No matter what e-mail program you use, you've probably wondered what the competition works like. Between Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, Thunderbird and all the others, there are a lot of programs to choose from for accessing and managing your messages.
I've tried them all and they all share (IMHO) the same huge flaws. For one, if you need to back up your collected e-mail addresses or archived messages, it's not always an easy task. Second, practically every program has documented security flaws, that allow for everything from malicious scripts being allowed to run inside of messages, web links to be followed without question, etc. Third, if you use an e-mail program on your computer to check and read your messages, you often are prevented from viewing those same messages anywhere else, because they reside on your PC once you download them.
I have finally freed myself of these applications and rely solely on webmail. Even if your e-mail account is from your Internet provider, they likely have a webmail interface. This means all you need is a browser, your username and password to access your e-mail from anywhere, just like Hotmail. And the best part is the messages stay on the server, where they are less likely to damage your computer. The only people who might have a problem with this arrangement are those who must archive all messages they've received - even after they're read. Your ISP's mail server may not have room for every message you'll store - but there's a solution for that too: GMail. Just get a Google mail account, which has 1GB storage. Any messages you want archived, just forward them there.
Then there's the matter of where do you store your needed e-mail addresses. Simple. In an Excel spreadsheet. It's not quite as convenient as using a program's built-in address book, but you'll always know where they are, how to back them up and viruses will not be able to use your contacts as destinations for copies of themselves.
5 comments:
There, you see? My point exactly. I never remember the procedure myself, because it's different for different scenarios. But there is this tutorial: http://www.sitedeveloper.ws/tutorials/outlook.htm
Gmail is awsome!
Youcan do so much with it, including uploading your contacts from outlook, and accessing your gmial account from outlook:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011488981033.aspx
.... and so much more!
If anyone is in need of a gmail account, I have about 50 invites to send out, email me @ djsonic2005@gmail.com
Ouch, Gmail..... bad, very bad that stuff. Where hotmail, yahoo mail and the rest of the free mail systems are mostly junk, you have a little bit of privacy. With Gmail, well, you are leaving yourself open to all kinds of invasion of privacy. Read the licensing agreement carefully.
This is a good article http://gmail-is-too-creepy.com/
If privacy is not a concern, why not. But if you value your privacy, think twice about it.
I still wonder why anyone would need to save that much mail. Not that it matters much, anyway. Just my two cents.
I agree with your assessment, but let's be serious. The 'other' web based e-mail services are no more secure or private than Google's. To believe otherwise is fooling yourself. "Styx" [said in a low voice a la Goldmember]
Nowadays, images in emails can also cause problems. As long as you use a computer, you are submitting yourself to virus writers and spyware writers. I would rather have a solid email client, with, like someone else suggested, 'leave messages on server' option so that you have them on webmail too.
My problem is that I want to use GMail with POP access, but at the same time, use multiple POP clients on it. I cannot. As soon as I read messages from one POP client, I cannot read them from the other, even though they still exist on the GMail web interface.
In fact, that is how I came to your blog - looking for GMail/2 POP clients :-)
Post a Comment