Windows Mail
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Windows Mail | |
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 Windows Mail in Windows Vista |
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| Developer: | Microsoft |
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| Latest release: | 6.0.6000.16386 / November 8, 2006 |
| OS: | Microsoft Windows |
| Use: | E-mail client, News client |
| License: | Proprietary EULA |
| Website: | Windows Vista: Features Explained: Mail |
Windows Mail is an e-mail and newsgroup client included in recent versions of Microsoft Windows, such as Windows Vista. It is the successor to Outlook Express. Microsoft previewed Windows Mail on Channel 9 on October 10, 2005.[citation needed]
Unlike Outlook Express, Windows Mail is not considered to be a component of Internet Explorer. As such, it will not be made available for earlier Windows operating systems. Windows Mail will also not be included with Windows Server "Longhorn".
The same development team that built Windows Mail is also working on Windows Live Mail Desktop, which will serve both as the replacement for Outlook Express for Windows XP and as an upgraded version of Windows Mail.
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[edit] Features
Although the Windows Mail interface has only minor differences from Outlook Express such as the toolbar icons being replaced to reflect Windows Vista's interface and some interface features incorporated from Outlook 2003 including the right-hand "reading pane", larger changes have been made under the hood.
- Mail messages are now stored in individual files instead of in a single database file. A transactional index database enables real-time searching and improves the stability and the reliability of the stored data. In case of corruption, the indices can be rebuilt from the mail files.
- Account setup information is no longer stored in the registry. It is instead stored alongside the mail itself, making it possible to copy an entire Windows Mail configuration and mail store to another machine in a single step.
- Features like Bayesian junk-mail filtering and top-level domain and encoding blocking have been added.
- A phishing filter, also seen in Internet Explorer 7, has been incorporated as well, protecting users from web sites that have been identified as being malicious.
- Additionally, Microsoft Help Groups has been added, which is a preconfigured link to Microsoft's newsgroups. Some additional functionality has been layered on top of the standard newsgroup functionality to have individual threads be marked as a "question" or an "answered question". Postings may be rated as well.
[edit] Criticism of Windows Mail
Microsoft has removed WebDAV support from Windows Mail, unlike its predecessor Outlook Express, which had WebDAV support. Outlook Express integrated with Windows Messenger, however Windows Mail has no integration with Windows Live Messenger or the new Windows Calendar. The more full-featured downloadable application, Windows Live Mail Desktop, although free, contains advertisements and instead integrates with Windows Live Contacts. Microsoft has additionally been criticized for creating many different applications for the same practical purpose and creating confusion, with examples being Outlook, Windows Mail/Outlook Express and Windows Live Mail Desktop for email; Outlook Address Book, Windows Address Book, Windows Contacts and Windows Live Contacts for email contact management.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Channel 9 (Microsoft) - 'The new Outlook Express: Windows Mail demoed'
- Windows Mail Features - 'Windows Mail is a vast improvement over OE'
