4 ms·

Why should I use this over an email client like Thunderbird?

by amq 10y ago

ozim 10y ago
I think there is no point, but if someone uses only web interface this might be valuable.
- sudshekhar 10y ago
  Off-topic. What are some of the reasons you use desktop clients? I have tried using thunderbird several times but the habit never stuck. Anything I might be missing out on (apart from local IMAP backups)?
  - detaro 10y ago
    Works offline, has its own OS-level windows (so I don't have to hunt around for the tab, can close the browser but keep e-mail open or vice vers), multiple e-mail accounts under one application while keeping them entirely separated (I don't want to give one provider access to my mailboxes at another provider, and I don't want to have to use multiple different web UIs). Also a matter of habit.
  - favadi 10y ago
    Multiple accounts and GPG support
  - scholia 10y ago
    (1) Desktop clients used to be faster and more efficient than using a web interface, and probably still are in most cases. However, Gmail is impressively snappy so I don't think it applies in that case. (2) You can do things with a desktop client that you can't do with a web interface. That includes sort by subject and sort by size. (3) Desktop clients can have real folders, which Gmail doesn't. (4) Works off-line. This is still useful, though not as useful as it used to be. (5) Easy to backup. Easy to automate backup.
tajen 10y ago
Do you use IMAP? Do emails get fully downloaded in IMAP?
- detaro 10y ago
  You can set it up like that, yes. (I'm not sure what the default is, since I haven't created a new Thunderbird profile in years)
- amq 10y ago
  It downloads everything by default.
Arkanosis 10y ago
I find it incredibly easier to configure and run periodically in a cron job. Plus I've never had even the slightest stability issue with gmvault whereas Thunderbird (which I use anyway to read emails at work) has bad days from time to time. Additionally, the output format (gzipped plain email + metadata) looks very convenient for indexing / analysis; something I'm dreaming of for a long time.

Why should I use this over an email client like Thunderbird?

by amq 10y ago

Why should I use this over an email client like Thunderbird?

ozim 10y ago

I think there is no point, but if someone uses only web interface this might be valuable.

sudshekhar 10y ago
Off-topic. What are some of the reasons you use desktop clients? I have tried using thunderbird several times but the habit never stuck. Anything I might be missing out on (apart from local IMAP backups)?
- detaro 10y ago
  Works offline, has its own OS-level windows (so I don't have to hunt around for the tab, can close the browser but keep e-mail open or vice vers), multiple e-mail accounts under one application while keeping them entirely separated (I don't want to give one provider access to my mailboxes at another provider, and I don't want to have to use multiple different web UIs). Also a matter of habit.
- favadi 10y ago
  Multiple accounts and GPG support
- scholia 10y ago
  (1) Desktop clients used to be faster and more efficient than using a web interface, and probably still are in most cases. However, Gmail is impressively snappy so I don't think it applies in that case. (2) You can do things with a desktop client that you can't do with a web interface. That includes sort by subject and sort by size. (3) Desktop clients can have real folders, which Gmail doesn't. (4) Works off-line. This is still useful, though not as useful as it used to be. (5) Easy to backup. Easy to automate backup.

tajen 10y ago

Do you use IMAP? Do emails get fully downloaded in IMAP?

detaro 10y ago
You can set it up like that, yes. (I'm not sure what the default is, since I haven't created a new Thunderbird profile in years)
amq 10y ago
It downloads everything by default.

Arkanosis 10y ago

I find it incredibly easier to configure and run periodically in a cron job. Plus I've never had even the slightest stability issue with gmvault whereas Thunderbird (which I use anyway to read emails at work) has bad days from time to time. Additionally, the output format (gzipped plain email + metadata) looks very convenient for indexing / analysis; something I'm dreaming of for a long time.