Vista - WMIDs -- Windows Mail Identies -- New program to replace the OE Identities feature removed from Windows Mail

Microsoft removed the very useful Identities feature from OE when it changed
it to Windows Mail.

I've written a program that mimics this feature Windows Mail. This allows
the user to impersonate different users and maintain segregated settings and
message stores for each Identity within a given Windows user logon space.

This Identities capability can allow for a single user to have multiple
settings, or multiple users can maintain separate settings and message
stores within a single user space. (Note, however, that in such a
circumstance, the other users can access each others' messages via Windows
Explorer, so there is no security / privacy. That can only be achieved by
different user logons.)

For a screen shot and a description of its features, see
http://www.oehelp.com/WMIDs/Default.aspx

cheers,

Stephen L. Cochran, Ph.D.

MS-MVP

"Steve Cochran" <scochran@oehelp.com> wrote in message
news:EA0351B0-AA10-4B73-83EA-608172BA121E@microsoft.com...
> Microsoft removed the very useful Identities feature from OE when it changed it to Windows
> Mail.
>
> I've written a program that mimics this feature Windows Mail. This allows the user to
> impersonate different users and maintain segregated settings and message stores for each
> Identity within a given Windows user logon space.

Your commitment to helping folks with OE and WinMail is amazing.

I'm sure *many* have benefited from your participation in these groups.

I've never used OE or WinMail for email, but I am still thankful there is
someone like you that cares enough to try and make a difference.


Take care,

Michael

> Note, however, that in such a circumstance, the other users can access
> each others' messages via Windows > Explorer, so there is no security /
> privacy. That can only be achieved by different user logons.

Exactly. Which is probably why MS eliminated "Identities" to begin with.
False sense of security that never did exist.

-Frank

Wow. Thanks. That was very nice.

steve

"MICHAEL" <u158627_emr@dslr.net> wrote in message
news:OGW$q3$XHHA.5044@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>
> "Steve Cochran" <scochran@oehelp.com> wrote in message
> news:EA0351B0-AA10-4B73-83EA-608172BA121E@microsoft.com...
>> Microsoft removed the very useful Identities feature from OE when it
>> changed it to Windows Mail.
>>
>> I've written a program that mimics this feature Windows Mail. This
>> allows the user to impersonate different users and maintain segregated
>> settings and message stores for each Identity within a given Windows user
>> logon space.
>
> Your commitment to helping folks with OE and WinMail is amazing.
>
> I'm sure *many* have benefited from your participation in these groups.
>
> I've never used OE or WinMail for email, but I am still thankful there is
> someone like you that cares enough to try and make a difference.
>
>
> Take care,
>
> Michael

Yeah, but others have said they want to segregate their store between
business and personal. And others are hubby and wifey with no secrets from
each other, so they log on to the same user space, but they want to keep
their mail accounts and messages separate, but not secure from each other.

It also useful for those whose message stores have gotten corrupted, as they
can fix that issue by setting up a new Identity, as was often the need in
OE.

But I made that point very clear, so there would not be any false sense of
security.

cheers,

steve

"Frankster" <Frank@SPAM2TRASH.com> wrote in message
news:rsGdnW_Dlp5zHXDYnZ2dnUVZ_silnZ2d@giganews.com...
>> Note, however, that in such a circumstance, the other users can access
>> each others' messages via Windows > Explorer, so there is no security /
>> privacy. That can only be achieved by different user logons.
>
> Exactly. Which is probably why MS eliminated "Identities" to begin with.
> False sense of security that never did exist.
>
> -Frank

Yes, I agree, generally. And I wish to echo the other posters appreciation
of your contributions. Thanks!

Yeah, there are conveniences attached to identities... I guess. But most of
this can be done via "rules" and sorting of multiple email accounts.
Anyway....

-Frank

"Steve Cochran" <scochran@oehelp.com> wrote in message
news:778A1289-D396-4D76-93EE-B5DA4237501E@microsoft.com...
> Yeah, but others have said they want to segregate their store between
> business and personal. And others are hubby and wifey with no secrets
> from each other, so they log on to the same user space, but they want to
> keep their mail accounts and messages separate, but not secure from each
> other.
>
> It also useful for those whose message stores have gotten corrupted, as
> they can fix that issue by setting up a new Identity, as was often the
> need in OE.
>
> But I made that point very clear, so there would not be any false sense of
> security.
>
> cheers,
>
> steve
>
> "Frankster" <Frank@SPAM2TRASH.com> wrote in message
> news:rsGdnW_Dlp5zHXDYnZ2dnUVZ_silnZ2d@giganews.com...
>>> Note, however, that in such a circumstance, the other users can access
>>> each others' messages via Windows > Explorer, so there is no security /
>>> privacy. That can only be achieved by different user logons.
>>
>> Exactly. Which is probably why MS eliminated "Identities" to begin with.
>> False sense of security that never did exist.
>>
>> -Frank
>

To be honest with you. I never used the feature in OE. <VBG>

It does have its uses, I guess for some.

steve

"Frankster" <Frank@SPAM2TRASH.com> wrote in message
news:68CdncppA-V1FnDYnZ2dnUVZ_q-vnZ2d@giganews.com...
> Yes, I agree, generally. And I wish to echo the other posters appreciation
> of your contributions. Thanks!
>
> Yeah, there are conveniences attached to identities... I guess. But most
> of this can be done via "rules" and sorting of multiple email accounts.
> Anyway....
>
> -Frank
>
> "Steve Cochran" <scochran@oehelp.com> wrote in message
> news:778A1289-D396-4D76-93EE-B5DA4237501E@microsoft.com...
>> Yeah, but others have said they want to segregate their store between
>> business and personal. And others are hubby and wifey with no secrets
>> from each other, so they log on to the same user space, but they want to
>> keep their mail accounts and messages separate, but not secure from each
>> other.
>>
>> It also useful for those whose message stores have gotten corrupted, as
>> they can fix that issue by setting up a new Identity, as was often the
>> need in OE.
>>
>> But I made that point very clear, so there would not be any false sense
>> of security.
>>
>> cheers,
>>
>> steve
>>
>> "Frankster" <Frank@SPAM2TRASH.com> wrote in message
>> news:rsGdnW_Dlp5zHXDYnZ2dnUVZ_silnZ2d@giganews.com...
>>>> Note, however, that in such a circumstance, the other users can access
>>>> each others' messages via Windows > Explorer, so there is no security /
>>>> privacy. That can only be achieved by different user logons.
>>>
>>> Exactly. Which is probably why MS eliminated "Identities" to begin with.
>>> False sense of security that never did exist.
>>>
>>> -Frank
>>
>

The answers I got were they wanted one message store location, a changed
message store database and should users want separate Identities, use a
Windows log on account to separate them.

The current message stores are even less secure than before. Each message is
stored individually as a .eml text file where before it was stored in one
file in 512kb parts all over the file. To get to those messages, the user
had to import them into OE where as now, they can just open them and with
the subject line showing in Vista's Explorer, it's even easier to see which
message is which unlike the way it is with XP and Windows Live Mail desktop,
Explorer currently doesn't show the subject line but shows it as a hex
value. Still the same .eml text file. Just a little harder tofind particular
mail. (which I have already sorted out that and made it easy to read).

If it were for the corruption problem in the dbx files, they would have been
a bit more secure than the current model.

So saying Identities was probably the reason isn't even close.


"Frankster" <Frank@SPAM2TRASH.com> wrote in message
news:rsGdnW_Dlp5zHXDYnZ2dnUVZ_silnZ2d@giganews.com...
>> Note, however, that in such a circumstance, the other users can access
>> each others' messages via Windows > Explorer, so there is no security /
>> privacy. That can only be achieved by different user logons.
>
> Exactly. Which is probably why MS eliminated "Identities" to begin with.
> False sense of security that never did exist.
>
> -Frank

You miss the point. MS did not even try to make separate mail accounts
secure from the the [person - singular] on that logon. Therefore there is no
reason to try to protect the db files from the logged on user. If you want
security, create another logon WITHOUT Administrator privileges, just like
the rest of the security minded computer community does. Including other OSs
like Unix.

-Frank

"DGuess" <majik@mindspring.oops> wrote in message
news:91A7A59C-7A66-4890-B22C-8A763B3023DF@microsoft.com...
> The answers I got were they wanted one message store location, a changed
> message store database and should users want separate Identities, use a
> Windows log on account to separate them.
>
> The current message stores are even less secure than before. Each message
> is stored individually as a .eml text file where before it was stored in
> one file in 512kb parts all over the file. To get to those messages, the
> user had to import them into OE where as now, they can just open them and
> with the subject line showing in Vista's Explorer, it's even easier to see
> which message is which unlike the way it is with XP and Windows Live Mail
> desktop, Explorer currently doesn't show the subject line but shows it as
> a hex value. Still the same .eml text file. Just a little harder tofind
> particular mail. (which I have already sorted out that and made it easy to
> read).
>
> If it were for the corruption problem in the dbx files, they would have
> been a bit more secure than the current model.
>
> So saying Identities was probably the reason isn't even close.
>
>
> "Frankster" <Frank@SPAM2TRASH.com> wrote in message
> news:rsGdnW_Dlp5zHXDYnZ2dnUVZ_silnZ2d@giganews.com...
>>> Note, however, that in such a circumstance, the other users can access
>>> each others' messages via Windows > Explorer, so there is no security /
>>> privacy. That can only be achieved by different user logons.
>>
>> Exactly. Which is probably why MS eliminated "Identities" to begin with.
>> False sense of security that never did exist.
>>
>> -Frank
>

"Frankster" <Frank@SPAM2TRASH.com> wrote in message news:rsGdnW_Dlp5zHXDYnZ2dnUVZ_silnZ2d@giganews.com...
>> Note, however, that in such a circumstance, the other users can access
>> each others' messages via Windows > Explorer, so there is no security /
>> privacy. That can only be achieved by different user logons.
>
> Exactly. Which is probably why MS eliminated "Identities" to begin with.
> False sense of security that never did exist.


Except that the average user is not all that handy with Windows Explorer,
and probably wouldn't know where to start looking for the messages.

--
Gary VanderMolen