Windows Mail (Vista) vs Windows Live Mail vs Windows Hotmail

[Beejaysoo]

Could someone please outline what I should be considering here when deciding
what sort of mail service I want to use.. I'm presently using Windows Mail
(Vista). Should I be considering Windows Live Mail? Is Hotmail still an
option to consider?

Thanks,

bj

..

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

You should consider upgrading to Windows Live Mail only if

a. You need to access Hotmail accounts in addition to POP accounts.
b. You've been experiencing unresolved problems with WM.
c. You need certain WLM features, like better auto-completion of
contacts, better spell-checking, automatic segregation of incoming
email into separate account folders, etc.

Gary VanderMolen

 

[EW]

You should consider upgrading to Windows Live Mail only if

a. You need to access Hotmail accounts in addition to POP accounts.
b. You've been experiencing unresolved problems with WM.
c. You need certain WLM features, like better auto-completion of
contacts, better spell-checking, automatic segregation of incoming
email into separate account folders, etc.

Gary VanderMolen

Gary, is WLM still in beta? If so, is it buggy, and/or should we wait until
it's out of beta to use? And...... will installing WLM somehow disable
Windows Mail (will there be a conflict) or will all be clean?

Sorry for the questions, but I gots to know! Thanks.

EW

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, EW.

I'm not Gary, but...

I've been using WLM since the first of June. Yes, it is still in beta; the
current build is 12.0.1184. The WLM Team has hinted strongly that there
will be a new build Real Soon Now, with the final version still months away.
I used the now-defunct WLMD beta for only a few days at the end of its life,
just long enough to know that I like WLM better.

My impression is that the WLM User Interface still needs work, but the basic
program is already more stable and less buggy than WM. I was one of the
many WM users who had to painfully recover from a "message stuck in the
Outbox", but only a few WLM users report such a problem. The WLM UI won't
let us customize the toolbar and I really miss having buttons for
Synchronize All and View Messages by Conversation, for example. The WLM
Team is aware of these shortcomings and have promised improvements in future
builds. The UI is different from WM and will require a day or two on the
learning curve.

WLM's installation will delete the shortcut and icon for WM, but not the
program itself. We can still run WM by entering or clicking on WinMail.exe.
WM and WLM can run on the same Vista computer, even simultaneously, each
maintaining its separate Message Store. (During the transition period, I
have them both set to Leave messages on the server for 14 days; so long as I
run WM at least every couple of weeks and let it Receive messages, its
database will include all my incoming emails so that my eventual transfer to
the final WLM will be complete - so long as I remember to transfer WLM's
Sent Items, too.)

Try it. I think you'll like it. ;<)

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta in Vista Ultimate x64)

 

[EW]

Thanks, R.C., for the good info. Just what I wanted to hear. Currently I'm
using Windows Live Hotmail (web) for accessing my acct, and it does the job.
I simply like desktop clients better -- like OE is for XP.

I'll try the beta after reading your comments. Thanks again for the words.

EW

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Not sure if the links previously mentioned will get you the new
version of Windows Live Mail that was released this afternoon.
Go to http://get.live.com/wl/all
and select which 'Live' programs you want to download.

Gary VanderMolen

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Gary.

Thanks for the link, but it confuses me!

The only "Live" program that I'm interested in (for now, at least) is WLM.
Trying to download just that gets me going in circles, downloading
WLInstaller.exe. But when I Run that program, I get the message that
"Windows Live programs can't be installed on this operating system."

Is that because I'm running Windows Vista Ultimate x64? Is it the 64-bits
that is stopping it? Or the Vista?

What "new version"? Is it a later beta than 12.0.1184? Or is it the
"final" version? I can't seem to find any of this info at the link you
gave. I get lost in the "maze of twisty little passages". :>(

And I have to be out for the next several hours, so I won't be able to try
to puzzle it out until tomorrow, I suppose.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta in Vista Ultimate x64)

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Shawn.

Well they could have said so! It would have taken only a few words, but
there's not a hint that it won't work on x64. :^{

Looks like even MSFT still regards 64-bit as a "second-class citizen".
:>( I see Gary is using 12.0.1365.

Thanks for the information. Where did you get it? Or is that not public?

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta in Vista Ultimate x64)

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Yeah, the page I linked to is the typical glossy end user spiel,
very short on technical details.
Sorry, the installer for the new 'Live' products can't do 64-bit
installs. Microsoft earlier today promised to develop a workaround.
The newest version of WLM is 12.0.1365.

Gary VanderMolen

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Gary.

Yeah, that page was written by Marketing, wasn't it? Long on all the
wonderful things that we can do with the new Live, but very short on details
of HOW we can do those things. :>(

A user named "fi3ryfr3ako" has posted a fix in
microsoft.public.windows.live.mail.desktop, Subject: A How-To Guide to
Installing The Windows Live Suite. Unfortunately, I can't find my hex
editor to make the one-byte patch to WLInstaller.exe, so I can't try it yet.
Maybe MSFT will come through with the 64-bit installer and I won't have to
do it myself.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta in Vista Ultimate x64)

 

[Guest]

I think the clue to my original question is here. Has it got something to do
with what is referred to as a "desktop client" ie.WM and a "web based
client" ie. WLM?

Do I have the terminology right??

Is there an advantage or a preference for desktop vesus web based
clients/services???

Thanks,

bj

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

No. Both WLM and WM are 'desktop' clients, meaning a stand-alone
email program that doesn't use a browser for mail reading.

Gary VanderMolen

 

[Guest]

Thanks again Gary.

I guess I'll just wait until WLM comes out of beta or I find I need more
than what WM gives me.

Thanks,

bj

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

OK. Just keep monitoring this forum, since this will be one of the
first few places where the final release of WLM will be announced.

Gary VanderMolen