Gmail Alternatives?

[phatlip]

I've had nothing but problems with Gmail these past couple of months. Overall, the service has been buggy and often unreliable (slow load times or complete downtime). That and it absolutely drives me crazy that I have to use the sites back/forward buttons and not my browsers when searching mail.

Is there anything else that's as feature rich as Gmail, but more reliable and less error prone?

[tokenuser]

I've had nothing but problems with Gmail these past couple of months. Overall, the service has been buggy and often unreliable (slow load times or complete downtime). That and it absolutely drives me crazy that I have to use the sites back/forward buttons and not my browsers when searching mail.

Is there anything else that's as feature rich as Gmail, but more reliable and less error prone?Plenty of free services out there, but they all suffer the same issues.

I have a Google Apps account, in addition to two regular Gmail addresses. For some reason, the Apps account appears more reliable. I have my domain name set up so that I have mail.<domain>.com, calendar.<domain>.com, and sites.<domain>.com (with www.<domain>.com redirected there too). It all syncs nicely with mail.app and iCal (via Caldav) on my Macbook and iPod touch.

Microsoft have also really beefed up its hotmail (live.com) email service too. I have a hotmail account I use for anything that is likely to result in ongoing junkmail, and its pretty solid ... but I do still use Gmail for my primary accounts.

[phatlip]

Plenty of free services out there, but they all suffer the same issues.

I have a Google Apps account, in addition to two regular Gmail addresses. For some reason, the Apps account appears more reliable. I have my domain name set up so that I have mail.<domain>.com, calendar.<domain>.com, and sites.<domain>.com (with www.<domain>.com redirected there too). It all syncs nicely with mail.app and iCal (via Caldav) on my Macbook and iPod touch.

Microsoft have also really beefed up its hotmail (live.com) email service too. I have a hotmail account I use for anything that is likely to result in ongoing junkmail, and its pretty solid ... but I do still use Gmail for my primary accounts.

Since I got an Android device, I've been utilizing Google's app services more. They've worked really well. Syncing my Eris with the cloud and my Mac back at home is pretty damn easy. Google contacts was also great for transfering my contacts from the Blackberry to the Eris.

I'm gona look into Live Mail to see how I like it. I've grown pretty attached to Gmail, it's just frustrating when it doesn't work.

[chuckles]

I've had nothing but problems with Gmail these past couple of months. Overall, the service has been buggy and often unreliable (slow load times or complete downtime). That and it absolutely drives me crazy that I have to use the sites back/forward buttons and not my browsers when searching mail.

Is there anything else that's as feature rich as Gmail, but more reliable and less error prone?

You can always run your own email server. Zimbra offers an open source version (http://www.zimbra.com/downloads/os-downloads.html) that you can run yourself.

-chuckles-

[xfuuey]

oh, nice. i didn't know they had an opensource edition. i see rev3 utilizes zimbra as well?
will definitely be checking that out. thx chuckles

[tokenuser]

You can always run your own email server. Zimbra offers an open source version (http://www.zimbra.com/downloads/os-downloads.html) that you can run yourself.

-chuckles-I guess if the server then goes down, you have noone to blame but yourself.

At least with Gmail, Google can be the scapegoat.

[phatlip]

I guess if the server then goes down, you have noone to blame but yourself.

At least with Gmail, Google can be the scapegoat.

Yeah, that won't work. I need someone to bitch about.

haha

Nice idea, but I'm not looking to run my own mail server.

[heyseuss]

I just learned you have to have a mobile phone to open a gmail account.

That's, weird.

[phatlip]

I just learned you have to have a mobile phone to open a gmail account.

That's, weird.

Nah dude, it's not like that any more. They only briefly did that back in the days when it was in beta still.

[heyseuss]

Nah dude, it's not like that any more. They only briefly did that back in the days when it was in beta still.

I'm talking, yesterday. I just tried.

[tokenuser]

I'm talking, yesterday. I just tried.I just looked at the "Create an account (https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount?service=mail&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2Fmail%2Fe-11-11843bffb93ab850197a062d82fa292e-24f6a7d4ae2f46812aa5ee1eb63f4a591a43b016&type=2)" page - no mention of Mobile Phones at all.

One thing they do have as an option, is adding a mobile phone so they can SMS you your password if you forget it. But that is optional, and not a requirement. If you do need a phone number try 310 5551212.

[heyseuss]

I just looked at the "Create an account (https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount?service=mail&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2Fmail%2Fe-11-11843bffb93ab850197a062d82fa292e-24f6a7d4ae2f46812aa5ee1eb63f4a591a43b016&type=2)" page - no mention of Mobile Phones at all.

Yeah, which makes it so surprising to see this on the next page - " Verify your account
Before we create your account, we need to send a verification code via SMS to your mobile phone. We sometimes require verification to help protect our users from spam or abuse.". You are left with 2 fields, one for your phone number, and one for the country, then a submit button.

From the FAQ -
-----------------------

Q. I don't have a mobile phone. Can I sign up?

A. If you're trying to sign up for a Google Account, you may be asked to provide a mobile number to verify your identity. We'll send you a verification code via SMS, so make sure the phone you use has text-messaging capabilities. If you don't have a mobile phone and are prompted to enter your phone number, you may want to ask a friend if you can use his or her number to receive a code.

Q. Why am I being asked to provide a mobile number?

A. We ask some users to verify their identity via SMS before they're able to create accounts in an effort to protect our users and combat abuse of our systems.

We take spam and abuse very seriously, so there are numerous measures we take to block spammers and their messages. Sending verification codes to mobile phones is just one way to address this.

Q. Will Google keep or use my mobile phone number?

A. Google will use your phone number to send a verification code in a text message to your phone. We do store each phone number to make sure it is not being used to create a large number of accounts, but we will not sell your personal information for marketing purposes without your permission, nor will we contact you using this number without your expressed permission.
------------


One thing they do have as an option, is adding a mobile phone so they can SMS you your password if you forget it. But that is optional, and not a requirement. If you do need a phone number try 310 5551212.

What's that number do ?

I don't understand why I can't get them to verify who I am through my secondary email.

[boldfire]

Very odd (and inconvinient)! I made an account just the other day and I didn't need to do that, but that was on the UK Gmail.

Coincidently I have noticed a lot of spam from @gmail.com addresses recently, maybe they are doing verification to kill spam bots?

[tokenuser]

What's that number do ?Call it and find out :)

<areacode> 555 1212 gets directory assistance for <areacode>.

I don't understand why I can't get them to verify who I am through my secondary email.It must be a new thing. They did it in the past, but I signed up for a dummy email address a couple of weeks ago and wasn't asked. Maybe is based upon the IP address you are coming from as well - some ISPs are more prone to spammers than others.

[phatlip]

That's really weird. I frequently help people create accounts in the store and never had this come up. I just created a dummy account and didn't have it either. The only difference I noticed is they now require an 8 character password (I set up a 6 character when I got it and still use it).

It's probably what Token mentioned about your ISP. That is odd though. There has to be a better method of protecting against spam then this. Lame.

[esophagus]

I'm talking, yesterday. I just tried.
Just created one sans mobile phone to try. You are wrong, good sir.

[heyseuss]

Just created one sans mobile phone to try. You are wrong, good sir.

I cut'N'paste that 'mobile phone verification' directly from the page that comes after the page Token linked.


I can't really understand how this text thing really keeps spammers down either. It's similar to the ppl at the airport asking me if I have a ticket, in order to stop terrorism, while I'm walking towards an airplane with a backpack on my back.

[icu]

That is indeed odd, but it must be a result of some IP profiling. I guess if a spammer get's this requirement that can sign-up for one account, but as soon as they enter the same mobile number for subsequent accounts the Big G will catch on.

I've been using (and have been happy with) Gmail for so long I've lost track of the alternatives. I do have a friend who really likes their Yahoo mail, but their work switched their corporate mail to Gmail. He HATES the threading which I find to be one of the most useful features along with the the spam filtering. I said "I love the threading, but it must be easy to disable. Lemme see ...."

There is no way to turn off threading ... I was flabbergasted that this wasn't a checkbox in the settings. The only solution I found was to setup Portable Thunderbird with his Gmail via IMAP.

Could threading be handled by a Greasemonkey script or the like?

[heyseuss]

I've been using (and have been happy with) Gmail for so long I've lost track of the alternatives. I do have a friend who really likes their Yahoo mail, but their work switched their corporate mail to Gmail. He HATES the threading which I find to be one of the most useful features along with the the spam filtering. I said "I love the threading, but it must be easy to disable. Lemme see ...."

There is no way to turn off threading ... I was flabbergasted that this wasn't a checkbox in the settings. The only solution I found was to setup Portable Thunderbird with his Gmail via IMAP.

Could threading be handled by a Greasemonkey script or the like?

I dislike the threading as well. It's ugly AND offers no benefit of a unique nature. Nothing I noticed about it, wasn't already something that any email client I've used can do. I'm currently using yahoo and it's not bad. not great either. Just, 'ok'. Apple Mail is the best email client I've used since Eudora.

[icu]

If it were my work email I would not be able to deal with the threading, but for the occasional casual conversations with friends and family it groups things together nicely for me. For work I use T-bird and it has a threading option which I quickly disabled after trying. There should really be an option to turn it off.

[sevver]

I have a GMX.com mail account, I mainly use it for spam centric things, like Craigslist. But lately Craigslist has not been allowing the gmx domain to reply to any ads, but overall, it seems ok as far as webmail goes.

What is up Phatlip? Long time.

[tokenuser]

I use Gmail ... but use it in conjunction with my regular email client on my laptop, only accessing via the web interface when needed.

No threading :)

[sevver]

I also use it through OUtlook.