Outlook while able to use alternate email protocols (Pop3, IMAP, SMTP)
was developed for use with Microsoft Exchange. Microsoft Exchange is
commonly used in corporate environments providing email and other
groupware features. Outlook when combined with Exchange is powerful in
that you can design custom forms and business solutions using it.
Outlook also has great task management and has a large number of
commercial add-ins as well as add-ins for other programs (Skype, Xobni,
Evernote, etc) that integrate with Outlook and extend its usefulness.
Unlike free hotmail, live and other accounts, Exchange hosting will run
you a monthly or yearly fee. There are other features like syncing with
Blackberry or Windows Mobile that are often optional. Outlook is a
powerful email client and PIM designed for business. Outlook can be
used alone but also integrates well with the rest of the Microsoft
Office Suite such as OneNote and also SharePoint. Outlook can be
overkill if you don't need or plan on using many of its capabilities but
if you need the power and flexibility it provides it is a great tool.
Many folks don't need all these features at home so a lighter and free
email client will meet the needs they have.

Windows Live Mail on the other hand is designed more for personal use
although I'm sure some small business may use it. It connects to Pop3,
IMAP, SMTP, HTTP but not to Microsoft Exchange. There is no task
management, Notes or Journal features in WLM to this point. While
Windows Live Mail has a Calendar, it is a far cry from the scheduling
and Calendar features built in to Outlook and Exchange. It is targeted
at a different market (home users) and is a replacement for OE on Vista,
Windows 7 and moving forward.



"D. Spencer Hines" wrote in message
:

I'm not understanding how Microsoft wants users to employ WLM versus
Outlook.

There seems to be a lot of overlap between the two products -- both have
synched calendars, for example.

What are the intended user profiles for each product?

Frankly, I think Microsoft Marketing has dropped the ball here in not
informing customers about these differences, capabilities, limitations and
comparative advantages and disadvantages of WLM and Outlook.

Yes, I realize one is free and one is not -- but I'm thinking beyond that.
--
DSH
Lux et Veritas et Libertas
Deus Vult

Optional replacement for OE on Xp and Windows Mail on Vista; and an available email/news client for Windows 7(which does not
include an email/news client).

--
...winston
ms-mvp mail


"Megabyte" wrote in message ...
It is targeted at a different market (home users) and is a replacement for OE on Vista, Windows 7 and moving forward.