There is no email program on my new computer!

Just bought a desktop yesterday and it has no email program. I am still on a dial-up internet connection and dreading the download time. Would be grateful if you can advise me.
Ellie

I am doubtful of Ellie’s complaint. All Windows based computers come with a default email client, whether it was Outlook Express on Windows XP (and before), Windows Mail on Vista or Windows Live Mail on Windows 7. There is bound to be an in-built email program on Ellie’s new computer too; however, she would find herself quite at sea because of the changes to nomenclature by Microsoft – and that is why I am there to help.

I’m not sure why Microsoft changed the name of Outlook Express to Windows Mail, the default email program on Vista. Maybe it was because people confused it with Outlook (their commercial email client) or the company was on a name-changing-drive. The latter would probably be the case as Microsoft has been notorious for building a brand, spending tons of money (and energy) in the process and then renaming it to something new; Hotmail was affected and so was their search engine which is now called Bing. Windows Mail could have been Outlook Express 7 because it almost the same as its predecessor – almost identical interface and functionality.

Anyway, Windows Mail was “upgraded” to Windows Live Mail which comes as the default email program on Windows 7 operating system – it’s pre-installed on my VAIO laptop. This is where I sort of agree with Microsoft. “Outlook Express 8” wouldn’t have suited Windows Live Mail because the two email clients differ markedly in interface and email organization.

For example, in the latest email program each email account gets its own set of five default folders (see screenshot below). Windows Live Mail is also much more than a simple email and new client. It can also serve as a RSS reader and a blogging tool.

Which email program should you use for a new computer?

There are tons of popular email programs and you don’t need to narrow your choices only to the ones available from Microsoft. Any way, if you are looking for an Outlook Express alternative for Windows 7, I would suggest you first check out Windows Live Mail. If you don’t like it, you can try your hands at Thunderbird.
By the way, I have been using Windows Live Mail for more than a year and have never had any problems – there was a small glitch with the RSS reader once but on the whole, the program is quite good.