Win 8 and Microsoft

This isn't strictly a games question, but I am getting desperate to understand. I have a 2nd computer (win 8) - oh what joy!! and I am slowly getting to understand it but I am having problems setting up e mails. My 1st comp is a destop with Microsoft office 2003 (win 7) and I use Outlook as my e mail preference, in win8 I have registerd with Microsoft and Live and I keep getting messages about Outlook, but I seem to think this is a hotmail app and nothing to do with Office outlook, is that the case? I realise that I will have to update Office since 8 does not support 2003, but they are pushing me towards 365 which I have heard bad things about and I would prefer 2010, any thoughts??

I will be so grateful for your advice as most people I ask know nothing about 8.

From Wiki -

Hotmail (officially Microsoft Hotmail, previously Windows Live Hotmail and MSN Hotmail) was a free web-based email service operated by Microsoft as part of Windows Live, which was recently replaced by the newer Outlook.com service by Microsoft. Hotmail was one of the first web-based email services....

If you want to continue using Outlook which is a part of Microsoft Office, you will need to purchase a copy of Office. If you do not need all the other programs that come with the Office suite, but are only looking to get Outlook, then that would be a very expensive way to get an email program. Windows 8 DOES support Office 2007 and of course 2010. The full versions which have Outlook are upwards of $200 or more.

Outlook.com is a web-based email program. It is replacing the old Hotmail. I have an Outlook.com email account and I really like it. It's leaps and bounds more secure than Hotmail. There is also Gmail for web-based email.

If you want en email client on your computer and don't want to spend the extra money for Office 2010 just to get Outlook, there are lots of alternatives. I use Microsoft Live Mail and I vastly prefer it to Outlook. It's basically Outlook Express with tons of new features. You would need to download it from here... Windows Essentials You don't have to get all the programs in Essentials, just the ones you want. If it says Live Mail is only for Windows 7, just ignore it.

Lots of people also like the free Mozilla Thunderbird.

Thank you both that was very informative, I want to keep my present e mail address (plus.net) will this programme support that?

Which program are you talking about?

I've used the Windows Live Mail desktop client for years with my Live acct, even after they switched to Outlook.com recently. The program also supports other pop and imap email accts.

Just this week, though, I decided to shake things up a bit. All my kids seem to be going with gmail and google apps, so I decided to start using my gmail acct as my main email. I don't like doing email in a browser. I prefer a desktop client, so I've been experimenting with Zimbra Desktop. It synchs with gmail, calendars & contacts, using imap. It's free. Open source for the desktop client. Hope support continues. That's always the issue with software!

I've used Thunderbird before and liked it, but you have to find a plugin for calendar synchs. Also I've read that they've stopped actively developing it even though it's still around. Not sure what that means.

I've never heard of Zimbra... might have to check it out. I find Windows Live Mail to be the best one for me as I prefer the POP email account. I can also sync my Gmail and Outlook.com accounts there. But I've found that I prefer the Windows 8 Mail app for my Gmail and my two Outlook.com accounts. The Mail app is very weak and not much good for anything, but it does work well for that.

I'm not a huge fan of web-based email, but they are useful. I thought Gmail was the best, but I'm finding that I prefer Outlook.com.

Well, there's always pros and cons to a service. I'm always on a quest for the perfect email solution! Right now, in trying to get used to gmail, the thing that's testing my patience is its use of labels instead of folders. I prefer to have emails in one spot, not tagged with labels where they pop into two or more "folders." I just can't get my head around this way of organizing yet.

Gmail's filtering system is not as good as Outlook.com's; it's way too simplistic. Couple that with gmail's labeling system, and organization becomes a real challenge! At least until I change my apparently outdated brainwaves!

One of the reasons I'm suffering through this change is because I like to have mail synchronized between my laptop and desktop. Since I don't like webmail, finding a good desktop client to do that is tricky. Zimbra's doing a good job of this so far. I had been having trouble with the WLM client in this aspect. Wonder if they've made improvements along that line in Win 8's client. Have you seen a difference in the Mail client going from Win 7 to Win 8?

I know there's all kinds of "syncing" you can do with Windows 8 using the Skydrive, but I haven't looked into it yet. I just use Skydrive to upload pictures to link to in an email and stuff like that.

I stayed with the same email client going from Windows 7 to Windows 8 - Windows Live Mail. The Windows 8 Mail app is the one I use on the Start page. It's really handy for a couple of the people whose computers I work on. The one guy is utterly clueless, and simply couldn't figure out how to easily check his Gmail account tied out our American Legion webpage. I simply added that account the the Mail app and when there is a new email, it shows up on the Live Tile of the app. He sees a number there, he knows he has an email. It's been a godsend for me for a couple of other guys too that just got new Windows 8 laptop. It's not a full-featured email app by any stretch of the imagination, but for quick reading, composing and sending, it's fine.

I use Live Mail for everything but sites to which I don't want to give that email address. Lotsa those. So, I thought I'd go sign up for Outlook just in case Gmail blew up and I had trouble with Live Mail.

Um...there is NO address book? I don't want to import addresses, I prefer to add them to Contacts but I don't see Contacts. Am I just being dense as usual?


Gil.

When I switched from Live Mail to Outlook.com (which is basically an upgrade), all my contacts automatically appeared in the new format, along with mail and calendar. Did you use the same Live acct or sign up for a new one?

Gil, it's called "People" in Outlook.com. Click on the little down arrow next to "Outlook" at the top and you can select from Mail, People, Calendar and Skydrive. You get some free Skydrive storage, but I don't remember how much.

If you don't want to import your contacts, just type in an email address and I "think" it gets added to your new "People" or contacts. Of course, with me, the operative word is think.

Oh, should have said that if you're just looking for the link to Contacts, click on the down arrow by the Outlook button on the top left of the screen.

Sorry, Draclvr. You beat me to it! LOL

And I edited my post too! If you don't want to add from social media and you don't want to import, you have to type them in.

Draclvr, I went to the Microsoft site and looked at a few screenshots of the Mail desktop client in Win 8. The format is similar to Outlook.com, right? Very different than what it looks like in Win 7. Unless I was just looking at the touch version. What is that called, Metro?

RE: Win 8 - Also, that's a neat feature you mentioned about screenshots being saved automatically in a folder. So many times in the past when I've taken an in-game screenshot using the PrtSc key, I then had to alt-tab out and paste it somewhere ... all so that I could take another shot. Finally went to Fraps!

Well, I guess it sort of does look like Outlook.com. But the app is still pretty weak as a stand-alone email app. It's not really an email client as you can only sync with web-based email... POP and IMAP are not supported.

It's a built-in app with Windows 8 and it doesn't matter whether you are using touch or keyboard and mouse for the Modern UI interface. WHICH has to be the stupidest name for it I've ever heard. They can't use Metro any more because of some company in Europe with already has the name. It might even be a Microsoft partner, I can't remember for sure.

Windows 7 does not have any email clients included if you install it from a disk. You have to either download one or use web-based email. Now if you purchased an OEM computer, they usually come pre-loaded with Microsoft Live Essentials which includes Live Mail.

Yup, no more copying and pasting a screenshot into Paint before you can do anything. It's a simple file with one keystroke - well sort of two keystrokes.

Hi, lanlynk,

I haven't switched. I'm not letting go of my email client Live Mail. I loved OE and this is as close as I can get to OE.

I've gotta say, though, I don't understand why they separated "Storage folders" from the Inbox area in WLM and created additional Draft, Sent and Deleted Item folders.

To get Live Mail, I created a Live Essentials account but I don't sign in. I just use the email program.

To get the Outlook.com web based email, purely as a backup, I just gave them my Gmail account as a, er, reference.

Drac, thanks for letting me know where to add contacts!

Gil.

Outlook.com is not an upgrade from Live Mail. Live Mail is an email client on your computer which you can set up with POP email accounts. It is a part of Windows Live Essentials, although I think they now just call it Windows Essentials. Outlook.com is an upgrade for the old Hotmail web-based email.

I did the same thing when I set up my Outlook.com account - used my Gmail as a, er, reference!

Yes, the terms are a little confusing. There was a webmail service called Windows Live Mail, which is what I had been using. I logged on to it when I just wanted to check webmail in my browser. It was the free version, or the alternate newer name, for the Hotmail web service. (user@live.com rather than user@hotmail.com) Then there is the desktop client also called Windows Live Mail that is part of Windows Essentials--still available. It can be used with any mail service.

The web service Windows Live Mail (and Hotmail) is what was upgraded to Outlook.com, not the desktop client.

PS: The web service Windows Live Mail was also called Windows Live Hotmail. ... and then there's MSN Mail, which is the same thing!

Ah, I see what you're talking about... not the Windows Live Mail email client included in Windows Live Essentials, but the Windows Live account. Definitely confusing!

I didn't know MSN Mail and Hotmail were the same.. I just never used them, I guess.

MSN and Hotmail go together but were quite different. I like MSN much better but mine has not been working since last June and I just haven't felt up to dealing with them on the phone to find out why.

I think they've all gone to Outlook.com. I just tried to go to MSN mail and was taken to Outlook.com.

I never used MSN or Hotmail, just the Windows Live service. I know they're all related somehow, but not sure of the differences or which came first! Seems like these companies are always trying out new directions and services. Google has done the same thing. Services offered, tweaked, and then replaced.

I guess it all depends on how well ideas are received by the public and which direction trends go.

Well, I have to agree with you, lanlynk, I wish those Google labels would get lost. They're not nearly as sensible as folders. IMO, anyway.


Gil.

Exactly, traveler! I want folders, not floating messages with labels. If I need to further categorize emails, I can use "tags." That's what my current email client offers. I can create my own tags, which are basically little icon labels of infinite colors. I can place a tag on family emails, for instance; then use the search field for that tag and voila! a sorted list appears with all my family messages ready to browse--temporarily ... while they still nest securely in their folders where they belong!

Draclvr - MSN Mail was something that had to be paid for. I can go to my MSN Mail - it's just not loading them right anymore though. It doesn't kick me to Outlook.