Trying Outlook; currently a WLM user

G

Gordon Biggar

I've heard that Windows Live Mail will no longer be supported by Microsoft, and that Outlook is being marketed as its replacement. (I've always had a good experience with WLM.)

Recently, I had to replace my laptop, so I installed Outlook on it for a test run. A few questions:

Is one able to add more than one user to Outlook? (Maybe I have the "free" version, since I don't see any references to this ability.)

When I use the "TO" feature in sending an email, only five frequent addresses appear. My entire list of conacts is availble when I click on People, however. How do I merge the two?

I don't see any HELP tabs, which might answer some of my questions. But, then again, maybe I have the low-cost version!

Thanks in advance.

Gordon
 
R

R. C. White

Hi, Gordon.

WHICH Outlook? Since you posted using some other program (Google?), I can't
tell from the headers on your message. And, in addition to the major
difference between Outlook and Outlook Express (WLM's predecessor), there
have been many differences over the decades between Outlook XP, Outlook 97,
Outlook 2000 - and the current Outlook 2013 and Outlook 365. :>(

While I've dabbled with Outlook over the years, it just doesn't fit me, so
I've not gotten very familiar with it. I much prefer OE and its successors,
even with the oft-recognized failures of WLM. The major weakness FOR ME is
that Outlook doesn't do newsgroups at all. (I've heard that some versions
of OL allow a newsreader to be added, but I've never tried that.) But
Outlook does email very well.

So far as I know, there is no "free" version of Outlook, but I think that
some computer vendors "bundle" a minimal version of it to make their
machines easier to sell. In any event you should be able to click on Help
to see exactly which version of Outlook you are using. MSFT has moved the
Help button a few times; in my Office 2010 I first click the File button
(upper left of my OL screen), then Help. It shows plenty of information,
including these lines:
Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010
About Microsoft Outlook
Version 14.0.6129.5000 (64-bit)

See if you can locate that screen on your copy of Outlook and include it in
your next post here. And it might help if you also mention which version of
Windows you are running.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP (2002-2010)
Windows Live Mail 2012 (Build 16.4.3505.0912) in Win8 Pro


"Gordon Biggar" wrote in message

I've heard that Windows Live Mail will no longer be supported by Microsoft,
and that Outlook is being marketed as its replacement. (I've always had a
good experience with WLM.)

Recently, I had to replace my laptop, so I installed Outlook on it for a
test run. A few questions:

Is one able to add more than one user to Outlook? (Maybe I have the "free"
version, since I don't see any references to this ability.)

When I use the "TO" feature in sending an email, only five frequent
addresses appear. My entire list of conacts is availble when I click on
People, however. How do I merge the two?

I don't see any HELP tabs, which might answer some of my questions. But,
then again, maybe I have the low-cost version!

Thanks in advance.

Gordon
 
K

Ken Blake, MVP

I've heard that Windows Live Mail will no longer be supported by Microsoft,


I don't know anything about that, but it that's true, it's fine with
me. As far as I'm concerned, Windows Live Mail is the worst e-mail
program/newsreader I've ever seen.

and that Outlook is being marketed as its replacement.


Be very careful with the term "Outlook." To most us, Outlook is the
e-mail program/ personal information manager that comes with Microsoft
Office (although it can also be bought by itself).

But I don't think that's what you mean. You probably are referring to
Outlook.com, Microsoft's replacement for Hotmail. As has happened far
too many times, Microsoft has confused an enormous number of people by
giving very similar names to two different products.

Recently, I had to replace my laptop, so I installed Outlook on it for a test run. A few questions:

Is one able to add more than one user to Outlook? (Maybe I have the "free" version, since I don't see any references to this ability.)

When I use the "TO" feature in sending an email, only five frequent addresses appear. My entire list of conacts is availble when I click on People, however. How do I merge the two?

I don't see any HELP tabs, which might answer some of my questions. But, then again, maybe I have the low-cost version!


Again, it's not a matter of versions. They are two completely
different things. So before trying to answer your question, please
tell us which are you asking about.
 
G

Gordon Biggar

Thanks, guys.

My laptop came with Windows 8, and Microsoft Mail, which I can do without. I did download a "free" version of Outlook.com (sorry for the confusion). Interestingly, I have Office 2010 on my computer, but I don't see any reference to Outlook when I view Program Files (x86) via Windows Explorer. Maybe I chose not to load it when I installed it on my desktop a year ago. (In Windows 8, Microsoft automatically downloads your Office version onto your new computer for you.) Maybe this is where I need to start -- trying/finding the Office version of Outlook.

Sorry to confuse you with my earlier posts.

Gordon
Houston, Texas
 
K

Ken Blake, MVP

Thanks, guys.

My laptop came with Windows 8, and Microsoft Mail, which I can do without. I did download a "free" version of Outlook.com (sorry for the confusion).


The confusion isn't your fault. It's Microsoft's.

Interestingly, I have Office 2010 on my computer, but I don't see any reference to Outlook w


What edition of Office is it? If it's Starter or Home and Student, it
does not come with Outlook.
 
G

Gordon Biggar

Aye, there's the rub. I have the Home & Student edition.

Do you strongly recommend the paid version of Outlook (vs. WLM, or even Google)? In other words, are the features vastly superior to those in WLM (which you have said that you don't care for)? I'll have to check the pricing.

GB
 
K

Ken Blake, MVP

Aye, there's the rub. I have the Home & Student edition.


That's what I suspected.

Do you strongly recommend the paid version of Outlook (vs. WLM, or even Google)? In other words, are the features vastly superior to those in WLM (which you have said that you don't care for)? I'll have to check the pricing.


Google (gmail.com) is an e-mail *provider*, not an e-mail program; you
can't contrast it with an e-mail program like Outlook. You can read
and write gmail either in a web browser like Internet Explorer( which
is what most gmail users do, because they don't know any better) or
using almost any e-mail program.For example, I have several e-mail
addresses, including a gmail one, and I use Outlook for all of them.

As far as I'm concerned, doing e-mail in a browser rather than an
e-mail program is the slowest, clumsiest way to do it. It has many
disadvantages. I do it occasionally when traveling, and always hate
doing so. But there are many thousands (if not millions) of people who
do it that way every day, like it, and disagree with me. My guess is
that most of them know very little about e-mail programs and what the
many advantages are of using almost any of them over a browser.

And Windows Live Mail is terrible primarily because it does not
properly quote text messages with the > sign, as you can see that I am
doing in this reply to you.

Should you use Outlook? Some other e-mail program? They each have
their advantages and disadvantages, and you should make your own
choice; we all do things differently and have different likes and
dislikes. And some are free, some are inexpensive, and some cost a lot
(Outlook, for example, is expensive). I like Outlook not just because
of the way it does e-mail, but also because of other things it does
(it's a personal information manager). You might like some other less
expensive program equally well, or even prefer it.

Following is my standard message on the subject of e-mail programs,
which repeats some of what I said above:

Outlook Express has been gone for several years. Windows XP was the
last version of Windows to include it.

Windows Vista had Windows Mail as its replacement (it's essentially a
newer version of Outlook Express), but that is also gone in Windows 7
(however it can be brought into Windows 7 from a Windows Vista
machine).

Windows 7 comes with *no* e-mail or newsgroup program. Although many
people object to this, I think it's a step in the right direction,
since it leaves everyone more free to choose whatever program(s) he
likes best. There are many choices available, both from Microsoft and
from third-parties. Some are free and some are for sale. Microsoft has
Windows Live Mail (which is essentially also a newer version of
Outlook Express/Windows Mail, with still another new name) available
for download for free and Outlook (a different program from outlook
express) available for sale, either alone or as part of Microsoft
Office.

If your computer came with Windows 7 preinstalled, it may have also
come with Windows Live Mail. If so, that's not because Windows 7 came
with it, it's because your computer's manufacturer bundled it with
what he sold you.

Some people will tell you to use Windows Live Mail; others will tell
you to use Thunderbird; still others may have other recommendations.

My advice is to ignore all such recommendations. I personally use
Microsoft Outlook for e-mail and Forté Agent for newsgroups, but you
should try several and choose what *you* like best, rather than make
your decision based on what I, or anyone else, likes best (or even
what Microsoft suggests).
 
C

colonel_biggs

I've heard that Windows Live Mail will no longer be supported by Microsoft, and that Outlook is being marketed as its replacement. (I've always hada good experience with WLM.)



Recently, I had to replace my laptop, so I installed Outlook on it for a test run. A few questions:



Is one able to add more than one user to Outlook? (Maybe I have the "free" version, since I don't see any references to this ability.)



When I use the "TO" feature in sending an email, only five frequent addresses appear. My entire list of conacts is availble when I click on People,however. How do I merge the two?



I don't see any HELP tabs, which might answer some of my questions. But,then again, maybe I have the low-cost version!



Thanks in advance.



Gordon



You folks have been a great source for some stimulating thought. I appreciate the time that has been taken on your part to address my questions. Because of your inputs, I have started some research on the email provider issue (which I haven't done for some 15-20 years), and, as might be expected,I find as many different views as there are providers. Outlook retails for around $140, so I have to assume that it contains much more than the Outlook.com that I downloaded for free. And, there's no such thing as that proverbial "free lunch."

I have some homework to do, and you folks have pointed me in the right direction. Many thanks!

Gordon
 

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