I'm wondering how many of you folk use a specific mail application, for the likes of gmail or hotmail, or if you just use the web interface? I've often wondered about the benefits of using a mail application and I can't really think of any to be honest.
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Do You Use a Mail Application?
- Thread starter bingefeller
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I use Thunderbird for my Fastmail account. The thing I like about a mail application is that it presents your picture attachments in the message. Plus it has a prettier layout than that of the web interface. I used to use Mac Mail App but it started to slow down and hang a lot.
I use OS X Mail application. There are a few benefits.
1. Offline access to messages.
2. Spotlight indexing.
3. Integration with Address Book.
4. Multiple email accounts in one interface.
5. More responsive interface, including drag and drp.
With IMAP, all changes are synced with the server, so I can still use the webmail version when away from my computer.
1. Offline access to messages.
2. Spotlight indexing.
3. Integration with Address Book.
4. Multiple email accounts in one interface.
5. More responsive interface, including drag and drp.
With IMAP, all changes are synced with the server, so I can still use the webmail version when away from my computer.
I use Entourage here. Having come from years of Outlook/Windows use, Entourage was the easiest thing to migrate to. I've used Mac Mail quite a bit too, which is also a very good options.
You might think the Gmail or some other web UI is good enough for email, but once you get used to working with Mail there's nothing like it. Enable threaded views, install the widemail plugin, a mail notifier and the experience of using Mail is suddenly heightened. Of course, you have to get used to the concept of having your Mail in an app instead of your browser. Of course, make sure you use IMAP instead of POP (like Mail defaults to when installing a Gmail account).
Well, I have set up Mail for my BT Internet email account and Gmail account and it's working well.
Out of interest why should I use IMAP instead of POP?
I use Mail. It's not slow or hanging at all. It's probably because you mixed up the settings or something.
A very good summary. I think my question would be, why *wouldn't* you use a mail app?
(I use apple's mail and it's wonderful)
Mail.app for the reasons previously listed.
My only beef is the insanely long time it takes to set up a POP account. Three minutes at least.
My only beef is the insanely long time it takes to set up a POP account. Three minutes at least.
I use Mail because:
- I don't have to load the web interface over and over again on my 128kbit connection
- I can send files just by dragging them to Mail icon in the Dock, even if Mail is not open
- Integration with the Address Book
- Spotlight search
- Built-in RSS reader
- Multiple accounts in one place
- Stationery
- It is fast and looks great
- Works with MobileMe wonderfully.
- I don't have to load the web interface over and over again on my 128kbit connection
- I can send files just by dragging them to Mail icon in the Dock, even if Mail is not open
- Integration with the Address Book
- Spotlight search
- Built-in RSS reader
- Multiple accounts in one place
- Stationery
- It is fast and looks great
- Works with MobileMe wonderfully.
I never knew so many people used the Mail application. I thought that most guys would have found it handier to just load up a web interface. I think I'll give Mail another try and see how it works out.
I thought that most guys would have found it handier to just load up a web interface. I think I'll give Mail another try and see how it works out.I was reading into BT's services and I just discovered that they have newsgroups available and apparently they use Giganews as their server! Unfortunately the Apple Mail app doesn't let me access newsgroups so I am now using Thunderbird.
I tried using OS X Mail, but it crashed, repeatedly and without fail, when I tried to import my mailboxes.
So now I use Thunderbird.
So now I use Thunderbird.
Use Unison for newsgroups and Mail for email. Thunderbird is a pretty poor newsgroup reader and Mail is a superior email client in my opinion.
Yep, another for the OS X Mail app. I use it for my Gmail account, and I used to use it with my AOL My eAddress account too before they cancelled that service. Here's why I use Mail:
- It's a program and not a website so the interface has 0 lag.
- I can have access to my emails offline.
- It automatically checks for new mail every 5 minutes so I basically get my email the instant it is sent.
The only thing I miss about the Gmail web interface is the threaded/conversation view. I thought that was pretty cool, but it wasn't worth the other hassles of web interface compared to OS X Mail.
Another vote for Apple Mail for all the reasons previously mentioned. It took me a while to get used to it (Christmas Day will mark my 1-year anniversary of my switch to Mac), but now I just love it's tight integration with the rest of OS X.
Probably my biggest disappointment with mail.app is its implementation of Smart Mailboxes. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea. I just can't get Smart Mailboxes to filter messages to the level of granularity that mail's "rules" can (Preferences-->Rules).
The only problem with setting up a rule is that once the message is downloaded from the server onto one mac (the iMac) and gets routed to the appropriate folder on that mac, the other mac (the Mac Pro) never sees that message and it only resides on the iMac. Even though Moble Me is syncing my Mail rules, the first computer that downloads the message is the one that keeps it (unless it stays in the Inbox, of course; then both computers have the message). Makes it kinda hard to keep the mail on both computers synced. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong, but that's really my only gripe with Apple Mail.
James
Probably my biggest disappointment with mail.app is its implementation of Smart Mailboxes. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea. I just can't get Smart Mailboxes to filter messages to the level of granularity that mail's "rules" can (Preferences-->Rules).
The only problem with setting up a rule is that once the message is downloaded from the server onto one mac (the iMac) and gets routed to the appropriate folder on that mac, the other mac (the Mac Pro) never sees that message and it only resides on the iMac. Even though Moble Me is syncing my Mail rules, the first computer that downloads the message is the one that keeps it (unless it stays in the Inbox, of course; then both computers have the message). Makes it kinda hard to keep the mail on both computers synced. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong, but that's really my only gripe with Apple Mail.
James
I have used mail for a very long time. I have just recently started useing mailplane. I never quite felt like i was getting the "gmail experiance" through mail, so with useing mailplane its a desktop client email service that loads up gmail from the web in its innerface. We will see how this goes..
I guess I'm from the days when email was only accessed from email software (Eudora!). Anyway, I use Mail.app at home and at work, for all the reasons already listed and that I just generally prefer using a mail application instead of a website.