[OT] Gmail..

Thomas Charron twaffle at gmail.com
Sat Aug 21 13:44:00 EDT 2004


On Sat, 21 Aug 2004 12:54:43 -0400, Jeff Kinz <jkinz at kinz.org> wrote:
> Hmm - maybe this is a good time to ask.

  Several people have.  I'm sure others will chime in on their
opinions of GMail as well..

> How useful is Gmail?  One thing I have always disliked about
> web based email system is the lag time for it to respond to
> any given keystroke/click.

   It's VERY usefull.  I share your distast for Webmail clients.  I
LIKE having them there, but nothing beats the typical multipanel email
client IMHO.

    But Gmail is INCREDIBLY fast.  Unlike typical WebMail, it uses
ALOT of Javascript and DHTML to perform most actions without a full
reload of the screen.  This speeds things up greatly, and the delays,
at least in appearences, are not much more then a locally running
application dealing with a remote mailbox.

   Additionally, it deals with messages.  Well, differently.  Messages
are displayed and stored more like newsgroups then email.  It keeps
track of conversation threads.  When you open your 'Inbox', you see a
list of threads, and which threads have new messages.  Instead of
having to go BACK and look at old messages that people may be
responding too, they're collapsed, and with a quick click you can open
them.   Here's a quickie with this very conversation..  First image is
a quick view of the 'Thread'  Second is with the first message
'expanded'.  Third is this very reply taking place, with the thread
above it..

http://www.e-thingy.com/~twolf/gmail1.jpg
http://www.e-thingy.com/~twolf/gmail2.jpg
http://www.e-thingy.com/~twolf/gmail3.jpg

  The other difference with GMail is the abscence of 'boxes'. 
Instead, everything is in your inbox.  You then filter your inbox
according the messages that are 'tagged'.  You can then at a moments
click only view messages with a given 'tag'.  Mine filter gnhlug
messages with 'gnhlug'.

  You can also 'Star' messages, which have a special box all of their
own.  This way, at a moments click, you can mark important threads,
regardless of what their label is.  Threads I may have been part of in
gnhlug can be marked, so I can keep track of them, and also personal
messages.  I have one thread for a conversation with a potential
contract, and it's starred, so I can see it at a moments notice..

  The LACK of ability to interface it with IMAP is the downside.  The
ONLY interface is thru the web.  Dunno how I like that one, but since
the web interface is so quick, and unique, I haven't had any reason
NOT to want to use the web interface..

  Also, for SOME reason, it won't load under Konquerer.  Works fine
under Firefox and mozilla, though.

  IF anything, I think GMail provides many ideas that I would love too
see other Webmail packages pick up on.  Threaded conversations is such
a nice thing, I don't think I'd want too look back at this point.

  What's other peoples opinions?

> I guess I'm too used to mutt w/local mailbox(es).
> Is the search capability fantastically good?
> That would be worth a lot.

  Searches are fantastically fast and good.  At the top of the screen,
there's a search button to either search the web or your mail.

http://www.e-thingy.com/~twolf/gmail4.jpg

  Advanced search

http://www.e-thingy.com/~twolf/gmail5.jpg

  *quickly goes to read the agreement to make sure the posting of
screenshots wouldn't be against the beta*

  Don't see anything, so..  Send I click!



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