beep....beep......In coming mail!
Written: Dec 25 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: a lot of functions, and easy to use
Cons: A lot of functions to get used to
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| newdreams's Full Review: Microsoft Outlook Express |
I have used a lot of e-mail products, and let me tell you, Outlook Express has proven to be one of the better ones that I have used. I was looking for an e-mail client to produce an easy to use format, no fuss no muss. I found it all right here.
I started this Outlook express after coming from Netscape, and Neoplanet (which I will review later). When I started the Outlook express, all I had to do is configure the email client, which wasn't too difficult (I was a pro at this by now, since I did this to 3 other programs prior).
Configuration Options:
1. Notification: I chose to have it notify me by receipt of mail delivery (which is a great business tool) This function lets you keep a track of all the sent email, and confirmations of receipt, in case you are a business person dealing with legal documents (which you have to verify they have been received.) I deal with vendors of all kinds, and require receipts incase I don't get the products or services that I ordered and pay for.
2. Sort messages: when messages come in, you can either sort them by name, or type of email, which contain certain characteristics. This is really useful for keeping track of individual clients, and bulk mailings from a certain vendors. You go crazy looking through all your email just to find a needle in a haystack when it is unsorted.
3. Multiple signature function for separate types of emails, rather they are job related, personal related, or business related. You have a choice of making many signatures to reflect your purpose of the email. This is really convenient for me, since I have 3 primary purposes on my email client.
4. Security options for encrypting email messages, or digital signature (provided by Verisign or other digital signature client) This gives the reader a satisfaction you are who you say you are, and the message is not being read by an outside source by the time it gets to them.
5. Stationery choice for that personal touch to your email. I don't usually use this function for business, since it is usually safer to send the email in straight black and white format. (This looks more professional) I, on the other hand, use it on occasion for personal email to friends. This adds a little flair, when you can add a background picture or one of the choosable fun formats available. There are many backdrops you can choose from, or you can download one from the Internet of your choosing and place it in your document. I have done this on a couple of occasions, when I had a special occasion that required a special look that I wanted to achieve.
6. Maintenance options. You have a choice to
a) empty deleted messages when you shut the email client down, although this is a debatable subject. There are people who don't want to delete just incase they have accidentally put something there, which they want to retrieve later.
b) purge deleted messages when leaving IMAP folders. I don't use this function, because I don't know what IMAP folders are. You best believe after I am done with this review, I will find out!
C) Compacting messages when a certain percentage of wasted space is achieved (you set the parameters) This is really useful to save hard drive space. Although I am a firm believer in backing up your received email messages on zip disk. That way you don't have a chance of loosing any information when you are forced to reformat your hard drive. I had made the mistake of not backing up my email on the first time I reformatted my hard drive, and I paid for it. Lucky I had a lot of my vendors send the information to my work email. It is also a good idea to clear your email every so often, if you have a large list of people sending you email (LIKE I DO) that way it saves you the headache, later down the line, of having a slow computer from too much email. This is not a problem if you don't have that much email coming to you though.
d) Choosing the location of storage for your messages. This is set up in a default location when you use it. You can make your messages go to a specific location. It may be easier for you to locate them. I don't mess with this function, because I already back up my email messages.
e) Trouble shooting feature. Another feature that I haven't gotten a chance to use, because I haven't had any trouble with this program. I will do some investigative research to see what this does in my help client.
7. Spelling corrections. You have a choice to have the program automatically check spelling errors. This function helps out a lot, because you never know when clients or vendors look at your spelling errors! When I first started this function was a lifesaver. I have, on occasion, misspelled a word or two.” SMILES" I still do, and need a helping eye. A word of caution when using this function: Words may come up that they suggest as an alternative word, which may not be a right choice of meaning. Make sure you pay attention and not just choose a word, just because they suggest it. The spell checker can be programmed in other languages as well, such as: English in 3 other forms, and Spanish (traditional) you can edit the custom dictionary as well. If there is a word that you know that is not in that dictionary, you can add it in. This is time saving in the long run. That way the spell checker will pass up the word when it goes through its process.
8. Internet connection settings. For those of you who have other types of connections other than 56k modems, this one is a really good function. It has options to set up for the type of connection that you have. I have DSL and had to configure it for LAN connection.
9. You can set it up for multiple users. I am the only one who uses this program right now, but when my wife gets here, I will set it up for her to use in her own user name, that way she won't have to be bothered with reading my client and vendor emails, which she would go crazy reading them (I have so many of them each day, over 50+, that is not including personal emails!) This function is also a security measure for some of you who don't want others to view your email. You can set up with multiple user names with their own pass codes.
10. Forward function. When you go on vacation, and want to view your email that comes in (Well, I know when you go on vacation, you are not supposed to worry about those kinds of things.) Just in case you feel the need though, you can forward the email to a proxy client like hotmail or any other email client you choose. All you have to do is adjust your mail rules to forward the message to the other account. This function can be found in your tool menu.
11. Send a message to let people know you are out of the office. You can send people a reply automatically when they send you email. This is the time when you can tell people Happy Holidays, We have a sale, Notice of move, Or gone fishing! This function is also in the tool menu.
12. A full comprehensive programmable address book. This is a great tool, which usually comes standard on email clients. This address book can be programmed to add people upon reply, or receipt of a message. This function is very handy for people who don't want to mess with the hassle of adding people manually each time they receive an email. You can also put blocks of people in at a time. I get some emails that are forwarded messages. They have a whole bunch of people who I know, and I want their email addresses. What do I do you ask? Well, I just go to tools, go to tools, go to address book. There will be a drop down menu with a choice of either adding all of the contacts to the address book, or picking and choosing which people I want to add. This makes it really convenient when I want to compile a contact list for a broadcast mailing.
There are a lot more functions to this thing than meets the eye. There is one function that sticks out though that makes me very happy. When you mouse over the different windows of the Outlook Express, they move when you scroll. I have a Microsoft Intellimouse with the scroll button. This makes it easier than going to the scroll bar and either dragging it, or pressing the up or down button. The other email clients that I used didn't have that function, or they didn't work for me. There is one more function I love, there is a signal of sound when incoming email is received, which is significant. You know you have mail.
Well now that I have touched the surface for you, maybe you would like to try out the Outlook Express email client. You will notice a world of difference. I did!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
newdreams
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Member: Kay Chinn
Location: Seattle,Washington
Reviews written: 9
Trusted by: 8 members
About Me:
Loves: Computers, Martial Arts, Family, bowling, pool, dancing, trivial games, Internet Business.
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