Hi, Dell.
Is WLM the only current version of this e-mail application, or can I
instead download WLMD on my Win7 machine?
Yes, build 14.0.8089.0726 is the only current version of Windows Live Mail.
If you can find WLMD, it probably will run on Win7, but that version of the
program was still in beta when the word "desktop" was dropped from the name
over 3 years ago (in May 2006). So there will be no official support for
it - except for the portions that live on in WLM.
Many of us WLM users complain about some parts of the current UI, including
the pale pastel colors, and some prefer previous builds. But only the
current version is supported.
If HP/Best Buy is showing you a screen that says it is "Windows Live Mail
Desktop", then that computer is running software that is over 3 years old.
With that WLMD onscreen, click Help | About and see what it says. The
current WLM is "Version 2009 (Build 14.0.8089.0726)"; if you see anything
else, that is an older version. To get the current version for free - along
with as many others of the Windows Live Essentials as you might want
(Calendar, Contacts, etc.) - just go to
http://download.live.com . Or
install a competing program of your choice.
As you probably know, an email/news application was built into every Windows
version since at least Win95. But NOT into Windows 7, which comes with NO
email or windows program. Many vendors (including HP? or Best Buy?)
include WLM or a competing product in the bundle they add to the computers
they sell, but Microsoft does not. Apparently, either HP or Best Buy chose
to use an outdated version of WLM in their bundle on the machine they are
showing you.
RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8089.0726) in Win7 Ultimate x64
