Outlook Express v Windows Live Mail

**PA Bear [MS MVP]**

Forwarded to OE6, IE6, IE General, and Internet Mail newsgroups via
crosspost to make Michael's excellent recap available to more readers and
for archival purposes.
--
~PA Bear

Michael Santovec wrote:
Windows Live Mail (WLM) is based on Outlook Express and pretty much the
same program and has similar features including a number of the same
quirks.

One of the biggest differences is under the covers. WLM dumps the
fragile DBX files for the message store and uses EML files (one per
message).

If you are using Identities, that's one thing you'll lose. If you are
using them for multiple users on a PC, then WLM expects you to use
Windows User Logons instead. If you are using them to separate POP3
accounts, WLM does a better job of that directly. But if you are truly
using identities, such as to separate personal verses business accounts,
that will be a problem.

There are some cosmetic differences in the look and feel. But once you
look at the menu options, you'll find much that is a direct copy,
although some options have been moved around.

As to your specific questions:

1) WLM uses its own address book. It will import the OE WAB file. It
supports groups but not folders. Members of a group must be in the main
contacts, whereas OE allows you to put e-mail addresses in a group
without putting them in the main contacts.

2) WLM has its own spell checker and is not dependent on Word/Office.
The upside is that you avoid the OE/Office 2007 fiasco. The down side
is a limited number of languages (English, Spanish, French, German,
Korean).

3) On install WLM will import the OE data and make itself the default
mail program. OE is still installed with all its data. It's pretty
easy to switch back.

To set Outlook Express back as the default mail program:
Start, Run and enter:

"C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe" /reg

To recreate missing shortcuts to start OE, create a shortcut with the
target:

"C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe"

"Bob Lucas" wrote in message
...
Windows XP Professional, SP2
IE7
OE6
Microsoft Office Professional 2000

I use Outlook Express as my default program for the following
purposes:

a) Downloading and sending emails (POP3 & SMTP servers)

b) To access my free "grandfather" Hotmail and MSN accounts via the
HTTP server at http://services.msn.com/svcs/hotmail/httpmail.asp

c) Newsreader (NNTP servers)

I use the address book C:\Documents and Settings\...\Address Book\Bob
Lucas.wab in conjunction with OE. My address book includes several
Groups / Distribution Lists.

I have received an email from Microsoft, which states, "we want to
provide advanced notice that as of June 30, 2008, Microsoft is
disabling the DAV protocol and you will no longer be able to access
your Hotmail Inbox via Outlook Express. As an alternative, we
recommend that you download Windows Live Mail, a free desktop e-mail
client that has the familiarity of Outlook Express and much more."

It seems I will have the following options:

1. Switch to Windows Live Mail or

2. Continue to use Outlook Express to access my POP3, SMTP and NNTP
servers - and use the webmail interface for Hotmail and MSN mail
accounts.

Microsoft are promoting Live Mail, so it would be naive for me to
expect them to tell me about the drawbacks (if any). I like OE, which
until now, has done everything I require from an email and newsreader.
To assist with this decision, I wonder whether anyone can provide a
brief summary of the primary differences between Outlook Express and
Windows Live Mail.

In particular, does Live Mail have any major disadvantages. Is it
compatible with my existing address book and the spell-checker in Word
2000. Most importantly, would I be able to revert to Outlook Express,
if I don't like Live Mail?

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