Microsoft Outlook has become the prevalent e-mail solution for companies, small businesses, and home offices.  But, should you give Lotus Notes some consideration?  Perhaps, if you have a technical support person by your side.

Lotus Notes is the software installed on your computer, like Outlook, and will require a Domino server (not Microsoft Exchange), to administer the email accounts.  We will discuss the Lotus Notes pros and cons below since most of you are less familiar with this e-mail software than Outlook.

Here are the positives with Lotus Notes:

1. Includes diary, calendar, email, to-do list (like Outlook)
2. Ability to create databases for workflow management (like public folders in Outlook)
3. Mobile users may access e-mails remotely via VPN or webmail (like Windows remote access)
4. It’s very secure (a plus over the more vulnerable Microsoft environment)
5. Domino tech support is reliable

Now, for the negatives of Lotus Notes:

1. Notes is a clunky looking interface similar to Outlook 97
2. Navigation is awkward (think Netscape browser from the 90’s)
3. Any type of workgroup creation, e-mail addition, or changes requires a technical administrative support person.  This is the biggest negative.  Out of the box, Lotus needs a lot of manipulation.
4. Domino and Lotus Notes must be constantly updated and backed up for optimal processing (not as crucial with Outlook and Exchange Server).

Overall, we like Outlook over Lotus Notes.  Outlook allows for an intuitive mind to get by using Outlook and with the proper permissions, allows for creating public folders, share e-mails and contacts, and for more overall flexibility.  Lotus Notes typically needs to be administered through the Notes server for many options.  Also, Lotus, due to its limited user base and thus slow software updates, is prone to running into database corruptions. 

Backing up your Outlook Express e-mails could be an arduous task if you’re not sure where to start.  Further,  you must not forget to back up your address book as well for your important contacts.  The textbook approach will have you perform many different steps that will have you scratching your head at the end.  To just back up your emails and address book is really just a simple task.  It is recommended to back up you Outlook Express to an external hard drive or other media to ensure your data is available in case of a hard drive crash.

Here’s how to back up your Outlook Express:

1. For the e-mails, go to: C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\ i.e. {37118E75-BE35-4208-915D-3225236303EE}\Microsoft\Outlook Express
2. Copy and paste this Outlook Express Folder to an external hard drive or other media.
3. For the Addresses, go to: C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Microsoft.
4. Copy and paste this folder to an external hard drive or other media.

That’s it!  No need to export, compact, or configure anything else.  Following the above steps will help you back up your Outlook Express.

There are a few e-mail tricks that could save the day or just make your life a little bit easier.  Here they are:

1.  Undelete an Outlook e-mail:  You scan your e-mails every day and quickly delete spam and junk mail.  Oh wait a minute, that e-mail you just deleted is actually important.  How do you get it back?  Just hit CTRL and Z and viola…your deleted e-mail is back!

2.  How to send a professional bulk e-mail list:  If you need to e-mail a list of people, but don’t want to show their e-mail addresses to everybody, put their e-mails addresses in the BCC field so that they are anonymous.

3.  How to find an e-mail address:  You’re looking to e-mail your friend, but cannot find his e-mail address.  Go into Google and type your friend’s name in quotes followed by the state.  i.e. “John Doe” new york

Having problems opening attachments in Outlook Express? 

With Outlook Express 6, Microsoft has added an additional feature to prevent customers from infecting their machines with viruses. Any e-mail attachment with a file type that is reported as “unsafe” is not downloaded, and access to the attachment is removed. 

If you receive this error message when viewing an email in Outlook Express, here is how to fix it: 

1.  Launch Outlook Express.

2.  On the Tools menu, click Options.  

3.  Click the Security tab, click to clear the Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus check box under Virus Protection, and then click OK. 

To better protect yourself from viruses, it is a good idea to leave this option checked unless you definitely want to open the attachment or have problems opening most or all attachments. 

E-mail signatures are a great way to document your contact information and save time by automating it for all your correspondence.

Here is how to set it up in Microsoft Outlook:

1. From the main Microsoft Outlook window, on the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Mail
Format tab.

2. In the Compose in this message format list, click the message format that you want to use the signature with.

3. Under Signature, click Signatures, and then click New.

4. In the Enter a name for your new signature box, enter a name.

5. Under Choose how to create your signature, select the option you want.

6. Click Next.

7. In the Signature text box, type the text you want to include in the signature.