Why Desktop Email Still Trumps Webmail

p3net writes "Shortly before the release of Thunderbird 2.0 RC1, Wired held an interesting interview with Scott MacGregor, the lead developer of Thunderbird. He presents some views as to why desktop email clients still triumph, even in this much-dominated web age. 'Some users want to have their data local for privacy and control. Furthermore, you can integrate data from different applications on the desktop in ways that you can't do with web-based solutions, unless you stick to web solutions from a single provider. For example, you can use your Outlook address book with Thunderbird. We'd like to continue to expand the kinds of data you can share between Thunderbird and other apps (both web and desktop applications).'"

Comments

I still use Pine

[Anonymous Coward]

I *hate* webmail. There have been lots of times where replies get hung and then lost, with no draft saved, because of my internet connection. Not to mention the slowness and clunky interfaces. So I'm sticking with good old reliable Pine.

Interoperability

[JoeWalsh]

For example, you can use your Outlook address book with Thunderbird.

And Outlook also works with just about any mass mailing worm, virus, or trojan out there!

I'd like to see you try that with a web client!

Nope, I'm stickin' with Outlook.

I'm a desktop fan

[Gadget_Guy]

You guys would be really impressed with the insightful comment that I made about this in my desktop version of /.

I would tell you about it, but I would just be repeating myself.

+5 Insightful
-5 Lonely bastard

Re:Yes, Gmail

[Red Flayer]

and integrated mashups via Zimlets.

Yes, but can you leverage vested synergies via Frumious Bandersnatching?