.Mac

Uptime is adequate but the speed is atrocious compared with the IMAP mail from my ISP.

 

This is what I'd recommend:

1) Sign up for a domain name (yes, YOUR own preferred name, not some el cheapo "mac.com" that is shared with thousands) that you like

2) Hop over to http://asmallorange.com and sign up for one of their lifetime hosting plans

There is no step 3.

 

There are regular threads ful of .mac opinions which is probably why you're not getting many more. In general, if you pay for any other website hosting which includes email, it's not a great deal. If you don't, then it is.

 

Wha? Where's

3. Profit!!!

 

Ive got .mac

The mail speed is fine but the iDisk is rather slow.

And if you cancel .mac i do believe you keep the name so you can use ichat but no forwarding to another address.

 

I have .Mac but don't use the e-mail address. 99% of my iDisk space is allotted to my iWeb stuff.

 

Am a new user to Macs and purchased .MAC.
What I like:
*Integrates very nicely to the iLife apps/mail etc.
*Automated (read brainless backups) for critical things like home/preferences etc
*Easy if not too simplistic iWeb/.Mac integration
****My fav - cause I've used it about a dozen times - do not ask why
**Ability to back up/synch (EASY) mail/cals-cont/credentials/bookmarks etc
*nice basic email app - for browser mail - biggest plus synching with your mailon your mac, maintaining pref's , folders, again basic integration very easily done

There are features I have used that I wouldn't call out but were good for one off's - tutorials/walk throughs (the one on garageband was very nice and beat the help within the app by a landslide), some extra software - nothing to really brag about

Things I don't like - or really why it kinda s***cks. The limitation of 1 GB(single - you can upgrade to 4gb for half again as much)

Really limits your ability to use the features that are touted - such as "back up those pictures of your loved ones in a safe/secure yadyadayda" with 1 gb for all your MAIL, BACKUPS, iWEB, iDISK etc - you won't be backing up many pics. Same for really any other backs ups. So for home settings/preferences and the things i listed above great - for anything else...not good. It also is pretty slow.

That limitation hits in email and just about every other use. Unfortunately I get tons of email - and my family has this insane tendency to want to send me pics of everything - if I miss checking or whatever for a few days - I can easily over flow the 512MB standard default.

The iDisk feature is simply worthless given the lack of space. Maybe for a simple word doc or two - but remember your are sharing the 1GB amongs ALL the functions - it also is slow.

So bottom line - would I keep the account - is it worth the $99.00 I paid. I feel over charged - however due to some extreme (one would hope) circumstances I have gotten great benefit out of it. It is worth $99.99 a year to me to know that critical information that is tedious and time consuming to replicate is so easily and readily available. ANd I mean easy!!!

I must be a nut case but I LOVE the Mail application in Tiger - mainly because its basic, does not overwhelm me with functions I do not need and is easy and straight forward. When set up to work with the .Mac mail - a very, very nice robust, functional solution.

I am sure I could get those two main features somewhere else, cheaper and hosted - but am not sure they would integrate so nicely and am pretty convinced they would not be as easy as they are. For me those two features are worth my ~$8 a month. The rest is gravy.

Maybe once I am more confortable in the environment and find those functions elsewhere as stated above - I will feel differently. For now...yes I woul do it again.

Therese