Question : Access to MAPI "API"

Hi

A department of ours is looking at building an application that will hook into Exchange, using MAPI, and then carry out various tasks (forward mail etc).

I know there are some products out there that have access to MAPI (Blackberry for one, the Mac Entourage client for Exchange etc)....I was wondering - are the details on MAPI in the public domain, or do MS protect them very heavily.

For instance, I can understand Blackberry/RIM - that's not going to harm MS in anyway (I assume Exchange ActiveSync was not around when the access was granted). But how about new companies that want to build a product that MS already have (let's say I wanted to build a mobile messaging solution in competition to ActiveSync)....would MS freely give out this information?

And, purely out of interest, what are people's opinion to the one Apple product that DOES have access to MAPI, Entourage?

Answer : Access to MAPI "API"

Gotta love computers.

In terms of simplicity, I would just get a wireless nic that is supported by all the operating systems you want to run.  it is curious why it works for some os's and not others, though, other than to while away the time, the quickest solution is to have 100% compatible hardware.