How I searched for an email client

... and found where I did not expect

In general, I’m a fairly conservative person; I update the software when I’m already completely protected against the wall. In this case, the wall was not quite high, but I decided to join a new one (whatever it was). Usually I used Outlook Express, it suited me except for some small moments that can be experienced. There was one “... but” which spoiled everything, namely the entry of Outlook into one large complex. That is, if somewhere something is wrong, then everything does not work.

On an ordinary morning, Outlook swore at some DLL and refused to start. A search on the Internet gave some useful tips, but in order to use them it was necessary to launch another utility, which also swore on the DLL, but already another. In short, everything ended up reinstalling the system. Again there was a question about the mail client. Emails are important to me, very much so. The main part of my documentary archive is stored in emails. Of course, I was already smarter and did not store emails in the user zone, which Windows primarily cleans up with some sick frenzy for any attempts to “repair” the software. Ie, a couple of thousand emails were saved and flagrantly demanded to dispose of it rationally. Needed a normal standalone client.
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Running my eyes through the list I somehow naturally settled on ThunderBird . Winking mischievously, the bird herself suggested that I eat my Outlook emails, and slowly but surely, as the boa pulled them into herself.

I liked the flexible work with accounts and identities. I liked very much what determines who to answer from (what was missing in Outlook). I did not like the system for determining in which format (HTML or plain) to respond, which, moreover, does not work correctly. On the proposal to make, as in Outlook, the authors were perplexed, because the type would be the loss of data when switching the format (“but the men don't know!”). When working, only the feint with the Shift key was saved.

Then other bloopers climbed. For example, immediately after starting, ThunderBird started to do some kind of prelude with my folders and refused to check mail for half a minute. Once I accidentally launched a scan when the network was turned off. "I can not find the server." What problems we will do! And the network is already there, and ThunderBird still can not find the server. And so for half an hour, even a restart did not help.

Once I didn’t find emails in my folders that were supposed to be there. "Probably when importing a bug," I sighed and went to open Outlook to rummage in the archive. But on the tenth day, I noticed how “it” had happened in my own eyes. A few dozen emails this blue cow just tongue licked from my folder. When I went out, and when I came in, I no longer have it. I am ready to put up with minor flaws, but let such a TundraBred go forest.

I again got the list and began to study it thoroughly. Mail client, it's like getting married. This is the first thing that you see in the morning (the toilet can not be considered, because it is reflexive and tactile), so it’s necessary that you have a good last name and a dowry. Looking ahead, I will say that I spent 14 hours searching for "my" client, being on the verge of despair.

First of all, it is necessary to determine what “my” client means. It is possible that my requirements are not quite typical. Perhaps there are other methods of organizing work with the mail. But do not demand from my conservative nature more of what it can sacrifice. So, I have three physical mailboxes on which mail falls from about a dozen different identities. Thus, I can’t work with physical boxes, I’m working on either 10 virtual boxes or all of them in one pile, which I will sort out myself. The first option is quite utopian, and the second is exactly what was in Outlook. Secondly, I need the ability to send HTML messages. Moveton on the forehead to those who think that this moveton. Keep thinking the same with a bruise on your forehead, as a sign of misunderstanding that if there are no HTML emails, then there will be Word emails.

In general, that's all! As you can see, I am not whimsical at all, only two conditions (apart from standalone). And then the story rushed through the bumps of trial and error: a small and shallow customer review.

Opera Mail is the first place where my eyes fell. But he didn’t install, as soon as he came across the phrase: “Opera Mail can be used to display HTML. Opera Mail allows composing in plain text only. ” I did not expect from such a noble family from such a beggarly ebbing. And I ask why? The parser is more complicated than the editor. No, dear principles!

When I began to look at Netscape Messenger , it turned out that I had got to his funeral. His carcass could still be used, but the point?

Another thing Zimbra - the charm of youth. In addition, they offer a free desktop client. Molodukha turned out to weigh 60M, but what can not be done for the sake of fresh meat. The first client installed. It was a bit straining that they suggested installing it not in Programs Files, or even in the root of drive C, but in the user’s repository. Go ahead, we'll see. As one would expect, the application was built on browser technology. I had a suspicion that they also set their own barser (hence the weight). In general, everything worked smoothly, without glitches. There were nice side effects in the form of autofill. It was striking that young people, except for weight and movement, are all relevant, that is, the interface-design is all kind of awkward and cumbersome. But the engagement did not take place due to the fact that all the work was sharpened under the physical mailboxes. And even working with them in the interface of the condo harmonica is very inconvenient.

One could say about Pegasus that the old horse does not spoil the furrow. In general, everything is fine, but this old man overtook me in his conservatism. He could send formatted emails, but only as Rich Text, not HTML. Honestly admitting that not all clients understand RTF, he offered plain text as an alternative. Severe konyaga.

Eudora was in two guises. The old version 7 (with a pegasus interface) was surprised by the icons. Where did they get this mix of pixels? I understand that the use of arrows for the mnemonic of the concepts “incoming”, “outgoing” hateful may seem to someone, but the inscriptions “IN” and “OUT” 3 pixels high against something speckled do not seem to be a worthy alternative. But this is of course trivia. Averted the fact that there is no control over the message. I don’t even know in which format my email is, and there seems to be no alternative to plain text. There is no way to see the message headers.

The eighth beta version is built on the engine ThunderBird. I decided to look, maybe they changed something for the better? The installed Eudora 8 gladly picked up my old bird profile, making some corrections at its discretion. All glitches TundraBreda remained, plus added ugly gloomy icons in the toolbar. Oh yeah, they also replaced the green ball of the unread message. Now he is big and ugly too. Hey, who is there closer to them, pat him on the shoulder and tell him that anti-aliasing was invented in the last century.

Risked a bit, deciding to look at Novell Evolution . Was wrong. It turned out that risked a lot. Although the authors of the port under Windows and declare a stable work under XP, all that I found was not stable work. The application after 15 minutes of doing something did not start, I dropped it. Immediately began to uninstall. The uninstaller slowly, as if with all its might, was driving a green strip. After 10 minutes, she did get to the right edge and squeezed out a message about the need to close the following applications. The following is a list of all my open windows that have nothing to do with Evolution. I pressed the “Ignore” button with my middle finger. Touchy it turned out, threw the strip back to the left and threatened that it will uninstall another 30 minutes. Do not believe it, he kept his threat! Exactly half an hour! In addition, he left in his memory a bunch of processes, solidly slowing down the system. The benefit after rebooting them washed away.

I looked at SeaMonkey , looked, but did not install because of the fact that this is not a standalone application.

On this all the "noble" surnames ended, and I never found the condescend. I had to turn my attention to commoners. First caught the Japanese Sylpheed , who spoke good English. In this very English, the author explained that after conferring with his associates, they came to the conclusion that HTML emails are not needed. I did not collect the meeting and single-handedly decided that I did not need Sylpheed.

Next, as the most interesting featured Mulberry . He made a very good impression on me. I was already thinking about whether to appoint him as my beloved wife, but a very unpleasant fact came to light here. With all the flexibility of working with mailboxes, only one server can be set for sending? This is how the author thought that one would be enough for all the boxes. But we all know that this is not so. Modern SMTP servers very carefully verify what they send and from whom.

At first I didn’t want to admit it, but I’ll tell you so. Only you to anyone ... I installed IncrediMail . And you know, I discovered a good Outlook Express clone. There is everything that I need. I was intensely looking for a reason to refuse this client and did not find it. I didn’t like one thing - the way to switch “From:” Just inconvenient, but I decided to use it as an excuse to search for something else, nevertheless internally accepting the fact that I would use (forgive me, Lord) IncrediMail.

After walking around the sites, I saw that the matchmakers offered another Japanese woman named Becky . The truth is that you have to pay $ 40 for it. As it turned out that with decent brides tugovato, I decided to go to the bride. It turned out a very nice nice thing. But without HTML. Sorry Becky-san ...

With Smotrin, I already went out in a completely upset feeling. Where does this world go? I can not find a normal email client. Life did not succeed ... It is already past midnight on the clock, and I aimlessly again and again leaf through the lists of programs that I have never heard of and I don’t want to listen to. But chu! What it is? Why do I come across the list of Windows Live Mail clients that I’ve missed, like I got there by mistake. This should be some kind of webmail project. I open the description and don’t believe my eyes: Microsoft released the next version of Outlook Express as Window Mail as the standalone (!!!) application. My heart beat fast. This can not be ... God still favors me! I am saved! Give me a glass of water!

Although, however, no longer necessary. My fervor is cooled by the following line, which says that Window Mail is released only under Vista. BUT! I said that the world is crap ... What about Windows Live Mail? Windows Live Mail is the next generation, I mean Outlook's granddaughter, and it works on both Vista and XP. Just do not mock the poor man. Che true on xp? True true! Please download ...

First of all, the installer swore that there is no necessary update in Windows. If he knew what updates I have, I just don’t ... Everything fell into place. But to clear my conscience, I clicked on the link. Microsoft podgruzit something, on something scolded (I know, is for what). Already without any hope again launched the installer. And lo and behold, he went! Not only did he install the application, this application started and works like a watch.

The first thing that catches your eye is the Whist interface. The second is that the granddaughter fell a little further from the apple tree and somewhere incest happened between Outlook Express and Outlook. Third, the Inboxes are divided and tied to their own mailboxes. That is exactly what I do not need.

Well, all the time already later. It's time to bed, fall face down on a pillow and start sobbing in despair. What is there for another "Quick View"? Quick View is a type of virtual summing box that (if you add it) will show everything together. And this is exactly what I need. The second day of the flight. Flight is normal!

PS Indeed, somewhere in the crotch between yaw in free programs and willingness to pay, The Bat! dropped out of my sight. Not specifically, honest word. To complete the picture at least for myself installed and tried. Very nice and clean design, it should be noted. It is focused on physical boxes, but it seems there are flexible possibilities, both in their combination and division. Most likely I would stop on it, get it to me before Window Mail. Their money is worth it.