In response to your second query:

- Create your message in notepad and save in a convenient place as a .txt file. You can create an E-Mail template if you prefer and would like to include any HTML formatting and so forth.

- Next, open Outlook Express and navigate your way to Tools > Message Rules > Mail.

- A "New Mail Rule" prompt should appear. In the first panel, scroll down the list and check the box next to "For all messages". This will ensure that this rule applies to all messages you receive. In the second panel, scroll down and check "Reply with message".

- In the third panel, click on the "Message" hyperlink. A new window titled "Open" should appear, from which you can select the message or E-Mail you created earlier. (If you created it in notepad, you will have to change the file extensions shown at the bottom of the window to .txt files)

- In the last panel, give this rule a sensible name such as "Autoresponder" so that you know what it is and click OK.

- Finally, a "Message Rules" window will appear - make sure you click OK and NOT apply now, otherwise every E-Mail you have received will be replied to with your default message.

In response to your first query, it really depends on the software. If an uninstall option or Remove Program option is not available, then you may be able to download a dedicated utility to remove the program from the manufacturers website. However, there are still items of software that have been badly packaged and are difficult to remove. In the worst cases, the best you can do is to delete the related program's folder, shortcuts and use a registry cleaner to remove the now invalid entries.

This is hardly an elegant solution, but one I have used on several occasions to remove software that really wasn't designed to be removed.

I hope I have been of some help to you.

John