Windows 7 - E-Mail Programs

[John Sisker]

My new Toshiba Laptop comes with Windows 7. Likewise, I purchased and
installed Microsoft Office, which includes Outlook for an e-mail program.
However, Windows 7 apparently allows one to download Windows Live Mail for
another related e-mail application. The bottom lines is, which is better?
Should I use Outlook or Windows Live Mail? Or perhaps both? Likewise, why
would one be better over another?

In addition, what is the best way to configure whatever e-mail program I
choose on my new computer, and how can I transfer my e-mail addresses over
from my old computer using Windows Vista to this new one?

Thanks,
John

 

[Big Steel]

My new Toshiba Laptop comes with Windows 7. Likewise, I purchased and
installed Microsoft Office, which includes Outlook for an e-mail
program. However, Windows 7 apparently allows one to download Windows
Live Mail for another related e-mail application. The bottom lines is,
which is better? Should I use Outlook or Windows Live Mail? Or perhaps
both? Likewise, why would one be better over another?

In addition, what is the best way to configure whatever e-mail program I
choose on my new computer, and how can I transfer my e-mail addresses
over from my old computer using Windows Vista to this new one?

Use ThunderBird it's free and a lot better than Outlook for personal
usage. Outlook in MS office is more suited for corporate and not home
usage. WLM I have never used it.

 

[Nil]

My new Toshiba Laptop comes with Windows 7. Likewise, I purchased
and installed Microsoft Office, which includes Outlook for an
e-mail program. However, Windows 7 apparently allows one to
download Windows Live Mail for another related e-mail application.
The bottom lines is, which is better? Should I use Outlook or
Windows Live Mail? Or perhaps both? Likewise, why would one be
better over another?

The better one in a case like this is the one you prefer. Try them
both and decide for yourself.

Most people will probably say that Outlook is better. It's got a lot
of features, maybe more than you need. It's really intended to be a
client for a corporate MS Exchange email system, but it can do POP
and IMAP as well. It includes a full-featured calendar component
that you might find useful.

Windows Live Mail is simpler and has less features, but its email
features are decent and may be good enough for your purposes. It
also includes a newsgroup reader... but that feature is severely
broken in the most recent version (WLM2011, a.k.a. version 15.) You
should avoid it. The previous version, WLM2009, is still floating
around the 'net.

In addition, what is the best way to configure whatever e-mail
program I choose on my new computer,

Read the instructions. Every program is different.

and how can I transfer my e-mail addresses over from my old
computer using Windows Vista to this new one?

Export the contact list from your old program, whatever that is,
then import it to your new program, whatever that is. The export and
import formats depend on what email programs you use.

 

[Parko]

The better one in a case like this is the one you prefer. Try them both
and decide for yourself.

In this case configure the 'trial' email clients to leave a copy of your
emails on the server so you can retrieve them later if needed...

 

[Parko]

The better one in a case like this is the one you prefer. Try them both
and decide for yourself.

In this case configure the 'trial' email clients to leave a copy of your
emails on the server so you can retrieve them later if needed...

 

[Roy Smith]

My new Toshiba Laptop comes with Windows 7. Likewise, I purchased and
installed Microsoft Office, which includes Outlook for an e-mail
program. However, Windows 7 apparently allows one to download Windows
Live Mail for another related e-mail application. The bottom lines is,
which is better? Should I use Outlook or Windows Live Mail? Or perhaps
both? Likewise, why would one be better over another?

Not knowing your preferences on how you read your email suggesting one
over the other would just be a best guess. The best thing I could
recommend is that you try each one and decide for yourself which one you
like. With that said, Outlook is geared more for Corporate and business
users and Windows Live Mail is more for home users.

In addition, what is the best way to configure whatever e-mail program I
choose on my new computer, and how can I transfer my e-mail addresses
over from my old computer using Windows Vista to this new one?

You could use this program called Static E-Mail Backup which is
available here:

http://www.staticbackup.com/products.php

There are several versions, one for each individual email program that
it works with, and one that encompasses all of them. It's not free, but
there is a trial period which would be enough for you to make a backup
on your old PC, then restore it on the new PC.


--

Roy Smith
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit
Thunderbird 6.0.2
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 8:56:27 AM

 

[Ken Blake]

My new Toshiba Laptop comes with Windows 7. Likewise, I purchased and
installed Microsoft Office, which includes Outlook for an e-mail program.
However, Windows 7 apparently allows one to download Windows Live Mail for
another related e-mail application. The bottom lines is, which is better?
Should I use Outlook or Windows Live Mail? Or perhaps both? Likewise, why
would one be better over another?

It's entirely a matter of taste, but in my view, Outlook is very much
better than Windows Live Mail. In fact, almost *every* other e-mail
program is better than Windows Live Mail. I think Windows Live Mail is
about the worst choice available.

And note that those are not your only two choices. There are many
other e-mails that are available and will run under Windows 7, some
free and others that are inexpensive.

So here's my advice: ignore my opinion and everyone else's opinion.
Try several e-mail programs and choose the one *you* like best.

 

[Philip Herlihy]

My new Toshiba Laptop comes with Windows 7. Likewise, I purchased and
installed Microsoft Office, which includes Outlook for an e-mail program.
However, Windows 7 apparently allows one to download Windows Live Mail for
another related e-mail application. The bottom lines is, which is better?
Should I use Outlook or Windows Live Mail? Or perhaps both? Likewise, why
would one be better over another?

In addition, what is the best way to configure whatever e-mail program I
choose on my new computer, and how can I transfer my e-mail addresses over
from my old computer using Windows Vista to this new one?

Thanks,
John

If you want a very rich set of features and options, including
integration with other Ofice programs (e.g. for mail merge), pick
Outlook. If you prefer simplicity, Windows Live Mail is fine (and much
more secure than Outlook Express was). I'll always use Outlook for
email. I've just stopped using WLM for newsgroups as the latest version
doesn't have a way of marking quoted passages in newsgroups (just as
Gravity has automatically added "> " at the beginning of each line
above). This may be fixed in a subsequent release, although MS have
lost interest in newsgroups - a bad move in my view. I used Thunderbird
for newsgroups for a while, but found it buggy. While I've used one
program for email and another for news, I think it would be eccentric to
use more than one program for email unless you had some reason I can't
think of!

If you want to transfer your contacts, look for "file/export" options in
whatever you're using now, and corresponding "import" options in the one
you want to move to.

If you want to transfer email accounts, you often can't! Outlook could
save accounts as *.iaf files, and versions of (full) Outlook up to 2002
(I think) could, but this useful facility has been removed from Outlook
since then. You can import and export between OE, WLM and Outlook, but
this is a direct process without using intermediate files. I can't
understand why MS removed this useful feature.

slipstick.com is a useful resource for all things Outlook.

 

[John Sisker]

I want to thank all who replied and for the candid but expert advice. So
far, it is looking like Outlook would be the better choice for me. If it
makes any difference, in the past I had used Outlook Express, which I assume
was a rather stripped down version of Outlook anyway. However, when I got
Windows Vista, I ended up with Windows Mail. Yet, from my understanding,
neither the old Outlook/Outlook Express or Windows Mail is compatible with
the new Windows Live Mail.

Thanks,
John

 

[Cameo]

Use ThunderBird it's free and a lot better than Outlook for personal
usage. Outlook in MS office is more suited for corporate and not home
usage. WLM I have never used it.

I second that as I just switched to Thunderbird (TB) from WLM 2011. The
one thing I like in MS Mail/ News reader clients that TB doesn't offer
is the automatic marking of all news messages read when you switch from
one news group to another. I wish TB added that capability in some
future update.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

In this case configure the 'trial' email clients to leave a copy of your
emails on the server so you can retrieve them later if needed...

Bingo!

Excellent idea. It's also what I do when changing e-mail clients

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

I want to thank all who replied and for the candid but expert advice. So
far, it is looking like Outlook would be the better choice for me. If it
makes any difference, in the past I had used Outlook Express, which I assume
was a rather stripped down version of Outlook anyway. However, when I got
Windows Vista, I ended up with Windows Mail. Yet, from my understanding,
neither the old Outlook/Outlook Express or Windows Mail is compatible with
the new Windows Live Mail.

Thanks,
John

1. Outlook Express shares only part of its name with Outlook.

2. Windows Mail & Live Mail are not included with Windows 7 if you get
it from Microsoft. WLM is a free download from MS, however, and WM used
to be. Many computer manufacturers do, however, include Windows (Live)
Mail as a service to their customers.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Gene.

Not quite...

1. Outlook Express shares only part of its name with Outlook.

Correct - but easy to misinterpret. How about: The only thing shared by
Outlook and Outlook Express is a part of their names.

2. Windows Mail & Live Mail are not included with Windows 7 ...

Also correct, but the rest of the paragraph needs clarification and
correction:

Windows Mail (WM) and Windows Live Mail (WLM) are similar products that
share parts of their names, but are distinctly different. Windows Mail was
an integral part of Vista - and ONLY Vista. (Just as OE was an integral
part of WinXP and prior versions of Windows.) It was not available as a
download from Microsoft.

Windows LIVE Mail was not included by Microsoft with ANY version of Windows.
But some sellers bundled it with their sale of WLM, so many buyers think it
is part of Win7. It is not.

Windows 7 was the first Windows version since Win95 that came with NO
mail/news client at all. Microsoft says that you are free to choose the
mail/news client of your choice - from Microsoft or anybody else.

Outlook Express will not run in either Vista or Win7. (But I've heard that
it will run in Windows XP Mode in Win7 Pro or Ultimate.)

Officially, WM will not run with anything but Vista. (Some hackers have got
it working in Win7; I don't know anything more about that, except that it is
not supported by Microsoft.)

WLM will run in any recent version of Windows: WinXP, Vista, Win7. As you
said, Gene, it is a free download from Microsoft, either standalone or as a
part of the Windows Live Essentials. Many OEMs and vendors have "bundled"
all or part of WLE with Win7 and their computers, so many users believe that
it is a part of Win7, but it is not. The WL Essentials include a half-dozen
or more components, including WL Messenger, WL Photo Gallery, WL Movie Maker
and others. To see for yourself and to download as many as you like, go to:
http://explore.live.com/windows-live-essentials

The current version of WLM is WLM 2011, aka Wave 4, aka WLM 15, aka Build
15.4.3538.0513. This uses the Ribbon UI that was introduced in Microsoft
Office 2007 (and 2010). WLM 15 has widely-known flaws, including the
inability to properly quote prior messages in a Reply.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP (2002-2010)
Windows Live Mail 2011 (Build 15.4.3538.0513) in Win7 Ultimate x64 SP1


"Gene E. Bloch" wrote in message

I want to thank all who replied and for the candid but expert advice. So
far, it is looking like Outlook would be the better choice for me. If it
makes any difference, in the past I had used Outlook Express, which I
assume
was a rather stripped down version of Outlook anyway. However, when I got
Windows Vista, I ended up with Windows Mail. Yet, from my understanding,
neither the old Outlook/Outlook Express or Windows Mail is compatible with
the new Windows Live Mail.

Thanks,
John

1. Outlook Express shares only part of its name with Outlook.

2. Windows Mail & Live Mail are not included with Windows 7 if you get
it from Microsoft. WLM is a free download from MS, however, and WM used
to be. Many computer manufacturers do, however, include Windows (Live)
Mail as a service to their customers.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, John.

in the past I had used Outlook Express, which I assume was a rather
stripped down version of Outlook anyway.

Not correct. As Gene said, the only thing shared by Outlook and Outlook
Express is a part of their names.

Yet, from my understanding, neither the old Outlook/Outlook Express or
Windows Mail is compatible with the new Windows Live Mail.

Outlook and WLM will run fine in Win7. OE and WM will not. See my Reply to
Gene for a fuller explanation.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP (2002-2010)
Windows Live Mail 2011 (Build 15.4.3538.0513) in Win7 Ultimate x64 SP1


"John Sisker" wrote in message

I want to thank all who replied and for the candid but expert advice. So
far, it is looking like Outlook would be the better choice for me. If it
makes any difference, in the past I had used Outlook Express, which I assume
was a rather stripped down version of Outlook anyway. However, when I got
Windows Vista, I ended up with Windows Mail. Yet, from my understanding,
neither the old Outlook/Outlook Express or Windows Mail is compatible with
the new Windows Live Mail.

Thanks,
John

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

Hi, John.



Not correct. As Gene said, the only thing shared by Outlook and
Outlook Express is a part of their names.

[]
Also not entirely correct: Outlook used Outlook Express to handle news
(usenet), at least in one version if not all. [Before they stopped our
access (where I work) to news altogether, we learnt not to mention OE to
our helpdesk to avoid getting the response "we don't support OE", but
just to say we were using news under Outlook.]

 

[SC Tom]

Hi, John.



Not correct. As Gene said, the only thing shared by Outlook and Outlook Express is a part of their names.

[]
Also not entirely correct: Outlook used Outlook Express to handle news (usenet), at least in one version if not all.
[Before they stopped our access (where I work) to news altogether, we learnt not to mention OE to our helpdesk to
avoid getting the response "we don't support OE", but just to say we were using news under Outlook.]

It wasn't so much that "Outlook used Outlook Express" as it was "Outlook COULD use Outlook Express" for usenet access,
just as it could use some 3rd-party applications. The two were never co-joined; it was just another method of reading
news. It was available in OL2003, but I don't know what other versions of OL supported it. Of course, all of that
assumed you were running an OS that had OE installed. That method won't work in Vista or Win7 since OE isn't supported
by either one.

 

[Boscoe]

I second that as I just switched to Thunderbird (TB) from WLM 2011. The
one thing I like in MS Mail/ News reader clients that TB doesn't offer
is the automatic marking of all news messages read when you switch from
one news group to another. I wish TB added that capability in some
future update.

When leaving this newsgroup just right click on it and 'Mark Newsgroup
Read'...

 

[Boscoe]

I want to thank all who replied and for the candid but expert advice. So
far, it is looking like Outlook would be the better choice for me. If it
makes any difference, in the past I had used Outlook Express, which I
assume was a rather stripped down version of Outlook anyway. However,
when I got Windows Vista, I ended up with Windows Mail. Yet, from my
understanding, neither the old Outlook/Outlook Express or Windows Mail
is compatible with the new Windows Live Mail.

Thanks,
John

You can use Windows Mail with Windows 7 if you have a Vista PC.

On the Vista PC open Windows Explorer and go to C:\Program Files and
copy the Windows Mail folder to your USB stick. Pop the USB stick into
your Windows 7 PC
and copy the Windows Mail folder to the same location (C:\Program Files).
Once in place open the folder hold down the Ctrl key then click and
drag and drop a copy of the winmail.exe icon
onto the desktop to create a shortcut.

 

[Ken Blake]

Outlook and WLM will run fine in Win7.

A couple of minor corrections, RC.

Windows Live Mail, yes. But Outlook will run fine only if it is a
recent-enough version--2003, 2007, or 2010.

OE and WM will not.

Outlook Express will not, but Windows Mail will, with a workaround.
There are several web sites that tell you how to do this. Here's one:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5481-windows-mail.html

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Correct - but easy to misinterpret. How about: The only thing shared by
Outlook and Outlook Express is a part of their names.

I struggled with how to phrase it. I should have consulted with you
first