Windows 7 - Who uses Windows mail V Thunderbird?

Hi all,
I'm wondering what 'catches' there might be to using the Windows mail. I'm from a Mac background, and am trying to get my head around the best way to do stuff on PC.

I've currently got Thunderbird and Firefox set up on my PC (Compaq laptop) but just feel a bit overwhelmed by culture shock, and so might stick with them for a while.

(Just getting to know Thunderbird was tricky enough but Windows mail looked too locked into all that Windows live stuff and I'm just not up for a whole new social contacts list thing at the moment).

What else should I be aware of as a mac to Windows7 newcomer?

I tried Windows Live Mail and generally agree with you about that "Live" stuff. I went with Tbird and have no regrets.

As a Mac guy, you should know:

Make sure you keep Windows updated through Windows Update. Not necessarily for all available updates, but for the critical and important ones. Be more selective about anything classified less than "important". Don't blindly install new drivers if things are running OK.

Get a good antivirus/malware/spyware setup going. A good start would be Microsoft Security Essentials. Some say that and the Windows Firewall is all you need. Others will tell you that you should have more than that. Opinion is divided.

Backup your personal files--I assume you did that on a Mac.

You have exposure to many more apps than you would have on a Mac. Many of them are freeware. All I have actually spent money on is Windows, Office, and Photoshop.

Get wise to Windows System Restore capability. It will bail you out frequently.

PC hardware is cheaper and you will be able to do your own upgrading and maintenance.

I use live mail.
it's pretty ok, but the only thing I don't like, coming from a mac background also, is that closing the window quits the application, so it stops checking for mail. granted the same thing for Tbird.
tbird's rss viewer is more advanced imo, but live's intergrates with ie8.

the PC hardware thing is a nightmare... too much choice! I like things simple. But thanks for the advice.