The Amic Email Backup interface passes my usability test: "Can I get it to do the main job without reading any help files?" This is fortunate, because using the "Help" button produces an error message under Vista. Further, Windows Mail--the Vista version of venerable Outlook--is not supported. Neither is Thunderbird. I ended up testing the program on The Bat!, which is a fine program, but not nearly as popular as the two I just mentioned.
I backed up my Bat mail using Amic Email Backup, then deleted a handful of messages, then restored. The backup worked successfully. Backups are stored in a single file in a proprietary format, so it is not possible to easily restore them without using this program before e-mail loss. Amic Email Backup includes other useful features, such as scheduled backups, allow for backup on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
Overall, Amic Email Backup is a simple to use program that provides a useful function. However, development may be stalled--the Web site hasn't been updated in a year--and the lack of proper Vista support may make it less useful for many users.
Note: This link takes you to the vendor's site, where you can download the latest version of the software.
--Ian Harac
Ad Choices