Microsoft Exchange server / OSX / Mail / entourage

Question

Just a quick question about this, as a friend of my Dad's has been giving him grief because he doesn't ever receive receipts that emails have been received / opened / read etc.
As far as I know Apple Mail doesn't support Microsoft Exchange Server, but Entourage does - but is it as simple as my Dad using Entourage, or does it need to on a network using Microsoft Exchange Server?
And if so, does this mean that two, common or garden home PC users using Windows Mail or Outlook wouldn't get email receipts from each other either?

Answer 1

what would the situation be with two, bog standard home PCs using XP/Vista and Outlook Express/Windows Mail - would they generate and receive receipt notifications with each other?
Windows Mail and Outlook Express both support receipts (do a web search to find more information and instructions). But they will get receipts only if the receiving email client supports them, so the recipient must also be running one of those two applications or one of the other rare email applications that does. And receipts in Internet-standard email really doesn't mean much; it may return even if the email is selected, or, as is apparently the case with both Outlook Express and Windows Mail, the recipient can disallow sending back the receipt which if true rather defeats the purpose.
where does the Microsoft Exchange Server come into it, which was what I thought powered these?
It may or may not. Both Outlook Express and Windows Mail are standard email applications and work with any standard email server. If the ISP/company/organization is using Exchange and has it set up for POP and/or IMAP, you can use any email application with the server including OE or Windows Mail. But you don't get any of the features an Exchange Server provides: shared calendaring, "real" delivery/read receipts (ones the user can't disallow), etc. For those you must use Outlook.