I need alternative to Outlook

Why does Outlook (more accurately Outlook 97 and 2000)crash so much?

I'll tell you now I'm writing this as part of my venting right now.

We use Outlook 97 and 2000 (mainly 97 though) as our desktop mail client.

The features are really goodlike the task manager, calendar and the way contacts are managed/handled - but I don't have enough fingers and toes to count how much time I've wasted over the last year with trouble shooting crash issues with the mail client. Specifically "Outlook interface messaging" errors and "Mapisp32" errors.

I found a pattern that it crashes mainly when people store a ridiculous amount of mail (a whole issue entirely that keep telling everyone here - the average inbox of one of my clients at any giventime has 1200 messages in it, the deleted items is normally MUCH larger - a few people had over 7000 messages in deleted items ALONE!).

Is this right though? Is there an "official" limit to the amount of mail a single profile can store (outlook.pst file)?

Its such a pain - because I have *WAY* more important, critical issues to work on and get done (as the only "true" IT support guy it makes things all that more frustrating) - when this email stuff happens it can take anywhere from 15 minutes to as long as 2 hours to fix the system.

And keep in mind its not lack of knowledge to fix the problem (I've used solutions from Microsoft's own Office support people as well read books, websites and talked to other IT support professionalson the issue as well) - its time consuming and its happening too often.

Is this centric to Outlook or is it just a general fact of life with email clients?

I'm about ready to kick Outlook to the curb - for good.

Anyway, thanks for listening to the venting and my whining. If you have advice to offer I'd more than appreciate it.

thanks.