Which do use/recommend and why - Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo mail (or other)
I have 2 Gmail, 3 Yahoo, and a Hotmail account. What I have done is added them all to my Gmail by creating "customized from addresses". So now I just have to use my Gmail and I can send e mails from anyone of my accounts. I also use the Google Toolbar in Firefox and this lets me set Gmail as my default email program when using that browser. This is how you use the "customize from addresses" http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=22376
I just prefer the Gmail interface to all others and I prefer web mail to regular e mail programs that you install on the machine. I can access the e mail easily from any other machine with a internet connection.
I guess it depends on what your needs are. If your going to be only using one computer to connect then I would say get gmail that way you can manage your email with outlook/thunderbird. But if your not that type of user and you always connect from different computers all the time or you don't get very much email then I would say use the Yahoo beta. I think its pretty good.
I guess it depends on what your needs are.
I'm just looking to change to a provider other than AOL so that my email account is not dependent on my ISP. I'm not to bothered about fancy features, just useabilty, reliabilty and security (and preferably without ads in emails either now or in future)
Thunderbird is basicly my primary email. I also got several web-email accounts. Thunderbird is very good email program.
My vote is gmail if your using a client and yahoo if your using web interface. I do not like the gmail interface but its great with thunderbird/outlook.
Yahoo mail beta exclusively for personal stuff.
Great interface, and handy Firefox extension with icon on the status bar. Pops up if I have new mail.
Also like the tabs feature.
I prefer Gmail because it provides SSL encryption for free, not just for the login. The only other service that I know provides this is Hushmail, and you
must pay for it if you want a usable amount of storage...currently I think it's like 2 MB or something.