Best alternative to Outlook Express

[KM Richards]

OK, so before long I'm gonna jump on the Windows 7 OS bandwagon which means my trusty Outlook Express is going to have to be replaced.

Problem is, in my business I've been saving emails in all my customer's folders for years when I correspond with them to keep track of what was said. I'll need a way to access those stored messages from time to time.

So, what's my best option for an email client that is similar to Outlook Express? Should I only consider Thunderbird, or Thunderbird 2 ?

Can Thunderbird access those emails I have stored in customer folders?
If not, is there any program that would allow me to access these messages (I think they are .DBX files since they were originally created using Outlook Express)?

[Dan Grossman]

Windows Live Mail is the new free e-mail client from Microsoft, and can import mail from your Outlook Express mail store directory.

Thunderbird 2 can also import your mails from those files.

I haven't tried Windows Live Mail myself, I moved to Thunderbird back in 2006 when Vista came out.

Either way, make sure you back up the mail store directory from OE before you upgrade the OS. Put it somewhere external, like a CD/DVD or USB drive.

My OE store was too big for Thunderbird to import (many gigabytes and hundreds of thousands of mails). TB churned for hours and I gave up on the import. I still have the old mails backed up somewhere, but I've never actually needed to look at one.

[KM Richards]

I store very little in email email identity.

My problem is that I've been saving emails to customer folders in
My Documents as each customer has a "Messages" folder where I
save email correspondance, so I'll need a way to be able to access
those saved messages

I heard of a program called Express Archiver that allows you to
view DBX files no matter where they may be located on your computer.
But, I don't think it's ready for Windows 7 primetime quite yet.

I'll probably go with Thunderbird 2, although I guess I'll checkout
Windows Live Mail. Does that run on your local computer or is it
internet based kinda like Yahoo or Hotmal?

[KM Richards]

Wow, so Microsoft does have a email client that runs on your computer anymore and you have to use their Windows live internet based email now?

[Dan Grossman]

Windows Live Mail is a desktop e-mail client. They just unbundled it, along with several other programs, from the OS to avoid future antitrust issues. They're all part of Windows Live Essentials, a download promoted on the welcome screen after you install Windows.

http://download.live.com/
http://download.live.com/wlmail

[Braintwit]

Thanks for sharing all the information.

[kirsky]

MAybe you can try lotus notes.

[netalab_inc]

You can use, MS Outlook

[KM Richards]

Don't like the ideas of using something so proprietary as Lotus Nuts,
and I have tried Outlook and didn't like it cause I'm so used to
Outlook Express.

Too bad Outlook Express cannot be loaded independently.
Does Windows 7 just no allow Outlook Express to load?

Otherwise, I'm thinking Thunderbird is the word

[Dan Grossman]

Outlook Express was part of Internet Explorer 4 through 6, I don't think there is a way to install it independently of the old browser. There is simply no Outlook Express to try to load. Its name was changed to Windows Mail for version 7, then replaced by Windows Live Mail.

[KM Richards]

Well, I'm gonna have to have a serious talk with Bill about this...

What about IncrediMail? Anybody ever try that ( online at http://www.incredimail.com )

IncrediMail Premium looks pretty good and it's only $29.95
Wonder if it gives you access to the HTML when writing
emails like OE does.

[logic_earth]

Since Gmail has the ability to connect to other POP3 accounts, I have it downloading all of my email into one place and sorted to set labels. Which means I am no longer bound to a desktop application or routine backups. And I can still send from the respective other accounts.

[KM Richards]

Which means I am no longer bound to a desktop application or routine backups

Ah, but now you are totally dependant upon Google's servers to backup
all your emails that you might want to save.

In our business, I correspond with customers and distributors frequently
by email and I have to save those to my hard drive and back them up
to other hard drives as it is important that I document what is said
between us and our customers.

Besides, Google is probably sharing your emails with governments all
over the world who may be coming for you if they don't like what
you have been saying as they seem to be friendly with those
government entities for some reason

[bob_d]

Have used these two for years... work great on Win7:

Mailbag Assistant - very nice for searching a directory of old messages n more...
http://www.fookes.com/mailbag/overview.php

PocoMail - nice easy email client, html formatting if you want, no fear of virus as it doesn't use IE to display or run scripts...
http://www.pocosystems.com/home/inde...id=7&Itemid=28

[KM Richards]

Great, thanks for the leads. I'll check these out...

[logic_earth]

Ah, but now you are totally dependant upon Google's servers to backup
all your emails that you might want to save.

And Google does just that I can assure you. It would have been stupid f6r Google to not implement a full scale backup and recovery program. Full data replication among several servers, no doubt. I am more then confident knowing my data is safe on Google's servers then my cheap hardware.

Besides, Google is probably sharing your emails with governments all
over the world who may be coming for you if they don't like what
you have been saying as they seem to be friendly with those
government entities for some reason

Would be no different then any other Email ISP. However, the government agencies need to first have a warrant. But like I care, I have nothing to hide. I have more important things to worry about then paranoia.

[cringer]

If you liked outlook express so much... Why not move to full outlook? It's just like OE but much better.

Its an ms office product, not a browser tool... unless they changed that too

(edit: sorry just noticed you say you tried and didn't like outlook already.)

[Dan Grossman]

Outlook is a really heavy application. It's only worth the resources it uses if you're sitting in a big corporation that actually uses all the Exchange features.

There is a web app version of Outlook with almost all of the features. It's called Outlook Web Access.

[My220x]

Besides, Google is probably sharing your emails with governments all
over the world who may be coming for you if they don't like what
you have been saying as they seem to be friendly with those
government entities for some reason

I would have no problem with Google having access to my E-mail data and would be sure they wouldn't hand it over to the Government without a fight.

[KM Richards]

And Google does just that I can assure you. It would have been stupid f6r Google to not implement a full scale backup and recovery program. Full data replication among several servers, no doubt. I am more then confident knowing my data is safe on Google's servers then my cheap hardware

OK, personally I like to be responsible for my own data versus
relying on some big corporation doing that for me. Heck, they
could discontinue the whole program and delete all your stuff
tomorrow if they wanted.

But, if you're happy with that setup...me happy too

[cringer]

Outlook is a really heavy application. It's only worth the resources it uses if you're sitting in a big corporation that actually uses all the Exchange features.

There is a web app version of Outlook with almost all of the features. It's called Outlook Web Access.

I'm confused. Isn't OWA simply a web client for Exchange?
(I use both to access the same exchange account).

Or is there an OWA product for folks who are not on exchange?

[airstair]

Thunder Bird is Free and Very Fast of outlook Express Alternative

[morgano1132]

Phoenix mail is the alter of the microsoft outlook. but i am using this time microsoft outlook express.

[molona]

I'm confused. Isn't OWA simply a web client for Exchange?
(I use both to access the same exchange account).

Or is there an OWA product for folks who are not on exchange?

Precisly

[Kwinzee]

Thunderbird is by far the best email client software in my opinion...
It is fairly straight forward and a good layout. I have four different email addresses set up, one above the other. I simply click once on inbox, sent, spam or whatever, in any account and any emails in the folder show up instantly.