Given recent feedback, we’d like to know how you use FolderContext. Please take the poll below and post any additional comments you would like to share. Thanks!

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A quick thanks! to everyone who signed up for the v5 beta of our Outlook organization add-in.  If you sent us a note, we have added your email to the beta list and will let you know when a download is available.  In the meantime, here’s a review of what's coming in our v5 release:

ClearContext v5: Simpler, Faster, Smarter

ClearContext v5: Single-Click Filing

ClearContext v5: Prioritization & Views

ClearContext v5: Streamlined & Smarter

If you haven’t already signed up for the v5 beta, send an email to beta at clearcontext dot com.

We’re making ClearContext simpler, faster and smarter.  Previously we discussed v5 single-click filing and message prioritization.  Here are a few other near term changes coming in v5.0.

Smarter Threading

A frequent feature request is to improve the accuracy of message conversation threading.  In v4 and earlier, ClearContext uses subject name to link messages together.  In v5 ClearContext will use Outlook’s conversation ID (when available) for threading.  For those of you on mail servers that utilize this ID, the result will be smarter, more accurate conversation threading.  Subject-based threading will be used in cases where the ID is not available, most notably when receiving mail from some webmail services outside of Exchange.

Multiple Mail File Support

In v5 we are removing the filing limitation of one primary and one secondary mail file.  ClearContext will recognize all of your open mail files, allowing filing to all open PSTs.

Office 2010

Office 2010 support will include full ribbon functionality in the explorer (Inbox) and adaptation of custom UI elements (Dashboard, Scorecard, etc.).  A test version with Office 2010 32bit support will be available in Q4.  We plan to implement 64bit support in a future release, timing TBD.

Streamlined Features

We are removing some features in v5 to simplify the interface, improve performance and focus on our core capabilities.  In particular:

• FolderContext will no longer appear in each folder.  This information will still be available via Project Dashboards.
• Conversation Priority will no longer be supported.  Messages will still be automatically prioritized as they are received, but we will no longer support marking individual threads as important.
• Alerts will be removed in v5.0.  Pending feedback, we may bring this feature back in another form for a future 5.x release.

Improved Infrastructure\Performance

Many of the changes we have previously discussed result in improved performance.  In particular, startup is faster, folders open more quickly, and message conflicts are minimized.  With this improved infrastructure, the product will better support multiple machine use and mobile device access and we will be on track to expand beyond Exchange and POP support in future ClearContext releases.

v5.x

The changes we have discussed so far are all in our initial v5.0 release.  Future v5.x releases will include an overhaul of the project management features in the Dashboard, improved statistics and measurement and much more.  Keep an eye on the blog for future detail.

All v4 purchases made after August 1, 2009 and all ClearContext Connect subscribers will receive a complimentary upgrade to v5.  If you haven’t already signed up for the v5 beta, send an email to beta at clearcontext dot com.  The beta schedule isn’t finalized yet, but we will let you know when a download is available.

Last month we shared our plans for making ClearContext v5 simpler, faster and smarter.  This month we’re going to post additional detail on what’s coming.  We want your feedback as we finalize v5 features, so please post your thoughts in the comments on this post.

Faster Filing

This release heavily emphasizes single-click filing.   Our design goal here is very simple.  The vast majority of the time, file your email in the right place with one click.  In almost all other cases, file with just two clicks.  In place of the Suggested Topics dropdown, v5’s File Msg: button includes a folder suggestion.:

• If you have previously filed a message from the current conversation to a folder, that folder name is displayed
• If you have not previously filed messages in this conversation, the button suggests a folder based on filing history

If you would like to file to a different folder than the first suggestion, click the down arrow to launch our new folder selector:

Additional single-click suggestion buttons are at the top of the dialog.  To file anywhere else, quickly select the folder you want by typing or navigating the folder tree:

File Thread works exactly the same way, filing the whole conversation instead of just the current message.

Additional Changes

We have eliminated the old Topic dropdown in favor of this new scheme throughout the product.  When sending an email or saving a task or appointment, the folder selector is launched directly, eliminating several clicks previously required to find the correct folder or assign the desired Topic.

We have also simplified Original Message options when replying to a message or creating a task or appointment from a message.  The Original Message drop down has been replaced by the File Original toggle button:

When selected, ClearContext will automatically file the original message to a folder.  If you haven’t previously filed messages in this conversation to a folder, the folder selector asks where you want it to be moved to.

Filing has never been easier than it is in ClearContext v5.  It’s simpler, faster & smarter. 

We Want to Hear From You

We have a few questions for you to help us finalize these changes:

1. How many folder suggestions would you like to see in the selector dialog?
2. Should ClearContext file sent messages to related folders by default?
3. By default, should ClearContext ask for a folder assignment as new messages are sent and new tasks and appointments are created?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!  Subscribe to this blog for future updates regarding ClearContext v5.

All v4 purchases made after August 1, 2009 and all ClearContext Connect subscribers will receive a complimentary upgrade to v5.  If you haven’t already signed up for the v5 beta, send an email to beta at clearcontext dot com.  The beta schedule isn’t finalized yet, but we will let you know when a download is available.

Our next major release, ClearContext v5, will be about making the email management features our users have come to depend faster, more automated, and more intuitive.  We've made many incremental improvements to ClearContext for Outlook over the past year, as well as some major additions like our statistics and effectiveness components.  But we've also been working hard on the next major version of ClearContext for Outlook, and we're excited to share our plans with you. 

Our development efforts are concentrated on four areas:

• Infrastructure & Performance
• Message Filing & Organization
• Project Management & Dashboards
• Statistics & Effectiveness Measurement

Please note that we are still early in the release cycle, so a number of these details are likely to change.  We're very interested in hearing feedback about which features are most critical for you.

Infrastructure & Performance

We’ve re-architected the ClearContext infrastructure to be more flexible with lower overhead.  This will provide a number of key benefits including:

• Improved performance
• Compatibility with more mail configurations
• Support for the upcoming Outlook 2010 release

Message Filing & Organization

Inbox management is a critical part of everyone’s day.  ClearContext v5 will make filing and organization smarter and more automated.  Key improvements include:

• Smarter topic assignment and filing
• Flexible topic management
• Simplified message prioritization
• Additional automated message filing

Project Management & Dashboards

ClearContext v5 project management functionality will include a much stronger focus on tasks and actions, and make project dashboards much more flexible:

• Improved summary information on projects and actions
• Flexible project creation and organization
• Integration of additional information
• Additional task management and prioritization
• Project archiving and reporting
• Improved search and filtering

Statistics & Effectiveness Measurement

Our initial release of statistics and effectiveness measurement focuses very heavily on email – volumes, response times, and performance.  We’re continuing to gather feedback on the data you find most useful in understanding your email activity, as well as continuing to refine the ways we measure your email management effectiveness.  If you haven’t already, please visit ClearContext Online and let us know what you would like to see there.

In addition to email, ClearContext v5 will expand elements of the statistics and effectiveness modules into areas such as tasks, appointments, and project-focused measurement.

Next steps and beta

In order to deploy these features and enhancements as quickly as possible, we are organizing the v5 release into several stages. The initial ClearContext 5.0 release will focus on the infrastructure and filing/organization features. Additional 5.x releases will focus on the project management and statistics areas.

We haven’t finalized release dates and beta schedule yet.  Stay tuned to the blog for more details.  If you’re interested in being on the beta list, please send an email to beta at clearcontext dot com.  Thanks for your interest!