Microsoft Outlook Tips #2



*1.  THE BUDDY SYSTEM FOR MESSAGES

In the first tip in this series, we introduced 
newsgroups--collections of messages about a given topic. To get 
started, select Go, News, click the Read News button, and when 
you see a message asking if you'd like to view a newsgroup 
list, click Yes. Type some criteria in the box next to "Display 
newsgroups which contain" (to narrow your search), then preview 
any newsgroup by selecting it and clicking Go To. If you find a 
group to which you'd like to subscribe, right-click it in the 
folder list and select "Subscribe to this newsgroup." From now 
on, switching to this newsgroup (in your newsreader's folder 
list) downloads any new headers for that group. 

As you're reading through downloaded headers (select a header, 
and that message appears in the preview pane), you're certain 
to come across a topic or two that interests you. Rather than 
waste time and energy scanning the header list for related 
postings, ask the Outlook Express newsreader to sort the 
messages by thread. Select View, Sort By, Group Messages By 
Thread, and all related messages appear as one header with a 
plus sign next to it. Click the plus sign to expand the thread.


*2. PUT YOUR TWO CENTS IN

In the first tip in this series, we introduced 
newsgroups--collections of messages about a given topic. To get 
started, select Go, News, click the Read News button, and when 
you see a message asking if you'd like to view a newsgroup 
list, click Yes. Type some criteria in the box next to "Display 
newsgroups which contain" (to narrow your search), then preview 
any newsgroup by selecting it and clicking Go To. If you find a 
group to which you'd like to subscribe, right-click it in the 
folder list and select "Subscribe to this newsgroup." From now 
on, switching to this newsgroup (in your newsreader's folder 
list) downloads any new headers for that group. 

Just read a posting to which you'd like to reply? You have 
three choices: You can reply to the author, the newsgroup, or 
both. For the first two options, click the appropriate toolbar 
button--Reply To Group or Reply To Author. To reply to both the 
author and the group, select Compose, Reply To Newsgroup And 
Author. Regardless of the option you choose, you'll find 
yourself in a new message dialog box with the appropriate 
address already filled in. Type the body of the message, just 
as you would any other e-mail, click Post (or Send, if you're 
only replying to the author), and off it goes.


*3. TAKE YOUR PICK OF OUTLOOKS

B. Wilson writes:

"Does installing Outlook 98 uninstall Outlook Express? The 
Outlook Express icon that was on my Quick Launch toolbar just 
disappeared!" 

Outlook Express is still there--the only thing that's gone is 
the icon. (Microsoft just assumes you'd rather use something 
bigger and better.) To restore the Outlook Express icon to your 
Quick Launch toolbar or to the desktop, just create a shortcut 
to msimn.exe--typically located in the C:\Program Files\Outlook 
Express folder--in either location. And of course you should 
rename it so you know what it is! 

You can also launch Outlook Express by selecting Start, 
Programs, Internet Explorer, Outlook Express.


*4. HAVE NAMES, WILL TRAVEL--PART 1 OF 2

Subscriber D. Ramey writes:

"I have accumulated several addresses in my Outlook 98 Address 
Book at work. How do I move the addresses to my personal 
version of Outlook at home?" 

The easiest way to transfer the information from one system to 
another is by exporting it to a *.csv file. Then you can import 
this *.csv file into Outlook on the other system. 

Open the Outlook 98 Address Book and select File, Export, 
Address Book. In the Address Book Export Tool dialog box, 
select Text File (Comma Separated Values) and click the Export 
button. Click Browse and navigate your way to the destination 
of the *.csv file (most likely a floppy disk). Type a name for 
the file and click Save. Click Next, select each field you'd 
like to export (deselect those you don't want), and click 
Finish. Click OK to close the "Address book export has 
completed successfully" message, then click Close. 

Grab the floppy disk--or e-mail the file to yourself in a 
message--and take it to your other system.


*5. HAVE NAMES, WILL TRAVEL--PART 2 OF 2

In our last tip, we showed you how to export your Outlook 98 
Address Book to a *.csv file so you can then import this 
information into Outlook on a second system (for example, if 
you have Outlook at work and at home). Select File, Export, 
Address Book; select Text File (Comma Separated Values); click 
Export; type the destination path (or click Browse and so on); 
click Next and select the fields to export; then click Finish. 

Assuming you've carried the resulting *.csv file on a floppy 
disk to the second system, here's how to import it: Pop the 
floppy disk in your floppy drive, open the Outlook 98 Address 
Book, and select File, Import, Address Book. Select Text File 
(Comma Separated Values), click Import, then click Browse and 
navigate your way to the *.csv file (in this example, on your 
floppy drive). With the *.csv file selected, click Open, then 
click Next. Map any fields, if necessary, click Finish, and 
when you see the "Address book import has completed 
successfully" message, click OK, then Close.


*6. HERE'S MY VCARD--PART 1 OF 3

Want to send someone a business card over the Internet? Outlook 
98 allows you to create a virtual business card in vCard 
format--what it calls "the Internet standard for creating and 
sharing virtual business cards"--from any contact's 
information, including your own. You can then attach this card 
to any e-mail message. 

If you haven't already done so, enter all of your own contact 
information in the Contacts folder. (Select File, New, Contact, 
complete the resulting dialog box, and click Save And Close.) 
Switch to the Contacts folder, right-click yourself, and select 
Forward As VCard. Immediately, the New Message dialog box opens 
with the vCard (*.vcf file) attached. Complete the message just 
as you would any other, then send it off. Your virtual business 
card goes with it!


*7. HERE'S MY VCARD--PART 2 OF 3

In our last tip, we showed you how to attach a virtual business 
card (based on your own contact information) to an e-mail 
message: Assuming you've already entered your information in 
the Contacts folder, right-click yourself, select Forward As 
VCard, then complete the resulting message. If you prefer, you 
can simply create a business card file (*.vcf) to keep handy 
for future use. 

Say you want to create a business card for someone else in your 
Contacts list. Right-click that contact and select Export To 
VCard file. If desired, type a new name for the file (by 
default Outlook uses the contact's name). Click Save, and that 
*.vcf file is ready and waiting in the Signature folder.  

To attach a *.vcf file to an e-mail message, select Insert, 
File (from the New Message dialog box), select the appropriate 
*.vcf file, and click OK.


*8. HERE'S MY VCARD--PART 3 OF 3

In the first tip in this series, we showed you how to attach a 
business card (based on your own contact information) to an 
e-mail message: Assuming you've already entered your 
information in the Contacts folder, right-click yourself, 
select Forward As VCard, then complete the resulting message. 

If you've just received a vCard (*.vcf file) attached to an 
e-mail, transferring this information to your Contacts folder 
is a snap. Open the message containing the vCard in a separate 
window. With your folder list displayed (if it isn't, select 
View, Folder List), click and drag the vCard icon over to the 
Contacts folder and let go. In the Contacts dialog box that 
pops up, type any additional information you want, then click 
Save and Close. This contact now appears as an entry in your 
contact list.


*9. IF EMILY POST WERE A NEWSGROUP--PART 1 OF 2

Do you always put your napkin on your lap and keep your elbows 
off the table? Just as etiquette guidelines define appropriate 
everyday behavior, a set of rules called "Netiquette" outlines 
good manners with respect to newsgroups.  

Here's an example: Before you dive in and start responding to 
the first message you see, or draft a message about a topic 
that's been on your mind, "lurk" for a while. Hang around 
speechless for a few days, doing nothing but reading the 
postings. That way, you learn what the common topics are and 
don't risk posting an irrelevant or recently answered question.


*10. IF EMILY POST WERE A NEWSGROUP--PART 2 OF 2

In our last tip, we told you that a set of rules called 
"Netiquette" outlines good manners with respect to newsgroups. 
For example, before jumping right into a newsgroup, you should 
"lurk" for a while to make sure you're aware of the 
latest topics. 

Here's another guideline: When replying to a posting, avoid 
quoting the entire message to which you're replying. Only 
include that portion relating to your response. 

For more on Netiquette, go to Zen and the Art of the 
Internet--Usenet News and read the section entitled "Usenet 
Netiquette" at 

http://www.cs.indiana.edu/docproject/zen/zen-1.0_6.html
