IP: A word of caution for those upgrading from IE% BETA to IE5 Gold IE/OE 5 -- the case of the disappearing email [software bug]

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

I deleted IE 5 beta a long time ago when it stopped me from using PGP due to library problems. For those who stayed 
with it, caution now. djf
> From: "Jeff Schult" <jeff () tftb com>
> To: <farber () cis upenn edu>
> Subject: IE/OE 5 -- the case of the disappearing email
> Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 15:58:27 -0500
> X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2014.211
>
> Nice feature of Internet Explorer 5 and Outlook Express 5, fyi. ;-)
>
> It seems to work OK *if* you install it directly over the beta, or over IE4.
> HOWEVER, *if* you've been using beta 5, and you decide to delete the beta
> and do a clean install of the new browser, after backing up your MS
> Applications Data folder -- as many, um,  "trained professionals"
> might -- you're completely unable to import or read *any mail you did while
> using the beta!*
>
> The culprit is the mail file format in the beta, .ods -- it's been changed
> in the gold version. The ONLY way to get the mail back is to dump IE5, do a
> clean, fresh install of
> IE4 (and really the only way to do that is a format and a reinstall of the
> OS.) And THEN reinstall IE5 beta, which is extremely difficult to find,
> since
> MS has pulled it off all the servers.
>
> I lost all mail dated after Dec. 20, 1998, which is the day I installed the
> beta. I was able to recover it because I
> grabbed a guy who still had the beta files -- 17 megs -- before he upgraded.
> There are similar stories on Usenet -- do a search on dejanews for .ods, IE5
> beta, if you're curious.
>
> Thank you, Microsoft. ;-) I now IMAP my work mail on a Linux server at home,
> to be 3x-safe.
> Incidentally, I use IE and Outlook, Outlook Express at work, in part,
> because it's part of the package the ISP that I work for distributes, so I
> have to keep up on its quirks.
>
> Jeff Schult
> jschult () snet net
> Web Editor
> SNET Internet