Recommended Windows e-mail Software

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Recommended Windows e-mail Software

Postby jon » Sat Oct 16, 2010 2:09 pm

Windows Live Mail 2011 is the currently recommended free e-mail client software for Vista and Windows 7. I'm not sure what to suggest for Windows XP.

If you are running Windows Mail or Outlook Express on Vista or Windows 7, I would strongly recommend upgrading to Windows Live Mail 2011. The previous version of Windows Live Mail isn't too bad, but undoubtedly is less secure than the 2011 version, and probably doesn't have as strong a spam filter or phishing detector.

The download page is here:
http://explore.live.com/windows-live-mail
Keep an eye on the installation process to be sure you are installing only what you want to. Windows Live Photo Gallery 2011 is pretty decent but, other than that, I only install the pieces required to make the Mail component work.

A couple of things worth mentioning about Live Mail 2011. It can sometimes turn Newsfeeds on during installation. You may not want the network traffic or disk space required. And I was also surprised about how different the appearance and operation of Live Mail 2011 is compared to the previous version.

If you are using Webmail, then you don't need to worry about even having an e-mail client running on your computer. Personally, I find Webmail tedious to use for anything other than viewing e-mail when not at home. But many others I know have never used anything else and seem to be very happy.
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Re: Recommended Windows e-mail Software

Postby Buckley » Sat Oct 16, 2010 4:11 pm

I've been using Mozilla Thunderbird for the last couple months (since I finally purchased Windows 7 which doesn't come with Outlook Express like XP did). For basic e-mail needs, it works fine. I guess if you need calendars and such it's not great, but for basic send/receive capabilities and being able to sort and set rules, I've been happy with it.
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Re: Recommended Windows e-mail Software

Postby Aaron » Sat Oct 16, 2010 4:34 pm

Tried Windows Live Mail 11, but it's pretty cumbersome and clunky compared with GMail's web interface. Between the conversation view, being able to merge my corporate calendar (via the BB app) and sharing calendars with my partner, and offline access, GMail has made an email client irrelevant for the first time for me.
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Re: Recommended Windows e-mail Software

Postby Howaboutthat » Sat Oct 16, 2010 4:37 pm

I'm using Live Mail the c.2009 version and have not had any problems with it. Spam or phishing (much of which these days comes down to how good your ISP is) has never been an issue for me, but then I don't use it for anything other than communicating with friends and family.
I won't be changing.
If it ain't broke....
Houston, We're dealing with morons!.
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Re: Recommended Windows e-mail Software

Postby Jack Bennest » Sat Oct 16, 2010 6:22 pm

Agree with Aaron G-mail is the easiest system - as I have at least four different gmails for different purposes on two computers. I can move from one to another in seconds - same password etc

The email that came with vista is absolutely the shits. Slow clunky - can't remember addresses. My god don't get me going.
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Re: Recommended Windows e-mail Software

Postby jon » Sat Oct 16, 2010 9:45 pm

Jack Bennest wrote:The email that came with vista is absolutely the s***s. Slow clunky - can't remember addresses. My god don't get me going.

Which takes us full circle to what I said at the beginning: if you use Windows Mail (which is what came with Vista), do yourself a favour and install Windows Live Mail 2001. Just try reporting a problem with Windows Mail to Microsoft. They'll just tell you to upgrade to Windows Live Mail.

Gmail is really two things. Gmail is an e-mail mailbox accessible from webmail or a traditional e-mail client like Windows Live Mail. Gmail is also the webmail interface you can use to access your Gmail e-mail mailbox.

"if it ain't broke..." is a poor way to make decisions about software products and versions. "if it ain't supported..." is a good starting point for commercial software, even free stuff offered by major vendors like Microsoft and Adobe.

"Stick with the latest version" is pretty much a necessity with popular Open Source (free) software since security problems with previous versions are widely known among hackers. Rather than offer something like Windows Update to fix a security failing, they simply put out a new version, leaving anyone with a previous version pretty much open season for hackers. Admittedly, the Open Source software that runs this discussion forum is much more at risk than Open Source software you may be running on your computer. Which is why we keep everything up to date here. Tens of thousands of WordPress sites were hit hard (defaced sites with links to infected web sites) by hackers a year ago this past Labour Day, but we weren't only because we were up to date with the latest version. WordPress is what runs "View Most Recent Posts" on the home page of this site. And the most of the EdmontonBroadcasters.com site.
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Re: Recommended Windows e-mail Software

Postby Russ_Byth » Sat Oct 16, 2010 9:50 pm

jon wrote:Which takes us full circle to what I said at the beginning: if you use Windows Mail (which is what came with Vista), do yourself a favour and install Windows Live Mail 2001. Just try reporting a problem with Windows Mail to Microsoft. They'll just tell you to upgrade to Windows Live Mail.


My experience with MSFT has been 'if you're using a free version of one of our products, Live Mail Included, you're on your own'. There is no support, even after waiting on hold forever.
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Re: Recommended Windows e-mail Software

Postby jon » Sun Oct 17, 2010 9:12 am

Russ_Byth wrote:My experience with MSFT has been 'if you're using a free version of one of our products, Live Mail Included, you're on your own'. There is no support, even after waiting on hold forever.

I'm the first to admit that there is no telephone support from Microsoft for their free software. I was using the term "Support" in a much broader form, to include Windows Update "fixes", new versions, etc.

As well as support discussion forums. For example, here are the FAQs and discussion forums for Windows Live Mail:
http://explore.live.com/windows-live-mail-help-center
http://windowslivehelp.com/product.aspx ... .2804.0607

This isn't just peer to peer support, but Microsoft support folks are often seen here, too.

Admittedly, this isn't universal. Last Spring when I ran into really big issues with Microsoft Pro Photo Tools 2, all I ever found was an e-mail address for support. And I'm still waiting for an answer.....

As for telephone support, even some of the biggest software products, and all of the Open Source software, do not provide telephone support at all, even on a fee per call basis. To put that in perspective, there are a lot of independent support folks out there who do provide high quality personalized telephone (and other) support for Open Source software.
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Re: Recommended Windows e-mail Software

Postby Karen » Sun Oct 17, 2010 9:37 am

Stupid question time. I have Vista Home Premium and use Windows Mail. Can I download Windows Live Mail, do the install and then move over everything I currently have in Windfows Mail?
Do I risk losing Windows Mail and everything in it once I start downloading Live? Is this a tough thing to do? Should I call in The Geek Squad? Help!
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Re: Recommended Windows e-mail Software

Postby jon » Sun Oct 17, 2010 10:03 am

It has been so long since I made the move from Windows Mail to Windows Live Mail that I had to check.

Windows Live Mail creates a whole new set of folders and copies all your stored mail (and settings) from the folders used by Windows Mail. It is very similar to the process you went through if you switched from Outlook or Outlook Express to Windows Mail when you installed Vista or converted from an old XP machine. Then as now, the main issue is longer folder names and folder names with slashes and other special characters. The contents of the folders migrate properly, but the folders may no longer have the correct name.

If you have a lot of stored mail, allow plenty of time for the conversion to occur.

If you want to get an idea of how big your stored mail folders are, do a Properties on this folder:
C:\Users\{your windows ID}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail

Windows Live Mail stores its mail in:
C:\Users\{your windows ID}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail
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Re: Recommended Windows e-mail Software

Postby Jack Bennest » Sun Oct 17, 2010 10:39 am

jon - I did the switch and it appears to work better. How do I get rid of the old program.

Vista is just terrible in finding programs to get rid of.

Just for the record I have done this as anything is an improvement on what I had. I decided to not use one email address
because of the lousy programme. Will wait for an opportunity to use the program but may never as I have said: Google de best!
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Re: Recommended Windows e-mail Software

Postby jon » Sun Oct 17, 2010 10:50 am

I don't have any Vista machines to look at, but I recall it being the same as Windows 7. To remove a program, select Control Panel from the Start button menu. You should see Programs with "Uninstall a Program" underneath it. Click on Uninstall and wait for the window to fully populate. If you don't see it in the list, click on the left on Turn Windows Features On or Off, and drill down in the categories listed to find it.

If you changed Control Panel to "Classic View" you may have to type Uninstall in the search box in the upper right corner of the Control Panel window.

Hope that helps.
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Re: Recommended Windows e-mail Software

Postby Jack Bennest » Sun Oct 17, 2010 11:08 am

Nope - both mail programmes do not appear as programmes to be eliminated. Almost like they are part of a bundle that cannot be touched.

Some the computer makers will just improve the great systems of the past and stop inventing new, complicated programs that take years to learn and by that time - zap - new drafty window needed to operate the computer you just bought.

If I had more money I would hire a tech to remove everything from the computer other than what is essential to do mail, search internet, play with pictures, listen to a sound etc. It seems every time you do an update of adobe or windows etc more crap is being loaded that do you not want.
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Re: Recommended Windows e-mail Software

Postby jon » Sun Oct 17, 2010 11:32 am

You are absolutely correct, Jack. I just did some research and all the experts in support forums say the same thing: Windows Mail was built into Vista in such a way that it cannot be uninstalled.

However, one item did have a useful suggestion that eliminates the accidental startup of Windows Mail:
http://www.webdevelopersnotes.com/tips/ ... s_mail.php
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Re: Recommended Windows e-mail Software

Postby jon » Sun Oct 17, 2010 3:19 pm

I just received an e-mail from a friend who just replaced Windows Mail on their Vista desktop machine, with Windows Live Mail 2011, and found it an improvement except for the necessity to check each of their mailboxes.

If you aren't getting all your mail from all your mailboxes delivered automatically, be sure that "Include this account when sending or synchronizing" is checkmarked in the General tab of the Properties for the Account within Windows Live Mail. As well as having the mail appear automatically in the Inbox for the relevant e-mail Account, you should also be notified (in the method you chose in Options) whenever you receive an e-mail in any mailbox ("Account" in WLM terminology).

Personally, I've opted for a different approach. I forward all e-mail to a single mailbox/account. I then add a To field to my Inbox view, so that I can tell which e-mail address the sender used. You add the To field by right mouse click on any of the Column Headers, selecting Columns from the pop-up menu and adding a checkmark beside To in the list of columns/fields.

Buckley wrote:I've been using Mozilla Thunderbird for the last couple months (since I finally purchased Windows 7 which doesn't come with Outlook Express like XP did). For basic e-mail needs, it works fine. I guess if you need calendars and such it's not great, but for basic send/receive capabilities and being able to sort and set rules, I've been happy with it.

I originally planned to move to Thunderbird when I bought a Vista-based desktop 2 1/2 years ago. But the convertor didn't work properly for Outlook. I have e-mail going all the way back to the late 1980s when I used Compuserve, so I didn't want to lose any of it.

At the time, I noticed that Thunderbird has a companion product that does Calendars and such.
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