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So, is it safe to use Gmail in Mail app now?

J

jon08

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Nov 14, 2008
1,894
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I've been cautious about upgrading to Mavericks due to those nasty Gmail bugs with the Mail app, but I see that 10.9.1 now supposedly fixed those.

But did it really? Please post all the feedback on this topic here in the next days/weeks. I still might wait for a couple of days before finally upgrading...
 
i have been affected by the GMail bug as of recently (won't sync) and after 10.9.1 my issues still persist. Constant activity shown in the mail.app activity window (logging in, requests, syncing, etc.). need it fixed or need to change.
 
Joe Kissell in Tidbits had a bunch of good info on this, and latest reports indicate some still have problems.

The point of his analysis is that Gmail has unconventional IMAP implementation, which is going to make it difficult to use with the Mac Mail client, and perhaps any client that isn't designed with Gmail's uniqueness in mind. So you could wait a long time before Mail does what you want with Gmail.

I still have issues with applescripts, but at least it basically syncs OK. Some say you can now go back to the method of hiding the archive, although I wouldn't risk it.

The fit between Gmail and Mail is probably going to remain imperfect. I don't seen Apple switching to the label format rather than the mailbox format, for example. And you can see that you have to hold off on a system upgrade, which might have other benefits for you, just so you can use the older Mail client. If you switched to another mail client you wouldn't have that problem, or if you switched to another email provider, as Kissell did.
 
I am still having issues w/ my gmail and 10.9.1. I noticed that when I am in gmail in a web browser and move/delete/archive items, that it would sync with Mail on my rMBP. However, when I got to my iMac at home nothing was synced after the initial "sync" after the upgrade. Very annoying..
 
Also still having issues. In fact, its worse after 10.9.1 than it was with 10.9/Email fix. Just doesn't sync.
 
tominabox1 said:
Also still having issues. In fact, its worse after 10.9.1 than it was with 10.9/Email fix. Just doesn't sync.
Click to expand...

I've been using G-Mail in the Mail app since October's 10.9 update with no issues on my Mini or Mac Pro. I can move/delete/archive items in Safari, and it syncs fine in the Mail app.
 
robgendreau said:
The point of his analysis is that Gmail has unconventional IMAP implementation, which is going to make it difficult to use with the Mac Mail client, and perhaps any client that isn't designed with Gmail's uniqueness in mind. So you could wait a long time before Mail does what you want with Gmail.

The fit between Gmail and Mail is probably going to remain imperfect. I don't seen Apple switching to the label format rather than the mailbox format, for example.
Click to expand...

I wonder if there is an email client designed specifically for Gmail? For example, it should support the labels format instead of mailboxes.
 
msvadi said:
I wonder if there is an email client designed specifically for Gmail? For example, it should support the labels format instead of mailboxes.
Click to expand...

You could take a look at Airmail or Postbox; I think those support labels. Or Chrome :D
 
Thanks for your input, guys. Looks like I won't be using Mail app in Mavericks then (I still haven't updated for the time being).

Might as well switch back to Outlook. I'll also try Postbox. Do both of these work well with Gmail?
 
I still have sporadic issues. If they don't go away soon I'm going to ditch gmail and start using my iCloud address as primary email. I'm very much if the view that this is a google/gmail issue and not one with Mavericks
 
Strange that everyone doesn't have these problems. I've got two gmail accounts running in the mail app and haven't had any problems at all.
 
Last edited:
imacken said:
Same here - no problems with Gmail - but I don't use labels etc.
Click to expand...

Just to be clear for others, Gmail DOES use labels. They show up in Mac Mail as folders/mailboxes, but things like "Inbox" are labels as far as Gmail is concerned. That's part of why the Mail/Gmail thing is a mess. You can have multiple labels for a gmail, but generally one mailbox in Mail for the same message (and to even that there are exceptions).
 
robgendreau said:
Just to be clear for others, Gmail DOES use labels. They show up in Mac Mail as folders/mailboxes, but things like "Inbox" are labels as far as Gmail is concerned. That's part of why the Mail/Gmail thing is a mess. You can have multiple labels for a gmail, but generally one mailbox in Mail for the same message (and to even that there are exceptions).
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what that all means, but all I know is that my Gmail Inbox, Sent emails work OK, and so does deleting messages. All syncs fine with my iPhone, iPad, Mac and Gmail webmail.
 
The only change I've noticed so far after upgrading to 10.9.1 is a new bug:

I can't disable for Gmail "Store draft messages on the server" under Mailbox Behaviors for Accounts in Preferences. Every time I try to disable the setting (and save), it come back with a check mark. I would appreciate any help with this.

This option, as many of you know, is a very nasty one: if it's enabled, you will end up with multiple copies of your drafts in the Trash folder.
 
msvadi said:
The only change I've noticed so far after upgrading to 10.9.1 is a new bug:

I can't disable for Gmail "Store draft messages on the server" under Mailbox Behaviors for Accounts in Preferences. Every time I try to disable the setting (and save), it come back with a check mark. I would appreciate any help with this.

This option, as many of you know, is a very nasty one: if it's enabled, you will end up with multiple copies of your drafts in the Trash folder.
Click to expand...

That's not new. Been that way for quite a while now.
 
imacken said:
Fair enough, but it's been a well documented issue.
Click to expand...

Yes, you are correct. Found a discussion of this here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5468664?start=15&tstart=0
The solution posted there by Steve really works.

I guess it was not a problem for me before because in Gmail settings, the option "Show in IMAP" for drafts used to be disabled. Somehow, it switched on on its own and that coincided with the latest update of Mail.
 
Anyone else experiencing any issues with the Mail app? I'm still on ML and I'm fine with Mail app, though I also tried Postbox and it's pretty similar to Mail, but somehow I'm reluctant to pay for a "similar" app if I were to upgrade to Mavericks - esp. if the issue with Mail & Gmail has been fixed (for most)...
 
When I read something on my iPhone or delete it, it does not get updated on my MacPro. If I read/delete on my MacPro it is updated on my iPhone. It's annoying...
 
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