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Microsofts new FREE email client


rridgely

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I just downloaded the new Windows Live Mail beta and I must say its pretty dang cool!

Here is a link:

http://get.live.com/betas/maildesktop_betas

 

Pluses so far:

-an attractive interface,

-it automatically configured itself for gmail(I just had to put in my email and password and it did the rest)

-can be used to check hotmail/windows live accounts

-Spell check

 

This client could give thunderbird a run for its money. If your using outlook express you should deffinitely upgrade.

This works on XP and Vista.

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I just downloaded the new Windows Live Mail beta and I must say its pretty dang cool!

 

Pluses so far:

-it automatically configured itself for gmail(I just had to put in my email and password and it did the rest)

 

Thunderbird 2.0 does this as well. Set up two Gmail accounts in it in about 2min. Just enter email and password and TB did the rest..

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I've been using thunderbird 2 since it came out and each time I've installed it I've always had to enter in the server info.

Which isn't really a big deal to me but there are still folks out there that this confuses.

 

Anyway, if this program stays free its deffinitely worth using if you don't like TB.

And even if you do like it this program is still worth trying to see if you like it better.

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I've been using thunderbird 2 since it came out and each time I've installed it I've always had to enter in the server info.

Which isn't really a big deal to me but there are still folks out there that this confuses.

You're comments are right on the button.

 

I'm one of the folks out there, (I'm definitely out there :blink: ).

 

Even with a web tutorial sitting under my nose, I could not get Outlook Express to work and keep on working. After a very short time, I got sick of "can not find pop3 server", or something like that, and shifted to Yahoo.

 

Had a try with Thunderbird, same result. And I've tried Windows Live Mail.

 

Although I'm technically challenged, I'm not that stupid, but this type of email client (is that the right word?) works for a very short while, then the same message pops up again: "can not find pop3 server".

 

It's not worth the grief for me, when there are user friendly alternatives.

 

End of rant. :)

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What type of email did you use with this dennis?

I litterally just typed in my email and password and it did the rest for me.

 

If you have a hotmail/windows live email you can also use this client to check that which no other pop3 email program will be able to do unless you pay for the pro versions.

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I've been using thunderbird 2 since it came out and each time I've installed it I've always had to enter in the server info.

Which isn't really a big deal to me but there are still folks out there that this confuses.

 

Are you talking about setting up TB 2 to access your Gmail account? I set two Gmail accounts up in TB 2 and no server info was necessary. Just your Gmail address and user name. I don't think it even asked for your pass word. TB 2 did the rest and the first time you send or receive an email with the Gmail account than you enter your pass word. I did have to enter server info for my e mail account with my ISP but that was easy.

 

From the Thunderbird home page

 

Easy Access to Popular Web Mail Services

easy-access-to-web-mail.png Thunderbird 2 makes it even easier to integrate and use various Web mail accounts from one inbox. Gmail and .Mac users can access their accounts in Thunderbird by simply providing their user names and passwords.

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so which client is the easiest to configure and allows access to multiple gmail and hotmail and yahoo accounts? and can i access my isp account as well? also with a router and static ip, is there a different way to configure?

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Well I don't know what I missed in the set up process but I still had to enter pop.gmail.com and smtp.gmail.com and then go into settings and check off ssl for both incoming and outcoming mail. Its not a big deal for me but some people just cant figure it out. I just installed TB2 on my desktop that didn't have it to try and I still had to do it.

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so which client is the easiest to configure and allows access to multiple gmail and hotmail and yahoo accounts? and can i access my isp account as well? also with a router and static ip, is there a different way to configure?

 

Well your not going to be able to access yahoo accounts unless you paid for the pro version.

The only client that I know of that will allow you to use hotmail like this is windows live mail. Any thing should be able to use your isp and gmail accounts)(thunderbird, opera mail, eudora, whatever)

 

I haven't tried setting up windows live mail to check my comcast email yet.(I don't use it at all.)

But I'll check to see if it auto configures everything.

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i downloaded this thing, and it wont set up on my computer. just keeps telling me it wont set up and nothing was changed on my computer and to try again later. hmmmm

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i downloaded this thing, and it wont set up on my computer. just keeps telling me it wont set up and nothing was changed on my computer and to try again later. hmmmm

 

I don't know.. I installed it on 2 of my computers(laptop and desktop) and it worked fine both times.

Do you have all of the updates and everything? Also is it not working on vista or xp?

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its not working on xp. and i had firewall and anti virus turned off. not sure of the problem, nothing else running. no big deal though. this kind of thing seems to always happen to me. lol

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Well your not going to be able to access yahoo accounts unless you paid for the pro version.

The only client that I know of that will allow you to use hotmail like this is windows live mail. Any thing should be able to use your isp and gmail accounts)(thunderbird, opera mail, eudora, whatever)

 

I haven't tried setting up windows live mail to check my comcast email yet.(I don't use it at all.)

But I'll check to see if it auto configures everything.

 

 

To be able to access smtp and pop from a free hotmail account, you need to have a pro account. Does this windows live mail beta allow you with pop and smtp? The last time I used it, it didn't allow smtp for a hotmail account.

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Yes you can use the free hotmail accounts. :D

I just created a new hotmail account(since the one I had expired because I hadn't used it in years). It loads up right in the program just like my gmail account. :)

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Yes you can use the free hotmail accounts. :D

I just created a new hotmail account(since the one I had expired because I hadn't used it in years). It loads up right in the program just like my gmail account. :)

 

sweet :rolleyes: too bad I use outlook, but I guess I could have two email clients open. Also, does it support the microsoft office livce, the thing where you choose your own domain thing?

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What type of email did you use with this dennis?

I litterally just typed in my email and password and it did the rest for me.

 

If you have a hotmail/windows live email you can also use this client to check that which no other pop3 email program will be able to do unless you pay for the pro versions.

:mellow::huh::o:blink: These guys are a pretty accurate description of how much I know about what you're talking about.

 

I'm a good speller, can read joined up writing, can even tell you how to tune a guitar using half a dozen different harmonics, but pop3 servers ? email clients? :wacko:

 

It's undoubtedly so obvious to some of you guys, that if I wasn't a lay back sort of chap I'd be embarrassed.

 

All I know is that I have not a clue about the difference between something like Outlook Express, and the easy ones to set up like yahoo or hotmail.

 

Oh yes, my mistake, it wasn't Thunderbird I tried, it was Gmail.

 

I've signed up, but I can't work the ******* thing to work. So if you can explain to me in the most non technical way possible, the difference between say yahoo and Gmail, then you will have my undying admiration.

 

As long as you don't tell anybody about this. :D

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Don't worry this stuff confused the hell out of me too when I first started doing it.(At one time I literally spent hours trying to figure out how to use outlook express.)

 

Basically all pop3 does is allow you to download your email to a program like thunderbird or outlook express.

Yahoo doesn't allow pop access on their free accounts and neither does hotmail unless your using this new MS email program.

 

Gmail however does allow pop access to their email.

If you were going to use Thunderbird to check your gmail account you would need to know the pop(incoming) server and the smtp server(outgoing).

Which is:

 

pop.gmail.com

smtp.gmail.com

 

Then you would need to go into your account settings and enable ssl for both incoming and outgoing(so that it will prompt your for your password).

 

Windows Live Mail will do all of this for you where you will only have to enter in your email and password.

Someone said thunderbird 2 would too but I haven't seen it do it. I've always had to do it manually.

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Then you would need to go into your account settings and enable ssl for both incoming and outgoing(so that it will prompt your for your password).

 

Windows Live Mail will do all of this for you where you will only have to enter in your email and password.

Someone said thunderbird 2 would too but I haven't seen it do it. I've always had to do it manually.

The ssl thing is helpful, as I couldn't understand why I could open Outlook Express without needing the password I thought I had already set up.

 

I know you're a busy lad, but if you bear with me here, enlightenment is slowly creeping into my befuddled mind.

 

Is free Hotmail or free Yahoo actually the same type of programme as Outlook or Gmail, but with the restriction of not being able to access any other email accounts, and is this pop3 thingamajig, which you usually have to set up, the bit that enables Gmail or Outlook or Thunderbird to do that?

 

Is that the fundamental difference?

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Ah now I see what you don't get.

The difference is yahoo email and MSN email are web based meaning there isn't an actual program your using its just opening in your browser. The same thing with gmail if you just go to gmail.com and log in but thunderbird/outlook are programs that you install on your computer that you download your email too.

 

The advantages of using something like thunderbird/outlook is that:

1. You can download messages and read them later

2. Easily access from your desktop without having to go to your browser, go to the site, log in. You just click an icon and it downloads your mail for you.

3. You can have multiple accounts set up in the programs so you can get all of your email at once instead of logging into 2 gmail accounts and your isp email.(this is of course if you have more then one email, which most people do)

4. You can easilly sort, manage, save messages.

 

And lots of other stuff.

 

If you don't mind actually logging into yahoo or whatever then you wont really get much difference. Using an email client like thunderbird/windows live is also a lot easier if you get lots of email.

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If I had a smiley with a little light bulb above his head, I'd stick him here. :D

 

That is the difference that I've never had explained to me, or read anywhere. I have a few email addresses that I use and Thunderbird sounds really handy, although setting up those smtp thingys, I always screw up somehow.

 

Gonna have a look at Thunderbird and maybe this new Live Mail, and if I get stuck I'll take a screen shot of where I'm at and ask again.

 

It's surprising how getting a basic understanding of something can open a wider door.

 

Thanks for your help, and if you ever need a guitar tuning, I'm your man.

:)

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Gmail however does allow pop access to their email.

If you were going to use Thunderbird to check your gmail account you would need to know the pop(incoming) server and the smtp server(outgoing).

Which is:

 

pop.gmail.com

smtp.gmail.com

 

Then you would need to go into your account settings and enable ssl for both incoming and outgoing(so that it will prompt your for your password).

 

Windows Live Mail will do all of this for you where you will only have to enter in your email and password.

Someone said thunderbird 2 would too but I haven't seen it do it. I've always had to do it manually.

 

rridgely, I am the one who said Thunderbird 2 sets up Gmail for you with out the need to enter the server info. It's one of the features Thunderbird highlights on their home page about whats new in Thunderbird 2. If you are having to enter server info for Gmail in TB 2 I wonder what you are doing to create the Gmail account? I click "create new account" from the main screen. A dialog box pops up with four options, 1) create a E mail account 2) RRS News and Blogs 3) Gmail 4) News Group account. Select the Gmail option and than all you do is enter your name and Gmail address and you are done. No server info is asked for or required. Thunderbird does the rest. First time you send and receive a Gmail email you will need to enter your password.

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I just did a fresh install of thunderbird to test out.

I downloaded and installed it and when it opened it first asked me what type of account(email) then asked for my name and email address.

Then it asked for the server info:

untitledzb7.th.jpg

 

Its done the same thing every time I've installed it so I don't know whats going on.

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I just did a fresh install of thunderbird to test out.

I downloaded and installed it and when it opened it first asked me what type of account(email) then asked for my name and email address.

Then it asked for the server info:

untitledzb7.th.jpg

 

Its done the same thing every time I've installed it so I don't know whats going on.

 

You should have an option for Gmail account. Select that one not e mail. Go to tools->account settings. At the bottom it will say "add an account". Click it and a diolog will pop up with 4 options for accounts. Select Gmail NOT e mail. It's built right into the account set up wizard.

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