What if Gmail had been Designed by Microsoft?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the hypothetical scenario of Gmail being designed by Microsoft, exploring user experiences and preferences related to email services, particularly Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Hotmail. Participants share their opinions on storage limits, user interface design, advertising presence, and overall service quality.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants mention the storage limits of Gmail, noting it has increased over time, with claims of it now offering over 5GB.
  • Others argue that Yahoo Mail provides unlimited storage and a cleaner interface without intrusive ads, contrasting it with Gmail's layout.
  • There is a shared sentiment about the clutter in Gmail's interface, particularly regarding conversation tabs, with some participants expressing strong dislike for them.
  • Participants reflect on the competitive nature of email services, suggesting that mentioning Microsoft can provoke strong reactions from users of different platforms.
  • Some express nostalgia for older email services like Hotmail, criticizing its decline in quality and increased ad presence, while others note that Yahoo has more intrusive ads compared to Gmail.
  • Concerns are raised about the extent of integration with Google services, with one participant expressing discomfort about how much of their digital life is managed by Google.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants exhibit a mix of agreement and disagreement regarding the quality and usability of different email services. While some express dissatisfaction with Gmail's interface, others defend its features. There is no consensus on which email service is superior, and multiple competing views remain.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference specific features and experiences with email services, but there are limitations in terms of the depth of technical details and the subjective nature of user preferences. The discussion does not resolve the varying opinions on service quality or user interface design.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to users evaluating different email services, particularly those comparing Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Hotmail, as well as those interested in user interface design and advertising impacts on user experience.

neutrino
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The easier solution is to use yahoo mail, unlimited e-mail storage and much larger mail box view without all the clutter from the google ads eating up half your screen. :smile:
 
But it still has all the clutter. Evo is probably the only person in the world who doesn't like the tabs in a conversation. :-p :wink:
 
neutrino said:
But it still has all the clutter. Evo is probably the only person in the world who doesn't like the tabs in a conversation. :-p :wink:
:biggrin: Yeah, I'll never tire of poking fun at people that worship g-mail.

(oh don't even remind me of those tabs, obviously the work of the devil)
 
Heathen! :mad:

Just mentioning Microsoft starts a religious debate between Gmail and Yahoo users. Surely, it must be MS that is the work of Him...

http://diossy.com/images/KavaPics/thumnails/BillGatesDEVIL.gif
 
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neutrino said:
Heathen! :mad:

Just mentioning Microsoft starts a religious debate between Gmail and Yahoo users. Surely, it must be MS that is the work of Him...

http://diossy.com/images/KavaPics/thumnails/BillGatesDEVIL.gif
:smile:
 
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Either you can hate Bill Gates and trash MS products, or you can trash Steve Jobs and Apple products. I never got this...? I don't have any problems with my XP or my Ipod... :confused:
 
It's human nature. An unflattering side of human nature, but there it is.

Poking harmless fun is one thing, but I see people that really take this to a level that borders on obsession.
 
  • #10
And if they had designed the IPOD box
 
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  • #11
So true. I'm looking forward to seeing the new gmail too.
 
  • #12
Greg Bernhardt said:
gmail gives you over 4gig now.
Over five now, actually!
 
  • #13
neutrino said:
For the benefit of those who don't subscribe to Slashdot. :)
http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2007-11-20-n35.html
:smile:

The strange part is that hotmail really is getting this bad. The ads have nothing to do with the page I'm looking at, at the top of the email it says " Attachments, pictures, and links in this message have been blocked for your safety." then when I click on the link (it's a link to a youtube comment) it has a popup asking ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DO THIS?

Hotmail used to be really good about 6 years ago. It had only a few mb of storage space, but it was a great service. The spam protection worked perfect, it didn't hide stuff for my protection, and it didn't have popups asking if I really really really want to go that site for realz. I stopped using it about 3-4 years ago when the spam protection no longer worked. I can add a sender to the block list or mark mail as junk and I'll get the exact same spam email a few days later. Why would they intentionally break a system that was working perfect up until that time?
 
  • #14
I actually see a lot more ads on Yahoo than gmail. On gmail, they're still unobtrusive little text ads. Yahoo is the one that has those half-page flash ad things (thank goodness for adblock). But, yeah, Hotmail is the worst. I only use that account when I EXPECT to get spammed if I sign up for something, because I ignore the entire account. :biggrin:

But, I think my whole life is controlled by google now, which scares me a bit. :rolleyes: Once I got gmail, I had to start exploring everything else too. I've been using the google calendar too, but that's because it can send SMS messages to my cell phone with reminders...having a calendar does me no good if the reminders are popping up on my computer screen when I'm someplace else, and a paper calendar does no good if I don't remember when to check it. I've appropriately programmed my cell phone to play "If I only had a brain" when my reminder messages come through. :rolleyes:
 

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