Gmail

My last post reminded me of something else I've been meaning to blog about for a while - Gmail. For a few weeks know I've been using Gmail to bring all my email into one place, I've placed forwards where I can on other accounts, then Gmail lets me reply with one of these accounts as the reply-to address. I'm still only experimenting with it, but so far it seems to work well. It's nice that it automatically updates regularly (no need to refresh the page) and keeps me login until I close the browser (even though I haven't saved my password on my PC at work), but the best thing is the speed. It's been a while since I used Outlook Express with webmail, but I think Gmail is quicker and it's comparable to Outlook or Lotus Notes with a corporate server.

I think this will essentially spell the end for my Hotmail (or Windows Live Mail) account. My HoTMaiL account was my first email account and has remained the only constant since ... through various ISP's, academic institutions and employers. I thought there was hope with Windows Live Mail (I'm on the beta), which is quite a nice interface and has some nice features. But I am forced to use Internet Explorer.... sorry, say that again .... surely MS wouldn't be so daft ... oh, I can use Windows Live Mail with Firefox, but 99% of the features don't work (it's actually worse to use than HoTMaiL). I've entered some feedback to suggest MS open their minds to other browsers, asking if this was just a temporary state while they get the beta moving, guess what? No response. It seems MS still think the world uses IE.

So, despite my HoTMaiL address being my oldest internet identity, an address that 100's of websites and friends and family are using, I'm thinking of migrating away from it. There, I said it. If only HoTMaiL allowed mail forwarding, then I could forward to my Gmail account.