New email app to supersede the "Advanced" ?

[sonomana]

Recently a Sonic support tech indicated that a brand new version of Sonic email will provide easier use from multiple browser platforms, and other easier to use features. That person also indicated that I could find info on this in the Support Forums.

At this point my main question is, When will this app be available?

A secondary question is, What new/enhanced functionality will make it easier for non-techie users to send and receive email?

There is some urgency to my questions. As a non-profit with a growing base of non-tech users, we are seriously considering migrating our hosting over to a different service that provides an email app that will not only enable but also encourage our users to employ WebMail for our business. At present, about half our people give up in frustration with the Firefox/IE paradox and the clunkiness of any available version.

Thank you.

[virtualmike]

It's not necessary that your email be tied to your hosting provider. If the new version of Sonic email doesn't meet your needs, there may be some solutions you can employ while still using Sonic.net as your hosting.

I actually doubt you'll find a hosting provider with a better webmail service. Other hosting companies offer different webmail systems, but I personally don't think any of them are better.

[sonomana]

Thanks for your reply. It makes sense to me.

At this point my main question is, When will this app ("new version") be available?

[thulsa_doom]

Thanks for your reply. It makes sense to me.

At this point my main question is, When will this app ("new version") be available?

We don't have an ETA that I'm aware of. A lot of the recent changes to our IMAP servers have been in part motivated by a desire to get everything ready for a new unified webmail interface.

[sonomana]

Thank you.

[tikvah]

I actually doubt you'll find a hosting provider with a better webmail service. Other hosting companies offer different webmail systems, but I personally don't think any of them are better.

I love Sonic, but there's really nothing good I can say about the webmail. I only use it when I'm desperate, or for checking catch-all mail for a nonprofit I set up an account for. Sure, I'm glad it exists, but it shocks me to hear there are people who use it for their primary mail. When I'm trying to clear out large amounts of spam, or move large numbers of messages to folders, it does not work in one of the webmail choices. The other choice lets me do that, but takes away other functions I need (though neither has a decent set of basic functions). I usually have to log out then log back in to a different webmail choice just to get the work done. And it takes 10 times as long as it should.

I used to use yahoo mail a lot and it was acceptable. And lots of people I know adore gmail. So I know it's possible to get a good system going.

It would be great if Sonic built a better webmail, though fortunately there are alternatives while we're waiting.

Cyndi

[Michael]

I use PINE as my primary E-Mail client. However, the few times where I needed to print something out in it's overblown full-color bloated glory I've used the "New Sonic.net WebMail (Advanced IE/FF)" client, which I found to have a number of annoying issues.

For example, the very first issue has to do with logging into it. Unlike Sonic's "Member Tools" where your browser can be instructed to remember your log-in information, this doesn't work with the "New Sonic.net WebMail". So immediately there's an issue. The next obvious issue is the unnecessarily large default size of the panels and columns, and how resizing works -- which doesn't stick between sessions. The third issue is the open E-Mail tabs at the bottom -- which can't be completely closed, but somehow manages to do so on their own. I believe there to be other issues, but I can't remember those at the moment.

Functionally for what I use it for it works, and works better than either Nutsmail or Squirrelmail. Thankfully I use it on a very limited basis and for a specific reason. I shudder to think if I used it as my primary E-Mail client.


P.S. Now that fewer people are using E-Mail, I wonder if it might also go away for reasons similar to those used to explain away Usenet. <cough>

[virtualmike]

I love Sonic, but there's really nothing good I can say about the webmail.

I'm not a fan of any webmail product, for a variety of reasons. I only use webmail systems when I'm away from my own computer.

If I have to use a webmail system, however, my choice is Gmail. It has the most features, and can be used easily with a Sonic.net email address.

[thulsa_doom]

P.S. Now that fewer people are using E-Mail, I wonder if it might also go away for reasons similar to those used to explain away Usenet. <cough>

I've been suggesting this for years. Mostly when people complain about a single spam slipping past the filters: you wouldn't get email spam if you'd just stop checking your mail.

What was it Bob Kelso said? If you don't go looking for trouble you won't find any.

[tikvah]

John, I hope you're not suggesting that Sonic is going to stop supporting email (beyond existing (aging) systems) because people with money and/or young people don't tend to use it. Some of us are tech savvy, live on the computer, and actually use computers and email. And will for the rest of our lives most likely. Some of us don't have the cash to switch to smart phones and some sort of complex texting and prefer having things on decent sized screens with real keyboards anyway.

As for your spam example...I get lots of spam on my cell phone via texts. With no way to screen for it. It's disingenuous of you to suggest that only people who stubbornly insist on using the backwards system of email will experience spam.

If these are your personal opinions, fine. But please reassure me that Sonic the company will continue to support and improve email for its users.

Cyndi