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There are. I used Eudora up to 2005. Incidentally, I can't look at my email history before 2005, because, you know... formats become obsolete, hard drives die,

There are. I used Eudora up to 2005. Incidentally, I can't look at my email history before 2005, because, you know... formats become obsolete, hard drives die, etc. Do those clients work on my mac, my chromebook, my windows box, and my android phone? Call me crazy, but I prefer web apps for that kind of stuff. I'm also glad I don't have to download an app to use Hacker News. As an independent developer, I am quite pleased that I can target one platform, the web, without having to deal with all the mess of multiple native apps, and worry that people won't run my simple app because they don't trust me not to delete their hard drive, and so on.

gsich 6y ago
>Do those clients work on my mac, my chromebook, my windows box, and my android phone? Yes. >Call me crazy, but I prefer web apps for that kind of stuff. I'm also glad I don't have to download an app to use Hacker News. Web means HTTP, Email is POP3/SMTP/IMAP. Different protocol, different programs. That you can use a website to view and send emails is not the default case and is merely a interface to those protocols.
- robbrown451 6y ago
  I understand how email works. "Default case" is a matter of interpretation. Most people today use web based email (at least on computers as opposed to mobile devices), and it is much easier for most people to set up and get working than using a native client. The vast majority never think about wire protocols. I have implemented both HTTP and SMTP in C etc back in the day, but that is not relevant here. Regardless, I said my preference is to use web based email, that's all.
  - gsich 6y ago
    It's not about how people use it, the RFCs are clear on this.
    - robbrown451 6y ago
      What's "it"? "The relevant issue"? Because the relevant issue is most certainly how people use it. People use web browsers to read their email. Why is what the RFCs say important to this?
      - gsich 6y ago
        Because the discussion above was about email. A browser is not a mail client (as in MUA). Unless a browser implements the RFCs regarding email, it's only a web browser. >How about email apps such as Gmail or Yahoo mail? So the answer is: It doesn't matter as those are not email apps. They are email frontends for a service that implements mail. If people think differently - it's their wording, but still a wrong one.
        robbrown451 6y ago
        So you're just spinning on the definition of "email"? As opposed to recognizing that a particular activity people do (which I call "using email" but maybe you have a different word for), is very often done using a web browser. Why you'd think debating the semantics of the word "email" is relevant to the discussion is beyond me. It makes me almost wonder if you are attempting to parody a certain type of pedantic technical person.
        gsich 6y ago
        Words matter.

gsich 6y ago

>Do those clients work on my mac, my chromebook, my windows box, and my android phone? Yes. >Call me crazy, but I prefer web apps for that kind of stuff. I'm also glad I don't have to download an app to use Hacker News. Web means HTTP, Email is POP3/SMTP/IMAP. Different protocol, different programs. That you can use a website to view and send emails is not the default case and is merely a interface to those protocols.

robbrown451 6y ago
I understand how email works. "Default case" is a matter of interpretation. Most people today use web based email (at least on computers as opposed to mobile devices), and it is much easier for most people to set up and get working than using a native client. The vast majority never think about wire protocols. I have implemented both HTTP and SMTP in C etc back in the day, but that is not relevant here. Regardless, I said my preference is to use web based email, that's all.
- gsich 6y ago
  It's not about how people use it, the RFCs are clear on this.
  - robbrown451 6y ago
    What's "it"? "The relevant issue"? Because the relevant issue is most certainly how people use it. People use web browsers to read their email. Why is what the RFCs say important to this?
    - gsich 6y ago
      Because the discussion above was about email. A browser is not a mail client (as in MUA). Unless a browser implements the RFCs regarding email, it's only a web browser. >How about email apps such as Gmail or Yahoo mail? So the answer is: It doesn't matter as those are not email apps. They are email frontends for a service that implements mail. If people think differently - it's their wording, but still a wrong one.
      - robbrown451 6y ago
        So you're just spinning on the definition of "email"? As opposed to recognizing that a particular activity people do (which I call "using email" but maybe you have a different word for), is very often done using a web browser. Why you'd think debating the semantics of the word "email" is relevant to the discussion is beyond me. It makes me almost wonder if you are attempting to parody a certain type of pedantic technical person.
        gsich 6y ago
        Words matter.