Nancy wants to know what choice she has re: Windows Live Mail
In your answer to Tom about Windows Live, you didn't say what choice we have?  I received the same email from them about getting rid of OE and making us use Windows Live email.  I love OE.  Can you help?  Thank you.

Our answer
It seems a lot of people mis-read the email from Microsoft. It didn't say you couldn't use Outlook Express anymore, it said you couldn't use Hotmail with Outlook Express after June 28, 2008. The problem we have with that is Microsoft worded the email so poorly it seemed to many like they were saying "no more Outlook Express". Whether this was done intentionally or not to encourage people to download Windows Live Mail (and, of course, import ALL of their email accounts into it - including their ISP accounts and any others they have) we don't know. But it sure seems strange to us that if not read carefully, the email sounded like a death knell for Outlook Express and Windows Mail.

It's fine if Microsoft wants to push a questionable Web Email application for use with Hotmail, but it's not fine when they make Windows Live Mail sound like a better email program than the ones it replaces. It's not fine for them not to tell you clearly upfront, that if you install Windows Live Mail, all of your accounts will be imported into it, along with all of your passwords, user information, messages, account settings, etc. and these will all be duplicated on Microsoft servers. This includes accounts other than Microsoft's Hotmail like your ISP account and messages and passwords related to that account. The way Microsoft's email was worded, made it seem like if you didn't download Windows Live Mail you'd be left without an email program. To us this ambiguously worded email seems intentional. Microsoft wants to push Windows Live Mail to everyone as if those who were using Outlook Express or Windows Mail would have no choice but to download Windows Live Mail if they wanted to have an email program at all. But, it's not true. Only Hotmail accounts are affected by this strange Microsoft maneuver. And even then, you can use Outlook Express or Windows Mail, keep your Hotmail account and check your Hotmail account on the Web. You don't need to download Windows Live Mail and you don't need to give up Outlook Express or Windows Mail.

As far as us leaving readers without a viable solution, we advised readers to get a free Gmail account and set it up in Outlook Express or Windows Mail. This should tell Microsoft what you think of their Windows Live Mail coup to take over all your email accounts and leaving you with no choice to store all your data online for every email account whether you like it or not.

And finally, Microsoft isn't doing this for your convenience. They're doing it for money. Since Windows 98, Microsoft has provided customers with a free email program. But they can't make any money from you if you continue to use Outlook Express or Windows Mail. Right now Microsoft is inserting advertisements in every mail you send with Windows Live Mail using a Hotmail or MSN account. How long do you think it will be before Microsoft inserts advertisements in EVERY email you send with Windows Live Mail - even when you use your ISP account or other non-Hotmail or non-MSN account. The technology is there to do it. They're already using it. Once Microsoft has consumers using Windows Live Mail, what are you going to do about them using your personal emails as an advertising vehicle for Microsoft's advertisers?

Say no to Windows Live Mail, keep your Outlook Express or Windows Mail program, get a free Gmail account if you like, and set it up in Outlook Express or Windows Mail. If you really need your Hotmail account, check your Hotmail or MSN account using your Web browser. If you download Windows Live Mail there's a chance that soon you won't have any options left but to use it or to try to learn a completely new email program like Mozilla Thunderbird, which is far less capable than Outlook Express or Windows Mail. But it still beats having Microsoft in control of all your personal email.

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