Formatting Messages with Outlook Express (HTML Bootcamp)

While all of us really love JimRob's new formatting page, it has some limitations. It's great for quick responses like: Go back to DU, CLYMER!

It is awkward when what you really want is: Go back to DU, Clymer!

And, of course, there is no spelling cheecker.

While there are many ways to overcome this, the least of which is becoming an HTML geek, those of us who have been assimilated into the Borg collective probably already have a very convenient tool for formatting simple HTML, namely Microsoft Outlook Express. As you probably know, this is Microsoft's "free" email reader that comes with Internet Explorer. You almost certainly have it installed on your computer already, but if not, go to

If have not tested this with every version of Outlook, and my apologies in advance if this doesn't work with your version of Outlook. This message is being formatted with the version that comes with IE 5.5

Go create an forum message, proceed as follows.

Start Outlook Express, this is most likely in your "quick start" tray as the little envelope with arrows. If this is the first time, you will have to negotiate a number of dialogs concerning setting up an account. While I would like to be helpful, getting through this is beyond the scope of this document, but it's not that hard.

Once you get through this, click on "New Mail". You will get an editor window, somewhat similar to WordPad. Make sure you have "RTF (HTML)" checked in the "Format" menu and "Source Edit" in the view menu. The latter will give you a tab strip on the bottom called "Edit", "Source", and "Preview".

Now compose away, you have all the font tools and formatting tools you could possibly want, as well has a spelling checker.

To transfer the message back to the Free Republic posting page, proceed as follows. Click on the "Source" tab. Do not try to use the entire text that you see here, but rather, select only that part in between the tags <BODY...> and </BODY>, copy it to the clipboard, then paste it into Jim's form, and you are ready to go.

Note: I didn't even have to remember any &xxx codes to get tags (like <BODY>) to format properly, so if you want to end a message with </SARCASM>, all you have to do is type it.

Hint: to insert a hyperlink, type in the text that you want to appear as a link, select it, then click the "Create a hyperlink tool"

Hint: to insert a picture, click on the "Insert picture" tool. Be sure that you specify the source as a URL (http://something) or no one but you will be able to see it.

For Example: every ones favorite columnist:

To: ActionNewsBill

think - thing

What's the difference?