Live data from Hacker News

Switching from Gmail to FastMail

maxmasnick.com

81–90 of 230 posts

Re: Switching from Gmail to FastMail

#81
post #8

I think it's fair to assume that HN is a fairly technical community and could manage such a feat on its own, so these: "here is how to switch from [insert Google service] to its competitor" posts strike me as karma-bait (and they do get votes). As to these ads you're so troubled by: Twitter ads look like tweets, Facebook ads look like Facebook posts, and of course search ads look like search results, at least in Gmai…

As to these ads you're so troubled by: (...)

Yeah, those are good arguments to avoid using Twitter and Facebook as well.

Re: Switching from Gmail to FastMail

#82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not bashing the USA in general, I'm sorry if it sounds like it (it's quite hard to write a catchy comment in this vein and get the tone right, perhaps I got the balance wrong this time.) However, I am pointing out something that a lot of non-US citizens on HN have been saying lots over the past few weeks; setting up an email service that is outside the US (for the purpose of trying to avoid PRISM surveillance) is…

I'm 99.9% certain that the Supreme Court would rule such programs Constitutional.

If true, then there is clearly no real balance of powers in the US; PRISM clearly violates the original spirit of the 4th amendment.

If noone is standing up for the constitution anymore, then the legislature + executive have taken control.

Re: Switching from Gmail to FastMail

#83
post #20
post #16

> MailMate and it's interesting thread hierarchy view. How is it different from the threaded view that has been present since at least Netscape days?

All the UIs I've seen in the last several years present threads flat (without any hierarchy). If there are other modern mail clients that have this kind of UI, I'd love to see them.

sup-mail: http://supmua.org/images/old_screenshot_2.png

http://supmua.org/

Re: Switching from Gmail to FastMail

#84
I am glad there is a great alternative to Gmail. Somehow somebody has to pay for the service you use. It's either your pocket, or your data, or companies paying for ads. Each service provider can use a different option and it's great for us consumers to have all options on the table.

Re: Switching from Gmail to FastMail

#85

Is there any service like FastMail, with a FastMail-like quality web interface, that offers ActiveSync support? I don't mind paying a little extra to cover the licensing. But I don't want to be stuck with IMAP again -- the biggest draw for service for me is the "Contacts + Calendar + Tasks + Mail" instant syncing of something like ActiveSync. Rackspace E-mail comes closest from what I've tried. But being stuck on Out…

NuevaSync offers push for FastMail. http://www.nuevasync.com/index.html

Re: Switching from Gmail to FastMail

#86
post #8

I think it's fair to assume that HN is a fairly technical community and could manage such a feat on its own, so these: "here is how to switch from [insert Google service] to its competitor" posts strike me as karma-bait (and they do get votes). As to these ads you're so troubled by: Twitter ads look like tweets, Facebook ads look like Facebook posts, and of course search ads look like search results, at least in Gmai…

As to these ads you're so troubled by: (...) Yeah, those are good arguments to avoid using Twitter and Facebook as well.

Be my guest but when you write the mandatory post don't single out Google as a link bait.

Re: Switching from Gmail to FastMail

#87
post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep. If the servers are in the US, or any of the NSA-tained countries like Australia, somebody is reading it.

Can you please tell me where you think a server needs to be located were you would consider to be "safe." Please note that every European country also falls into the will be happy to spy on someone camp.

Another thing to note is that even if servers aren't located in US, data may be routed through there. Traceroute from my home connection (in India) to a Singapore IP looks like:

    India -> US -> Japan -> US -> Japan -> Singapore
I'm not saying that the NSA has forced other countries to route their data through them. It could be due to several other reasons. But the main point is that it is hard to escape the NSA. Even if you do your best to keep your data away from the US, there are certain factors out of an individual's control (such as routing).

Re: Switching from Gmail to FastMail

#88
post #80
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is there anything (for example in the T&Cs) that stops Google from creeping ads to paying customers in the future? I bet not.

Yes. Google Apps business model, and all Google Enterprise products for that matter, do not rely on ads for revenue. Google sells their business customers a product and generates revenue through those sales. The TOS protects your data.

Perhaps you didn't understand my point.

Google could easily decide to serve ads to paying customers, and it seems likely that they've left this option open to exercise later.

The fact that they apparently "do not rely on ads" is irrelevant.

There are plenty of existent services that have revenue from customers, but still serve ads (visible examples include: pay-TV, public transport)

Re: Switching from Gmail to FastMail

#89
post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep. If the servers are in the US, or any of the NSA-tained countries like Australia, somebody is reading it.

Can you please tell me where you think a server needs to be located were you would consider to be "safe." Please note that every European country also falls into the will be happy to spy on someone camp.

I never said that being outside of the US is safe, just that being in the US is known-unsafe.
Post reply on HN