Xobni

That's if you can install it in the first place. At the moment, Xobni is in "closed beta", so you can only get a licence if you're invited by someone already using it.

We've arranged with Xobni for PC Pro readers to get 200 invites but it's on a first come, first served basis: use the code "PCPro" and enter it at www.xobni.com/download along with your email address.

The good news is that Xobni should emerge into open beta early this spring (and hopefully into full release by late spring or early summer), and even better it will remain free to use forever.

System administrators will also be interested to hear a Pro version is in development, although Xobni is still working on exactly what features will be part of that release.

So we look forward to later this year when Xobni moves out of beta, but even in its present form this is a brilliant piece of software.

It's so good, in fact, we wouldn't be at all surprised if some of the rumours about Microsoft buying Xobni and integrating it into the next release of Outlook turn out to be true.

Author: Tim Danton