Well, I've just checked out the MS license agreement that accompanies the Internet Explorer and Outlook Express 6.x upgrades, and this spells out in no uncertain terms the fact that Outlook Express is an upgrade component of the OS that can only be run on a machine with a valid (paid for) licence to run a MS operating system. The bottom line is MS Outlook Express is NEITHER freeware NOR shareware. Period. Mow this looks like a gross abuse of MS's monopoly position that's been bought into and further reinforced by BECTa, and is a valid criticism against BECTA's blatantly unfair MS-centric restrictive specification. BECTA has specified a playing field with a steep slope towards the wide open Microsoft goal mouth! DAVID BOWLES PS: Here's just a small part of the MS Outlook Express upgrade licence agreement that ships with this download: "* You may install and use one (1) copy of the OS Components on each of your computers running validly licensed copies of the applicable OS Product, provided that you use such additional copies of such OS Components in accordance with the terms and conditions above. Microsoft retains all right, title and interest in and to the OS Components. All rights not expressly granted are reserved by Microsoft."
'Facility for offline email reading and composition. Freeware or shareware is not acceptable'
Ah yes, but is Outlook Express freeware or shareware? Ask a Microsoft lawyer what he thinks about this.
As for Outlook Express, well this comes bundled along with the Windows operating system along with Internet Explorer.
So go ask a MS lawyer if Outlook Express is 'Shareware' and I guarantee the answer will be NO.
Furthermore MS absolutely never ever does 'freeware', does it?
Pigs might fly, but MS do f...
David Bowles