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Gmail vs Pine

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the objectivity-so-rare dept.

Snarfed has an interesting review on Gmail vs Pine. From the article: "I've used Pine as my email client for, well, pretty much forever. I use it because it's fast, powerful, stable, and very keyboardable. (I hate the mouse.) However, since I work at Google, I'm constantly bombarded with people who ask me why I don't use Gmail. After hearing the nth person brag about how much it increased their productivity, I finally broke down and tried it. I didn't expect much, since I've never liked web-based email clients. However, I made myself use it as my only email client, for a month, to give it a fair shot."

8 of 603 comments (clear)

  1. I like gmail. by yagu · · Score: 4, Informative

    Here's why I use gmail (over PINE):

    • web based, can get to it from any browser anywhere
    • indexed by Google for me! I'd venture a guess that if you had a gigabyte of e-mail to search from pine, and you did searches all of the time, you'd not find PINE even capable of achieving the "within one magnitude" result you found.
    • search is implemented as in Google, i.e., you can enter keywords in any order, any case, etc., and Google pretty much knows what to do. (some may not realize but Google even has nuance in what is returned in what order based on the order keywords are entered -- while still managing to preserve meaningful and complete results)
    • when there are new and wonderful features (there sometimes are) they're their without having to install our update.
    • html/graphics and multimedia capabilities. While I haven't used PINE in a long time, last time I did, mime was almost an add-on, and a bit gnarly to use.
    • gmail is nicely folded into my browser interface experience. When I send e-mail from Windows, the e-mail is instantiated in a new tab that automatically disappears when the transaction is completed.
    • gmail auto-saves drafts for me - I've been saved by this a couple of times.
    • keyboard shortcuts (I know the author complains about the inconsistent overloading, but I've found them comfortable and decent especially for being implemented in a browser... maybe a "vi" background is handy after all!)
    • gmail keeps all of my data handy, indexed, and available for that future day someone wants to subpoena my records! (kidding)

    Also, this is a comparison of a completely integrated package (gmail) with a Mail User Agent (MUA). I think for my purposes I enjoy finally letting someone else manage all of the pieces for me. I still have my personal favorite MUA for transferring all of my gmail to local storage and archive (just in case something goes terribly wrong) but so far I think gmail is a great piece of work.

    1. Re:I like gmail. by networkBoy · · Score: 3, Informative

      In exchange you give Google access to your e-mail if at least for ads, and in addition to had over upon subpoena.
      Don't take it wrong, I use google for the same reasons you do.
      -nB

      --
      whois gawk date unzip strip find touch finger mount join nice man top fsck grep eject more yes exit umount sleep dump
    2. Re:I like gmail. by Atzanteol · · Score: 4, Informative

      html/graphics and multimedia capabilities. While I haven't used PINE in a long time, last time I did, mime was almost an add-on, and a bit gnarly to use.

      You consider that a *feature*? Ugh. If mutt can't display it, then it's SPAM.

      --
      "Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge"

      - Charles Darwin
    3. Re:I like gmail. by Khaed · · Score: 4, Informative

      Yes. It's called ex post facto law. They can't pass a law against something in 2007 and arrest you if they have evidence you're doing it in 2006.

  2. PINE + PortaPuTTY + Thumb Drive by everphilski · · Score: 4, Informative

    pine + PortaPuTTY + a thumb drive

    It can be used anywhere by just plugging your thumb drive in with the security of SSH. And you get the benefit of no targeted advertizing (And no company aggregating your life's communications...)

  3. mirrordot link to the article by farker+haiku · · Score: 5, Informative

    the article appears to be slashdotted already.

    --
    Your sig(k) has been stolen. There is a puff of smoke!
  4. Re:PGP? by Jsprat23 · · Score: 4, Informative

    OK, can gmail do PGP?

    Not directly, but by using the GNOME Panel Applet included with Seahorse 0.9.0 you can perform all the usual encryption operations on the contents of the clipboard. Your private key will never leave your personal comuter.

  5. Re:Whoa whoa...hold the phone here.... by NewNole2001 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Even Marissa Mayer Google's VP of Search Products and User Experience uses PINE for her business email:

    I use Gmail for my personal e-mail -- 15 to 20 e-mails a day -- but on my work e-mail I get as many as 700 to 800 a day, so I need something really fast.

    I use an e-mail application called Pine, a Linux-based utility I started using in college.

    Sorry about the crappiness of the website I linked to, but CNN doesn't know how to design for FF yet.