Windows 7 Taskforce

xombie wrote on January 10, 2009, 5:41pm

Agreed with Calum.Cook.

The reason they removed it was to make it lighter, less confusing, and (most importantly) avoid anti-trust lawsuits (I think).

Most people use web based mail anyway.

XPIsFaster wrote on January 10, 2009, 6:14pm

This is a critical usability issue, People have years of mail stored, configuration saved, Microsoft can push people to live, but they MUST make it a seamless experience. Users first experience with Windows 7 cannot be a nightmare like this.

JeffLomax is absolutely right, Calum needs to put himself in the Users shoes.

.Chris wrote on January 10, 2009, 6:29pm

I believe Microsoft needs to make it as easy as 123 for people to get the live programs once this hits final. Talk about it in the installation, or even better, ship the installation file with the system so people cna just install from the system and not have to find where to download and adboid the risk of people downloading from the worng site

xombie wrote on January 10, 2009, 6:34pm

They already have a link in the Getting Started window.
From there it's pretty simple.

BetaGuy wrote on January 10, 2009, 6:42pm

It must be a simple upgrade, but I have doubts MSFT is committed to that. If they were, they wouldn't remove Window Mail before the upgrade was ready.

Better to leave Windows Mail in W7 and let people use it if that's what they want. Did anyone notice that Live Mail's store folder has just a bunch of .eml files? Can users safely copy the .eml files from Windows Mail into it?

BetaGuy wrote on January 10, 2009, 6:50pm

xombile: The link you are talking about is just how a user finds their way to Windows Live Mail, that is, if they don't go download some other alternative first. This discussion is about how to retain existing settings, mail, contacts, feeds, etc., that MSFT didn't support.

This is a huge opportunity for other providers to steal millions of users, since MSFT is forcing a unnecessary change, maybe a swtich to gmail would make more sense.

xombie wrote on January 10, 2009, 6:56pm

Oops, sorry, I was replying to .Chris.

I do agree that Live Mail needs the import feature, but not with bundling it with Windows.

.Chris wrote on January 10, 2009, 7:43pm

I own a macbook, and the majordy of the ilife apps came on the DVD with the system (the install disc). I just placed the DVD in the computer, and ran the set up, chose what ones I wanted/needed. (after osx was installed)

May be thats what microsoft should do. Inlucde the live software on the disc (meaning, include the damn disc when you buy a new machine like they did with 98)

.Chris wrote on January 10, 2009, 8:20pm

I know. Ever since XP, they stop shipping the discs with the systems and they expect you do make your own recovery discs (HP is the only OEM that ships all the computers with a recovery paration.

leaflord wrote on January 10, 2009, 10:01pm

I agree with Chris - that's what I thought too, they should include Live Suite into the installer DVD...

As for Windows Mail; the only thing I'd like is "Import Outlook Express contacts" -- or maybe it's already there...? (I haven't used/installed any live product of the late)

.Chris wrote on January 10, 2009, 10:54pm

Windows mail IS outlook express, just a new name and a few features removed. They chose not to remove windows mail completely and replace it with windows live mail to and I quote "avoid confusion among consumers" when they really added more...

Windows mail
Windows LIVE mail
Windows live hotmail

imo, we really only need two e-mail programs from microsoft. A simple, basic, FREE one (Live mail) and a advanced, "premium" verson (outlook). Looks like they are heading to that. But the names still need work

keff wrote on January 11, 2009, 1:26am

Exactly - make it seamless for BFUs to access years of outlook express/windows mail data, otherwise there will be rage of negative publicity.

Another thing, provide a shortcut 'what happened to windows mail' to start menu, that links to an explanation of mail - live mail transition!

JeffLomax wrote on January 11, 2009, 2:06am

This release has no accounts import (which will cause countless hours on tech support with ISP's) and no messages import, but it does support a very poor Contacts import via .CSV. After forcing people to use the Contacts folder, they didn't support that yet.

The best policy is for Beta Testers to demand Microsoft leave Windows Mail in W7 until a fully functional upgrade is available, just like BetaGuy pointed out.

.Chris wrote on January 11, 2009, 3:27am

yes, and if people want to remove it, let them, via the control pannel

Jeroen wrote on January 11, 2009, 10:36am

No need for Windows mail imo, as Live Mail can be found in the Live Essentials package. No need for two basic clients. And if Live Mail has issues for you then imo it would be best to adress the problem for that. Basically the problem isn't that there's no client included but that the one available has issues for you.
And it was removed for a good reason. Which is the availability of Live Mail.

TheDub wrote on January 15, 2009, 6:01am

No No No NO. For the first time ever Microsoft is moving in a direction of streamlining. Making windows faster, leaner, and less loaded with apps out of the box.

The removal of Windows Mail is great for a few reasons.

1.) It was a horrible client anyways.
2.) People often install Outlook which means they do not need any other mail client.
3.) This gives people a choice of having just one mail application without having to go into the control panel and remove the one that came with Windows.
4.) If they DO like the Windows Mail app its now included in the Live Essentials set of apps if you so choose to install it.

-1 Microsoft is going in the right direction with the removal of this and other apps.

.Chris wrote on January 20, 2009, 12:18am

Plus, windows LIVE mail, is better in the long run..