E-mail programs under Win7

[DaveR]

I'm looking for recommendations for good, reliable, easy to use e-mail programs under Windows 7 Pro 64-bit. Here's what I know so far.

• My wife and I must both be able to use the program. She is not adept with computers, but likes Outlook, which she uses at work. I don't care much for Outlook, but I'm pretty adept with software. So whatever we get must be pretty transparent in its operations, but also high fucntioning.
• We used to use Eudora, which was a great program, but turned to crap when QualComm quit supporting it and it became an open-source Thunderbird knock-off with next to no documentation. We won't go back to it.
• We've been using Opera Mail for a couple of months. Opera is a great alternative browser, fast and well-designed. It's Mail component is flaky, however, using a system of display filters rather than mailbox folders and subfolders. This may or may not be a superior approach. But lately it has apparently been deleting e-mails before downloading them for the server, which means they're lost forever, an obviously intolerable behavior. Hence the search for something better.
• Windows Live Mail, which has unfortunately replaced Outlook Express in Win7, may or may not be a good e-mail program. When I was first setting up the new computer, I found that it had no way to import our Eudora mailboxes (meaning years worth of e-mail would be lost), and I gave up on it immediately. It apparently will only import mailboxes from other Microsoft programs -- the idea being, I guess, that no one would or should ever use non-Microsoft programs for e-mail.
• OK, yes, I will use Outlook if I have to (requiring shelling out for a version of MS Office that is high-cost, I mean high-functioning, enough to include Outlook).
• I don't suppose it's possible to obtain Outlook Express and run it under Win7, is it? I only looked at it once or twice a few years ago, but it looked adequate to the task and easy enough to use.
• I've got a program called Address Magic, which I hope will be able to convert Opera's filters into some other format for use by other software when we make the change. Opera is able to export messages to the UNIX mailbox format (MBS).

So ... any thoughts and recommendations would be greatly welcome! I apologize if I've insulted your favorite e-mail program above. These are subjective judgments, and I'm not interested in debating the merits of various programs. I'm just looking for other ideas. Thanks!

 

[richc46]

Your question does not have a definitive answer. What works for me (I am very happy with Windows Live Mail) may not work for you.
Here is a list of the most commonly used Email Clients for Windows. Go to the websites, learn about the features and then when you find one that you like, come back and get opinions from the members about that client.

That being said, be prepared for many answers to your question. Each will indicate that their choice is the best. I think that you will learn much more, reseraching my list, with an open mind.

In any event, wish you luck with your quest
Top 12 Free Email Programs for Windows - About Email

 

[gurustevie]

As Rich said, what works for you may not work for others. Personally, I've used Outlook at work for years and so have set this up at home for use with my Gmail account, that's what works for me.

I tried Lotus Notes once, did not get on with it at all.

 

[DaveR]

Your question does not have a definitive answer. What works for me (I am very happy with Windows Live Mail) may not work for you.
Here is a list of the most commonly used Email Clients for Windows. Go to the websites, learn about the features and then when you find one that you like, come back and get opinions from the members about that client.

That being said, be prepared for many answers to your question. Each will indicate that their choice is the best. I think that you will learn much more, reseraching my list, with an open mind.

In any event, wish you luck with your quest
Top 12 Free Email Programs for Windows - About Email

Thanks, Rich! That does look very helpful, covering a number of programs I was not aware of.

I do expect a large number of replies to such a broad question, and I agree that the solution is bound to be subjective and personal. The list whose link you posted looks like a great starting place, though.

Let me add a comment and a question about two items on that list.

• The Eudora version on the list is Eudora 7. Alas, I'm not sure that's even available any more, since QualComm orphaned the program. What's left is the open-source Eudora 8, which is widely disliked by users of Eudora 7, including my wife and me. (See the review by Skip Thomsen on the linked Eudora Review page.)
• How similar is Mozilla Thunderbird to the aforementioned Eudora 8, which is based on it but remains in apparently never-ending beta? Specifically, is there any kind of documentation or support for it (as there is not for Eudora 8)?

And an addendum to my first post: Opera Mail was NOT in fact deleting e-mail on the server before downloading it. It was simply automatically marking all messages as spam (and read, rather than unread). I apologize for misstating the issue; but there is still an issue, and we're still looking for something different.

 

[richc46]

I cannot answer your additional questions. As I said I have used Outlook Express (Windows 98 and now Windows Live Mail). I have not really looked into any others.
Here is a new list; making it even more confusing.

This seems to be an important issue with you and that is fine. Allow me to make this suggestion. Pick out the one that seems the best to you. Make a system restore point. Now use the Email client for a few days. LIke it, good. Do not, use system restore to go back to exactly the way your were. System restore make a picture and restores it.
It is not like unintalling, where remnants may remain and cause problems.
Email Software Reviews | Free Email Programs | Best Email Client Software
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html