Hi, Gene.
The confusion over the names of the several mail clients is Microsoft's
fault, of course. But in spite of Wayne's insistence on keeping the word
"desktop", Windows Live Mail beta IS the latest and current mail client for
Vista (although many WinXP users are running it, too). Windows Live Mail
desktop (beta) was replaced by WLM beta on May 31. WLMd is now dead, except
for those who haven't gotten the word yet. As you said in your OP, you can
read the official word and download the current WLM public beta at:
http://get.live.com/betas/maildesktop_betas
As to your specific questions, see inline...
Gene said:
I'm "thinking" ~ downloading and installing the new Microsoft
Windows Live Mail beta:
http://get.live.com/betas/maildesktop_betas
Questions:
1. Will it COMPLETELY REPLACE my most crummy Vista Windows Mail?
Yes. I was mostly happy with WM, and I resisted anything with "Live" in the
name until May 31, when WLM beta became available.
2. Have you actually downloaded and "tried it" and are currently running
it as a
replacement for Vista WinMail?
Yes. That's what I've been running ever since about June 2. (I had a
serious problem with WLM's import of my message base at first and it took a
couple of days to get that fixed. Nobody else has reported such a problem,
so it must have been within my own database.)
Yes. There are some "fit and finish" issues that MS is working on now.
There's a long list of bugs - but there is still a long list of bugs in OE,
even after a decade or so of complaints from us users. The WLM team now
seems to be focusing on our gripes and suggestions and I have hopes that WLM
will be a very good problem by the time it is officially released. At
least, I've had no "messages stuck in the Outbox" with WLM. ;<)
Dislike several things, but I haven't run WM in a couple of weeks, so I
guess that means something.
Wish you had stayed with Vista WinMail?
No. Not since the first week with WLM.
As for me, I wish I had my old PC back, with XP Pro & Outlook :-(
I've never been comfortable with Outlook. I'm one man with one computer and
no net but the Internet. So Outlook is too cumbersome for my simple needs.
Also, I spend far less time in email than in newsgroups, which Outlook
doesn't handle. Vista is much better than WinXP - and gets better as I get
over the hump in the learning curve. WinXP is still installed on my
computer, but I haven't booted it in months.
You're welcome. Come on in, the water's fine. Well, it will be fine, when
the Team finishes tweaking WLM for us.
RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta in Vista Ultimate x64)