Replacing Outlook Express

Recently Microsoft have been running a campaign to get rid of their 10-year-old web browser, Internet Explorer 6. This got me thinking…

What about Outlook Express? Outlook Express is as old as Internet Explorer 6 and has been included in Internet Explorer since version 4 until version 6.

If Microsoft are advising people to upgrade to a version of Internet Explorer that no longer includes Outlook Express, what are the alternative options?

• Microsoft Outlook (Yes, there is a difference)
  • Pro: Most people have Microsoft Outlook as part of Microsoft Office
  • Pro: Not just mail, it also includes a calendar, task manager, contact manager, note taking, a journal and web browsing
  • Pro: Supports importing messages from Outlook Express
  • Con: It is not free to download like Outlook Express
  • Con: You have to purchase updates by purchasing the latest version of Microsoft Office
  • Con: It’s broken (Uses Word rendering engine to display HTML emails)
  • Con: Microsoft Outlook cannot view newsgroups
• Windows Live Mail (Microsoft’s official replacement)
  • Pro: It’s free
  • Pro: It works!
• Mozilla Thunderbird (Open Source)
  • Pro: It’s free
  • Pro: It works!
  • Pro: Imports from Outlook Express
  • Con: May be confusing to novice users
• Gmail (Not really a client, but a reasonable option)
  • Pro: It’s free
  • Pro/Con: It’s online

There’s a whole bunch of other email clients and webmail providers, but these were chosen because they offer something for everyone considering moving away from Outlook Express.

If you’re still using Outlook Express, you’re using an outdated piece of software with no future.

What with the demise of Internet Explorer 6 and the uptake of new operating systems such as Windows 7, it’s time to replace Outlook Express.

What did you choose as your Outlook Express replacement?