Adium is a free Lync for Mac alternative that doesn’t leave you tearing your hair out like Lync for Mac. With the release of Office 2016 For Mac, there was some hope that Microsoft would finally update Mac users from clunky old Lync 2011 for Mac to either Skype. Is there a Lync alternative on a Mac such that I can still use my Microsoft contacts? Note that I desire to keep all my outlook contacts from Lync but simply using a different service to communicate with them. For example, if I could chat with my outlook contacts via iMessages, that would be ideal. Yes, I know full well that Lync's Mac client is complete garbage right now. But Microsoft has made it clear they are going to make right on the Mac side come the next Office for Mac release. Lync alternatives on Mac. Ask Question Asked 5 years, 8 months ago. Active 2 years, 7 months ago. Viewed 6k times 6. Is there a Lync alternative on a Mac such that I can still use my Microsoft contacts? Note that I desire to keep all my outlook contacts from Lync but simply using a different service to communicate with them.
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Microsoft Lync, previously Office Communicator (OCS), has steadily gained market share and now dominates enterprise IM beating out your favorite alternative such as IBM Sametime or Cisco Jabber/Unified Communication. This is because the Microsoft team has built a very good product and is strong on business execution. (For example, Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer’s high profile visit to the Singapore Government a few years ago got the entire government switched over from IBM to Microsoft!) In addition to IM, Lync also provides video conference and screen share. However, deploying Lync video conference, especially for group video conference, may be something you want to avoid. Wainhouse senior analyst Bill Haskins explains, “The step from Lync as an instant messaging engine to Lync as a conferencing engine and Lync as a PBX, those incremental steps add almost exponential layers of complexity to IT organizations.” It doesn’t have to be that way, though. VSee is a simple, hassle-free alternative that makes secure IM and video easy for everyone involved.
VSee Advantages Over Microsoft Lync
- Easy to deploy
- Easy to do multiparty group video conference
- Easy to have secure communication between enterprises
Scalability
VSee makes deployment easy unlike Lync which requires “specific equipment and gateways” (i.e. server after server after server). Carefully placing these elements between your network and the outside network to avoid congestion while maintaining security makes video conferencing extraordinarily complicated. In contrast, VSee only has a directory server for managing presence, encryption, and call signaling, and a relay server for http(s) tunneling. Even when VSee operates the directory and relay servers for the enterprises, VSee provides a private management portal so that enterprise IT can precisely control the VSee clients within its network.
Simple and fast group video
VSee is powerful because it’s simple for anyone to work together face to face. But for Lync users, the decision to even allow group video is in the hands of the enterprise IT since the setup so complex. And chances are it’s not allowed!
This simplicity also extends to VSee work tools. You can quickly go from a convoluted IM discussion to a face-to-face video call with one click. Anyone can start a group call no matter which company he or she is with:
- With a single click you can instantly bring everyone into a meeting.
- With another click, you can instantly share any application.
- A third click allows anyone in the group to mark up the shared screen. No need to pass control or ask permissions! Or you can pass a file with an intuitive drag and drop onto the receiver’s video window!
Don’t let yourself get stuck with Lync when VSee let’s you work together over video as easy as 1-2-3!
Video chat with your customers and partners
While Lync provides methods to federate your enterprise, Lync Federation infrastructure with an outside customer, partner, or a vendor, is complicated and requires a complex setup. Thus most companies have set up their Lync as internal-only communication. VSee, on the other hand, is designed to allow simple and secure video chat with your customers and partners. Your enterprise IT can selectively turn off Vsee capabilities such as disabling recording, file send, etc., so that getting things done with someone outside your company can be easy and secure.
Why use Microsoft Lync?
Lync is a well designed product that unifies several key office communication mediums – voice, IM, and video. Lync also integrates seamlessly with Outlook. An impressed Gartner reports “Lync 2010 offers a full suite of UC functionality, and Microsoft continues to improve and evolve its offering with each release. The vendor offers integrations with Office, SharePoint, Exchange and Skype…. The Lync partner ecosystem continues to grow at a rapid pace.”
Also with Skype integration into Lync and Online Lync, you have a more cloud-like UC option on the horizon.
Lync For Mac 2011
Related articles
Some Lync Deployments ‘Stuck In Pilot Phase’
(eWeek)
Microsoft Lync Deployments ‘Stuck in the Pilot Phase’
(FierceEnterpriseCommunications)
2012 Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications
(Gartner) – evaluations of UI systems A-Z including Avaya, Cisco, IBM, and Huawei
Microsoft Lync: A Video Conferencing Deployment Nightmare
(VSee blog)
Microsoft Starts Integrating Skype Into Office
(TechCrunch)
More on the Lync-Skype Integration
(The Lync Team Blog)
Need more information on VSee? Download our brochure
or Contact sales.
Last updated: Nov 14, 2012
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Lync Server Competitors
Starting from $98 per license
Microsoft Lync Server is a web conferencing and communication solution for all business sizes. It also offers various real time file sharing options and cutting-edge security solutions. The software was designe...
Lync Server top competitors and alternatives for 2020
Lync Server is a fantastic tool that has a lot to offer, but it’s important to make sure you’re choosing the right Team Collaboration software for your company and its unique needs. Lync Server has some strong competitors and alternatives, and there’s a chance that one of them might be a better fit for your company.
Here are 4 alternatives to Lync Server that are worth checking out: Slack for SMBs, Dropbox for large size business, CoreconLink for low budget companies, and Producteev for starting businesses and freelancers.
1. Slack - Best for SMBs
Slack is a leading Team Collaboration software designed for for small and medium size business, Slack installed on-premises or used cloud based, Lync Server can be used on the cloud.Slack, with a pricing score of 2 is considered less expensive to implement than Lync Server with a score of 5.2. Slack published pricing is $6.67 per user/month.
Slack is rated 4.6 stars by ITQlick experts, both software products offer a good range of features (Slack offers 15 main features).
Compare head to head: Slack Vs Lync Server
2. Dropbox - Best for Large Business
Lync Client For Mac
Dropbox is a leading Team Collaboration software designed for for large size business, Dropbox installed on-premises or used cloud based, Lync Server can be used on the cloud.Dropbox, with a pricing score of 2 is considered less expensive to implement than Lync Server with a score of 5.2. Dropbox published pricing is $10 per user/month.
Dropbox is rated 4.5 stars by ITQlick experts, both software products offer a good range of features (Dropbox offers 23 main features).
Compare head to head: Dropbox Vs Lync Server
3. CoreconLink - Best for Low Budget Companies
CoreconLink is a leading Team Collaboration software designed for for low budget, CoreconLink installed on-premises or used cloud based, Lync Server can be used on the cloud.CoreconLink, with a pricing score of 2 is considered less expensive to implement than Lync Server with a score of 5.2. CoreconLink published pricing is $100 per user/month.
CoreconLink is rated 2.8 stars by ITQlick experts, both software products offer a good range of features (CoreconLink offers 17 main features).
Microsoft Lync For Mac
Compare head to head: CoreconLink Vs Lync Server
4. Producteev - Best for NO Budget or Start up Companies
Producteev is a leading Team Collaboration software designed for if you have very low to no budget or you just want to start with a free version, Producteev cloud, Lync Server can be used on the cloud.Producteev, with a pricing score of 6.4 is considered more expensive to implement than Lync Server with a score of 5.2. Producteev published pricing is $20 per user/month.
Producteev is rated 4.2 stars by ITQlick experts, both software products offer a good range of features (Producteev offers 7 main features).
Compare head to head: Producteev Vs Lync Server
5. Deltek PM Compass
Deltek PM Compass is a leading Team Collaboration software designed for if you want to consider another good alternative, Deltek PM Compass installed on-premises, Lync Server can be used on the cloud.Deltek PM Compass, with a pricing score of 6.4 is considered more expensive to implement than Lync Server with a score of 5.2. Deltek PM Compass published pricing is Pricing not available.
Deltek PM Compass is rated 4.1 stars by ITQlick experts, both software products offer a good range of features (Deltek offers 6 main features).
Compare head to head: Deltek PM Compass Vs Lync Server
6. Textura
Textura is a leading Team Collaboration software designed for if you want to consider another good alternative, Textura cloud, Lync Server can be used on the cloud.Textura, with a pricing score of 4.2 is considered less expensive to implement than Lync Server with a score of 5.2. Textura published pricing is $250 per license.
Textura is rated 3.5 stars by ITQlick experts, both software products offer a good range of features (Textura offers 5 main features).
Compare head to head: Textura Vs Lync Server
7. Wunderlist
Wunderlist is a leading Team Collaboration software designed for if you want to consider another good alternative, Wunderlist installed on-premises or used cloud based, Lync Server can be used on the cloud.Wunderlist, with a pricing score of 4.6 is considered less expensive to implement than Lync Server with a score of 5.2. Wunderlist published pricing is $5 per month.
Wunderlist is rated 4.6 stars by ITQlick experts, both software products offer a good range of features (Wunderlist offers 16 main features).
Compare head to head: Wunderlist Vs Lync Server
8. Broadsoft
Broadsoft is a leading Team Collaboration software designed for if you want to consider another good alternative, Broadsoft used on the cloud, Lync Server can be used on the cloud.Broadsoft, with a pricing score of 5.4 is considered more expensive to implement than Lync Server with a score of 5.2. Broadsoft published pricing is $5.99 per user/month.
Broadsoft is rated 3.1 stars by ITQlick experts, both software products offer a good range of features (Broadsoft offers 3 main features).
Compare head to head: Broadsoft Vs Lync Server
