# How Do Act! and MS Outlook Differ?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-act-and-ms-outlook-differ/84374
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [September 28, 2001, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-act-and-ms-outlook-differ/84374 "2001-09-28T19:51:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)
#### Post date: [September 28, 2001, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-act-and-ms-outlook-differ/84374/1 "2001-09-28T19:51:33Z")

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… and what are their comparative strengths/weaknesses? Are they essentially the same?

Thanks.

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### Author: ![robgruver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@robgruver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robgruver)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2001, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-act-and-ms-outlook-differ/84374/2 "2001-09-29T06:29:38Z")

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Outlook is an email client whereas ACT is more of a database for contacts. It really depends on what your needs are. If you need a lot of information about your client/friends, then ACT is your choice, but it does not have an email client IIRC. So you will still have to use Outlook or your favorite email client.