Outlook Extensions

This blog is dedicated to those who wish to learn to develop, test, and deploy Outlook Extensions.

First off: vbscript sux. msft sux. The outlook programming model REALLY sux. But outlook dominates the world we live in, so we adjust.

Here are some of the hardest lessons I've had to learn so far:

1. Outlook, and therefore the user's experience, is very precariously balanced upon each and every extension installed. There are lots of ways to start outlook, and lots of ways to shut it down. If you don't write your code for each and every one of these, you'll hork outlook. In fact, there are ways to start outlook wherein it is absolutely impossible for your extension to be properly notified and setup. And somehow this is your fault.
   
2. Outlook is more than ready to blame your extension when things go wrong. They'll ask the user, "Hey, wanna disable this bad boy?" with your company name and logo everywhere.
   
3. Unlike java, python, and every other non-prehistoric programming language, vbscript has no garbage collection (at least not in the outlook context). As far as I know, there's no "lint" for vbscript (if you find one, email me at dr.marc.byrd@gmail.com). And yet if you try to free something that's already been freed... - see numbers 1 and 2.