Help for computer illiterate
- Thread starter ayrton
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SweetErika
Fingers Crossed
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Outlook is just a client for managing your email - it grabs your email from a server and allows you to read and send to it. If you have it set to download the messages and then delete them off the server, the email you've already gotten is stuck on your computer, and you won't be able to access it from another computer without somehow accessing your computer.
What email provider do you use? If it's through your company, you may be stuck; if it has a web-based interface (like gmail or many webhosting companies offer an internet interface), you should be able to check it online.
What email provider do you use? If it's through your company, you may be stuck; if it has a web-based interface (like gmail or many webhosting companies offer an internet interface), you should be able to check it online.
I get my email from my internet provider. I guess I would have to somehow access my computer to get it. I have no clue. Thanks for the response. Normally I wouldn't care, but the Chicago Cubs have a lottery for playoff tickets and they will notify me by email if I am chosen. Unfortunately I'll be at my girlfriends on Monday when the picks are made. Ironically, she lives a couple blocks from Wrigley Field!
HowMayIPleaseU
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Who's your provider? You should be able to do it directly from their page.
As long as you don't open outlook express, the messages would stay on the server.
As long as you don't open outlook express, the messages would stay on the server.
SweetErika
Fingers Crossed
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Go to your ISP's website and look around for a way to access email through the website. If you can't find that, give them a call and ask if there's some way you can access your email account through the website. If it's a larger ISP, like Comcast, there will be.
Then you'd be really wise to transition your email over to Gmail. You can still use a client like Outlook Express with Gmail if you want, but you'll have the flexibility of using your email from any computer and you'll always have your email, no matter who your ISP is or what OS you're using. It's NEVER a good idea to use an ISP or other non-portable address, or keep all of your email on your computer, for those very reasons. It's kind of a pain to switch, but it's not that bad, and if you go to Gmail, you shouldn't ever have to change your email again. Keep your ISP email, but start transitioning to something that'll work better for you long-term.
Note: I've used MANY different web-based email providers, and have been the happiest with gmail by FAR, so that's why I'm recommending that specific one. Yahoo isn't nearly as flexible and has had a ton of problems with reliability in the past year. Hotmail is crap. A lot of others charge for the space and "premium" features that Gmail gives everyone for free.
Also, I think you might be able to create a rule in Outlook Express to forward your incoming mail (or at least anything new from the Cubs) to a different address (like your new gmail addy). I don't know the specifics since I'm using a different OS, but I'm sure someone here can help you through it, if it is possible.
Then you'd be really wise to transition your email over to Gmail. You can still use a client like Outlook Express with Gmail if you want, but you'll have the flexibility of using your email from any computer and you'll always have your email, no matter who your ISP is or what OS you're using. It's NEVER a good idea to use an ISP or other non-portable address, or keep all of your email on your computer, for those very reasons. It's kind of a pain to switch, but it's not that bad, and if you go to Gmail, you shouldn't ever have to change your email again. Keep your ISP email, but start transitioning to something that'll work better for you long-term.
Note: I've used MANY different web-based email providers, and have been the happiest with gmail by FAR, so that's why I'm recommending that specific one. Yahoo isn't nearly as flexible and has had a ton of problems with reliability in the past year. Hotmail is crap. A lot of others charge for the space and "premium" features that Gmail gives everyone for free.
Also, I think you might be able to create a rule in Outlook Express to forward your incoming mail (or at least anything new from the Cubs) to a different address (like your new gmail addy). I don't know the specifics since I'm using a different OS, but I'm sure someone here can help you through it, if it is possible.
Emilio_di_Roccabruna
Experienced
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Hi Ayrton, exactly what version of Outlook express do you use? There should be an option somewhere (depends on the program version) that allows you to download mail and still keep a copy on the server. That way you can leave your PC at home with Outlook running and still read all your mail from your girlfriend's house, that is if you are able to access it using a web browser.
If not, you can try forwarding all emails to another address on a server with web-based access, or you could configure a portable app on a USB drive.
That way you could just plug it in to another computer and use that to read your mail. I think Portable Thunderbird OS X might do the trick on a Mac: http://www.freesmug.org/portableapps/thunderbird/
Hope this helps....
If not, you can try forwarding all emails to another address on a server with web-based access, or you could configure a portable app on a USB drive.
That way you could just plug it in to another computer and use that to read your mail. I think Portable Thunderbird OS X might do the trick on a Mac: http://www.freesmug.org/portableapps/thunderbird/
Hope this helps....
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