Windows 2000 Pro: The Missing Manual

Chapter 12. Outlook Express: Email and Newsgroups

Email is one of the most important communication forms in business. Email provides an easy and inexpensive way to share information and carry on conversations with people anywhere in the world.

This chapter covers using Outlook Express, the email program that comes with Windows 2000. However, the techniques in this chapter also work reasonably well on many other mail programs, including Netscape Messenger, Qualcomm Eudora, and Microsoft Outlook 2000.

Note

Don't confuse Outlook, a component of Microsoft Office, with its slimmer sibling Outlook Express. In addition to its email features, Outlook also offers a calendar, to-do list, and compatibility with Microsoft Exchange Server. Outlook Express has charms of its own, however, that aren't in Outlook 2000, including support for using Hotmail accounts, integration with MSN Instant Messenger, and a topnotch program for reading newsgroups (Internet bulletin boards).

Starting Out with Outlook Express

To start Outlook Express, either click the Outlook Express button on the Quick Launch toolbar, or choose Start→Programs→Outlook Express.

Choosing an Email Provider

If your PC is attached to a big network, you probably already have an email account. But if you're setting up a new peer-to-peer network (see Chapter 15) or you're running Windows 2000 Pro on a non-networked PC, you may still be faced with the chore of choosing an email provider.

It's not an easy choice. First, you must choose between ...