The Notes R5 client adds support for NNTP Internet discussion servers and IMAP and POP3 mail servers. The Notes installer automatically locates your Notes ID file, connects to the proper Domino server, and locates POP3 and IMAP account information if your PC had Microsoft Outlook. A new Mail Rules tool makes it easy to filter out unwanted messages or to move in coming e-mail into specific folders. An improved signature feature lets you attach a signature to outgoing messages. Lotus has replaced the old Notes user interface with a customizable welcome page that can display any mix of Notes and Web content.
Users choose from several welcome-page templates or create their own.
An icon-based bookmark bar replaces the desktop icons in the old Notes. A bookmark represents a database or an action. You can create as many bookmarks as you like. The interface now has a taskbar mimicking the one in Windows. As you add new tasks in Notes, a new task icon appears at the top of the Notes window.