Is there a way in Windows Mail to display a Contacts List below the Folder List on the left side of the window, as used to be the case with XP's Outlook Express?

It was an *extremely* convenient way of creating a new email with one double-click instead of three or even four.

I used to name my three or four regularly-used emails with "-->" at the beginning, so that those names showed up at the top of the Contacts List, allowing me to see them at all times and eliminating the need to scroll down the list.

Oddly, Windows Mail doesn't permit /\:#@* etc in Contact names, and when you use just a dash the contact's name remains alphabetically listed, instead of appearing at the beginning of the list. Sometimes "improved" programs leave out useful stuff from the old version, without any apparent rhyme or reason.

~ beau

ps I've done a brief search to find if Outlook Express can be used in Vista, but there's never a 'yes' or 'no' indication on any of the pages I've fount ... I'll keep checking into this, and also I'll just try installing OE and see what happens.

Sorry....... but i haven't seen that tweak yet.

Hi Beau,

I use Windows Live Mail and find it okay, a bit of a learning curve to get used to however. I still use XP but had a glitch in my OE so went with WLM.

I don't think what you are after works with WLM, but if you click on lower left hand side second from the left you will get the address book immediately at your disposal in aphabetical order only.

Sorry I don't think what you are looking for exists when running Vista.

Here is a link that you can plow through but again think you are looking for something that does not exist.

Let's know how you get on,

Hey, thanks Tallin ~
Too bad. Well, here's what I've done.
Vista will allow under scores in email contact names, so putting an underscore at the beginning of your frequently-used email addresses puts them at the top of the Contacts lists, and still in alphabetical order after the underscore.

_Amy
_Bob
_Joe
_Xavier

That helps a little

~ beau

Hi Beau,

Good one, you have beaten the system so to speak........I did not think of doing that I must say.

Thanks for posting back letting us all know your clever tweak.