Microsoft Outlook Express Tools

Windows 98 and Internet Explorer are designed to work with your preferred e-mail program. The installation routine checks your system for installed e-mail programs and lists them in the Mail drop-down box on the Programs page of the Internet Options dialog box (accessed from Internet Explorer’s view menu). If you upgraded form Windows 95 with Microsoft Exchange installed, it will appear on the list as Windows messaging. Outlook Express, which is part of the Windows 98 package, is also on the list. Of course, you can also open your mail program directly, either from the Start menu or form a shortcut on the desktop.

Microsoft Outlook Express puts the world of online communication on your desktop. Whether you want to exchange e-mail with colleagues and friends or join newsgroups to trade ideas and information, the tools are here.

Manage multiple mail and news accounts

If you have several mail or news accounts, you can use them all from one window. You can also create multiple users, or identities, for the same computer. Each identity gets its own mail folders and Address Book. The ability to create multiple accounts and identities makes it easy for you to keep work separate from personal mail and also between individual users.

Browse through messages quickly and easily

Using the message list and preview pane, you can view a list of messages and read individual messages at the same time. The Folders list contains mail folders, news servers, and newsgroups, and you can easily switch between them. You can also create new folders to organize and sort messages, and then set up message rules so that incoming mail that meets your criteria automatically goes to a specific folder. You can also create your own views to customize the way you look at your mail.

Keep your mail on a server so you can view it from more than one computer

If your ISP uses an IMAP mail server for incoming mail, you can read, store, and organize your messages in folders on the server without downloading the messages to your computer. That way, you can view messages from any computer that can connect to that server.

Use the Address Book to store and retrieve e-mail addresses

You can save names and addresses in your Address Book automatically by simply replying to a message or by importing them from other programs, by typing them in, by adding them from e-mail messages you receive, or by searching popular Internet directory services (white pages). The Address Book supports Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) for accessing Internet directory services.

Add a personal signature or stationery to your messages

You can insert essential information into outgoing messages as part of your personal signature, and you can create multiple signatures to use for different purposes. For more detailed information, you can include a business card. To make your messages look more attractive, you can add stationery patterns and backgrounds, and you can change the color and style of the text.

Send and receive secure messages

You can digitally sign and encrypt messages by using digital IDs. Digitally signing your message assures recipients that the message is really from you. Encryption ensures that only intended recipients can read a message.

Find newsgroups that interest you

Looking for a newsgroup that matches your interests? You can search for newsgroups that contain keywords or browse through all of the newsgroups available from your Usenet provider. When you find a newsgroup you want to view regularly, add it to your Subscribed list so you can find it again easily.

View newsgroup conversations efficiently

You can view a newsgroup message and all of the responses without reading an entire message list. When you view the list of messages, you can expand and collapse conversations to make it easier to find what interests you. You can also use views to display only the messages you want to read.

Download newsgroup messages for offline reading

To use your online time efficiently, you can download messages or entire newsgroups, so you don't have to be connected to your ISP to read messages. You can also download message headers only for offline viewing and then mark the headers of the messages you want to read; then the next time you are connected, Outlook Express downloads the message text. You can also compose messages offline and send them the next time you reconnect.

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