The list
Apple Mail + iCal
Apple Mail is the default email client supplied with the Mac operating system. Its interface is straightforward and wholly unremarkable. Obviously, it parallels Outlook Express or Windows Mail on Microsoft machines.
Being part of the operating system means that businesses using multiple OSes cannot use the same email client across machines (although this problem also exists for Windows Mail or KMail on Linux systems).
As with Windows Mail, Thunderbird and many others, calendar functions are shifted to a separate application, in this case Apple iCal. iCal integrates with the Evolution and Zimbra email clients on Apple systems.
A great feature of iCal is the ability to reschedule events by simply dragging them from one point to another with the mouse. Mail also allows for the user to enter "To Do" lists and other short notes for ready reference.
A feature of Apple Mail that brings it closer to Microsoft Outlook than Outlook Express or Windows Mail is the availability of Apple Scripts — a standard feature of Apple operating systems. Scripts can be used to automate many processes. In addition, you can use mail filtering rules, which allow for automatic sorting of mail into boxes according to details such as the content, subject or sender.
Apple Mail handles HTML formatting as well as you could hope. The Email Standards Project rates Apple Mail as "Excellent". Apple Mail also has a number of pre-defined stationery designs. As well as supporting standard IMAP and POP3 mail servers, Apple Mail can also work with online accounts such as Gmail and Yahoo. In addition, RSS feeds can be automatically downloaded.
Integration between iCal and Mail is tight, allowing dates and places in emails to be recognised and easily exported into iCal. Apple Mail is an effective, no frills application that is open to automation using Apple's in-built tools. Because this software is Apple only, it cannot actually replace Outlook per se, but it has a comparable feature set and comes at no cost above the initial purchase of the computer.
(Credit: Michael Palamountain/ZDNet.com.au)
(Credit: Michael Palamountain/ZDNet.com.au)






The screenshot of the Lotus Notes R8.5 mail file is showing an R5 mail file design, not a R8.5 The calendar is showing R8.5.