Dumb question: Office Outlook (2003) or Outlook Express 6

[dhartma3]

Hello everyone,

I'm sorry if this type of question isn't right for this particular forum, but I thought I'd give it a shot.

I bought the XP package a while ago that includes Microsoft Office Outlook (2003). My laptop also came with Outlook Express 6. I have been using Office Outlook for a while and like it.

My question is - if I only need email and contacts (don't need the calendar or notes or anything else), should I use Office Outlook or Outlook Express?

My laptop has only 1 gig of RAM, so it isn't the fastest in the world for sure - will Express be faster (loading and in general)?

If I were to update both, is one less dependable (more glitches or issues)?

Are there any other differences I should know about?

If I do switch to Express, is there a simple way to transfer all of my saved emails, folders, contacts, etc.?

Thank you! I really appreciate it.

Dan

[joe43wv]

For just general use Outlook Express is your answer. It's lighter and less resource intensive. Although I feel that office outlook is more secure and has more bells and whistles, but for just general e-mail read and send I say go w/ express.

[DreamSkape]

Hi,

I agree with joe43wv in partial. There is some stability factor with general OE that comes with the Windows package. OE loses the mails while sending and recieving through POP3.

My laptop has only 512 MB of RAM and I am using OUTLOOK 2007. The best thing is that you get the facility to change the default mail folder to some other partition so that you need not backup your contacts and mails each time. Plus if you want an attractive signature in the general OE with some images, say your company logo, it is not possible in the Windows OE.

I will recommend you go for OUTLOOK 2007. You can fully customize it to meet your needs such as creating rules and alerts to delete unwanted mail even before they are downloaded. That is the best mail client till date in my knowledge.

One Tip: If you intend to use MSOUTLOOK, use IMAP to send and recieve. This way, you will have a copy of mails saved on the server too.

Hope this helps you make the decision.

--

Regards,

DreamSkape

Signed: Friday, April 24, 2009, 11:02:07 PM IST

[spacesurfer]

Well, if you are definitely sure you won't use the calendar feature of Outlook, I'll say pass both of them and use Windows Mail Live. Windows Mail Live is an updated Outlook Express. Outlook is more of a corporate product. It has too many features if you are not going to use them.

Outlook Express is a dead end program - MS will not update the security holes if there are any. Thus, I would use Windows Mail Live. Even Vista's included Windows Mail program is a dead end.

Also, if per chance you do need a calendar program, Windows Mail Live includes a calendar program.

I use Outlook at work because we're on an exchange server so it fits the corporate needs. But at home, I actually use the web-based Gmail since I like the very well done interface of Gmail that can't be duplicated by an email client.

I do have an hotmail account which I use Windows Mail Live to check.