Comments on: Confirmed: web based email wins over desktop

By: Mike Kirby

Mike Kirby — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:26:34 +0000

I suspect something is seriously wrong with this survey’s methodology. You mean THAT many people don’t care about working on their email on their laptops while on the bus, in the subway, on an airplane, etc? I for one will never let internet availability dictate when I can or cannot at least compose my email replies.

I also can’t believe that many people aren’t at least a bit bothered by the privacy & security concerns.

By: Zee

Zee — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:19:43 +0000

Just a test comment.

By: links for 2009-07-26 « open.minded.tech

links for 2009-07-26 « open.minded.tech — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:45:38 +0000

[...] Confirmed: web based email wins over desktop – The Next Web Awesome tech/lifehacking blog, LifeHacker conducted a survey amongst its readers, and they have a fair few. The blog asked which of the two they preferred, desktop or web-based email services. [...]

By: Danny Mekic'

Danny Mekic' — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 05:25:21 +0000

These article gave some interesting insights!

Leaves the question: which (open source) webmail application serves the needs of users the best? Probably not Squirrelmail (though very stable).

By: David Chartier

David Chartier — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 06:39:29 +0000

Personal preferences cannot be “confirmed,” and needs vary among users.

I swap between desktop and web email when the time calls for it. Web is certainly convenient, but desktop is quite a bit more powerful. I cannot easily select 20 random photos from iPhoto or Windows Explorer and have web-friendly copies automatically created and attached to a Gmail message. But I *can* do that with Mail on a Mac and, IIRC, Picasa on Windows.

I also can’t use Billings to automatically create my monthly client invoices and attach them to a Gmail message. But I can with Mail.

As a final desktop example, I can’t use LaunchBar to type a couple characters of a person’s name, hit Return on their email address, and create a new Gmail message. But I can with Mail.

There are tons of examples like these for both sides of the fences. But the fundamental fact of the matter is that personal preferences and the differences between needs cannot be “confirmed.” You might as well print a headline stating “Confirmed: Metallica is better than Dave Matthews Band.”

By: Gerard Vanschip-Miyama

Gerard Vanschip-Miyama — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 22:47:26 +0000

Personally I like my emails on my computer and my backup and I like to keep them, have emails going back to 93

By: Claire

Claire — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 22:07:40 +0000

I’m sorry but you can’t seriously call yourself a geek and then vouch for Apple Mail. Being lazy is no excuse.

It’s just like Outlook Express with an Apple logo and we know how much fun it is to ridicule people who use default bundled programs especially if they’re on Windows. ;)

By: Zee

Zee — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:55:52 +0000

Really? What do you like so much?

By: Stefano Bernardi

Stefano Bernardi — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:52:22 +0000

Desktop email rocks, I’ve tried so many times to switch over to web-based mail but there’s no comparison!!

By: postoditacco

postoditacco — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:46:42 +0000

Probably a mixed solution should be good for the most of cases, such webmail+client synchronized or webmail+postbox.
In any case, the capability to access from mobile makes the difference