5 ms·

AOL wasn't the only email provider back then and Gmail isn't now today either.

TomMarius 8y ago
Yeah but it used to be the only one with more than 10 MB storage in days when disk space was very expensive.
manigandham 8y ago
Competition doesn't matter unless a competitor actually make things better. Back then, everything sucked. Gmail actually pushed the industry to the next level. Most other services today are no better than a pop/imap inbox as before, just with a bigger storage quota.
- inetknght 8y ago
  What's wrong with pop/imap?
  - manigandham 8y ago
    They're old crappy protocols designed a long time ago. There's a reason why no modern email system uses them but only offers a mapping interface at best for older clients.
    - inetknght 8y ago
      MAC is old and designed a long time ago. IP is old and designed a long time ago. TCP is old and designed a long time ago. Everything is built upon them though. Why can't things be built upon POP and IMAP? Why are they crappy protocols?
      - manigandham 8y ago
        > Why can't things be built upon POP and IMAP? That's a different question. 3 random examples don't really mean anything. IPv4 is old, HTTP/1 is old, SSLv1 is old. Sure they work, but we also have newer better stuff. The old email protocols do not properly support modern features like syncing across multiple devices and servers with lightweight and efficient payloads, along with fast and safe attachment handling, consistent message ids, message threading, labels, contacts, push-based notifications, and many other things that people take for granted today. All modern email systems have built their own and don't use pop/imap because they're too outdated to even use as a foundation. Here's JMAP from Fastmail if you want more details on a open-source email protocol: https://jmap.io/ https://jmap.io/
        inetknght 8y ago
        Write up reference documents for a better protocol and make an RFC
        manigandham 8y ago
        Why? I'm not interested in writing an email protocol and really don't care. Also my last comment already links to a new protocol. Perhaps you should look at that.

Yeah but it used to be the only one with more than 10 MB storage in days when disk space was very expensive.

Competition doesn't matter unless a competitor actually make things better. Back then, everything sucked. Gmail actually pushed the industry to the next level. Most other services today are no better than a pop/imap inbox as before, just with a bigger storage quota.

inetknght 8y ago
What's wrong with pop/imap?
- manigandham 8y ago
  They're old crappy protocols designed a long time ago. There's a reason why no modern email system uses them but only offers a mapping interface at best for older clients.
  - inetknght 8y ago
    MAC is old and designed a long time ago. IP is old and designed a long time ago. TCP is old and designed a long time ago. Everything is built upon them though. Why can't things be built upon POP and IMAP? Why are they crappy protocols?
    - manigandham 8y ago
      > Why can't things be built upon POP and IMAP? That's a different question. 3 random examples don't really mean anything. IPv4 is old, HTTP/1 is old, SSLv1 is old. Sure they work, but we also have newer better stuff. The old email protocols do not properly support modern features like syncing across multiple devices and servers with lightweight and efficient payloads, along with fast and safe attachment handling, consistent message ids, message threading, labels, contacts, push-based notifications, and many other things that people take for granted today. All modern email systems have built their own and don't use pop/imap because they're too outdated to even use as a foundation. Here's JMAP from Fastmail if you want more details on a open-source email protocol: https://jmap.io/ https://jmap.io/
      - inetknght 8y ago
        Write up reference documents for a better protocol and make an RFC
        manigandham 8y ago
        Why? I'm not interested in writing an email protocol and really don't care. Also my last comment already links to a new protocol. Perhaps you should look at that.