Mail app comparable to Outlook Express?

[Cloudgazer]

Is there a mail app for Mac that is comparable to Outlook Express?

Outlook Express (as far as i can tell) is the only mail app that allows you to format your letters in HTML.
You can even design a page using Dreamweaver, and copy the HTML code into Outlok Express.
Its also the only mail app i've see nthat allows you to use tables?
I find it strange that the 'dumbed down' version of Outlook can do this, and yet no other app can.

I've stopped using a PC at work (almost), and try and live on my Mac.
Unfortunately I still need my PC on my desk simply for formatting emails.

Any suggestions?

 

[redAPPLE]

i think there is a reason why no other Mac app does this. you just said it yourself. the other Mac app developers do not want to dumb down their apps.

can it be that another reason, why Mail does not do this is because of security reasons?

 

[Cloudgazer]

i think there is a reason why no other Mac app does this. you just said it yourself. the other Mac app developers do not want to dumb down their apps.

Actually, I'm just assuming Outlook Express is a dumbed down version of Outlook.

I can't see security being an issue.

You can format letters in Mail and Entourage using the HTML option, but neither of these apps allow you to actually see the HTML code.
The HTML options in both these apps are extremely limited.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

7 reasons why HTML e-mail is EVIL!!!

 

[javiercr]

You can use the Mail app that comes with Mozilla or just the separate mail application from Mozilla called Thunderbird (http://download.mozilla.org/?product=thunderbird-1.0.6&os=osx&lang=en-US)

 

[Cloudgazer]

7 reasons why HTML e-mail is EVIL!!!

Some valid points indeed.
But, i also think some of the reasons are a little outdated.
Carefuly constructed HTML mails don't need to be huge, and bandwidth availablity and speeds have hugely increased since the 7 deadly sins were written.

Unfortunately my boss wants to send out pretty looking emails, and HTML is the only way to do it..

 

[Cloudgazer]

You can use the Mail app that comes with Mozilla or just the separate mail application from Mozilla called Thunderbird (http://download.mozilla.org/?product=thunderbird-1.0.6&os=osx&lang=en-US)

I've just downloaded Thunderbird, and it appears that you can do HTML formatting, but once again like the other apps, it doesn't show you the HTML code, which i think is very important for getting rid of unwanted code and tweaking existing markups.

But it looks like a cool app - is it any better than Mail?

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Some valid points indeed.
But, i also think some of the reasons are a little outdated.
Carefuly constructed HTML mails don't need to be huge, and bandwidth availablity and speeds have hugely increased since the 7 deadly sins were written.

Unfortunately my boss wants to send out pretty looking emails, and HTML is the only way to do it..

Bandwidth is still an issue, remember the number of emails send has also increased, and who says Outlook express constructs their email carefully. That would be a first for MS.

You can make equally "pretty looking emails" using rtf, which Mail supports. Go to Format -> Make Rich Text or set it once and for all in Mail preferences -> Composing -> Message Format.

 

[Cloudgazer]

Bandwidth is still an issue, remember the number of emails send has also increased, and who says Outlook express constructs their email carefully. That would be a first for MS.

I suppose you got a point about the number of emails increasing, but is it adhering to Moore's law?
Outlook Express definately does not use HTML efficiently (like Frontpage) which is why its nice to be able to edit the code myself.

You can make equally "pretty looking emails" using rtf, which Mail supports. Go to Format -> Make Rich Text or set it once and for all in Mail preferences -> Composing -> Message Format.

I've never tried using RTF to format an email, but will definately give it a shot...
Can all mail apps read RTF mails?

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I think rtf is pretty universal (and if there are any non-rtf clients left, they probably will show the mails as unformatted text).

Since I'm strongly opposed to the whole html mail (which you might have guessed from my response and/or signature), I've never tried any html mail tools, but they are out there. So if you search a bit on Mac OS X downloads (accessible from your Apple menu) or VersionTracker you should find html mail apps that give you more control than Thunderbird/Mozilla, like HTMLMailer...

Just don't use them unless you really, really, really, really have to...

 

[Cloudgazer]

I think rtf is pretty universal (and if there are any non-rtf clients left, they probably will show the mails as unformatted text).

Since I'm strongly opposed to the whole html mail (which you might have guessed from my response and/or signature), I've never tried any html mail tools, but they are out there. So if you search a bit on Mac OS X downloads (accessible from your Apple menu) or VersionTracker you should find html mail apps that give you more control than Thunderbird/Mozilla, like HTMLMailer...

Just don't use them unless you really, really, really, really have to...

Thanks for the advice.
and don't worry i wont use HTMl mail unless i really really really really have to.

 

[javiercr]

I've just downloaded Thunderbird, and it appears that you can do HTML formatting, but once again like the other apps, it doesn't show you the HTML code, which i think is very important for getting rid of unwanted code and tweaking existing markups.

But it looks like a cool app - is it any better than Mail?

what is 'better' is quite subjective, I don't like Mail, i think is too simple and doesn't have an option for advanced users, I am also never sure how emails are going to look when people receive them in outlook and i don't have the time to do testing for that.

I think Netscape 4 used to let you see the code, it had a HTML editor to create webpages and I remembering writing emails there and sending them from Netscape. The editor is still there in Mozilla but I am not use if it works the same way.

It's really not that important that the html behind it is that pretty as long as most email clients can understand it, a few Kbs up or down are not such a big difference in the days of 56kps modems, broadband and free Gb accounts