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This message was forwarded to you from ZDNet AnchorDesk located at http://www.anchordesk.com If you would like to receive further high-tech news alerts, simply forward this message to [log in to unmask] and you will automatically receive a free sample. Comment from sender: Non PD This is very long (with links ) but may be of interest to those who want to know mwre about Email Bob Chapman 65/4 California Desert Why Email Sucks (And How to Fix It) URL: http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/story/story_3035.html Berst Alert Jesse Berst, Editorial Director<BR><I>ZDNet AnchorDesk</I> Thursday, January 28, 1999 At the risk of squelching all your romantic ideas about email, the wildly successful flick You've Got Mail could never happen. Not because of the implausibility of two people falling in love over email. Because their email clients could never handle cupid duty. A 20-year-old mainframe's email system ran smoother than what we've got today. That's because the engineering mentality of most software makers is hurting consumers. Alan Cooper, CEO of Cooper Interaction Design in Palo Alto, has a company manifesto that says it best: "It's a fact: Most software needs to be spanked." And nowhere is that more apparent than with email. Here's what's wrong with the big five email clients: Lotus Notes: Rather than detail all of Notes warts and running sores, let me say that Ziff has been a Notes shop for years. During all that time, out of the hundreds of people who use it, I've only heard three people tell me they dislike it. The rest hate it. Hate it. Hate it. Hate it. Click for more. Microsoft Outlook: It's slow. It's bulky. Its filters fail. Its contact manager is clunky. It doesn't follow common Windows logic. I could go on (and on), but read my Stinko Products article instead. Click for more. Qualcomm Eudora Pro: Jon DeKeles says Eudora is perfect. Not that I don't trust Jon's judgment, but some people don't agree. PC Magazine panned its search features. Click for more. Others have beefs with its toolbars and help system. America Online: Attachments. Period. Address book needs work too. Netscape Messenger: Checking multiple accounts is a nightmare. Ditto for the filtering system. Come on. Email is the top application and activity on the Web, and nobody is doing it right. At best, they're at 75%. Here's what needs fixing: Better integration with contact managers and calendars Better way to track history of mail threads Better information management features Better filtering (how about setting up some templates for us) Complete, transparent Web-based readers for those on the go Complete integration between programs Create attachment standards Flexible viewing options and the ability to work within those options One single, simple address book We've only scratched the surface here. Luckily TalkBack doesn't require an email client, so use it to tell us your email beefs. I'll post the best responses beneath this article. Or go to my Berst Alerts forum, where a discussion is underway. And be sure to take today's QuickPoll. (Elsewhere in this issue, you'll find Jon's collection of alternative email apps (click for more) and Annette Hamilton's special report on mastering customer service email. Click for more.) Which feature is most important to you in an email client? Better integration with contact managers and calendars Better way to track history of mail threads Better information management features Better filtering Complete, transparent Web-based readers for those on the go Complete integration between programs Attachment standards Flexible viewing options One single, simple address book Other READ MORE: Email: The Client Side - PC Magazine http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/e-mail/client.html EVALUATE: MailUser: The Ultimate Email Resource - ZDNet Products Channel http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.zdnet.com/products/mailuser.html SHOP: Buying Groupware, Email, Workflow Software - NetBuyer http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/netbuyer.zdnet.com/texis/netbuyer/doframe.html?u=/texis/netbuyer/awardwin.html?catid=C0000080 COMPANIES: America Online, Inc. http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/company/company_2296.html Lotus Development Corp. http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/company/company_1720.html Microsoft Corp. http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/company/company_1749.html Netscape Communications Corp. http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/company/company_2104.html Qualcomm, Inc. http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/company/company_3248.html PRODUCTS: Eudora http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/products/products_2032.html Lotus Notes http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/products/products_2024.html Microsoft Outlook http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/products/products_2329.html TOPICS: Email http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/topics/topics_290.html