Contacts - sorting

[Toddchuk]

My cmigrated contacts are a mess...When I click on "contacts" the list is
sorted by first name. Next, I attempted to sort by 'last name' - the field
for 'last name' is blank for most contacts DESPITE there being a first and
last name on their contact card.

Outlook Express was simple, intuitive and easy to customize. Windows Mail
is cumbersome, slow and totally counter-intuitive as well as complicate as
hell to customize.

1) How do I get the contacts list to reflect what is ACTUALLY on the
contact cards: ie: First and last names

2) Can I switch back to Outlook Express with Vista?

 

[Dave]

1) I've seen that before, and I seem to recall that all I had to do, was
open the contact to edit, and just
highlight the first or last name and hit Enter, like I edited it. Then it
showed up.

2) No. OE can't be installed on Vista. But there is a newer version of
Windows Mail, called Windows Live Mail.

 

[Toddchuk]

Thanks, but for 200 contacts?? Don't really want to invest an hour to do
something that should be automatic...and was with the old windows e-mail
program.

Got to say, don't care for 'windows mail' AT ALL. How is it possible that I
can have such basic issues when transferring from one windows e-mail program
to another? That's just daft man!

Is the newer version REALLY any better or is it just as plagued with bugs?
Will it solve my issues with my contacts?

 

[Laura]

I just switched to Vista last weekend. That was the first thing that I
noticed wrong with my contacts list. It was suggested that I add the last
name field to the contacts screen and sort the column. Works fine until you
need to address an e-mail message. That uses the Full name field. I ended up
spending over an hour changing the way "full name" is displayed. There is a
drop down menu to change it to "Last, First" which is how I had is set in
OE. what a pain.

 

[Toddchuk]

I'm installing "thunderbird" e-mail http://en.www.mozilla.com/en/thunderbird/

What a fiasco Windows Mail is....On so many levels.

BTW there was a link posted that advised shutting down portions of your
antivirus software to make Win Mial run without hang-ups. DON'T DO IT.
Talked with Avast and they STRONGLY advise agaist it. Leaves you open to
viruses through your e-mail.

Thanks Laura

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Have you done the research on this?
Symantec (Norton) is a recognized leader in the antivirus field,
and they originated the email scanning concept. However, they
admit that it is redundant and unnecessary:

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...88256c7500723cf0?OpenDocument&src=bar_sch_nam

 

[Ian]

I cant help with your initial problem, but I agree with Dave that windows
live mail appears a much better option than windows mail. Also if you have
multiple mail boxes then live mail sorts your mail so that you can access
each box separately, but without changing user accounts through a new window.
All in one place and quite easy to use.