disappointed runbox user looking for new service

seb · 26 Mar 2005, 05:11 AM

I've been happily using runbox for years, ever since they switched to paid-only accounts. My business relies on me giving prompt answer to clients, receiving large attachments from them without having them worry about the size (I used to say "if you can send it I can receive it"

). I am now disgruntled and ready to switch, after months of unreliable service, countless delayed and lost emails, two lost contracts

and extensive problems with IMAP connectivity.

Where should I go now? What other service offers features similar to those of runbox?

I'm looking for a paid or free provider that can give me the following, in order of importance:
- IMAP that works !!!
- Support for Opera & Safari
- 1 Gb storage or more. relatively large attachments (at least 5Mb)
- 99.9% uptime & fast web interface
- extensive, customizeable (sp?) Filter rules, spam & virus protection
- POP retrieval that works
- file storage w/ FTP acess
- proper support for different character sets
- Hotmail retrieval that works
- no ads..

I'm kind of lost with all the offerings and I don't really feel like going through every provider and trying out their services one after the other.
Anyone have suggestions for disgruntled runbox users?

ibcsweb · 26 Mar 2005, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by seb
I've been happily using runbox for years, ever since they switched to paid-only accounts. My business relies on me giving prompt answer to clients, receiving large attachments from them without having them worry about the size (I used to say "if you can send it I can receive it" ). I am now disgruntled and ready to switch, after months of unreliable service, countless delayed and lost emails, two lost contracts and extensive problems with IMAP connectivity.

Where should I go now? What other service offers features similar to those of runbox?

I'm looking for a paid or free provider that can give me the following, in order of importance:
- IMAP that works !!!
- Support for Opera & Safari
- 1 Gb storage or more. relatively large attachments (at least 5Mb)
- 99.9% uptime & fast web interface
- extensive, customizeable (sp?) Filter rules, spam & virus protection
- POP retrieval that works
- file storage w/ FTP acess
- proper support for different character sets
- Hotmail retrieval that works
- no ads..

I'm kind of lost with all the offerings and I don't really feel like going through every provider and trying out their services one after the other.
Anyone have suggestions for disgruntled runbox users?

Have you considered getting a webhosting account that allows you to allocate how much of your available storage is used for email?
Could be an option. Get your own domain and attatch it to a web account set up as many email addresses as you like! (Well at least 100).

Ernie@ · 26 Mar 2005, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by seb

I'm looking for a paid or free provider that can give me the following, in order of importance:
- IMAP that works !!!
- Support for Opera & Safari
- 1 Gb storage or more. relatively large attachments (at least 5Mb)
- 99.9% uptime & fast web interface
- extensive, customizeable (sp?) Filter rules, spam & virus protection
- POP retrieval that works
- file storage w/ FTP acess
- proper support for different character sets
- Hotmail retrieval that works
- no ads..

I'm kind of lost with all the offerings and I don't really feel like going through every provider and trying out their services one after the other.
Anyone have suggestions for disgruntled runbox users?

What is Support for Opera & Safari??

Ernie

registered_user · 26 Mar 2005, 01:01 PM

That could probably be rephrased as "support for standards-compliant browsers" of which there really aren't any, but sites that strive for true compliance generally work better on all browsers. You won't find many sites that test on Opera and Safari specifically who aren't also striving for that W3C validation tag.

Hotmail retrieval that works is a dead issue I think. Hasn't MS recently made changes to Hotmail with the specific purpose of preventing this? I could be wrong, but I thought that was a moot point for now.

Honestly, it sounds like Fastmail would be a good switch for you except for the file-storage with FTP thing.

I don't understand why people think that file storage services and email services are the same thing. Why exactly should an email service be expected to bundle file-storage services with their offerings? I just don't get this. Of all the things to bundle with email (like say, an LDAP address book, vCal calendars, or other PIM functions), why do so many people zero in on the file storage thing? I guess I just don't get it.

yashsr · 26 Mar 2005, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by seb
I've been happily using runbox for years, ever since they switched to paid-only accounts. My business relies on me giving prompt answer to clients, receiving large attachments from them without having them worry about the size (I used to say "if you can send it I can receive it" ). I am now disgruntled and ready to switch, after months of unreliable service, countless delayed and lost emails, two lost contracts and extensive problems with IMAP connectivity.

Where should I go now? What other service offers features similar to those of runbox?

I'm looking for a paid or free provider that can give me the following, in order of importance:
- IMAP that works !!!
- Support for Opera & Safari
- 1 Gb storage or more. relatively large attachments (at least 5Mb)
- 99.9% uptime & fast web interface
- extensive, customizeable (sp?) Filter rules, spam & virus protection
- POP retrieval that works
- file storage w/ FTP acess
- proper support for different character sets
- Hotmail retrieval that works
- no ads..

I'm kind of lost with all the offerings and I don't really feel like going through every provider and trying out their services one after the other.
Anyone have suggestions for disgruntled runbox users?

Go for either Fusemail or MailSnare... MailSnare doesn't provide 1Gb storage but it provides one-time fee add ons....

Fusemail 2.0 does not work for Opera and Safari, but Fusemail 1.0 works.

No ads and hotmail retrieval works for both, but if want to fuse Yahoo free, Fusmail is the only option.

Once logged in, Fusmail 2.0 is very fast, MailSnare is relatively slow, but you want to check it out...

I would recommend that you take a trial in both, but I would advise you Fusemail.

seb · 27 Mar 2005, 12:36 PM

You know it's funny, when Runbox first introduced file storage I thought to myself now that's useless since I already had storage space at the university and on clients' servers, but since then I've found that I use it very frequently to send out attachments repeatedly. I have a few pamphlets, forms and information documents that I send out to people that email me about my consulting service at least 3-4 times a day, and with this feature I can easily send these attachments without having to upload them. This is a big plus, since I spend more time on other people's computers than my own. So now I just can't live without file storage...

Fastmail definitely looks like the most interesting and closest to the features that Runbox offers and in the same price range, and I don't really need the FTP access to the file storage space.

Anyone have an idea of how fastmail's address book measure's up to runbox's? how reliable are they in general?

Fusemail has nice and interesting features, but it seems that I won't be using half of them. And they're significantly more expensive than runbox or fastmail. And while I do like their layout and the look, I definitely would need a lighter (fast) secondary interface for when I just want to quickly check mail because of the long initial loading time. They
don't seem to support Safari either, though I haven't tested it. And they don't have the file storage. But they definitely have the coolest looking interface !

one thing about fusemail, i saw that they offer unlimited bandwidth... isn't it bandwidth problems that got runbox into trouble in the first place? (I don't really know in fact, just asking) wouldn't the same thing happen to fusemail if they got too popular too quickly ?

yashsr · 27 Mar 2005, 12:54 PM

Fusemail has got 2 webmail interfaces-
1) Fusemail 2.0
It may take a long time to login, depends. But when it loads, it rocks, its extremely fast. And if you choose non-ssl , its blazing and rocking fast, but ssl is also fast too once the inbox loads...

2) Fusemai Classic 1.0
Fusemail Classic works on almost all browsers, be it IE , Firefox, Opera, Safari etc. etc.

It also has a FuseMobile interface which allows composing mail and checking mail from all folders....

About bandwidth, no reliability problems presently, so why limit the bandwidth, once Fusemail Team start feeling its effect, they will have a look at it. And I read somewhere in Fusemail forums that if they see a user consuming very high bandwidth, they contact him/her privately and get it sorted...
And there are never problems because of bandwidth all of a sudden, there is a gradual effect..... I think

Check this if you like

war17 · 27 Mar 2005, 01:05 PM

Seb,

You want reliable IMAP and POP3, 1GB storage, Opera and Sarfari compatible, and 99.9% uptime? You need to search yourself. Different services have some of these features, but I don't know of any that have all. If you find one, let us know.

Hotmail retrival will work for those who have a Hotmail account before September 28, 2004 and have been using WebDAV or httpmail.

xbot · 28 Mar 2005, 01:00 AM

Definetly get a hosting account with a provider with cPanel (or one of the alternatives). You should get all you need, except of course for maybe some advanced webmail options--but I see Horde has a nice interface--have a look at them.

**Shelded** · 28 Mar 2005, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by seb So now I just can't live without file storage...

Fastmail definitely looks like the most interesting and closest to the features that Runbox offers and in the same price range, and I don't really need the FTP access to the file storage space.

Anyone have an idea of how fastmail's address book measure's up to runbox's? how reliable are they in general?

Fusemail has nice and interesting features, but it seems that I won't be using half of them. And they're significantly more expensive than runbox or fastmail.

I think you have narrowed the field enough to play with Fastmail, Fusemail, Mailsnare to see what you like. IMO Fusemail offers a lot of pretty things you are not asking for (the calendar and such) but they are quite incredibly expensive. Fastmail doesn't have the FTP but does have access to the files. Note that FM is quite reliable but is considering making a file storage change that would entail some risk (change=risk). The FM address book is importable and exportable to just about any format. FM mail reliability is very good, though there was a trouble time a year or so ago, and all the other large providers here at emailaddresses have just gone through their trouble times recently.

Suggestions that you consider a web host might work if you need the file storage to be FTP; but web hosts have crummy interfaces to their mail and I prefer Fastmail's interface to the Horde, Squirrelmail, etc that I see at web hosts.

**Shelded** · 28 Mar 2005, 01:20 AM

And why would a clever fellow such as you still need Hotmail retrieval? Perhaps you use it for throwaway mail addresses? Try a yahoo.com account or make addresses using sneakemail.com? I've got Hotmail retrieval in Fastmail but I let the Hotmail account expire.

**Sherry** · 28 Mar 2005, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by seb
Fastmail definitely looks like the most interesting and closest to the features that Runbox offers and in the same price range, and I don't really need the FTP access to the file storage space.

You may not really need the FTP access but it looks like you'd be getting it anyway.

personal web site with file storage?

Sherry

**ReuvenNY** · 28 Mar 2005, 05:35 AM

“Regrettably”, I have to agree with my friend Shelded once again (a private joke...).. In essence he says what I had in mind. I would only add that while Mailsnare is an excellent service with an outstanding technical support, they fail when it comes to email/files storage - they only offer 100MB for the same cost that Fastmail offers 600Mb email + 30MB file storage.
Also I would add Tuffmail.com to the pool of potential candidates. Check the Personal Premium account, for a $40 a year. http://www.tuffmail.com/personal.php

PS - As Sherry above indicates you may get FTP with Fastmail soon.

yashsr · 28 Mar 2005, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ReuvenNY
I would only add that while Mailsnare is an excellent service with an outstanding technical support, they fail when it comes to email/files storage - they only offer 100MB for the same cost that Fastmail offers 600Mb email + 30MB file storage.

MailSnare is great at support and reliability and if you choose them for long term you may want to pay for extra storage which is at a one-time fee. You get 250Mb extra for $25 life-time, thats not expensive, its really cheap... And even if you dont, you can split the 100Mb in your own way for file storage and email storage, so I would prefer 50Mb for mails (more than enough) and 50Mb for file storage(better than 30Mb of Fastmail).

The main problem of MailSnare for me is its webmail interfaces are both slow and extremely simple. I would prefer Fusemail's interface or Runbox's interface to that, sorry Fastmail but I feel that Fastmail has got a really ugly interface, even after style sheets... Thats why I have just dismissed Fastmail from my mind....

xbot · 28 Mar 2005, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by yashsr
sorry Fastmail but I feel that Fastmail has got a really ugly interface, even after style sheets... Thats why I have just dismissed Fastmail from my mind....

What? Fastmail not having a good interface? Preposterous!

26 Mar 2005, 05:11 AM	#1
seb Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 13	disappointed runbox users I've been happily using runbox for years, ever since they switched to paid-only accounts. My business relies on me giving prompt answer to clients, receiving large attachments from them without having them worry about the size (I used to say "if you can send it I can receive it" ). I am now disgruntled and ready to switch, after months of unreliable service, countless delayed and lost emails, two lost contracts and extensive problems with IMAP connectivity. Where should I go now? What other service offers features similar to those of runbox? I'm looking for a paid or free provider that can give me the following, in order of importance: - IMAP that works !!! - Support for Opera & Safari - 1 Gb storage or more. relatively large attachments (at least 5Mb) - 99.9% uptime & fast web interface - extensive, customizeable (sp?) Filter rules, spam & virus protection - POP retrieval that works - file storage w/ FTP acess - proper support for different character sets - Hotmail retrieval that works - no ads.. I'm kind of lost with all the offerings and I don't really feel like going through every provider and trying out their services one after the other. Anyone have suggestions for disgruntled runbox users?

27 Mar 2005, 12:36 PM	#6
seb Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 13	file storage You know it's funny, when Runbox first introduced file storage I thought to myself now that's useless since I already had storage space at the university and on clients' servers, but since then I've found that I use it very frequently to send out attachments repeatedly. I have a few pamphlets, forms and information documents that I send out to people that email me about my consulting service at least 3-4 times a day, and with this feature I can easily send these attachments without having to upload them. This is a big plus, since I spend more time on other people's computers than my own. So now I just can't live without file storage... Fastmail definitely looks like the most interesting and closest to the features that Runbox offers and in the same price range, and I don't really need the FTP access to the file storage space. Anyone have an idea of how fastmail's address book measure's up to runbox's? how reliable are they in general? Fusemail has nice and interesting features, but it seems that I won't be using half of them. And they're significantly more expensive than runbox or fastmail. And while I do like their layout and the look, I definitely would need a lighter (fast) secondary interface for when I just want to quickly check mail because of the long initial loading time. They don't seem to support Safari either, though I haven't tested it. And they don't have the file storage. But they definitely have the coolest looking interface ! one thing about fusemail, i saw that they offer unlimited bandwidth... isn't it bandwidth problems that got runbox into trouble in the first place? (I don't really know in fact, just asking) wouldn't the same thing happen to fusemail if they got too popular too quickly ?

26 Mar 2005, 01:01 PM	#4
registered_user Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 164	That could probably be rephrased as "support for standards-compliant browsers" of which there really aren't any, but sites that strive for true compliance generally work better on all browsers. You won't find many sites that test on Opera and Safari specifically who aren't also striving for that W3C validation tag. Hotmail retrieval that works is a dead issue I think. Hasn't MS recently made changes to Hotmail with the specific purpose of preventing this? I could be wrong, but I thought that was a moot point for now. Honestly, it sounds like Fastmail would be a good switch for you except for the file-storage with FTP thing. I don't understand why people think that file storage services and email services are the same thing. Why exactly should an email service be expected to bundle file-storage services with their offerings? I just don't get this. Of all the things to bundle with email (like say, an LDAP address book, vCal calendars, or other PIM functions), why do so many people zero in on the file storage thing? I guess I just don't get it.

27 Mar 2005, 12:54 PM	#7
yashsr Essential Contributor Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 240	Fusemail has got 2 webmail interfaces- 1) Fusemail 2.0 It may take a long time to login, depends. But when it loads, it rocks, its extremely fast. And if you choose non-ssl , its blazing and rocking fast, but ssl is also fast too once the inbox loads... 2) Fusemai Classic 1.0 Fusemail Classic works on almost all browsers, be it IE , Firefox, Opera, Safari etc. etc. It also has a FuseMobile interface which allows composing mail and checking mail from all folders.... About bandwidth, no reliability problems presently, so why limit the bandwidth, once Fusemail Team start feeling its effect, they will have a look at it. And I read somewhere in Fusemail forums that if they see a user consuming very high bandwidth, they contact him/her privately and get it sorted... And there are never problems because of bandwidth all of a sudden, there is a gradual effect..... I think Check this if you like

27 Mar 2005, 01:05 PM	#8
war17 The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: California Posts: 3,452	Seb, You want reliable IMAP and POP3, 1GB storage, Opera and Sarfari compatible, and 99.9% uptime? You need to search yourself. Different services have some of these features, but I don't know of any that have all. If you find one, let us know. Hotmail retrival will work for those who have a Hotmail account before September 28, 2004 and have been using WebDAV or httpmail.

28 Mar 2005, 01:00 AM	#9
xbot Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 922 Representative of: xxos.us	Definetly get a hosting account with a provider with cPanel (or one of the alternatives). You should get all you need, except of course for maybe some advanced webmail options--but I see Horde has a nice interface--have a look at them.

28 Mar 2005, 01:20 AM	#11
Shelded Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: USA Northwest Posts: 3,849	And why would a clever fellow such as you still need Hotmail retrieval? Perhaps you use it for throwaway mail addresses? Try a yahoo.com account or make addresses using sneakemail.com? I've got Hotmail retrieval in Fastmail but I let the Hotmail account expire.

28 Mar 2005, 05:35 AM	#13
ReuvenNY Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: New York Posts: 4,259	“Regrettably”, I have to agree with my friend Shelded once again (a private joke...).. In essence he says what I had in mind. I would only add that while Mailsnare is an excellent service with an outstanding technical support, they fail when it comes to email/files storage - they only offer 100MB for the same cost that Fastmail offers 600Mb email + 30MB file storage. Also I would add Tuffmail.com to the pool of potential candidates. Check the Personal Premium account, for a $40 a year. http://www.tuffmail.com/personal.php PS - As Sherry above indicates you may get FTP with Fastmail soon.