Technology Web-based Email

[NPR]

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After 7+ years of using school administered addresses (college and now medical school), it's nearly time to strike out into the world and obtain a web-based email address.

I actually hadn't realized interviews during 4th year were often offered via email.

My school has actually recommended NOT using the school address on ERAS as program will often send their interview invites through ERAS.

So while the email originated from HospitalA, it's signed or mailed by ERAS, which causes our school's email filter to identify it as spam and immediately delete it (not even sending it to our inboxes)

Any web-based email sites that people could recommend?

I remember having an AOL account way back in the day. And there's the big three that most of my friends seem to use (Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail). Any one better than the other?

Thanks

 

[deleted87716]

Gmail seems to do a better job filtering spam.

 

[Chronic Student]

I have been extremely happy with g-mail.

 

[187502]

GMail.

On a side note, I'm surprised you used institutional e-mail so extensively, I never trusted the IT staff at any university I attended.

 

[NPR]

GMail.

On a side note, I'm surprised you used institutional e-mail so extensively, I never trusted the IT staff at any university I attended.

Pure laziness. I'd start neglecting stuff if I had to regularly check two inboxes.

But I would agree that the IT staff at my university is also several levels below par. I figure it's a job requirement in that field 😉

 

[Tippmann]

I've been a long time Yahoo! subscriber (in part because they offer this service: http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/info/splash.html) and have found it quite comfortable.

Recently, I've taken to forwarding all my Yahoo! mail over to Gmail too. The spam filter is a lot better and while I'm still not used to organizing mail without folders, Gmail search is significantly quicker and more powerful than the search tool offered in Yahoo!

Of course, I also pray that in forwarding over emails, Yahoo! won't glitch up and lose an email in the process. There couldn't be a worse way to lose out on an interview.

 

[deleted87716]

I've taken to forwarding all my Yahoo! mail over to Gmail...I also pray that in forwarding over emails, Yahoo! won't glitch up and lose an email in the process.

Try setting your Gmail account up to POP your Yahoo account. It's more reliable than forwarding.

 

[Tippmann]

Try setting your Gmail account up to POP your Yahoo account. It's more reliable than forwarding.

I'm telling you, this site is like a gold mine.

THANKS!! I never actually knew what POP was before your suggestion.

Just tried it and finally! I've found a way to keep my mail on the Yahoo! side just in case (to make sure I didn't miss an important email) while also being able to archive it all in Gmail for easy search.

Thanks again 😀

 

[TheRealMD]

My personal system:

MobileMe account: new personal e-mail
Baylor account: school e-mail
Gmail Account #1: former personal e-mail now used for disposable stuff (got spammed). Auto-forwards e-mail to Gmail Account #2. I delete stuff I don't need and archive everything else.
Gmail Account #2: archiving account stores ALL my e-mail, regardless of whether I want it or not. Useful for finding e-mail I accidentally deleted months ago.

While the Gmail archive system works great if you are using their web interface system, desktop apps can bog down when it has to search through 7000+ e-mails collected over the years. That's why I have a "slimmer" Gmail account so I have give desktop apps a break.

 

[Tippmann]

While the Gmail archive system works great if you are using their web interface system, desktop apps can bog down when it has to search through 7000+ e-mails collected over the years. That's why I have a "slimmer" Gmail account so I have give desktop apps a break.

I see. I only have plans thus far to use the Gmail's web interface system.

I do have IMAP on so that Mail (I use a Mac) can occasionally update what it views but I very rarely use that to access my mail.

 

[TheRealMD]

I see. I only have plans thus far to use the Gmail's web interface system.

I do have IMAP on so that Mail (I use a Mac) can occasionally update what it views but I very rarely use that to access my mail.

Having a desktop app like Mail is useful for when you don't have an Internet connection, but I see your point. Good luck!

 

[sestamibi]

I have a rather odd email system myself.

My school email is forwarded to an old Yahoo account I've had for years. All the original mail still stays on the school account though.

My Yahoo account (which some people still use to contact me) has POP access for some reason even though I don't pay for it. So I POP my mail over to Gmail so the messages still stay on the Yahoo account.

I primarily use Gmail like everyone here. The web interface is sleek. It offers free IMAP. Searching is unsurpassed among all other email services. I also auto-forward my email to an AIM account while keeping all the Gmail mail on the Gmail server. (I also have IMAP access to this account via Thunderbird)

AIM mail (thanks to its unlimited space) serves as the deposit box for all the emails I've ever received in the past 4 years. I never use it due to its clunky interface but God Forbid I ever lose an email, I have an automatic archive.

And there you have it, that's pretty much all the major web email players! (I've omitted Hotmail because I can't stand the fact that they force you to use IE in order to get their new interface. I prefer Firefox greatly)

 

[lapelirroja]

Ahhh....desktop email is handy to have...that is why there's...

DUH DUH DUH

MAILPLANE! Possibly my favorite app ever! It blends gmail and the mac seamlessly, you can even gchat and use the gmail labs! It's one of the only sharewares I've EVER paid for, and probably ever will.

Sorry that was dramatic, but I love mailplane.

 

[TheRealMD]

Ahhh....desktop email is handy to have...that is why there's...

DUH DUH DUH

MAILPLANE! Possibly my favorite app ever! It blends gmail and the mac seamlessly, you can even gchat and use the gmail labs! It's one of the only sharewares I've EVER paid for, and probably ever will.

Sorry that was dramatic, but I love mailplane.

Eh, Mailplane is just a front-end to their website!

 

[s1lver]

Anything Google-related means it's the best so it's not surprising why a lot of ppl use GMail.

 

[david594]

For as awesome as Gmail + POP for all your other email accounts is I am rather partial to a combination of Gmail with all the other accounts forwarded to gmail instead.

You set each individual account to forward to gmail. Then gmail will have you authenticate that you actually own the account(dont remember the process) but then let you use that email address as your outgoing email address. So when you go to send a new message you have the option of it showing up from your @gmail or your @school address. It can also automatically default to each type for replies based on what email address the other sender originally sent their message to.

In the end I'm pretty sure it accomplishes almost exactly the same thing as doing POP, but it reduces your reliance on the schools email servers and cuts out 1 point of failure.


Also something to consider, you can register a domain name for ~$7 a year. You can then setup gmail as the email provider and get all the benefits of gmail but with [email protected] as your email address for cheap. No worries about moving/graduating and changing your email address. No [email protected] or anything stupid like that.

 

[lapelirroja]

Eh, Mailplane is just a front-end to their website!

that may be true...but I love the integration with my desktop and load speeds are so fast!

 

[DrJosephKim]

Gmail does a great job filtering spam. I've used gmail, hotmail/msn, and yahoo. Gmail does the best job in this area.

 

[jack007]

I have been extremely happy with g-mail.

I'm also using only Gmail. It's quite user friendly.

 

[DOctorJay]

gmail all the way with GTD-Inbox

 

[JuniperB]

gmail tracks usage. If you are ok with that go for it.

I use trillian to keep all of the programs under one heading, saves time by not having to log into each account to check for mail. Its possible to link msn, yahoo, aim and irq (dont know this one) in trillian. I think they are working on linking gmail at some point.

Trillian is also good for IM as it links them all together.

Its FREE.

JB

 

[HighSpeed]

You should go with Gmail. It solves your issue (which is receiving mail without it getting routed to junkmail) plus it gives you access to a bunch of freebies. You should consider putting your school email address in your address book too. All addresses in your address book are usually routed to your inbox.

After 7+ years of using school administered addresses (college and now medical school), it's nearly time to strike out into the world and obtain a web-based email address.

I actually hadn't realized interviews during 4th year were often offered via email.

My school has actually recommended NOT using the school address on ERAS as program will often send their interview invites through ERAS.

So while the email originated from HospitalA, it's signed or mailed by ERAS, which causes our school's email filter to identify it as spam and immediately delete it (not even sending it to our inboxes)

Any web-based email sites that people could recommend?

I remember having an AOL account way back in the day. And there's the big three that most of my friends seem to use (Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail). Any one better than the other?

Thanks