Outlook Express

Outlook Express

\program files\outlook express\msimn.exe

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Start All Programs Outlook Express

Quick Launch Bar "Launch Outlook Express"

Outlook Express is the email client included with Windows XP. Outlook Express uses an Explorer-like tree interface to manage the folders into which email messages are organized. Newly received messages are stored in the Inbox folder; files queued to be sent are stored in the Outbox folder, and then are moved to the Sent Items folder when they have been sent. The Deleted Items folder is like the Recycle Bin in that it stores deleted messages until it is manually emptied. And the Drafts folder stores messages as they're being composed . To add a new folder, select Local Folders in the tree, and then go to File New Folder. Messages can be moved from folder to folder by dragging and dropping. Here are some of the more interesting or confusing features of Outlook Express:

Accounts (Tools Accounts)

Among other things, this dialog allows you to retreive email from more than one account. The "default" account will be used as your return address when sending outgoing email unless you change it on a per-message basis.

Identity Management (File Identities Manage Identities)

Identities allow more than one person use Outlook Express on the same machine. Each identity has its own set of accounts, settings, and mail. It's tempting to use Identities if you want to send out mail using more than one persona, but this really isn't what the feature is designed for. Instead, you should set up multiple accounts (see above), one for each "persona" you wish to assume.

To add a new identity, go to File Identities Add New Identity. You can then enter the name of the new user and select a password if needed. To switch identities at any time, select File Switch Identity. To share contacts in your Address Book between identities, open the Address Book, select View Folders and groups, and move (or copy) them into the Shared Contacts folder.

File Attachments (Insert File Attachment)

This allows you to send a file along with an email message, typically better than attempting to "embed" files in messages. If Outlook Express is your default email program, you can also send a file as an email attachment by right-clicking it, and selecting Send To Mail Recipient; this also works for any third-party email programs set as the default in Control Panel Internet Options Programs tab.

Options (Tools Options)

Specify options that govern the behavior of Outlook Express, such as how often Outlook Express checks for mail and whether it is the default email program.

Message Rules (Tools Message Rules)

Outlook Express can be set up to automatically handle incoming mail in a number of different ways: you can set up rules to store all email retrieved from your business account in a certain folder, all email retrieved from your personal account in a different folder, and all junk mail (spam) in the trash. Furthermore, you can have Outlook Express automatically respond to certain messages, mark some messages as urgent, and others as potentially annoying.

Conversations (Message Watch Conversation, Message Ignore Conversation)

A conversation is a continuous series of email or newsgroup messages, often called a thread. For example if you were to write an email with the subject, "Propane Elaine," it might spark a series of messages between you and the recipient, all of which would have the subject, "Re: Propane Elaine." This thread of messages is called a "conversation" in Outlook Express, and such threads can be "watched" so that special icons are placed next to the messages. Furthermore, if you select View Current View Group Messages by Conversation, messages in conversations will be grouped in expandable branches, like the folders in Explorer.

Signatures (Tools Options Signature tab)

A signature is a bit of text that is automatically placed at the end of every outgoing message you write. Turn on the "Add signatures to all outgoing messages" option, or go to Insert Signature in the message composition window to use a signature on a per-message basis.

Stationary (Tools Options Compose tab)

Stationery is just as you expect; it imposes a visual style on your message, including colors and even images. Stationary files are just .html files (web pages), stored by default in \Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationary , and can be edited with any web page editor or plain text editor.

TIP

If you access the same email account from two different computers, you may wish to configure only one computer to download messages; this way, one system always has a complete set of messages. Do this using Tools Accounts any account Properties Advanced tab Leave a copy of messages on server.