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Outage Knocks Gmail Offline For Many Users
Many readers noted an outage affecting Google's gmail service last night. Firmafest points to a statement from Google, according to which only a small subset of users were affected. According to reader CaptHarlock, mail itself remained accessible through IMAP clients, and the chat feature via external applications. jw3 asks "Of course, gmail is just one of the many providers of web-based e-mails. When I look around, almost everyone seems to be using them nowadays. So — what do you do? Do you trust that the site of your web-based e-mail provider will never go down? Do you make backups of all your e-mails?" (Some readers still seem to be unable to reach the site, too.)
I never worried about backups. Then I watched this video and now I back up everything. For all I know this "Google" company is a couple seventeen year olds with an old 386sx in their mom's basement. I like their stuff but I can't depend on them to know how to protect my data.
It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
... no actual users were harmed during this incident.
Following the cracking of GMail's Captchas and the amount of spam I've seen with a GMail address, I'm guessing that the only things that were knocked off like were bots.
Have gnu, will travel.
Come on guys? what do you expect, it's still in beta testing.
Expensive?
No. Grab a small box like a linksys nslu2 or a nano-itx board, ADSL with a static IP (I pay an extra £1 permonth for the IP) and a domain name.
Difficult?
No, easy! You just need to install linux (pref. debian) set up an MTA like Postfix or exim, make sure to hook it up to a DNSBL or two, maybe spam-assassin for filtering, rDNS and SPF checks, header validation etc, open port 25 incoming on your router, add in dovecot for IMAP, make sure to set up your own trusted root certificates so you can connect in securely, consider a FOSS webmail solution (squirrelmail?), expose port 80 for that, make sure your passwords are good and strong, continually check for and apply security updates...
I do it. My mailserver runs off an NSLU with a 4GB USB flash stick. I don't think it's for everyone though. Whatever happened to ISPs providing email?
...don't go down.
It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
Spend a few hours with your wife/kids/friends/dog.
For those who's wife's kid's friend doesn't have a dog, you can browse some porn.
It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
I followed it and it was fun! Thanks!
I get my p0rn via mail, you insensitive clod!
Gotta get people using it somehow :)