Webmail or IMAP/POP 3 email programs – use both
I have been using email since 1995. And I was jokingly called ”email king” by friends who started to use emails as well back then, because I used so many different email services. It was when internet was really starting to hit off in Sweden where I live. My first email account was a Hotmail account, before Microsoft bought Hotmail. I used Yahoo email very quickly after hotmail, within weeks. And of course Netaddress email. All being Webmail. In 1996 I got my first internet service at my house, so I got my first email program, client. A POP 3 account. I believe the first email program I got was two. One from microsoft I believe and of course the classic Netscape Mail program (Todays Thunderbird looks and feel very much in line with said Netscape still, minotaur or no minotour)
I still use both webmail and IMAP/POP3 email services. I think its important to me, in my work to use both. At times I have prefered using Webmail, and sometimes desktop IMAP/POP3 email on my computer. but I have always kept both services. And to me its the IMAP I use instead of POP 3.
For my freelancing business, with emails going out and coming in, I am thankful for both services, but especially happy for speed and convinence and freedom the combination give. Had I ony used let say Gmail, then that wouldnt work for me. It is used not because I love Gmail, I dont as I prefer Yahoo Mail way of doing things. How it is set up in Yahoo is how most Free and payed for Email clients for IMAP and POP 3 work and look like. Gmail wanted to reinvent the wheel, but didnt do it the way I want it set up. It feels hindering somehow. Well everyone like it their way.
I read an article at MakeUseOf, a great site by the way, where I think the writer of the article posted in 2012, miss out on the fact that the combination of Webmail and IMAP desktop is very easy and convinient. The writer like to write off those using IMAP/POP3 as maybe old people who dont know better, simply becuase the writer suggest only webmail can be reached all over the world. And suggest that Gmail is the way to go. Like the only way to go.
The trick is to use IMAP in Email programs installed on your computer.
How Gmail for example is set up today, it will never be as fast and easy to manage and work with as let say a desktop/laptop email client with IMAP will, when writing and sending out emails, Managing your email correspondence. Where Free Gmail/Yahoo is set up to collect all information about you the user so they can sell your using information to advertizers, it is on the cost of somewhat slow use and odd way in how its set up. In comparison to any of the desktop/laptop email programs out there, with more power to you the user, instead of Google.
I have nothing against Google, they have great services, but I just think from my own perspective in running my freelance business, that using email as a tool for communication is better used in a combination of webmail and IMAP.
And of course, my webhost have webmail services I use with my IMAP. Gmail & Yahoo these days is just used for non-business emailing.
For free email program clients I personally recommend Thunderbird, Windows Live Mail 2012 (which is limited with managing service of IMAP bt allow POP 3 email rules, and respect rules once set up in Thunderbird up to version 31.6) Opera Mail, And using the IMAP instead of POP3, if you like to use it with your webhost Webmail. Where you have your website.
You can of course pay for an Email program like Microsoft Outlook as well.
Happy emaling!
Stefan Lindblad
Illustrator, graphic designer & artist
