I call defeat. Outlook Express it is.
This day has most definitely been a long one. I have gone back to using Outlook Express as my default email. I think you remember when I started using Thunderbird? It was back in December and I wanted to give it another try. Since then, I have tried and tweaked my Thunderbird to act as I want it to be. And then it dawned on me. I have been trying to get my Thunderbird to behave as Outlook Express!
When I tried to tweak my address book and change it around and download a theme that was much like OE, I thought - No more, I am just going back to OE.
I don’t know what it is, but there is just something about Outlook Express that I find appealing. That’s a plus since I usually do not like Microsoft products all too well. 
But for some reason I just could not get use to the Thunderbird software. Especially when it came to configuring the HTML and other aspects in my email messages! They still kept sending as plain text, having those ugly red lines around everything in my message body!
Sending multiple emails was a pain in the butt too. So I stopped sending them. With O.E I could just hold the CTRL key and click with my mouse to Cc or Bcc. Not with TB.
Maybe I should just go download Ubuntu. I had the download a long time ago - but never installed it. Ubuntu is an OS, and it is completely free. I also think you can try it out, without committing to it. Kinda take it for a “test run” and if you like it - you click a button/link that makes it your default OS.
Hmmm, I like that thought…..”No commitment.”
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Microsoft software or not. Sometimes you just gotta go with what you’re comfortable with!
BB - So very true.
Outlook (/Express) has always been my favourite little email app. It just works.
I have a Ubuntu ISO burned to CD here too. The computer I was going to install it on though has also burned out some component though and refuses to turn on. If you do go ahead and try out Ubuntu, let me know how it goes.
Andrew - Thanks for stopping by. I agree. OE does work. For some unknown reason - it works well too!
If I ever get around to installing it - I will let you know how it (Ubuntu) goes.
ha..haha… resistance is futile…. assimilation is undeniable.
Cinn - lol. too funny.
Where are you downloading Ubuntu from? The main site? The last time I tried it got to about 40% and it just died- I haven’t been able to download it since. As for Thunderbird, I’ve noticed the more upgrades they do- the slower it becomes. I can open Outlook and bam it’s up immediately. I haven’t fully converted over yet, I have 2 email accounts, one for the blog and one for business/personal and I’ve been too lazy to set everything up. And I’m like you- I was wanting Thunderbird to work like Outlook-the calendar, scheduling and all.
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Beth - I went to the main site and downloaded. That’s kinda strange that it doesn’t work. Have you tried deleting the whole file and starting over fresh? Try going to Download.com and download from there? That might work, they are pretty reliable. I use them all the time.
Can you believe - NOW I am trying Outlook office 7. lol. It’s pretty cool and there was a 60 day free trial.
Hi Tammy, found you through SU and then your blog here. The problem with using OE (and IE for that matter) is that the programs are integrated into the Windows OS which makes the OS vulnerable to exploits that might come through your email or a website. Antivirus can’t always protect against Zero Day exploits, which is something Windows has a hard time defending itself against. Using Thunderbird and Firefox, your OS is alot safer because the same exploits do not exist. Thunderbird can be made to “feel” like OE more or less, it just takes some time to get used to the subtle differences. I use Ubuntu myself (well, actually Kubuntu) and if it weren’t for a few “must have” Windows based apps (like Dreamweaver) I would be using it full time. When Linux can install Windows applications seamlessly (google WINE or Cedega) then I think we will see a major shift towards Linux.
PcTuneUpGuy, (that’s a long name…lol) Thunderbird was ok, but it gave me problems with forwarding emails. Even though I would use Bcc (and even cc) it still sent ALL the names along with them. And I didn’t like the *setup* even though I tweaked it to pretty much look like OE…Now I am trying MS office 07, So far I like it a lot.
Still miss the simplicity or OE reg though.
As for a browser, I always use FF. I hate IE 7. Super vulnerable I think. Everytime my friend would hang out here - he would always end up installing viruses on my computer. So now I got super tight security. lol
have to say, If you like OE, the full Outlook 07 is going to really blow you away.
And adding MS Business Contact Manager makes it great for Mailing lists.
BTW the last Ubuntu I tried was Feisty Fawn version. I wonder if Feist sings about it, or just Macs. Computer humor who knew?
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Mike, Thanks for the info. I am actually using MS outlook 2007. So far, it’s pretty ok. Not too many troubles with it.
I never actually got around to trying Ubuntu… Hopefully, over the summer I can put it on my to do list…