gmail with Thunderbird/outlook/etc...
 

well gmails big weakness in my opinion is that they dont support pop access at all...

i found this program pop goes the gmail
that allows you to use pop mail clients with gmail

http://jaybe.org/info.htm

it took me a couple minutes to set up the software and another couple to setup the account in thunderbird... but it works great!

Any chance of a Linux version?

What I really want is an IMAP version, and one that would allow me to install it on a central server box and then access it from all my other machines.

But whatever, gmail still kicks some ass, and it wouldnt surprise me if they institute pop3/imap into it.

But... if Gmail puts in access to your gmail account through Outlook, Thunderbird, etc. - How would they 'suggest' ads to put next to the email messages? Aside from directly inserting them into your email that is.

I always thought that the biggest advatage of gmail was the searching and the interface. If I want to use an email client to access my mail, I could just as easily use any number of services that offer nearly as much space.

I agree with Jean-Luc. Gmail's threaded conversation's are great, and the search capability is better than anything you'll get out of outlook.

If you didn't want gmail for the features, then why bother? Just curious.

1 gig of storage... being able to send relatively large attachments...