I Need a New Email Client
August 13, 2013 3:42 PM Subscribe
So, Google just forced me to use their new compose interface, and I hate it. So, I guess I want a new email client...
I have been using Gmail for 8+ years, and know nothing about email clients these days.
One of the things that I like best about Gmail is the ability to give individual emails multiple labels. Are there any clients out there that will allow me to do this? Another consideration is how easily the client will handle my 13,000+ emails I have in
I have been using Gmail for 8+ years, and know nothing about email clients these days.
One of the things that I like best about Gmail is the ability to give individual emails multiple labels. Are there any clients out there that will allow me to do this? Another consideration is how easily the client will handle my 13,000+ emails I have in
Thunderbird is the best desktop client I'm aware of for use with Gmail. It does folders rather than tags, though. (Gmail tags become folders in Thunderbird.) This works out pretty well though. Search is also pretty fast, although admittedly not quite as fast as Gmail's search when you are searching full message contents.
I find myself using the right-click -> Show in Conversation feature quite often, and I miss it whenever I'm using another MUA like Apple Mail.
Really a nice program.
posted by Kadin2048 at 4:18 PM on August 13, 2013
I find myself using the right-click -> Show in Conversation feature quite often, and I miss it whenever I'm using another MUA like Apple Mail.
Really a nice program.
posted by Kadin2048 at 4:18 PM on August 13, 2013
Thunderbird is really fantastic for using with Gmail. There are lots of extensions to enhance the integration as well, for things like conversation threading and syncing address books and Google Calendar.
I think recent versions of Thunderbird demolish the Gmail interface for search. It's crazy good and easier to do fine grained searches and see message previews. I don't notice it as being slower than the Gmail web interface at all. Just under 40k emails here.
Like a lot of software that's been around a long time and has advanced features, it takes a bit of fiddling to get it set up just how you want it. But the results are worth it.
posted by quarterframer at 4:31 PM on August 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
I think recent versions of Thunderbird demolish the Gmail interface for search. It's crazy good and easier to do fine grained searches and see message previews. I don't notice it as being slower than the Gmail web interface at all. Just under 40k emails here.
Like a lot of software that's been around a long time and has advanced features, it takes a bit of fiddling to get it set up just how you want it. But the results are worth it.
posted by quarterframer at 4:31 PM on August 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
The new version of Outlook, both online and desktop, is pretty sweet.
posted by KokuRyu at 4:51 PM on August 13, 2013
posted by KokuRyu at 4:51 PM on August 13, 2013
I use T-bird as a supplement to the main web gmail; it is good for actually archiving email in a format that can be exported (requires an free extension).
It and its related mozilla products play very nicely with Gmail features like calendar/tasks/contacts.
posted by Sunburnt at 7:20 PM on August 13, 2013
It and its related mozilla products play very nicely with Gmail features like calendar/tasks/contacts.
posted by Sunburnt at 7:20 PM on August 13, 2013
Can you explain more what [mis]features you dislike about the new compose, or what you liked about the old? Are you looking for a new CLIENT (presumably to connect to your current GMail account?) or a new webmail service altogether?
posted by JJtheJetPlane at 9:33 AM on August 14, 2013
posted by JJtheJetPlane at 9:33 AM on August 14, 2013
I hate it, too. I feel like I've been squished into a smaller space and all my controls are hidden.
posted by JaneL at 10:09 PM on August 14, 2013
posted by JaneL at 10:09 PM on August 14, 2013
I switched from Thunderbird to Postbox a couple of years ago and it is by far my favorite mail client for Windows/OS X. It's based on the Thunderbird code and the base functionality is very similar but it's got a lot more UI polish and some additional features that are really nice for making email interaction easier (quick reply, focus pane, great keyboard navigation between accounts/folders, etc.). It's specifically made to coordinate with Gmail, including its multiple labels and "important" flag.
It's not free but completely worth the cost ($9.95).
posted by camcgee at 12:18 AM on August 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
It's not free but completely worth the cost ($9.95).
posted by camcgee at 12:18 AM on August 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
+1 for Postbox. Love it.
posted by whatevrnvrmind at 8:29 PM on September 8, 2013
posted by whatevrnvrmind at 8:29 PM on September 8, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by zsazsa at 3:47 PM on August 13, 2013 [1 favorite]