Email Client Programs for Win7?

I’m getting less and less happy with MS Outlook…

(I swear to you, honest, I am NOT a plant, sent here to bash Microsoft! I’m not! I’m just one more victim of MS’ sloppy programming…)

Is there another desktop host-based email client, something akin to Outlook, but a bit more friendly? One specific thing I’m having a HELL of a time with is creating backup archive mailboxes – .pst folders – so I can store my old email, and yet still be able to open and read it at need. Outlook it major-league bitchy about this. Is there another program that people could recommend? If it had a scheduler and calendar and alerts and things, like Outlook, that’d be a darn nice bonus.

Thanks! (REALLY, I’m not being paid to come here and do this. Ick. I hate shills!)

ETA: is “host-based” even the right term? I want a program that sits on my computer and goes out and talks to my ISP and brings my mail in, rather than a browser-based reader. I think “POP” is what I’m trying to say, but am not sure.

There are two different protocols for retrieving mail from a host - POP and IMAP. POP access will download your messages to your desktop client and either retain or delete the originals from your ISP server (based on ISP settings). IMAP will download either full messages or message headers to your desktop client (based on your options) and will additionally synchronize your delete, archive, and move message actions with the server. Usually, IMAP is preferred for its sync ability, particularly if you’re accessing e-mail from more than one location.

There’s a few options for access:[ul][li]Microsoft’s own Windows Live Mail[]Mozilla’s Thunderbird[]Postbox[/ul]Windows Live Mail and Thunderbird are free; Postbox is a paid product. I have no experience with Live Mail, so cannot vouch for it personally. I’ve used both Thunderbird and Postbox, and am currently using Postbox as my primary e-mail client (Postbox is actually based on Mozilla Thunderbird and is compatible with some of its add-ons). Both Thunderbird and Postbox support add-ons, the most popular of which is Lightning, the calendar extension. Both can be configured to use either POP or IMAP.[/li]
I’m not clear on exactly what kind of archiving you’re trying to do. If you’re downloading everything to your desktop, any client should allow you to move those messages into whatever folders you create for the purpose (note I say this with no direct experience with Outlook’s behavior in this respect; I’ve not used Outlook outside of the office, where .pst files were not allowed). Both Thunderbird and Postbox will allow you to create folders for archive purposes; if you’re syncing with Gmail, for instance, via IMAP, those folders will be synchronized with Gmail online. On the other hand, if you’re simply downloading everything directly from your ISP via POP, all your messages will be on your desktop in whatever folders you create.

Hope this is helpful.

I’ve nver found anything I like as much as Outlook, but until you do find something maybe this will help…

Thank you both! Thank you, zoid, very much; this is the sort of thing I’m not very good at.

(My instinct has been never to put passwords on stuff on my own computer. I might change that policy if I had a laptop that went with me out into the world, but my clunky old desktop is pretty likely to stay where it is. I almost feel sorry for the burglar who tries to lug it away.)

I’ve been using TrulyMail for years and I really like it. It has reminders (tasks) but no calendar. It does not support add-ons but it does have a lot of features baked in. They have a free version and a paid version.

I use Windows Live Mail and found it easy enough to use. From what I recall it is as easy as Outlook or Outlook Express.