A personal Gmail
Productivity
email client
SHOW HN2012
127points
103comments
#152of 1,677 in 2012
Top 10%of 2012 by points
How HN took it
DebatedReal support and real criticism
19 positive, 13 neutral or asking, 9 mixed, 15 critical, out of 56 comments about the project. Thread score +0.04.
Idea: 10 for, 7 againstDesign: 5 for, 3 againstPricing: 3 for, 1 againstPrivacy: 1 for, 3 againstExecution: 0 for, 1 against
The thread, comment by comment
Each row is a top-level comment and its replies, in HN's order. Select a cell to open that comment on HN.
positive neutral or mixed critical about another commenter or something else the maker
What HN said
What people liked
Clean, professional UI design
From 3 comments
How did you make the layout? Graphics design is my biggest weakness, all my webapps look like the design is made in Paint. And yours is so clean, the fonts are good, everything…
canttestthis on HNIt looks quite nice. I'd pay for an alternative to Gmail. Here are my suggestions / needs. * Shortcut keys, preferably the same as Gmail but customizable * Custom domains * Both…
driverdan on HNI will use it because of the UI (but for free). I love the simplicity. I'm also happy that you are using your own product. It's a good start that you satisfy needs with it. If it…
MojoJolo on HN
Open sourcing it would add value
From 2 comments
Open source the app. There's a huge lacking in good web based open source mail clients. Fill it. Offer a pay-for premium hosted version. Have us pay for service, not software. If…
hyphyphyph on HNOpen source it. There is more value in it. You'll attract devs who want to use it and give back to it. Is that you btw: https://github.com/jubari :)
tUrG0n on HN
Objections
Gmail's spam filtering, Android integration and infrastructure are hard to match
From 4 comments
> Would you even consider using the app, in case I'd make a commercial product out of it? No. I use Google because of the stuff that happens in the background, that I never see.…
maratd on HNThis app looks incredible but I have absolutely no interest in using a Gmail look alike without all the Gmail features aka android integration, amazing spam blocking, etc, etc,…
overshard on HNThe reason I'm using GMail (as opposed to FastMail) is primarily their terrific integration with Android. The excellent GMail app, the contact and calendaring syncing. I'd really…
AdamGibbins on HNThis interface looks really good, but as previously stated, there are a lot of behind the scenes features (security, spam filter and keyboard shortcuts) that keep me with gmail.
rileyt on HN
Looks too much like Gmail
From 2 comments
I've had similar thoughts to you, and it looks like a good start. However, for me, one of the main reasons I'm dissatisfied with GMail these days is the clutter and UX.…
davedx on HNTo me, this looks like a reskinned Gmail. If it were that, then yes I would use it as it's an improvement over the current layout, albeit marginal. However, there are no ads…
heavymark on HN
Trust in a small company with email data
From 2 comments
This looks really well done, but as a consumer I wouldn't trust a small-timer (no offense) with something as ubiquitous as my email. As a company looking to self-host, however,…
sspiff on HNI do pay $40/year for Fastmail because I like having a service I pay for that is separate from anything Google offers. I still use Gmail day to day, but the new Fastmail…
heliostatic on HN
Commenters would not pay for email
From 2 comments
Awesome UI, but I wouldn't pay for it. Email is and should be free
Goranek on HNNice design, but I don't see myself paying for it.
nachteilig on HN
Requests
Open source or self-hosted version
From 4 comments
Open source the app. There's a huge lacking in good web based open source mail clients. Fill it. Offer a pay-for premium hosted version. Have us pay for service, not software. If…
hyphyphyph on HNI would use it if I could host it on my own server and run it on top of Gmail using IMAP and Postgres as a cache. I could pay 30-50$ for it, but I think this would be even more…
hchinchilla on HNI'd consider paying for a clone of Gmail classic, but their new UI sucks IMHO. Another compelling feature I'm looking for is the ability to self-host. It's clear that many…
hosay123 on HNI would use this if you gave me a product that I can use to run my own mail (and not a service)
general_failure on HN
Custom domain support
From 2 comments
It looks quite nice. I'd pay for an alternative to Gmail. Here are my suggestions / needs. * Shortcut keys, preferably the same as Gmail but customizable * Custom domains * Both…
driverdan on HNHere are the first three questions: 1. Is this something you host, or something I host? 2. How are you handling searching existing mail, tech wise? 3. Does this start to slow…
peteforde on HN
Strong spam filtering
From 2 comments
Very cool idea. I'd like to use the app but my main concern is spam blocking. Maybe you can partner with someone like Cloudmark? I think Cloudmark has an API or something you can…
greenwalls on HNI would definitely try it out if something can match Google's spam filters and search. From a first look, I like the UI however, in my opinion, there's way too much white and…
swastik on HN
Encryption and privacy
From 2 comments
I would consider using the app and I would pay for it. The primary motivator for me to change from Gmail is the privacy, security issues. So long as you make for sure everything…
karatehammer on HNIt looks quite nice. I'd pay for an alternative to Gmail. Here are my suggestions / needs. * Shortcut keys, preferably the same as Gmail but customizable * Custom domains * Both…
driverdan on HN
Chrome extension restyling Gmail
From 2 comments
I like it, I think people will adopt it if it was a Chrome plugin that converted Gmail into this UI. Their infrastructure and your skin. You could charge for some features for…
vishalsankhla on HNTo me, this looks like a reskinned Gmail. If it were that, then yes I would use it as it's an improvement over the current layout, albeit marginal. However, there are no ads…
heavymark on HN
Questions
Is it hosted by the maker or self-hosted
From 1 comment
Here are the first three questions: 1. Is this something you host, or something I host? 2. How are you handling searching existing mail, tech wise? 3. Does this start to slow…
peteforde on HN
How search and performance scale with large mailboxes
From 1 comment
Here are the first three questions: 1. Is this something you host, or something I host? 2. How are you handling searching existing mail, tech wise? 3. Does this start to slow…
peteforde on HN
Alternatives named
Gmail
From 1 comment
> Would you even consider using the app, in case I'd make a commercial product out of it? No. I use Google because of the stuff that happens in the background, that I never see.…
maratd on HN
Fastmail
From 2 comments
I do pay $40/year for Fastmail because I like having a service I pay for that is separate from anything Google offers. I still use Gmail day to day, but the new Fastmail…
heliostatic on HNThe reason I'm using GMail (as opposed to FastMail) is primarily their terrific integration with Android. The excellent GMail app, the contact and calendaring syncing. I'd really…
AdamGibbins on HN
Outlook.com
From 2 comments
In terms of users they obviously are the market leader. I use Outlook.com personally and consider it to be overall better than Gmail. I'd gladly debate this if you'd like. Never…
MatthewPhillips on HNA lot of people here seem to like gmail. Well gmail sucks. Its slow, buggy, now has a bad user interface and is generally not what it used to be. It was awesome when it was first…
maverik22 on HN
Sparrow
From 2 comments
Hi, I haven't seen all of your user interface to give my opinion, but I know that Sparrow (sparrowmailapp.com) had a nice one. They've even been bought by Google. My 2 cents
bdiallo on HNTo me, this looks like a reskinned Gmail. If it were that, then yes I would use it as it's an improvement over the current layout, albeit marginal. However, there are no ads…
heavymark on HN
Rackspace email
From 1 comment
If you can give a trial, and nice transition option, as well as backup option to mbox format, I'd pay around the same rackspace is asking for managed email. [Added on a second…
ommunist on HN