Island Dog

Join Date 06/2003

+1048

Microsoft Building New Free Mail Client

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Internet Explorer isn't the only application to enjoy a resurgence in Windows Vista -- Microsoft is readying a new desktop e-mail client that will be integrated into Windows Live and eventually replace Outlook Express. Dubbed Windows Live Mail Desktop, the product is currently in beta testing.

As IE development stagnated following the release of Windows XP, Outlook Express -- Microsoft's free e-mail client -- suffered a similar fate. But the OE team returned to update the product for Vista under the name Windows Mail, and is now expanding that work with a completely separate application."

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I have always wondered why Microsoft seemed to be unable to produce a decent email program.

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PoSmedley

Join Date 04/2005

+788

I saw the Windows Live Mail page Link

I looked at a few of the other Live offers, too. I didn't notice on the Mail feature, but a few of the others mention that when the BETA is over, you will have to pay for it, or you can get a very scaled down version for free and pay to upgrade.

All this 'Live' stuff is interesting and I even signed up for a couple beta's, but I will be curious to see what happens when all the testing is done.

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starkers

Join Date 05/2004

+1153

MS must have one heck of a bullseye painted on its front door. After reading the article, I read through the comments below and there's a bunch taking shots....more than one if they missed first time 'round.

Sure glad I shelved all my good ideas and became a failure!

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PoSmedley

Join Date 04/2005

+788

I got the registration key today for the Microsoft Office Live that I said I signed up for. I signed up for the free beta that gives you your own domaine (yourname.com). Now I just gotta figure out the way they have the page designing set-up and what the heck I'm gonna put on it.

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Island Dog

Join Date 06/2003

+1048

How about a picture of yourself?

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PoSmedley

Join Date 04/2005

+788

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Wow, really?

If you end up setting it up, you should show us what it looks like. Maybe even write a report about it or some sort of review.

By the way, how did you get the beta of that? I would love to check out what I think will be the future of business and home computing.

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PoSmedley

Join Date 04/2005

+788

You just go to the site and sign up. It took 4 weeks to get the registration.

I'm having trouble figuring out their built in site design. It doesn't seem very customizable and it has that whole 'Microsoft' look to it. I'll try to keep you all posted.

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I'm going to vent for a second, please for give me.

I don't give a big hairy rat's butt what they come up with, but you better *%$!? well be able to uninstall it. I am sick to death of having a half dozen folders in my program files for programs that I don't use, and don't want on my computer.

Worse, Outlook Express has always been a dream for people who write malware. For that reason, if you don't need email clients, they shouldn't be on your computer at all. Can you get rid of it in many Windows versions? Nope. Can't have that quasi-monopoly status messed with.

So, they can take frontpage, and outlook express, and netmeeting, and that stupid xerox folder, and ram them. If I want them I'll install them myself. Hell, I don't care if THEY install them, but I ought to be able to get rid of them if I so choose.

...anger fading... fading... groWING!!... fading... gone...

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I want to agree with #9.
If I am not mistaken, there are 4 flavours off Outlook ? You should see the mess that it creates on my friends and families computers.
They install windows and configure outlook. fine.
Then they stumble on Office, and get another version.
Then they configure Messenger, and get the request to upgrade to MSN. Again with another Outlook, and a second independent installation of Messenger (MSN instead of Microsoft).
Where is the underlying planning in that ? It just turns people away from basically good core products (easy to install and maintain) ?
Why would I need another microsoft email client ? Why don't they stick with Outlook, and improve on that ?
I use gmail on the web, and Thunderbird to back up my emails in the unlikely event Google decides one day to stop delivering the service for free, or they have a major DB crash (also very unlikely, but still possible).
And most email can be consulted from a browser nowadays, why would I run the risk of a hard drive crash or virus attack ?
So for me, except in the unlikely event they come up with something completely new and usefull (example : conversations in Gmail), they can keep it, and please don't push it to users who don't know how to perform basic computer tasks like having the same functionality in different programs (and there are more of those then people here would imagine).
just my 2 cents,
Jan

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I've been using Office Live for a while now. The UI is really, REALLY buggy.
Not many options to choose from either.

The text editor they provide is about as bad as you can get now days. The background filler works about 10% of the time.

Free domain is nice.

You cannot upload web pages. Images and doc's you can.

The "free" e-mail is o.k., but unless you pay extra money, you can't import it into Outlook or run a e-mail checker on it. I also have MSN Premium so I have a work-around.

There is nothing to uninstall though. It's all operated online.

On a 1 to 10..................eh, it's free so I'd give it a 3 1/2 or 4. That's about it. And then only because of the free domain name.

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PoSmedley

Join Date 04/2005

+788

coreyjames66 , could u email me a link to your site. I am having a hard time figuring how to set mine up, I'd love to get a look at one already set up and running. Which version did you go with? I am running with the free beta.

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I'm using the free beta as well.

I'm sorry if I mislead you. It's not really up and running. I'm still trying to figure out exactly what I want to do with it myself and, as you know, it is very limited as to what it allows.

I'm thinking I may just use it as a portal to another site that will allow me to upload my pages like Sitesled. (Sitesled is free with no ads if you're interested). Sitesled doesn't feature free domains however. I'm thinking a re-direct there wouldn't be so bad though.

So far I've only gotten the logo to look good. And then, only using one layout. I've done a bunch of the rest of the homepage, but I deleted it as it looked really bad. It's frustrating. I'll e-mail you if I can get it figured out better myself, but I'm likely no farther then you are. (And I've been using it for a while now.)

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