The "secure boot" if mandatory will make it almost impossible to recompile source to optimize your system. Also, good by Gentoo. I think mandatory "secure boot" is a big mistake and Microsoft should be ashamed of itself, but monopolies seldom are ashamed.

There is a sshfs module that lets you mount a remote file system just like you mount anything else. It is secure and fast. Google sshfs for more information.

Outlook is many things: calendaring, ToDo, Email, and a VIRUS. In most ways, except the virus, it is like Evolution. If one needs all that other stuff then Evolution is the way to go, other wise Thunderbird is great for email. In fact Google Mail is wonderful and then all one needs is Firefox.