Email Forum: Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoomail, Free Emails, Free Fax, Free SMS Forums

[acadoc]

OK, AOL finally ticked me off enough that they are no longer usable at work on computers where the usual AOL macromedia bloatware can't be downloaded, and hence the email can't be accessed.

The Goal: Email (paid or free) that allows large (>15 meg) attachments, that allows saving on home computer as well as server of received and sent emails, and that won't go away (as when the email provider is sold or goes under) so my email address stays the same for years. Ideally, an IMAP based service, since it synchronizes folders on your home and on the server automatically.

One idea: Get an email through my own domain. The domain name stays with me no matter where I go, right? It stays the same so I keep the same address for years. Then use an IMAP email provider. However . . .

I went to GoDaddy.com and registered a domain, in anticipation of
making an email address with it. The GoDaddy domain without their email and just using smtp forwarding . . . 3 meg attachments maximum. If you use GoDaddy's email service, it goes up to 7 meg at best. Not at all worthwhile for many powerpoint presentations or multiple pdf files.

Hey, what about MSN Personal Address? Well, at $36/year, you get the email domain of GoDaddy, the security of Microsoft never going under, and 4 email accounts each with a mere 250 mb storage, but more importantly the attachments can't be more than 10 meg in size (which translates to even less when you actually implement the attachment). Oh, and you'll love this part: they don't accept domain transfers. Yup, the domain I registered with GoDaddy was now gone- I would have to wait a year and a month for it to expire and then RE-REGISTER it with MSN PA.

So much for registering your own domain . . . but if you did, here's what's next:

OK, so IMAP options: Fastmail, which was recommended also (and, I might add, they have excellent and prompt support) only offers about 7 meg maximum attachments as well. And they're kinda pricey for the online storage they offer (not that I need a lot). More importantly, they are small, and could evaporate easily with a buyout or bankruptcy. However, I cannot emphasize this enough: THEIR SUPPORT IS EXCELLENT. I didn't even have a paid account, and these guys respond fast and CLEARLY take pride in what they do. I'm on their email notification list if they ever change what they do to what I need.

So what am I using now? Hotmail Plus via Outlook 2003. The pros: 20 meg attachments, 2 gig online storage, a mere $20/year, no scanning (unlike gmail), no ads (unlike gmail), and via outlook I can access AOL via IMAP until I dump 'em. The cons: the $#!at HTTP email method they use. Since it's HTTP, it can't be manipulated in Outlook like IMAP and POP3. And it doesn't synchronize as well as IMAP.

And, of course, Hotmail has the classic support of Microsoft. I.e.: worthless. However, the damn thing works AND it's never going under.

Hope this helps somebody!

Acadoc

[jdtaylor]

Hi,

I can recommend Dubmail for 10mb attachments or so, otherwise I am right in feeling you are looking at some expensive services to get around this problem I must admit. One option is hriders.com http://www.hriders.com is a 1tb and 500mb attachment service which I would recommend otherwise if you are in need of smtp access and such like, please PM, me and I will get an account set-up at my domain which wiull let you send large attachments for nothing.

[ayhan]

Thnx for this brief history
I do not know which domain you did register through godaddy but you shuld transfer it without waiting a year... Are you technical contact of that domain? Or can you change the contact details of this domain? If your answer is YES, then let me know the details so that I can help you to transfer that domain to a new provider. At least I'll do my best to ease this process... Most probably you need to pay one year more registration fee... Send me your domain info to let me check the possibilities...
Meanwhile thnx John for your help to set up a new email account for this user but I think he is in search of a permenent solution... but as you mentioned hriders is ideal for temporary solution...

[ayhan]

Have you tried http://myhosting.com/HostingPlans/emailhosting.asp
They provide email hosting solution at 2,95$/mo. It seems there is no restriction on data transfer quote but you only allowed 200Mb disk space which is suitable for most... You can compare their other plans as well at http://myhosting.com/HostingPlans/comparison_shared.asp
Hope this helps...

[jdtaylor]

Hi,

Also for hosting try http://www.iteam.net I can personally highly recommend them myself.