Email Alternatives to AOL

J

Jimmy the Greek

Gawd
Joined
Aug 20, 2002
Messages
657
I'm building a system for a computer illiterate relative. They've used AOL for web browsing and email, but with all of its bloatware, I'd like to wean them off it.

Obviously, they'll use IE or FF for the browser, but I'm not as sure about the email. Thunderbird is my first choice, but I worry they'll screw up the settings, or find it counter-intuitive. What email programs do you usually install for your less technically-inclined clientele?
 
From reading your statement, they're canceling AOL altogether? If this is the case, they can still keep the AOL e-mail accounts for free and access them via http://mail.aol.com. Setup a bookmark right in Internet Explorer or Firefox to give them quick and simple access to it.

Show them how to login and use that. No bloat and they can access it from anywhere, no AOL software required.
 
There's no reason to make their situation any more complicated than it is or was. Use some webmail service, Gmail, Hotmail, whatever, even Yahoo if necessary, but don't load 'em up with a complicated POP/IMAP type dedicated email client. Those things are simply not that useful for such people, and just more trouble than they're worth.

And don't even get me started about the potential for virus/malware/trojan activity because of using actual POP/IMAP email anymore. Stick with a true webmail service and let the provider handle the AV/malware/trojan scans and protection on their end.
 
I'd stick with web access to the AOL accounts. That way it's simple, they're still using the same program for both internet and email, and they don't have to get a new email address.
 
damian' said:
Gmail is very well balanced. Thunderbird is also decent
Click to expand...

Gmail has a issue with emails disappearing from the inbox and only being seen when you click on "all mail" tab.

I'm experiencing this right now and it's suck, worse thing is I'm having a hard time getting this issue resolved.

This is kinda the downfall of free software, you tend to get crappy support.
 
Never seen such a thing with Gmail and I've been using it since the day after it went live... weird. My primary Gmail account is my oldest one, has like 29,000 emails in it, 7.3GB+ of space, and it's nearly full... geez. ;)

Guess a backup locally might be a good idea at some point, eh? Nothing lasts forever... not even Google...
 
ashblk said:
Gmail has a issue with emails disappearing from the inbox and only being seen when you click on "all mail" tab.

I'm experiencing this right now and it's suck, worse thing is I'm having a hard time getting this issue resolved.

This is kinda the downfall of free software, you tend to get crappy support.
Click to expand...

I've heard one other person mention this before. I've never experienced it myself. I have 3 gmail accounts myself (3 different email addresses that all forward to 1 of them, all gmail)

I still suggest gmail personally out of my experience
 
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