Multiple identities -- will they be re-enabled?

[Guest]

When selecting File->Identities, Windows Mail v6 (vista rtm) says 'multiple
identities' have been disabled because Microsoft believes people should use
multiple Windows accounts instead (one account per identity, presumably).

In Outlook Express, I used three different email servers -- one for
business, another for volunteer work, and another for personal email.

Also, because OE seems to slow down when the message store grows, I had
created 'archive identities' for each of these, to which I would transfer old
messages once a year. (I just switch to these archive identities when I want
to view old emails.)

Creating new Vista accounts just to manage my email, as suggested by
Microsoft, is silly (verging on insultiing -- mail tools are a big deal to
me).

Would Microsoft consider re-enabling 'multiple identities'? (I gather the
functionality is still there, given the WMID product by Steve Cochran for
$15, http://www.oehelp.com/WMIDs/Default.aspx)

Will 'multiple identities' be part of Microsoft Live Mail (said to be
replacing Windows Mail soon)?

I'm reluctant to rely upon the WMID solution that apparently depends upon
command line options (apparently undocumented -- anyone know where it is
documented?) that Microsoft might discontinue.

Should I investigate Thunderbird, which apparently supports multiple accounts?

What is the most effective way to provide input to the Microsoft product
management people?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Comments interspersed.

When selecting File->Identities, Windows Mail v6 (vista rtm) says 'multiple
identities' have been disabled because Microsoft believes people should use
multiple Windows accounts instead (one account per identity, presumably).

In Outlook Express, I used three different email servers -- one for
business, another for volunteer work, and another for personal email.

Also, because OE seems to slow down when the message store grows, I had
created 'archive identities' for each of these, to which I would transfer old
messages once a year. (I just switch to these archive identities when I want
to view old emails.)

Creating new Vista accounts just to manage my email, as suggested by
Microsoft, is silly (verging on insultiing -- mail tools are a big deal to
me).

Would Microsoft consider re-enabling 'multiple identities'? (I gather the
functionality is still there, given the WMID product by Steve Cochran for
$15, http://www.oehelp.com/WMIDs/Default.aspx)

That question was brought up by us beta testers during the Vista beta,
and Microsoft responded that Identities gave users a false sense of
security (since other Identity users could easily peruse your mail files).
The impression was left that MS would not reinstitute Identities.

Will 'multiple identities' be part of Microsoft Live Mail (said to be
replacing Windows Mail soon)?

Not likely. Windows Live Mail does give each mail account separate
Inbox, Drafts, Sent Items, Deleted Items, and Junk E-mail folders.
The equivalent of separate inboxes can easily be implemented in WM
with a message rule or two.

I'm reluctant to rely upon the WMID solution that apparently depends upon
command line options (apparently undocumented -- anyone know where it is
documented?) that Microsoft might discontinue.

Should I investigate Thunderbird, which apparently supports multiple accounts?

I'm not a Thunderbird expert, but at first glance its facility for multiple
identities doesn't look any more sophisticated than what the WLM beta has,
or what you can do with WM message rules. All three solutions require
care when originating a new email because the program can't guess
which 'From' identity you desire to use.

What is the most effective way to provide input to the Microsoft product
management people?

Since WLM is still under development, Microsoft reps periodically
provide responses and solicit input in that newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.live.mail.desktop

 

[Steve Cochran]

WMIDs does not rely upon command line functions. I wrote it completely
myself and there are no undocumented functions its is using. It has its
own command line functions.

cheers,

steve

 

[Guest]

WMIDs does not rely upon command line functions. I wrote it completely
myself and there are no undocumented functions its is using. It has its
own command line functions.

Thanks for clarifying -- I had misread the last sentence on your web page in
the 'program features' section.

I'm disappointed that Microsoft has removed (what I consider to be)
important functionality (support for multiple account-identities) prior to
offering an alternative. It would have been classier to release Windows Live
Mail desktop (WLMd) (which supports multiple account-identities) with Vista
and just skip the crippled Windows Mail. (Maybe that was the plan but WLMd
wasn't ready -- in which case, I wish MS would have kept OE's identities in
WM until WLMd was ready.)

I'm still tossing around whether to stick with OE using your (excellent)
solution until WLMb is available, or switch to Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0 (TB),
or risk using WLMd beta. As you probably know, both WLMd and TB implement
multiple accounts by having high-level folders for each 'identity'.

I'm not thrilled with WLMd's requirement that users log in with MS prior to
using the mail client.

I'd go with Thunderbird except I don't like the way TB does replies (the
email receiver likely will see the email formatted quite differently from
what it shows me during composition -- I'd prefer to see what the receiver
will see).

Good on you, Steve, for producing WMID, and my apology for misreading your
web page.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Comments interspersed.

I'm still tossing around whether to stick with OE using your (excellent)
solution until WLMb is available, or switch to Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0 (TB),
or risk using WLMd beta. As you probably know, both WLMd and TB implement
multiple accounts by having high-level folders for each 'identity'.

WLMd is dead, having been replaced by the WLM beta on May 30th.
WLM doesn't currently have Identities, nor is the final product likely
to have it.

I'm not thrilled with WLMd's requirement that users log in with MS prior to
using the mail client.

WLM lifted that requirement.

 

[Guest]

WLMd is dead, having been replaced by the WLM beta on May 30th.

WLM doesn't currently have Identities, nor is the final product likely
to have it.

Thanks for the heads-up. Where's its successor? I can find this
announcement:

http://morethanmail.spaces.live.com...ogview&_c=BlogPart&partqs=amonth=5&ayear=2007

but don't see the new product at the web site (http://get.live.com/betas)
referenced by that announcement, unless it is now called "Windows Live
Hotmail"? Or is the desktop version still to be announced?

Can you point us to the most current likely successor of Windows Mail?

WLM lifted that requirement.

Nice.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Thanks for the heads-up. Where's its successor? I can find this
announcement:

http://morethanmail.spaces.live.com...ogview&_c=BlogPart&partqs=amonth=5&ayear=2007

but don't see the new product at the web site (http://get.live.com/betas)
referenced by that announcement, unless it is now called "Windows Live
Hotmail"? Or is the desktop version still to be announced?

Can you point us to the most current likely successor of Windows Mail?

Windows Live Mail (WLM) beta is the successor to WLMd. The web page
that describes it and has a download link,
http://get.live.com/betas/maildesktop_betas
may redirect somewhere else for some countries. I don't know why MS is
limiting access to only US residents and a few other countries (apparently UK
is included). Anyway, the direct download link works everywhere:
http://g.live.com/1rebeta/WLM_en-us

 

[Steve Cochran]

I think its unconscionable of them to write a new limited feature program,
rather than fixing the issues in the programs they have released. I don't
know how anyone can have any confidence in their software with that kind of
behavior.

steve

 

[Guest]

Windows Live Mail (WLM) beta is the successor to WLMd. The web page

that describes it and has a download link,
http://get.live.com/betas/maildesktop_betas

Gary, on the date of your post and still today, the link you quoted points
to a web page titled "Windows Live Mail Desktop Beta" and the software that I
downloaded from that page only a few days ago also calls itself "Windows Live
Mail Desktop". Are you sure WLMd is dead?

I've been using it (WLMd) for a few days and haven't noticed any bugs. It
has some great new features, and some (shocking) disappointments (I have high
standards for companies with the resources of MS).

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

I understand that if you reside in a non-US location, there is a good chance
that the http://get.live.com/betas/maildesktop_betas URL will redirect
you to the old WLMd download site. I don't know why Microsoft is doing
that, but there is a direct WLM download link that works for everyone:
http://g.live.com/1rebeta/WLM_en-us

Microsoft reps who posted in the WLM newsgroup have stated that
WLMd has been replaced by WLM, and that no further development
of WLMd will take place. I am not familiar with what bugs exist in WLMd,
nor would I bother to find out since it's a dead product.

Note: If you install WLM while WLMd exists on your PC, WLM will
import all settings, accounts, and emails from WLMd, and will
completely ignore WM as an import source, so be forewarned.

Gary VanderMolen

 

[Guest]

Thanks Gary. You're right, the invisible country-specific redirect is
confusing (and could be better-handled by Microsoft simply by explaining
what's going on the web page -- their not doing so wasted my time and your
time, and perhaps that of others). Perhaps the distinction is due to
encryption features in mail -- US news reports have said the US govt wants to
be able to spy on its citizens, so maybe MS has to prepare a special version
for Americans. Or maybe it's the other way around! Whatever the reason, why
not tell people on the web page?

Microsoft reps who posted in the WLM newsgroup have stated that
WLMd has been replaced by WLM, and that no further development

That'd be an excellent thing for Microsoft to post on their (now old?) WLMd
web page -- with a description of what to expect next. That'd be more work,
but it would help retain and build positive attitudes toward MS.

Note: If you install WLM while WLMd exists on your PC, WLM will
import all settings, accounts, and emails from WLMd, and will
completely ignore WM as an import source, so be forewarned.

Thanks, that's valuable info -- I wonder if that info is included in the web
page or in the install script? (In general, it'd be good if install scripts
would say what they are going to do, perhaps only upon request, ie., a link,
to avoid distracting people who don't want to know details.)

I haven't got time right now to try WLM but will. Thanks for your help!

 

[carcie]

Steve, you are the other person I wished to thank--+ Gary--for helping me
solve the multiple identity issue in Vista. Hopefully, I will master this
new system with the help of generous folk like the two of you.

For anyone reading this: problem solved by setting up a message rule and
shuttling my husband's messages to a folder.

C. Horton

 

[Baffin]

Carcie, are you aware of Microsoft's "Windows Live Mail" (WLM), a product
release recently (early Nov, I think)? It's much better, IMO, than Vista
Windows Mail.

WLM can handle multiple POP accounts. It looks like Mozilla's Thunderbird
2.0, but I prefer WLM because of the way it handles message formating and a
few other features.

To investigate further, do a search on the Microsoft site to find Windows
Live Mail -- it's a free download and runs on Vista (and XP, I believe).