Is Dot Mac really worth it? I've read all the features over and over again....how many people really depend on it?
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Dot Mac?
- Thread starter Osiris3679
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I've got a number of Macs and use it extensively for synching. For that, it's worthwhile to me. I also use the mail feature and, rarely, the iWeb/iPhoto integration. For those with but one Mac, the value is less obvious unless you're not comfortable with setting up your own web site, because many service providers have plans which cost less than $99/year.
It seems to have a relatively bad reputation around here, but apparently it's lucrative enough for Apple to continue to push it....
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
If I weren't locked in with a dotmac email address I would cancel it. When I got my g3 ibook, on the box it said "itools included." So I got my "prestigious" mac.com address, and as you know iTools is now DotMac, and DotMac costs money. Because I lack faith in some of my friends and relatives to follow me to a new e-mail address, I have kept it. Some of my relatives still ask me what it is on a regular basis (it's just my name at mac.com), and they apparenty can't use the Reply button. So, mostly because of them, I keep it.
Otherwise I would use gmail for all my e-mail. This last year Apple has bee dysfunctional in terms of how much spam they let through and how many legitimate messages never see the light of day. The dotmac engineers always say it's a delicate balance they're fine-tuning, but they aren't close to Gmail in terms of reliability and Spam blocking (server wise or in terms of cient-side, which I guess for dotmac is the junk mail filter in Mail ....which sometimes even classifies messages i have sent myself as junk!)
Otherwise I would use gmail for all my e-mail. This last year Apple has bee dysfunctional in terms of how much spam they let through and how many legitimate messages never see the light of day. The dotmac engineers always say it's a delicate balance they're fine-tuning, but they aren't close to Gmail in terms of reliability and Spam blocking (server wise or in terms of cient-side, which I guess for dotmac is the junk mail filter in Mail ....which sometimes even classifies messages i have sent myself as junk!)
I'm buying my macbook in about a month or so and I was just curious about dot mac after reading on it....but what I'm mainly concerned with is the mail feature....what's the difference for the mail app with dot mac and without it, not counting your mac.com email address??
There's absolutely no benefit to using .Mac mail with the Mail app except that, if you do, the initial setup takes a few seconds less. .Mac mail is nice if you like the address, but there are few other benefits.
From what I've heard the services simply aren't worth $99. I am perfectly happy with my gmail and I could never see myself getting locked into an email which forced me to pay :-/
"really depend on it?" Now that's quite strong, I do depend on email and web services so I would have to get them from somewhere. I don't like all the ads on free services & I have also had free services close down on me. So I choose to pay for my email and web services. Maybe I could get cheaper deals if I went to A for email, B for hosting, C for storage but would it be as easy?
I have email for me and an alias for my wife, a dreamweaver build portfolio web site, an iWeb site, RSS feed to a widget, Photocasts to friends and family back home in the UK plus we run a .Mac group. I sync two Macs and read/write emails from my work PC and a PSP. I back up files to my iDisk and share files with and from friends there too.
For me the price is okay and the service good. Plus it just works with the Mac.
Yeah, I like it for the iDisk and Backup as well. Email is a rarely used bonus (I have plenty of other email accounts, including my own domain,) but the built-in iLife integration is nice. When iWeb came out, I re-pointed my domain to my iWeb site instead of the crappy GeoCities site it was at.
If Apple were to add domain hosting to the mix (i.e. REALLY point your domain to an iWeb site, fully integrated, not just forwarded, and email through .Mac mail,) it would be perfect to me.
If Apple were to add domain hosting to the mix (i.e. REALLY point your domain to an iWeb site, fully integrated, not just forwarded, and email through .Mac mail,) it would be perfect to me.
I am constantly upgrading my computers so the Sync part is freaking fantastic I sync up my calendars, bookmarks, contacts, etc. I have Gmail and Yahoo but I use the .Mac mail a lot especially since I can add all those aliases. The only downside is that I can't check it on my phone. (Damn you, Verizon.) I'm only starting to use more of the iLife programs and I love the fact it syncs up with .Mac so wonderfully. I have a lot of Apple stores in my area and I wish .Mac would team up with ProCare so I wouldn't have to shell out $100 for each.
Dot Mac is very nice if you have more than one Mac - the syncing feature is incredibly useful, as others have said. However, if you're like me, and have only one Mac, you won't get much out of it...
The only other .Mac feature I actually used was the iCal publishing. Although you won't get the neat online iCal view thing, you can still publish your calendars elsewhere and subscribe to them, though it's not quite as simple.
The only other .Mac feature I actually used was the iCal publishing. Although you won't get the neat online iCal view thing, you can still publish your calendars elsewhere and subscribe to them, though it's not quite as simple.
Under Dashboard it mentions that you will be able to sync your Dashboard settings (widgets, settings, positions, etc,) between computers via .Mac. (Maybe we'll finally see those elusive .Mac-exclusive widgets?)
i use dot mac and infact just purchased my next years fix. got £20 discount at the London Apple store on 'black friday' sale 
its ok and i use it for iweb, syncing file share and the mail. but i also use gmail which works great and has an rss feed on my browser bar.
get it - just do not ever pay full price. my brother in canada also gets it with big discounts of about 40%
gotta let Mr Jobs make some money from us users as all the other software I use came installed on my Mac.
Will update my ibook to a MacBook when Lepoard and iLife 07 arrive
Where can I buy decentley priced games in the UK? Fancy a go at Call Of Duty 2 on my 24" iMac
its ok and i use it for iweb, syncing file share and the mail. but i also use gmail which works great and has an rss feed on my browser bar.
get it - just do not ever pay full price. my brother in canada also gets it with big discounts of about 40%
gotta let Mr Jobs make some money from us users as all the other software I use came installed on my Mac.
Will update my ibook to a MacBook when Lepoard and iLife 07 arrive
Where can I buy decentley priced games in the UK? Fancy a go at Call Of Duty 2 on my 24" iMac
I'm pretty happy with my .mac account and will be renewing it before it expires at the end of January. Since I have two mac computers (desktop and laptop), the easy syncing of information is almost worth the price alone. Plus, if the screenshots are any indication, we'll be able to sync more data in 10.5. I also use it with RapidWeaver, and make use of the public folder to get files/projects to group members for class.
Finally, I love having a mac.com email address.
Finally, I love having a mac.com email address.