Overall, it works much like the old Netscape Messenger but it handles multiple accounts very nicely - so nicely that when I set up my sister's computer with two e-mail accounts (one business and one personal), she instantly understood how to work them - and she's really new at this computer stuff. It also has a nicer editor than most with a command to reformat a paragraph and a good undo command. It has a very nice spell checker that works in the background as you type. My spelling has actually improved since I started using The Bat!, just the opposite of what people say about using spell checkers.

Did I say, "no worms"? The good news is that almost every worm and a bunch of viruses are written specifically for Outlook Express. That's good news because you become immune if you stop using Outlook Express. Not only is The Bat! less vulnerable simply because it is not Outlook Express, but it never executes any other programs in response to mail it receives without first asking your permission. When you get your mail, it won't start Visual Basic or Internet Explorer or any of the other programs that worms (and some virus programs) use to get control of your computer.

Also, it only displays HTML if it is included in the message. "Where else?" you might ask. Well, Outlook Express accepts messages with references to things on the Internet and goes out there to get them to be displayed with your e-mail without you knowing it. You didn't know that, did you? Very few people know how to make such messages, so when a message like that arrives it's usually junk mail. I don't care that I can't see all of it and I just delete it. However, there is an icon you can pick to run your browser and view such messages if you want to.

The Bat! costs $45. It's a one time charge to use their program. You download it, install it, set it up to access your e-mail account, use it for up to 30 days, and then pay the $45 once to keep using it forever. I say you will love it. Turn off that silly Ticker Tape, though. (It's under Options, Preferences, General.) If you need any help, call me. Yes, I mean that.
And Here's The Bat!