SoftMaker.com

As SoftMaker doesn't have its own email package - I'd be really interested to know what email systems other SoftMaker users are using.

I'm about to lose all the features of Microsoft Outlook 2010 beta version. My Internet provider helped me to set up my POP account through Hotmail a while ago. It's okay I suppose, but I know I'm going to miss Outlook quite a lot (but not enough to pay Microsoft 120 quid for it). I wouldn't mind paying £50 or so for a decent email system.

Any suggestions will be really gratefully received.

As I've said elsewhere -- I'm quite happy with Thunderbird. Of course it hasn't all these combined features of Outlook, but just as an email client it's great. You can enhance and customise it by lots of free add-ons. Lightning gives you calendar functionality, and best of all: it's all free!

Thanks Jossi for your help. I did actually download Thunderbird - and would like to use it because I also use Mozilla Firefox in preference to Microsoft's "IE".

Having downloaded Thunderbird I just can't work out how to set it up so it picks up email from my Danish pop3 thingy (whatever that is). Thunderbird told me it had failed to do it and my feeble attempts have got me nowhere.

Your email provider (aka the "Danish pop3 thingy") should be able to tell you how to configure Tbird. In particular you will need:

The POP server name
The exact format of your login ID (some servers require your entire email address, while others want only the part before the @ at symbol)
The port number (POP3 usually uses port 110 but some servers have different requirements)
Whether or not to use encryption (SSL, TLS, etc.)

Tbird tries to guess all these things when you use the setup wizard, but sometimes you have to do it manually.

If your provider offers the option of IMAP as alternative to POP3, take it. That way you can get the mail from all folders instead of just from the Inbox.

_________________
"Program in haste; debug at leisure."

Have a look at evolution also. Originally (and still) a part of the gnome project, it now has a windows version available, and it is very similar to outlook.

Have a look at eM Client via www.emclient.com The package is free for personal use or you can buy an annual subscription to enable all of the Outlook type components.
I have been using eM Client for just over a year & can recommend it.

Greetings.

Although it is know for being THE Windows Usenet (a.k.a. newsgroup) reader, I find that Agent[1] makes a swell e-mail client, too. It--at least as it is configured on my computer--doesn't automatically install viruses for you like (afaik) Outlook will, but you can always install them manually.

Forte Inc.[2] has added a lot of feature to the e-mail side of the program over the many years I've been a customer. I don't use any of them, so I can't advise you on their worth. But they *seem* spiffy.

Good luck.


Cordially,
Richard Kanarek

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forté_Agent
[2] http://www.forteinc.com/main/homepage.php