If you're still using Outlook Express for checking your Windows Live Hotmail, listen up. Microsoft will be cutting off your access in three months. On September 1, 2009, the support for Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV), the protocol that Outlook Express and a handful of older clients currently use to access Hotmail, will be discontinued.As Neowin reported in April of last year, Microsoft originally planned to cut off access for Outlook Express users on June 30, 2008. However the WebDAV protocol got a stay of execution after users complained that it was too soon. Microsoft's management agreed and gave users another year to make the migration. Microsoft has stated that these changes are necessary to support the larger and larger mailbox sizes that Hotmail supports. The say that that due to WebDAV's age, it can no longer keep up with the demands placed on it.
Outlook Express was last included with Windows XP. Windows Vista includes Windows Mail, but it does not feature the direct Hotmail connection features that were present in Outlook Express. Windows Vista users who wish to connect to their Hotmail accounts can use Windows Live Mail, which uses Microsoft's new favored protocol, DeltaSync. Users of Outlook Express who wish to continue using the client can reconfigure the client to connect using POP3, which was added to Hotmail in March 2009.
As part of Microsoft's new distribution strategy, Windows 7 does not include any mail client by default, but users can optionally install Windows Live Mail.
This change will have no affect on users of Microsoft Outlook 2003/2007 using the Office Outlook Connector since it also uses Microsoft's new DeltaSync protocol. However if you're using a previous version of Outlook that connects using WebDAV, you'll need to upgrade to a new client that supports the Office Outlook Connector or reconfigure your client to connect using POP3.
Any users of Entourage on the Mac should also update their client settings to use POP3. Currently there is no alternative connection agent available like the Outlook Connector for Entourage.
Users who check their email using only the browser based version of Hotmail, will not have to make any changes to their account.
Correct me if I am wrong, but the way I understand WebDAV and DeltaSync is to try and provide an experience I believe similar to those using Exchange or Mobile Me. It would keep the OE client synced to the hotmail that way if you are traveling you can have access to everything if you do not have your system with you.
You get to see your e-mails exactly how they are arranged on the Hotmail system, which POP3 can't do at all.
It isn't like they cannot download Windows Live Mail for free. That'll just import everything in from OE and life goes on. At least Microsoft did provide another free alternative, a program that they are actually updating since OE is dead as far as development goes.
what about people using Linux and OSX?
I was not aware either had a valid solution from MS using WebDAV to begin with as Hotmail never used IMAP. Unless Entourage for Mac was able to I guess Linux users were stuck using WINE and not sure about Mac users. Entourage doesn't even seem like something I'd want to touch.
But why did MS invent WebDAV when IMAP existed? I know they like to go proprietary when possible, but beyond that.
OE was an impossible program. Pain in the A**. Dad kept using it for years untile his emachines became so corrupted he was forced to get a laptop. He's using Outlook 2007 now. But it was a major pain trying to back up those emails. Sucked so bad eventually I ended up with Thunderbird years ago.
I wish people would stop judging others based on your own opinion. Not everyone upgrades the second everything new is released. Do you replace your car every time it's newer version comes out, TV, chairs, beds? No? Why? Because those things works and does what they want it to do.
Leave other people alone to make their own choices.
I wish people would stop judging others based on your own opinion. Not everyone upgrades the second everything new is released. Do you replace your car every time it's newer version comes out, TV, chairs, beds? No? Why? Because those things works and does what they want it to do.
Leave other people alone to make their own choices.
But those things aren't free to upgrade either, otherwise i'd have brand new car, TV, chairs, beds..
I wish people would stop judging others based on your own opinion. Not everyone upgrades the second everything new is released. Do you replace your car every time it's newer version comes out, TV, chairs, beds? No? Why? Because those things works and does what they want it to do.
Leave other people alone to make their own choices.
As nbtc971 said - those things aren't free like these certain software upgrades, otherwise most of us would upgrade our TVs and cars when a new, better, one was released - if it came out yearly of course like this software.
You may be forgetting that Windows Live Mail works perfectly on Windows XP and if people haven't upgraded past Windows 2000 yet then that is their own fault. If they want to be involved in the computing industry, by owning a computer, then they have to move with the times and accept that old software doesn't cut it and isn't supported anymore.
The same applies to Outlook Express - Windows Live Mail was released to replace Outlook Express, therefore, no one can complain that Microsoft are ending support for Outlook Express in regards to syncing with Hotmail.
Do you expect Microsoft to maintain support for Windows 2000 and Windows XP for the rest of eternity? In the year 2050 will you be complaining because Microsoft still fail to add support of Windows Live Messenger 2050 to Windows XP? I realise that is about 40 years from now, but it's the same principle - in the computing world things become out of date much quicker. Windows XP is now 8 or 9 years old... Outlook Express is even older...
I wish people would stop judging others based on your own opinion. Not everyone upgrades the second everything new is released. Do you replace your car every time it's newer version comes out, TV, chairs, beds? No? Why? Because those things works and does what they want it to do.
Leave other people alone to make their own choices.
XP has nothing to do with this... Judging, really?
There is already a FREE REPLACEMENT for Outlook Express on XP, it is called Windows Live Mail...
Microsoft went to a lot of work to make the new Windows Live Essentials available for XP users so they didn't have to upgrade to Vista to get the new features, and even new programs XP never had.
http://download.live.com
It really is that freaking simple... And I would bet if they are using Hotmail, they have INTERNET access to download and install the Windows Live Mail and other cool programs that originally only shipped with Vista.
So download Windows Live Essentials with Windows Live Mail, and stop leaving people using old software, that has 20x less features and is highly insecure.
This isn't about judging, this is about getting people informed, and apparently they are not. Sticking with Outlook Express at this point would be like driving an old beat up car when someone was giving you a free new car that did everything the old car did, and had a lot of nice new features as well...
Oh what a pity. Then tough, you're out of luck.
Well unfortunately that's what people have to do. If they can't afford it, they can't have it. Unfortunately it's as simple as that. The majority of people can afford a new computer every 4 years or so (maybe more) and technology is advancing that fast that people just have the live with that fact. There's no point in disadvantaging the people who can afford it, which is the majority
There is a free better version available, how is this hurting even the poorest person? If they have internet to get to hotmail.com to get their email, they can download the newer FREE version just as easily.
MS is disadvantaging anyone here... In fact, they are trying to inform people that they have a better FREE version that the users can move to, and should have already moved to. Maybe this is forcing people to get the cool new FREE stuff, but hurting anyone, I don't think so...
Last time I checked Windows Live Mail works great on XP and its FREE. Installed it for my aunt and grandmother last week..
To me, Thunderbird is crap compared to OE - to just about everything actually. I can't stand its outdated 1990s Netscape interface. It needs a complete redesign.
Also, OE with Hotmail was like a free IMAP account from Microsoft. You can't even do that with Thunderbird.
However, with Gmail now, I have no need for Hotmail.
Next time, try talking about things you actually know something about.
Next time, try talking about things you actually know something about.
Yeah, I've used Thunderbird. Every release of it. And every release of Netscape as well. I don't think there are any other programs that look and work as similar as the old Netscape and Thunderbird.
I never said Thunderbird didn't do IMAP. It can't do IMAP with Hotmail though. OE with Hotmail works like IMAP though.
Next time, try to read and understand what you're replying to. For extra fun, try out old software or just do a Google Image search to see what previous versions of programs looked like as well. Thunderbird is absolutely hideous and I couldn't imagine ever using it as my primary mail/news reader.
Also, OE with Hotmail was like a free IMAP account from Microsoft. You can't even do that with Thunderbird.
However, with Gmail now, I have no need for Hotmail.
Before you fall to much in love with the Gmail account, remember Google is a marketing company, and that is why they data mine your email to 'focus' advertising specifically to you. So if you are emailing aunt Sarah about a new vacuum, you will start seeing Vacuum ads when browsing the internet.
This is all and good, as long as Google 'keeps' the information to themselves (which they don't actually do as they sell this information to advertising partners), and as long as you don't mind your privacy being violated.
People forget that Google makes their money from advertising, that is why the collect as much data on you to make their ads targeted to you. So when you even install Google Desktop Search, it gives Google information on what is on your computer and how you use your computer.
Every Google 'site' 'feature' or 'application' is built to serve Google's Adverstising to make them more money...
I would rethink giving up Hotmail, and for a Email program, use Windows Live Mail instead of Outlook Express, it is free and has more features and is more secure... Oh and with Microsoft's mail (Hotmail or Live) you don't have to worry about them data mining your email for information on you.
Next time, try talking about things you actually know something about.
This is a preference thing, and to me, I would agree with the post above, Thunderbird looks out dated and works like outdated software with outdated UI concepts.
But if you love it, great, but don't slam others for not liking it, as there are valid argument against using it that are important to people.
Definitely. There's absolutely no reason to use Outlook Express when the newer version (essentially) is out. Unless you have Windows 2000, but then you'd have other more important worries there.
Although I do wish they would support IMAP.
Tools > Accounts... > Mail tab > your pop3.live.com > server tab > under "Outgoing Mail Server" check "My server server requires authentication" apply.
Why two processes just to send email ? wlcomm.exe (a process just to view contacts apparently) and wlmail.exe which hogs much more memory than OE ever did.
Surely Microsoft needs to give Windows Live Mail Desktop the Windows 7 treatment and slim it down into a more usable client as OE used to be.
Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!
Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.