windows mail/live mail

[Guest]

Can someone please tell me the difference in the Live mail and windows mail?
I keep reading that one of the suggestions for the problems we are having
with wm is to switch to live. What will that solve?

Thanks...

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

You can think of Windows Live Mail as Windows Mail + bug fixes +
Hotmail access. What does it solve? It delivers freedom from several
of WM's annoying bugs.

Gary VanderMolen

 

[Steve Cochran]

It won't solve anything. All it does is give you a new beta program to test
for MS.

If you are having problems with WinMail then post the issues and ignore
those who say you can fix the issue by using a beta program. Some of us are
actually trying to help the users of the mail program that comes with Vista.

steve

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Steve, I'm not sure what the basis for your acerbic comment is, but
I am also "actually trying to help the users."

The user just wants a dependable email program. It is not a situation
where the user is married to this specific email program and we
have to avoid a divorce at all costs! Is this some sort of misplaced
loyalty thing for you? Our loyalty should be to the user, not to a
specific program.

Furthermore, I don't advocate switching to WLM willy-nilly.
When the problem is something simple, like a message stuck in
the outbox, I recommend your excellent WMUtil program.
I recommend WLM only when the issue is such that the average user
would (in my opinion) have difficulty carrying out the repair instructions,
or he needs a feature that WM doesn't have, such as Hotmail access.

Of all the regular responders here, you are in the distinct minority
when it comes to judging the suitability of WLM as a replacement
for WM. Most agree with me that WLM is more stable and has fewer bugs.

Gary VanderMolen

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

Steve, I'm not sure what the basis for your acerbic comment is, but
I am also "actually trying to help the users."

The user just wants a dependable email program. It is not a situation
where the user is married to this specific email program and we
have to avoid a divorce at all costs! Is this some sort of misplaced
loyalty thing for you? Our loyalty should be to the user, not to a
specific program.

Furthermore, I don't advocate switching to WLM willy-nilly.
When the problem is something simple, like a message stuck in
the outbox, I recommend your excellent WMUtil program.
I recommend WLM only when the issue is such that the average user
would (in my opinion) have difficulty carrying out the repair
instructions,
or he needs a feature that WM doesn't have, such as Hotmail access.

Of all the regular responders here, you are in the distinct minority
when it comes to judging the suitability of WLM as a replacement
for WM. Most agree with me that WLM is more stable and has fewer bugs.

I tried to stay out of this but, obviously, failed.

The major reasons for problems in WinMail is that rather than try to fix
them Microsoft chose to direct the team's efforts into a program with a
revenue model. And then WLM still doesn't satisfy them since it's still
only a beta product. I certainly don't agree that it has less problems. I
don't have any problems with WinMail since I switched to Avast and I find
WLM just barely usable.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

I tried to stay out of this but, obviously, failed.

The major reasons for problems in WinMail is that rather than try to fix them Microsoft chose to direct the team's efforts into
a program with a revenue model. And then WLM still doesn't satisfy them since it's still only a beta product. I certainly
don't agree that it has less problems. I don't have any problems with WinMail since I switched to Avast and I find WLM just
barely usable.

Three comments.
1. The reason WHY Microsoft chose to ignore WM problems is not pertinent
with regard to providing users with solutions right now. But it is very pertinent
that MS has failed to patch a single bug in WM so far, and there is no estimate
as to when, if ever, this will be done.
2. The current WLM build is not much of a revenue model since there are no
ads, and the Active Search feature can be permanently disabled with one click.
3. You and Steve (AFAIK) are the only regular responders here who don't
consider WLM a (less buggy) replacement for WM.

 

[Julian]

Three comments.
1. The reason WHY Microsoft chose to ignore WM problems is not pertinent
with regard to providing users with solutions right now. But it is very
pertinent
that MS has failed to patch a single bug in WM so far, and there is no
estimate
as to when, if ever, this will be done.
2. The current WLM build is not much of a revenue model since there are no
ads, and the Active Search feature can be permanently disabled with one
click.
3. You and Steve (AFAIK) are the only regular responders here who don't
consider WLM a (less buggy) replacement for WM.

If a lot of time and effort has been invested in Windows Mail
it must be painful to let it go?

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

If a lot of time and effort has been invested in Windows Mail
it must be painful to let it go?

In the past I have recommended both Firefox and WLM, but found both too much
harder to use so, not finding any particular problems with WinMail as long
as you avoid email scanning and crapware like Norton and McAfee, WinMail
seems to be the best choice.

 

[Julian]

In the past I have recommended both Firefox and WLM, but found both too
much harder to use so, not finding any particular problems with WinMail as
long as you avoid email scanning and crapware like Norton and McAfee,
WinMail seems to be the best choice.

I found it odd at first, the email and news being on separate panels,
but having used it full time for a couple of months I wouldn't go
back to WM (although I do miss the view selector being up front.)

 

[Peter in New Zealand]

In the past I have recommended both Firefox and WLM, but found both too
much

harder to use so, not finding any particular problems with WinMail as long
as you avoid email scanning and crapware like Norton and McAfee, WinMail
seems to be the best choice.

Can I just kind of sneak into the thread here with a query please? Been
using Vista Home Prem for several weeks now, along with WM. While it seems a
pretty basic sort of program I haven't had any of the issues I see here on a
daily basis. I process around 20 to 30 emails a day in and out, and the
contacts sync nicely with my Nokia phone. Should I be scared of WM? Within
its limitations I have found it reasonably usable. Also, while stopping
development doesn't mean it stops working, is it now essentially abandonware
as far as MS are concerned? I refuse to be dragged towards the "let's do it
all on-line" crowd. Just call me old and grumpy (smile).

Just ONE more question - is there a reputable way to add smilies to WM? Yes,
I know they're in WLM, but see comment above, and I don't know if its
contacts will sync with the Nokia. AND I hate the drag towards having it all
on someone else's HDD 'way out there somewhere.

Hey, thanks for patience - I appreciate it.

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

I found it odd at first, the email and news being on separate panels,
but having used it full time for a couple of months I wouldn't go
back to WM (although I do miss the view selector being up front.)

That problem can be fixed. Others can't, like the toolbar and the wasted
screen real estate.

 

[Peter in New Zealand]

Hi Peter,

I would not be scared of WM. Just do not use any email scanning
options, Norton, or McAfee for the antivirus program. Most of WM's
problems are due to 3rd party programs incompatibility with Vista and
not WM or Vista itself. If it works fine for you, I see no need to
change unless your needs change. I used WM and WLM and had no problems
with either of them. I think it is a bit early to say if WM is
"abandonware" yet. We will see for sure when the SP1 comes out for
Vista and whether there are any patches for WM or not then.

For the smilies, I usually just use the "Insert Picture" option and get
them in from a folder I have all my smilies stored in.

Thank you Shawn. What a simple (and blindingly obvious) idea for smilies.
You would think this old time DOS jocky could have thought of that for
himself. And thanks for your comments re WM. I have always avoided any sort
of third party program messing with my emails on their way in or out, and I
agree with you on that. As far as email database issues go I probably avoid
the issue as I am using IMAP.

I'll carry on cheerfully with WM for now. Thank you for taking the time to
answer.

 

[Julian]

That problem can be fixed.

The view selector being up front? How?