RANT: People Who Call Outlook Express “Outlook”

This week’s rant – or, more accurately, “this month’s rant” or even “this quarter’s rant” – is an old one to IT support folks. Part of it is Microsoft’s fault and part of it is your fault. But whatever the case may be, it’s worthy of a rant, even if it’s an old complaint.

Microsoft makes two programs for getting email. One is Microsoft Outlook. The other is Microsoft Outlook Express. Outlook was created by the Office team; Outlook Express was created by the Internet Explorer team. Outlook is part of Office and costs money; Outlook Express is included with Windows and doesn’t cost extra. Outlook has many features that businesses like, such as task lists, calendars and sticky notes; Outlook Express is mostly for home users that just need to get email. Outlook can connect to Microsoft Exchange servers; Outlook Express cannot.

So why do I care? Because there are tens of thousands of clueless users out there on the Internet that need help. They have a nasty habit of posting for such help in Internet forums. Typically, these mouth-breathers put their requests in all caps, like “OUTLOOK IS BROKEN! HELP ME PLEEEEAASSEE!”. They will then go on to describe a problem that could apply to either program, such as not being able to connect to their ISP’s mail server or receiving duplicate emails. And throughout their post, they will consistently refer to their email application as “Microsoft Outlook”.

The only problem – of course – is that they use Outlook Express. So the three-page reply I’ve just wasted 45 minutes typing up is completely useless, since it applies to Outlook, not Outlook Express. Bastards! Now I have to type up a three-page reply for Outlook Express ‘cos Jethro didn’t bother to tell me which email program he uses. Man, that so grinds my gears! But what makes it even worse is that Jethro will then waste two or three posts denying that he uses Outlook Express and insist that he uses Outlook, even though by this point he’s referred to some aspect 0f the program that’s unmistakably Outlook Express. At this point, a “third-party geek” will have to moderate the post and (gently) explain to Jethro everything I told you in the second paragraph of this rant. Eventually Jethro will see the light and the fixin’ will commence again. It’s depressing and it’s pointless.

So – if you’re one of those people who needs help with his or her email program, please take a couple of minutes before you post on some Internet forum to open the program and click on Help > About. If it says “Microsoft Outlook” or “Microsoft Office Outlook” then you’re using Outlook. If it says “Express” anywhere in the “About box” then you’re using Outlook Express. Please note this in your post on the message board – the resident geeks there will appreciate it!

Oh, and Microsoft has finally fixed this issue in Windows Vista; Outlook Express was be renamed “Windows Mail” in that OS. It’s about time!

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