I have been a happy gmail user since 2004. If you don't know it yet, give it a try. It has a very simple yet efficient interface, it is free and definitely a lot better than Microsoft's Hotmail or Yahoo! Mail, although this one did improve a lot recently. Furthermore, it is server-based, meaning that you can access it easily from anywhere (even on a mobile device) and you can continue editing a difficult-to-write email at home exactly where you got stuck writing it at the office...
However, the server-based aspect may have its drawbacks. As I (and together with me thousands of other people) are using it more and more, I'm getting more and more of these "waiting for mail.google.com" and "server not available, retry in a few seconds" messages. I am sure that Google realizes this, e.g. building a new giant server facility in The Dalles, Oregon, but it will be no surprise that I (together with thousands of other people) are hesitating to use Google's other interesting applications such as Docs & Spreadsheets ...
PS: if anyone wonders why Google is building its O2 facility in the Dalles, Oregon, the answer is the presence of the 1.8 million kilowatt generating hydroelectric dam on the Colorado river.
Posted by admin at March 2, 2007 01:11 PM