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We have 23 questions tagged and 113 questions tagged .
Both are about .pst files used by Outlook.

We do not have any special -archive tags for other programs. E.g. no thunderbird-archive, no elm-archive, no mutt-archive etc.

Do we need one specially for Outlook or should we archive this tag?

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  • The problem with [outlook-archive] is 1) it's been misused, 2) there aren't enough questions that use it properly to be worthwhile because too few people differentiate archives and use the tag, and 3) as long as it exists, it will continue to be misused. Some of the questions could be re-tagged [pst]. The ones about archiving are a sub-function of Outlook that probably doesn't need a separate tag. I'm for re-tagging the existing questions where they aren't already double-tagged with the right one, and then burning [outlook-archive].
    – fixer1234
    Commented Mar 1, 2016 at 7:27
  • @fixer1234 yeah the outlook-archive says it's for .pst but it would be better if it included pst and ost, rather than adopting the pst tag, just make synonyms?
    – Raystafarian
    Commented Mar 2, 2016 at 12:43
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    I though an ost file is just a cache. The only useful actions with it was to delete it if the disk got full or for emergency recorvery with third party tools. But completely unrelated to archiving things? More a [temp-file] thing.
    – Hennes
    Commented Mar 2, 2016 at 13:10
  • Ah, yeah - I learned something new.
    – Raystafarian
    Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 9:11

1 Answer 1

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Outlook content archivation to a separate storage file is a specific knowledge area which has its own settings in Outlook application and its own recommended practices. I'd recommend making the meaning of the tag clear enough by adding annotation and performing some clean-up on tagged questions. From long-term viewpoint, I think it could be beneficial to have this as long as this is a distinctive area of the usage.

Regarding Raystafarian's comment:

You are right, archive is just another pst file. But typically, even average Outlook user sooner or later has to cope with archivation-specific things like:

  1. In my case, is archiving a good practice or a must (due to limited Exchange online mailbox size)?

  2. Which items to put in archives and which keep in main storage? How to effectively set up archivation options? Are there some scripts around for smarter (selective) archivation?

  3. Is one archive enough or create new archive every year? (growing pst files lose speed)

  4. Keep all archives attached to Outlook (ready-to-use) or only open them on demand?

  5. How to effectively search in archives, even in disconnected ones?

This is why I wrote that from certain viewpoint, Outlook archivation can be considered as distinctive area of knowledge. But still I consider myself a relative newbie on the SE network, so I'm leaving final consideration and decision on you.

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  • Are you saying that archiving in outlook is not the same thing as a pst file? The archives can go to a different type of file? I'm not very familiar with outlook.
    – Raystafarian
    Commented Mar 6, 2016 at 9:03
  • @Raystafarian - I have updated the answer.
    – miroxlav
    Commented Mar 6, 2016 at 11:35
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    Oh, so you were saying archive should be the process of archiving, so change outlook-archive to outlook-archiving and keep the file archives as pst? Or should the outlook-archive be retagged to pst and archiving?
    – Raystafarian
    Commented Mar 7, 2016 at 8:14
  • @Raystafarian – I think what you say is a good idea.
    – miroxlav
    Commented Mar 7, 2016 at 9:00

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