Want Outlook Express for Vista computer?

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Another frantic email from a distressed Windows user. Bradley writes: “I really want Outlook Express for my new computer.The tremendous popularity of this email client and its conspicuous absence from Windows Vista operating system has left many users like Bradley wanting Outlook Express.

The sad news is that Microsoft has discontinued the distribution, development and support for this great email program. However, they have launched new email clients that are meant to replace Outlook Express.

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Let us take this step by step. If you want Outlook Express for Vista, you are out of luck! There is no way you can install this email program on the new operating system. However, you can always give it a go by following the quick “logical” steps in get Outlook Express – no guarantees as I haven’t done this – all the risk is yours. Outlook Express came with Internet Explorer but ever since version 7, the bundling of the two programs has been stopped. Vista already has Internet Explorer 7 so it would not be possible to load an older version and so, Outlook Express cannot be installed on Vista but if you can upgrade I.E. to 8 and then uninstall it… well, maybe!

But you still want Outlook Express for Vista

Actually, the email program is very much there on the new operating system. If you cannot find Outlook Express on Vista, maybe you didn’t look close enough. The email client is known by a different name – Windows Mail. In fact, I would not be wrong if I pronounce Windows Mail as Outlook Express’ new version. Why? Because the new email client looks and works quite like its predecessor and allows you to setup multiple email accounts. The two added features are the super fast search utility and the Junk folder with the automated junk email filter. So all those who want Outlook Express for Vista, rejoice and praise the Lord, you’ll find its latest version in Windows Mail.

Windows Mail is out – in comes Windows Live Mail

Not sure why Microsoft has confused users with similar sounding names, but they have released yet another email program which they call Windows Live Mail. The native email client of Vista, Windows Mail, is no longer being developed and supported. Its place has been taken by Windows Live mail which is a free email program that can be downloaded and installed in a few minutes. However, it differs (in the look and feel) quite a bit from Windows Mail and Outlook Express. For instance, each email account that you set up gets its own set of five folders – Inbox, Drafts, Sent items, Junk e-mail, Deleted Items; and many people (based on the feedback I get) don’t like this at all. Anyway, Windows Live Mail is a much more powerful program and includes an RSS reader and a blogging tool.

There are alternatives galore for Outlook Express

People who desperately want Outlook Express but can’t seem to find it can take recourse in the fact that there are many other alternatives available in addition to Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail. For instance, Mozilla’s Thunderbird, IncrediMail, or Yahoo email program Zimbra desktop are all email clients in which you can setup multiple email accounts and download messages to your computer. For a long list, please refer popular email software for Windows based computers.

Outlook Express Windows Vista