I mostly agree with Peter on this, and I tried to raise this issue almost a year ago. The problem is not so much that there are no alternatives, it is that people will se getting a Microsoft product as being relatively safe. The fact that Windows 7 does not actually include an e-mail program, WLM is going to be the program that many people will assume is a companion to Internet Explorer as Thunderbird is to FireFox. Neither is precisely true, of course. there are some alternatives, and I also understand that this may not be a top priority for GW Micro for some good reasons. What I feel we are missing, though, is an explanation as to what the reasons are that Windows Live Mail is so problematic. Is Microsoft using a newer technology like UIA that hasn't been fully implemented by screen readers which means that we just have to wait, or is Microsoft needlessly doing something that makes the lives of screen reader developers and therefore consumers more difficult? It is possible that GW Micro can't answer the above question because of nondisclosure agreements, but much of the frustration on this is due to the lack of information. In my case, I can no longer send mail using SMTP from inside my employer's network except with my work e-mail address which forces me to use web interfaces. However, Windows Live Mail allows interfacing with Microsoft's HotMail and Live through there maile interface which let's me interact through an e-mail client. Someone here mentioned that Thunderbird had a plug-in to do this, but I have not found such a thing. We need to be patient, but I also think we need more information from someone.
Best regards, Steve Jacobson On Sat, 28 Aug 2010 08:25:10 -0400, Tactile Display wrote: >WLM will be around for many years to come because Microsoft has made it a part >of Windows Live Essentials and has decreed that Windows Live Mail will be the replacement for Outlook Express and for Windows Mail on Vista. The reality is that most folks who by a computer will get Windows 7 whether they like it or not and will consequently download Essentials and try to use Windows Live Mail - as a free e-mail client which in fact offers many nice features. >The solution is not to blame GW Micro, blame Microsoft, switch horses, rather >fix the problems and be done with it. >Windows 7 is the only real game in town, so let us play rather than bitch or >switch! As always, I am sure the both GW Micro and Microsoft will make us all happy in a while. I am only surprised that GW released such a mess as the initial pass on WLM. (But, we need to acknowledge that GW has hundreds of demands placed on its development resources, for we want our favorite program to work for us, even if we are the only folks who want to use them.) I would have not made such a public fuss about WLM except it will be a "core" program used within Windows 7 for years to come. >Peter Duran >If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender only. >If your reply would benefit others on the list and your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. >GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You can manage >your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv. If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You can manage your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv.
