Email Client Recommendations

davej99 · Oct 20, 2011, 11:12:19

Since Outlook Express, Microsoft email clients seem to have got more cumbersome. We lost the collapsible address directory tree of the old wab, which was so easy to sort and backup. Then we got a Contacts folder in Windows Mail which lumped all addresses in one massive list. Winmail seemed to corrupt the message store folders by shortening the displayed folder names with octal-type characters which then import into Livemail. In Livemail the Winmail Contacts folder is junked and contacts are buried deep in Applications Data after import. In Livemail, to work with many email accounts from different providers it seems necessary to have a set of mail folders for each, not one, as in Express and Winmail. Maybe I am naive to expect to maintain multiple accounts, hundreds of contacts and thousands of messages using a consumer package. - but I could in Express. I suppose I could export and archive messages and contacts, but the concern is that Microsoft will morph its email clients so that I cannot re-import or access them.

Anyway, moan over, please can anyone suggest alternative simple clients that might be easier to work with for many email accounts and large contact and message archives.

Thanks, Dave. $:-\$

Lance · Oct 20, 2011, 11:16:43

I use MS Outlook both for work and personal use. Yes it costs money but it works, and works well.

Glenn · Oct 20, 2011, 11:17:58

There are several listed here http://www.emailclients.net/, but like Lance, I use Outlook.

Rik · Oct 20, 2011, 11:19:14

Another Outlook user here. I did try Thunderbird, but I couldn't get on with it.

davej99 · Oct 20, 2011, 11:25:54

everyone for such a quick and helpfull response.

I have Outlook in my Office 07 package. Will take a look, if I can get it to install. Last time I tried it was asking for missing files so I gave up. Any other suggestion will be most welcome.

esh · Oct 20, 2011, 11:56:59

For Windows, Thunderbird. It is easier to backup and I have had less issues with it than Outlook Express or whatever it is.

For Linux, claws-mail. There is a Windows port, but it intentionally does not support HTML email, so often gets frowned upon.

Simon · Oct 20, 2011, 12:01:34

I believe Thunderbird does also have a global Inbox, so you can have all of your messages from multiple accounts, in one folder.

Ray · Oct 20, 2011, 12:17:41

Another Outlook user here.

pctech · Oct 20, 2011, 12:31:48

Yep Outlook 2003 at home and 2010 at work (which connects to an Exchange server) for me.

D-Dan · Oct 20, 2011, 13:10:59

Thunderbird for me - it enables me to have the same mailbox and settings regardless of which OS I'm booted in to. Just set up both pointing to the same profile.

davej99 · Oct 20, 2011, 13:43:00

again everone. Will checkout Thunderbird.

Have Outlook running and a clean import of all 6000 messages and no folder name corruption, unlike Livemail. Tiny snag is I can't seem to export the messages by way of a universal backup. Messages seem to be in a .pst file. Any thoughts?

sobranie · Oct 20, 2011, 13:46:49

If you require Outlook Express (2003/2007) you must remove MS office 2010 etc. Eg: OE will then work perfectly with Win 7 but you must remove all previous MS Office versions & do a fresh install of Office 2003 or 2007.
See here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

sparky · Oct 20, 2011, 15:14:24

I use Windows Live mail now, simply because I'm not the only user of my Home PC and "others" seem to get on with it.

I always used to use Pegasus, http://www.pmail.com/

Haven't used it lately, so not sure how well it works with the newer operating systems, but would happily try it again given the opportunity.

esh · Oct 20, 2011, 15:30:22

Yes, Outlook exports in annoying formats. I know Thunderbird imports them, but I don't know of what other options you'll have.

Rik · Oct 20, 2011, 17:07:28

Try Mailstore Home:

http://www.mailstore.com/en/mailstore-home.aspx

Ray · Oct 20, 2011, 19:03:34

Quote from: Rik on Oct 20, 2011, 17:07:28
Try Mailstore Home:

http://www.mailstore.com/en/mailstore-home.aspx

I'd second that.

davej99 · Oct 20, 2011, 20:07:16

everyone.

Got Thunderbird running. And Mailstore too which looks useful. Outlook has a bit of a legacy feel to it, but seems versatile. Solved Outlook export problem. Winmail will import it and thence to Livemail if you like. Overall have to conclude MS have a cranal-rectal inversion and like to fix what is not broken doubtless to appeal to new users and generate sales growth.

Never cease to be amazed by this friendly, expert and helpful forum, so thanks again, Dave.

Steve · Oct 20, 2011, 21:42:00

I've been racking my brain to recall some email software I use years ago. Found it! Pegasus Mail been around for ages and they still support MS DOS

http://www.pmail.com/

Simon · Oct 20, 2011, 22:25:06

I used that briefly about 10 years ago, Steve!

Tacitus · Oct 21, 2011, 07:37:14

Postbox is based on Thunderbird but has some interesting features so might be worth a look. You do have to pay though -$30 - probably around £20UK

Trial versions, Mac and Windows, from:- http://www.postbox-inc.com/

Rik · Oct 21, 2011, 12:06:51

I used to use Pegasus, then later Eudora until they left the market.

sparky · Oct 21, 2011, 12:12:26

Pegasus seems to have had several new releases this year Rik and I think I read a Version 5 was planned for early next year.

Rik · Oct 21, 2011, 12:13:50

It's nice to know a small independent can still keep their business going in this day of software giants, isn't it.

davej99 · Oct 21, 2011, 20:08:11

Just to say thanks for all the advice.

Went with Outlook 2007 in the end, in parallel with Winmail for now. Just could not get Livemail to import message folder names over 15 characters, which is by "design." It does not process the OE/WinLive database but Winmail & Outlook do. Outlook look-feel is very configurable. Outlook easy to BU but Livemail is rather convoluted and restore seems unpredictable. Only problem is Outlook exporting to Livemail, but I can live with that by using Winmail if I need to go back. Why do MS fix what aint broke!

Thx again, Dave.

davej99 · Oct 22, 2011, 13:26:47

Found a usefull free tool for viewing/checking Outlook message/data .pst files at http://www.nucleustechnologies.com/pst-viewer.html. There is a number of paid for tools that allow .pst processing. I believe there are several vendors providing such tools.

Microsoft provide a usefull Outlook 2007 .pst repair tool at "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\SCANPST.EXE". Some notes here http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/microsoft-office/fix-your-broken-outlook-personal-folders-pst-file/ for this and other Outlook versions.

Simon · Oct 22, 2011, 17:07:12

Thanks Dave.

Rik · Oct 22, 2011, 17:17:45

davej99 · Oct 23, 2011, 15:38:46

Just when I thought I was home and dry, I found that Outlook does not display embedded images. They are present in the import from winmail, but do not display, showing only redx boxes. Is this normal behavior does anyone know, please, or am I missing a trick?

Simon · Oct 23, 2011, 15:52:14

Tools > Options > Security > Change Automatic Download Settings might be worth a look.

davej99 · Oct 23, 2011, 16:23:17

Thx Simon,

If I receive a new message in Outlook with an embedded image, the image is viewable. If I view an message imported from Winmail I can't see the image but it is attached. Problem must be with the export wizard. Behaviour common to a push export in Winmail or as a pull import in Outlook. Heaven bless microsoft.

Steve · Oct 23, 2011, 16:25:06

Is there a repair option? But probably not for the faint hearted.

davej99 · Oct 23, 2011, 16:29:52

Behaviour common to fresh and scanned/repaired imports. Curiously in newly received messages, image can be viewed but does not animate. Just when I thought it was safe to change email clients... zum, zum .... zum, zum!

Rik · Oct 23, 2011, 16:31:43

Computers. You can't live with them, you can't live without them.

Steve · Oct 23, 2011, 16:43:48

Maybe of use http://www.msoutlook.info/question/107

FritzBox · Oct 23, 2011, 20:18:08

Opera, built in mail client, why use two programmes when one will do?

Simon · Oct 23, 2011, 21:08:32

I feel the same about Sea Monkey.

davej99 · Oct 24, 2011, 00:36:40

Well, it seems it is not possible to transition from Windows Mail, descendant of the much loved Outlook Express, to either Windows Live Mail or Outlook 2007 if you want to bring a large message database with you accurately.

After importing Windows Mail messages, Live Mail recognises only foreshortened folder names and original folder creation location in the message tree, requiring lengthy manual corrections. Outlook does a good job importing messages but it cannot display embedded images. Apparently "the behaviour is by design," or rather the lack of it.

After successfully migrating the same message database since windows 95, I am at an end. My writings are "legacy." I am no more; I have ceased to be; I am an ex-communicator, which is probably a very good thing.

Glenn · Oct 24, 2011, 06:56:59

Dave, you need to get an EML to PST converter, there are several about, I can't see a free MS tool for it though.

Glenn · Oct 24, 2011, 07:16:39

This may help http://www.outlookfreeware.com/en/products/all/OutlookMessagesImportEML/

davej99 · Oct 24, 2011, 10:17:11

Quote from: Glenn on Oct 24, 2011, 07:16:39
This may help http://www.outlookfreeware.com/en/products/all/OutlookMessagesImportEML/

Thanks, Glenn. That looks like a usefull site. I'll give some of the utilities a whirl.

I was getting what I thought was an accurate transfer from Winmail to Outlook 2007 of some 6000 messages using the MS export/import wizards provided, except Outlook would not display embedded images for imported messages, though it would for new messages. This seems to be a known issue and I believe it to be by design. Nor does Outlook display gif animations by design.

Import to Live mail does give readable embedded images, but it imports foreshortened filenames arising because of the 15 character limit and places folders in the position in the message tree they were created not where they might have been moved to, because the import to Livemail does not look at the complete OE/Winmail database, again by design.

There remains the possibility to transfer from Winmail to Outlook to Livemail but the latter is not supported by MS, so this is where 3rd party utilities may be of help too.

Thx again, Dave.

davej99 · Oct 27, 2011, 13:44:50

Well, I think it is pretty clear Microsoft read this form, because, bingo, SP3 for Office appeared on my updates today. And behold, I can now view embedded images in messages imported from Winmail.

But of course this is Microsoft, so expect a twist. We are not still allowed to view .gif animations, just the first frame. It's a security issue apparently. In Outlook 2007 email rendering and editing moved from Internet Explorer to a Word. This has its merits but fun .gif animation is not one of them.

One might conclude that rather than fix vulnerabilities in IE it is better to debilitate Outlook.

So the Microsoft email client options are:
Winmail - unsupported since 2006, able to animate but not available post Vista,
Live Mail - able to animate but not able to import message folders intact from Winmail.
Outlook - quite expensive, versatile, but unable to animate, other than by using the clunky open in browser option.

In other words MS does not have a fun friendly, migratable email client beyond Vista Windows mail.

Rik · Oct 27, 2011, 13:54:41

To be fair to them, there was a period when we had to ban avatars, Dave, due to potential security issues. Many people won't accept HTML mail because it's riskier than plain text. I guess it's one of those "You can't please everyone" situations. Despite the obvious level of use here, Outlook is aimed at the business community, so I guess the focus is different to that of Live Mail.