If you have yet to upgrade to Windows 7, then you may be unaware of a perplexing little phenomenon about the new operating system. At first, you may not catch it, you are so enthralled by the new features and doo-dads. Once you get set up, though, you realize that there is something missing, but you just…can’t…quite…put your finger on it. Oh well, you’ll get to that later. Right now, you want to send an email to your best friend to tell him or her how great your new Windows 7 performs.
Then you realize what the missing piece of the puzzle is. Windows 7 does not come with email. that’s right, no Windows Mail, no Outlook or Outlook Express. Microsoft announced this, it is not an oversight. You did not get ripped off by the value-added reseller who configured your system. Microsoft did not include an email program in the latest version of Microsoft Windows, deliberately.
There are more than a dozen different options you can choose for your email client. You do not have to use the Windows Live Journal online email. If you already have pop 3 mail, and use Outlook or Outlook Express, you can download the Windows Live Essentials suite of programs.
Windows Live Essentials is a grouping of free products that includes Live Writer, media software and mail. You can choose to install only the components that interest you. Or, if you already own the MS Office package, you already have a copy of Outlook that you can use in your new Windows operating system. Either way, don’t panic. You are not forced to use any paid services or obtain a hotmail address.
One caveat though, for screen reader users, particularly those who use Zoom Text: While Windows Live Mail is almost identical to Outlook Express, all the way down to the steps required to setting up email accounts and importing contacts, the screen reader may not work. In fact, when I was unable to get Zoomtext to voice the “To,” “CC” and “Subject” data entry fields, I called A I Squared. The tech support person informed me that Zoomtext is flat incompatible with Windows Live Mail, told me that it will not work, and that there is no work around.
that’s not entirely true. Perhaps that is what they have to say, since they made no effort to develop ZoomText for Live Mail. However, I have had little difficulty in getting around, except for a few important keystrokes that do not announce accurately.
A work-around for this, I discovered, is by using Windows Narrator. if you read my previous post, then you know I’m becoming a bit of a fan of Narrator, because on the occaisions when Jaws loses speech or ZoomText hangs up or something else goes horribly awry, invoking Narrator or NVDA (if you have it) really helps.
While struggling to figure out how to get ZoomText to tell me what I wanted to know in Windows Live Mail, I found that Narrator filled the gap. It voiced what ZoomText did not. So, I was able to complete the Live Mail setup process, load in my email accounts, and I’ve sent and recieved email with no problems whatsoever. So, keep those hotkeys handy. Admittedly, having to use multiple screen readers isn’t the most elegant solution in the world, but it’s no different than driving around with a spare tire. You may not ever use it, but you are sure glad it’s there when you need it.
LL