[Question] Windows Live Mail 2011

[AmithS]

Hi Everyone,

I fount this new program for Windows 7 & Vista (at least new to me).

Is anyone using Windows Live Mail 2011?

How does it compare to programs like Thunderbird & full outlook?

Anyone with experience using Gmail with Windows Live Mail 2011?

Thanks for your input!

[Perform Computers]

Windows Live Mail is a glorified Outlook Express in my opinion. I do not like it. The layout is too simple, and it's not as powerful as Outlook 2010.

Just my opinion.

[twinscythe12332]

It has cut down functionality when compared to outlook. Thunderbird is similar.

[irneb]

Thunderbird is similar.

Only if you don't install the add-ons like Lightning (for your calendars) and some other niceties. I find it more comprehensive than Outlook 2007 (especially with IMAP), not to mention faster with huge mail folders, and contacts auto-complete / contact sidebar is a dream in comparison to OL's auto-complete-not-from-contacts / dead add contacts when in the write a mail window. I haven't used OL 2010, so I can't comment on that though.

But it all depends, if you were happy with OL Express then LiveMail's probably not bad at all. I don't know how well it works with GMail - but with GMail you can choose POP3/IMAP to swap if one doesn't work as well. The main differences is the extras over-and-above just a mail receiver / sender: e.g. calendar & appointment scheduling, contacts sharing, email sharing, etc. For those you'll need either Outlook / Thunderbird - usually also with some Exchange-like back-end server.

[twinscythe12332]

I can agree with you on that one. But microsoft's strength (and to some, its weakness) has always been that it offers a package. For some inexplicable reason, people don't like to try and find that one awesome add-on. They just want it to work.

[irneb]

I can agree with you on that one. But microsoft's strength (and to some, its weakness) has always been that it offers a package. For some inexplicable reason, people don't like to try and find that one awesome add-on. They just want it to work.

Yes! It would be nice if TB would have a few packaged installs - e.g. a bare-bones (OL Express like) all the way up to a fully fledged enterprise version which works on Exchange or other back-ends with document management built-in (something like Zimbra Desktop).

They have been trying to make the add-on experience easier by making a new Addon Collection idea where users could package their favourite addons into a single once-off install. But still you need to install TB bare-bones first and then install the add-on package.

[Dave A]

For some inexplicable reason, people don't like to try and find that one awesome add-on. They just want it to work.

Plug 'n play rules. We've got lives to get on with

But still you need to install TB bare-bones first and then install the add-on package.

As long as there's some level of assurance that the bundled package works well, I don't think that would be a major problem.

[irneb]

As long as there's some level of assurance that the bundled package works well, I don't think that would be a major problem.

Well, there is a rating process you can give these packages. So I assume it's a question of searching for those with the highes rating and greatest number of users - i.e. Let others test it for you, then only install the best of the bunch