The Bottom Line

Of all the auxiliary programs included with Windows XP, Outlook Express is probably the one you'll use most often. Just remember these key points:

• You can use Outlook Express for both e-mail and Usenet newsgroups.

• You don't have to settle for Outlook Express' default interface. Select View, Layout to make Outlook Express look more like Microsoft Outlook.

• Outlook Express includes built-in protection against e-mail viruses. (You should still remember not to open any attachments with .EXE, .VBS, or .PIF extensions, however.)

• If you want to block all e-mail from a specific spammer, select Message, Block Sender.

• You can use Outlook Express' message rules to automatically sort incoming messages into separate folders.

• Outlook Express can be configured to receive normal POP e-mail (from your ISP account) and Web-based e-mail, such as Hotmail.

• An easy way to send a file to another user is to attach the file to an e-mail message. With Outlook Express, this is as easy as clicking the Attach button and selecting the file you want to attach.

• Use the Address Book to store names and e-mail addresses of people you communicate with most often. You can add a recipient from your Address Book by clicking the To: or Cc: buttons when you're composing a new e-mail message.