Windows 7 mail

[Ginny Lane]

I recently loaded Windows 7. Basically I like it. However, the email
program sucks. I read in a blog that "Windows Live Mail" was implemented
with the advertising because "the servers most go to had advertising also".
I disagree!!!! The servers may have advertising but Outlook/outlook Express
did not, thus the reason I used OE. I have a computer training service and I
have always installed Outlook Express on my clients machines when setting up
their email, due to the fact they didn't want the ads all over the screen.
NOW THIS IS NOT EVEN A OPTION. It is a HUGE mistake for microsoft to
eliminate Outlook/Outlook Express. Obviously no common ordinary PC users
were consulted when designing the email portion of Windows 7. I'm truly
disappointed and will probably switch to MAC's also I will suggest to my
clients to keep Vista or XP since emailing about the only thing my clients
use their PC's for. Please rethink this elimination of Outlook/Outlook
Express. Ginny Lane

 

[Gary VanderMolen \(MVP\)]

Why are you stressing over "advertising" when Windows Live Mail
has no ads? Ranting detracts from real problem solving.

What is it about Windows Live Mail that you don't like? Have you
tried it? You can configure it to be pretty much just a dumb email
client like Windows Mail.

 

[Charlie Tame]

If you want an outlook express "Lookalike" use Mozilla Thunderbird, and
there is no email portion of Windows 7. It is WLM. Wisely they made it
optional, you don't have to use it if you don't want to.

So lets go down the page a bit and observe...

I recently loaded Windows 7.

Okay, you installed, we will live with that one


Basically I like it. However, the email

program sucks. I read in a blog that "Windows Live Mail" was implemented

You read in a blog? Hmm

with the advertising because "the servers most go to had advertising also".
I disagree!!!! The servers may have advertising but Outlook/outlook Express
did not, thus the reason I used OE.

Yeah we sympathize with anyone paying you for it...

I have a computer training service and I

have always installed Outlook Express on my clients machines when setting up
their email, due to the fact they didn't want the ads all over the screen.
NOW THIS IS NOT EVEN A OPTION.

You never installed Outlook Express it was always provided as part a
Windows...


It is a HUGE mistake for microsoft to

eliminate Outlook/Outlook Express.

Outlook and Outlook express are completely different, some computer
training service you have eh? Show me where Outlook has been eliminated?

Obviously no common ordinary PC users

were consulted when designing the email portion of Windows 7. I'm truly
disappointed and will probably switch to MAC's

Good for you, pay twice as much money for hardware and software and
charge you "Clients" twice as much. See how that flies with the economy
the way it is.

also I will suggest to my

clients to keep Vista or XP since emailing about the only thing my clients
use their PC's for. Please rethink this elimination of Outlook/Outlook
Express.

Or you could just admit that you don't know anything except Outlook
Express and your revenue source is drying up...

Ginny Lane

 

[Michael Walraven]

Windows 7 doesn't have an email program with or without advertising. You
install whatever email program you want.
Vista does not have Outlook Express

 

[slk759]

First, you've posted WLM complaints in the Windows Mail forum (wrong
newsgroup). Second, it appears what you installed is simply a link to the
WLM web-based email, not the desktop version which is very similar to OE.
Third, OE was included in XP (nothing to install) and not available for
Vista, or W7. Fourth, this newsgroup is only monitored by "your peers"
(used loosely as you don't really seem to know what you're talking about,
and so are not at par with the "peers" here); this is not where you make
suggestions to Microsoft (try the "Send Feedback" link on the WLM "Help"
menu - on the desktop install version).

 

[...winston]

Development on OE(included only on XP) and Windows Mail(included only on Vista) ceased over 3 years ago, thus rethinking that
option regarding either email client seems less than remote.

Outlook(not Outlook Express) is an entirely separate email program and available in all Office suites(except the Home and Student
version). The current version is 2007.
- Note: If Windows 7, then Outlook 2003 and 2007 are options since Office 2000's lifecycle ended in 2004 and extended support
ceased in July 2009.

Windows 7 does not have an included email program. The only method for Windows Live Mail(WLM) and other Live Essential
applications(Messenger, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, and Writer) to be present on a Windows 7 system are:
- user installable(obtain at download.live.com) or
- an OEM or System Builder pre-loading Live applications prior to sale.

If at all possible, it might be appropriate to update your computer training documentation to comprehend the above regarding
Windows 7.

 

[gadgetperson]

Gary,

The problem with Microsoft is that they keep changing their included or
recommended program. Outlook Express worked well but was abandoned with
Vista in favor of Windows Mail. Now with Windows 7, Windows Mail is
abandoned and replaced (as a recommendation by Microsoft) with Windows Live
Mail. It gets a bit frustrating to constantly have to transfer or convert
messages and contacts from program to program.

I have noted a few problems with Windows Live Mail (WLM):

1. When developing message rules, the Apply Now option does not appear to
work at all. The rules work for new mail but you can't use it to put your
existing mail in different folders.

2. The most serious oversight by Microsoft was to have WLM contacts not be
the same as Windows Contacts. I have and iPhone that syncs to the Windows
Contacts. I can transfer the Windows contacts to the WLM contacts file but
there is no sync going forward between the 2 contact lists. I have to
remember to change BOTH contact lists if I wish to be current - a ridiculous
thing to have to do in my opinion. Microsoft should find a way to sync the 2
lists. Further the structure of the two contact lists is not one to one.
You lose some information when transferring from Windows Contacts to WLM
contacts.

I just think it was not well thought out.

Stan

 

[Sam Hobbs]

If Microsoft maintained compatibility with previous software, people would
complain that they don't improve and instead remain stuck in the past. I
agree that they often drop support of designs they have gotten us stuck on
and they often don't do a good job of designing things well in the
beginning, but at least give them credit for moving forward. They just take
steps backward every time they take steps forward. If you can do it better,
go for it.

 

[Steve Cochran]

Many MVPs worked with Microsoft to improve Outlook Express over the years.
During the development of Vista, OE had a name change to Windows Mail and
some very nice improvements to the message store were being implemented. In
the middle of that, Microsoft decided to abandon OE / WinMail and its users
and to stop listening to the MVPs and the users, and instead came up with a
oafish, stupid, and feature poor offspring it termed "Windows Live Mail",
having inherited the same bugs and generated a new feature set of bugs for
the users to download for use with Windows 7. This crapware is now being
forced down users' throats, and as you can see from the responses, users are
being blamed for complaining about the crapware and not the authors. In
other words, since Microsoft came up with it and you don't like it, then
that makes you stupid.

Well, screw those people. You can download Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 and
install it on a Win7 machine. Then you can install a version of XP as a
Virtual Operating system and use that computer within a computer to continue
to use the feature rich aspects of OE within the Windows 7 environment.
That way you can continue in the same manner to support your clients, and
those who love Microsoft's moronic mail can keep using their crapware and
maintain their bliss.

steve

 

[Gary VanderMolen \(MVP\)]

Some people feel more comfortable with the devil they know than
taking on and learning a new devil. ;-)

 

[stumblingblock]

Thanks, Steve.
I am one of the people that loved OE, even with all it's limitations. I had
a yEnc loader and a yahoo pops program so it did everything I wanted.
Windows mail was not too bad, I still have it on my vista box, but the live
mail program really sucks. Microsoft wonders why people don't like them. Or
they don't care. Thunderbird works sorta kinda, but for usenet it is even
less competant than OE. If MS brought back OE I wouldn't have to hang on to
XP on my main machine.
regards
S.

 

[stumblingblock]

Outlook Express has flaws? No one would argue with that, but the alternative
is.....?

 

[Steve Cochran]

Its a thousand times better than Walmail. More features and was written by
people who knew how to program. Sure it has flaws, but its 1000 X better
than the crap MS is forcing down peoples' throats now. We wanted them to
fix OE. Instead they wrote another crappy program.

 

[Steve Cochran]

No one imagined 10 years ago that people would let their inboxes get to 2
gigabytes. That's a huge amount of messaging that wasn't anticipated back
then. We campaigned heavily for the switch away from the dbx files that
they finally accomplished with Windows Mail, once they realized there really
was the issue with the dbx files. But then they went off and didn't finish
Windows Mail in Vista and instead wrote a new mail program that incorporated
the bugs that were already there in OE and WinMail and added some extra ones
while at the same time removing features.

In Win7, one can also apply the same practice for WinMail and use Vista as a
Virtual machine. Either option is better than the alternative pursued by
MS.

steve