Newsreader (like in Outlook Express) included in Outlook

[Eric]

Outlook is not a cheap product and is mainly used for working with mail,
appointments etc. The same type of product is Outlook Express, but is free
and included with windows. People who want to use products for free use
Outlook Express and people who want more comfort (typically business users)
use Outlook. The problem is that only Outlook Express includes a newsreader.
When I use news and mails, I need two different programs. And I cannot drag
and drop a news message into an Exchange Public Folder, etc.
I cannot understand that Outlook doesn't include a newsreader for the paying
customers. Do you want that your customers remain using Outlook Express and
do NOT buy Outlook? I cannot understand this.
Ok, I can put a command button into Outlook to start Outlook Express or I
can use some 3rd party vendor's product as an Add-In etc. But all this has
some disadvantages. I think this is a big customer demand. If you cannot
include this into Outlook 2007, please consider this for the next Outlook
version (after OL2007).


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[Gordon]

Outlook is not a cheap product and is mainly used for working with mail,
appointments etc. The same type of product is Outlook Express, but is free

Wrong premise. Outlook Express is a COMPLETELY different product to Outlook,
and is aimed at a completely different target user.

and included with windows. People who want to use products for free use
Outlook Express and people who want more comfort (typically business
users) use Outlook.

Again a wrong premise. Business users use Outlook because of its calendar
and task-sharing functions when combined with Exchange Server. OE has NO
calendar or task functions AT ALL. There are other applications that will
do what Outlook does - most notably Lotus Notes and Groupwise.

The problem is that only Outlook Express includes a
newsreader. When I use news and mails, I need two different programs. And
I cannot drag and drop a news message into an Exchange Public Folder, etc.
I cannot understand that Outlook doesn't include a newsreader for the
paying customers.

Because reading news is not a function that commercial organisations usually
need or encourage their employees to engage in. And as the vast majority of
installations of Outlook are indeed in commercial organisations, there has
never been any call for this function.

Do you want that your customers remain using Outlook
Express and do NOT buy Outlook?

Again - they are two entirely different products aimed at entirely different
target consumers. Outlook is a PIM with email capability. Outlook EXPRESS
is an Internet mail and news application.

I cannot understand this.

See all the reasons above.

 

[Eric]

Hello Gordon

You might be right that the target users are different for these products,
but I don't see such a big difference in the products like you do. If you
have Outlook, you don't need Outlook Express anymore (except for the
Newsreader).

there has never been any call for this function.

I don't understand this (if it's true) and that's why I request it here.
(I've been told by Microsoft that I should post suggestions here.)

Because reading news is not a function that commercial organisations usually
need or encourage their employees to engage in.

We need it. And probably the people at home that are using Outlook (and
Outlook Express for their newsgroups) also do so.
If an organization doesn't want their people to read and post in newsgroups,
then this would be simple to deactivate - there are lots of features in
Outlook / Group Policy / Exchange / Firewall, etc. for this reason. And you
have the same difficulties if those people use Outlook Express instead.

So let me just desire this feature, even if you don't need it or think it
isn't necessary. It IS necessary for some people.

Regards,
Eric

 

[Gordon]

Hello Gordon

You might be right that the target users are different for these products,
but I don't see such a big difference in the products like you do. If you
have Outlook, you don't need Outlook Express anymore (except for the
Newsreader).

there's a HUGE difference, right down to the different ways each application
stores its data! As I said, Outlook is a Personal Information Manager with
Email functionality, Outlook Express is ONLY an Internet Mail and News
application!

I don't understand this (if it's true) and that's why I request it here.
(I've been told by Microsoft that I should post suggestions here.)

If you were an employer would YOU want your employees wasting their time
browsing newsgroups? Of course you wouldn't. By and large there is NO
necessity for employees in the workplace to have newsgroup access!

We need it. And probably the people at home that are using Outlook (and
Outlook Express for their newsgroups) also do so.
If an organization doesn't want their people to read and post in
newsgroups, then this would be simple to deactivate - there are lots of
features in Outlook / Group Policy / Exchange / Firewall, etc. for this
reason. And you have the same difficulties if those people use Outlook
Express instead.

So let me just desire this feature, even if you don't need it or think it
isn't necessary. It IS necessary for some people.

But as I said, not in sufficient numbers to warrant the addition by
Microsoft. There are plenty of third-party add-ins that will give you News
reading in Outlook.