Editorial Review
Outlook version 2002 makes working with e-mail, tasks, contacts, and appointments more intuitive without requiring users to learn new ways of accomplishing their tasks or spend time searching for the right tools. A variety of security enhancements have been included in Outlook version 2002 to help users feel more secure when working with e-mail. Setup and configuration have been made simpler with such enhancements as single-integrated e-mail mode, customization enhancements in the Custom Installation Wizard, and a simplified interface for setting up e-mail accounts.
New features include AutoComplete Addressing: As a user enters an e-mail address, Outlook automatically recognizes it and completes the name based on previously sent e-mail to the recipient. Users can also now access e-mail from their Hotmail accounts (or other Internet mail providers) directly from within Outlook. Users with multiple e-mail accounts can choose on a per-message basis what account to use to send their message. With Word as the default e-mail editor, users can take advantage of the smart tags that are available in Word (including AutoCorrect, paste options, address, name, date, or customizable smart tags). Smart tags are context-sensitive buttons that give users the options and information they need at the time they need them.
Users can now easily change between different mail formats on the fly and on a per-message basis. By giving users the option to switch between HTML, rich text, or plain text, they can more easily format their message so that the recipient can have the best viewing experience. Mailbox Cleanup allows users to view the size of their mailbox, search for files by size or by age, and then delete, move, or archive those files to clear up space. Exchange users can also automatically be notified when they are approaching their mailbox size limit and choose from the above options for cleaning up their mailbox. And Outlook can now automatically clean up plain text e-mail formatting that often contains extra line breaks that make the message difficult to read. Outlook automatically removes the extra line breaks (an option exists to turn this off as well) when a user opens an e-mail message, previews the message in the preview pane, or prints the message so that it is easier to read.
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Customer Reviews
Yawn.... 
2002-01-12
This product is so similar to the 2000 version, that my review of that prior product still stands true:
I've used MS Outlook since its first release. At the time, the integrated calendar and e-mail package beat Lotus' separate cc:mail and Organizer packages in many areas.
However, MS has been slow to add significant features to this product, even in 2000. I do love MS Outlook 2000's ability to automatically post calendar information to a website, but this still falls behind Lotus Organizer's ability to post both calendar and contact information.
[OL 2002 addition: The main problem with the above feature is that it is a MANUAL process. Unlike Organizer, Outlook can't be configures to automatically publish your calendar on a regular basis. I add or change items on my calendar over 10 time a day. I have to remember to stop what I'm doing an publish. I have to stop because publishing the calendar stops all other tasks in OL2002, as it does in 2000.]
Now that Organizer 6.0 can easily clip information from e-mails and websites for insertion into calendars and address books, the main reason for going with Outlook (e-mail integration) is overshadowed by the many advanced features in competitors' products.
Outlook makes little if no use of colour, icons, and other nifty ways viewing information.
[OL 2002 addition: OK, so MS has added one tiny bit of colour to the calendar by allowing you to either colour an all day appointment based on its category or by a separate manual process that allows you to set a classification for a meeting (Travel required, etc.). The overall presentation is still ho-hum grey.]
There is no way to easily link calls to meetings to contacts to to-do's.
[OL 2002 addition: I am still frustrated with the fact that MS will not add a feature to this product to force all MIME messages to be received in a specific format. For instance, I'd be happy (and more secure) to be able to tell Outlook "Always display the most secure (usually plain) format" such as plain text, even if there is a nifty multimedia MIME format, especially those with scripts, music, flashing graphics, etc.]
So if you live in a black and white world, go with Outlook. If you live in the real world, go with something else. Even if you go with the MS Office Suite, it's still worth the extra $$ for Organizer.
On a final note, I don't think there's value in upgrading Outlook unless you are purchasing the entire suite upgrade. Outlook isn't really getting the attention from Microsoft that it needs, either on the security or the presentation front.
Good program but why pay the money?? 
2001-12-21
After using many many different e-mail prgrams this one is probably the best that is only besause a bought the office suite, but do you really need it? you might try downloading some free trials of other programs like, eudora before you buy outlook they are a lot cheaper.
If you are a 2000 outlook user this version is NO DIFFERENT
o yea the buttons look a little different thats about it!
The Address Book is Terrible! 
2001-12-15
I recently purchase Outlook and have been very disappointed in its ability to organize the addresses in the address book. You can organize distribution lists, but you can not put them in separate folders so they are all lumped together. Plus, I have had a hard time trying to get the program to import addresses. I have used other email programs that were much easier to use. It may have some extras related to time management, but watch out when you go to build an address book. I would NOT recommend this program.
Just don't understand it 2001-10-26
Being in a non-English speaking country and refusing to install the native Windows OS, I have always been frustrated receiving and catologing contacts in foreign characters and alphabets in Outlook 2000. It seems that Netscape 6 mail program does fine handling foreign fonts in contact name and email subject headings. Believing the promise of Outlook 2002 catering to multi-national firms, I went ahead and upgraded to the whole Office XP package. Handling foreign character is actually worse in Outlook 2002. Sure you can read and write foreign characters fine, but the annoying gibberish characters in the from: and subject: fields when written in non-Roman alphabet. I just don't understand why they can't have a simple encoding recognition feature in the fields of contacts and email message fields show how inflexible and seattle-centric Microsoft is. And, since I have a pocketPC, I am stuck with this less than ideal software. Thanks Bill.
Beware Word 97 users 2001-08-27
I upgraded to Outlook 2002 from Outlook Express for my small homebased business. I currently use Office 97 (Professional). What Microsoft didn't inform me until after the fact was that some of the features in Outlook 2002 will not fuction when running older versions of Word, (in my case Word 97). As a result I have had to purchased Word 2002 to be able to get the full use of the product.
MIcrosoft Outlook 2005-02-10
Probably the worst program known to mankind. Will destroy your computer. Consistently crashes and renders other programs inoperable. Don't know why Gates isn't in jail for this one.
Outlook 2002 slower than Outlook 2000 
2003-08-17
Besides Hotmail support, there really is no difference between Outlook 2000 and Outlook 2002 except for speed. If you already have Outlook 2000, DO NOT UPGRADE! Why? Because it is slower than Outlook 2000 (at least on my machine). In Outlook 2000, I used to be able to click on a message and it would instantly pop up. In Outlook 2003, it takes a good 2-3 seconds. As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Much Slower than Outlook 2000 an not much different. 2002-08-17
Wow, this is an upgrade,NOT!! You've got to be kidding me. New features are mostly worthless and it runs much slower than 2000 on my Pentium 1.4 ghz with 512 MB RAM.
Not only will you be disappointed, but you will have wasted your money. I enjoy MS Office, but their upgrades are no longer worth paying for. To boot, we now have to activate our product through Microsoft...what a joke!
If your new to computing, be smart and look for Office Suite alternatives.
Rating Questions 2002-08-13
Although you state this is Outlook 2002, I received Outlook 2000 [the box clearly states it is Outlook 2000 -- with an exclamation point after 2000 -- i.e. 2000!). I have an XP and requested the latest version of Outlook (2002) not 2000. Also, I filled out the form for a rebate and never received it. I have been charged your (then) full price for the item. How can I rate version 2002 when I received 2000 (which I already had)?
Microsoft Outlook: Worth It? 
2002-01-20
I have been using Microsoft Outlook for almost three years now, and to tell you the truth I like it a lot! Recently, I upgraded to version 2002 and was impressed by the features in the application. The integration of Hotmail is not a new feature but an easier approach to setting-up accounts with the e-mail service. Other features such as organizing e-mail whether its junk or something important is also good, but I think users will find more features when it comes to integration with other Office applications such as Word. Say for example, your typing a letter and you insert a person's name, through the use of Smart Tags Word will ask you if you would like to add it to your contacts or schedule a meeting in Outlook, a handy feature, but for me it's not really necessary. This version, I think is worth the upgrade it's much improved compared to Outlook 97, 98 and "2000" in some ways, users will some how find other useful and interesting features in this application. Remember, Outlook 2000 was always known as a virus harbor, and it was always difficult to set-up accounts with hotmail, so if there is at least one program out of the core Office XP applications, I suggest Outlook 2002. Like I said, there are some new cool features I have not yet discovered.
