Can I use some other email program other than Outlook Express?

On school district computers, the only email programs we support are Outlook, Outlook Express and the GroupWise email program.  We do not support any other type of email client in the district.  At this time, we are not using any other types of email programs and we are not installing "add-ons" to our email programs.

Email systems are a critical part of a computer network.  The email system can actually be the most vulnerable part of the system for attacks from computer viruses and computer worms.  Email can also be "attacked" by spammers in a variety of ways causing huge burdens on the email system and creating headaches when you open your Inbox.  Due to these issues, we have fairly rigid guidelines as far as what kind of email programs we use in the district.  

The reasons we limit what types of programs we use are simple.  

#1) SUPPORT - We have a large number of computers we must be able to support with a relatively small number of techs and so we must keep the software use as uniform as possible.  If we are trouble-shooting email problems, we must be very familiar with the programs so we can efficiently resolve issues and we do not have time to "figure out" the features and settings of a few dozen different email programs. 

There are also "cute" little add-ons for email that include pretty pictures or cute little animations on email.  Not wanting to sound like a Scrooge or anything, they add nothing to the functionality of our email system and they can cause trouble-shooting problems.  I have instructed my techs that if they find these types of add-on programs, they need to delete these programs off of the district-owned workstation.  

#2 - SPAM PROGRAMS - Another problem is that some email programs are really not the friendly little email programs they appear to be.  There is a class of email clients that are basically email-gathering programs for spammers.  You create your address book using this program and your entire email list gets sent off to a spammer.  You have your Inbox full of email from your friends and co-workers, and all of their email addresses are collected and sent off to a spammer by this program.  Considering that much of the email you receive over the year will be from other people in the Shelbyville Central School system, if you use this program on your district workstation, you have just targeted our email system for a huge influx of spam, which just makes it harder on everyone else when they open their Inbox every morning.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Technology Department.

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