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Simplifying Email

Charles Hamilton — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:00:18 +0000

As web workers, we are often asked to help friends and relatives fix computer problems. For me, the majority of these problems seem to be related to email. It’s ironic, as email is now less popular than social networks.

So why is email such a hassle?

It’s more than 30 years old. Email has come a long way, but its underlying protocols haven’t changed much since the 1970s.
It’s really three different systems. Sending (SMTP) and receiving (POP or IMAP) are totally separate functions, and are often handled on different servers. That’s why I often hear comments like “I can receive, but I can’t send” from clients.
It’s being used for a lot of things it was never designed to do, like send images and attachments, highly formatted messages, signatures and calendar entries.
It’s been overrun by spam, and even well-designed spam filters aren’t perfect, and cause unwanted side effects, like messages that get misidentified as spam, or just go away.
Email software is too complex. These programs that were originally built for offline use; that is, they were set up so that users could read and write messages without being connected to the internet. Sending and receiving would happen in batches. That made sense when internet connections were slow, expensive and charged by the minute. Now that most people have always-on connections like cable or DSL, that process is less necessary. Desktop email client software is a pain to set up and use; as someone who helps many people with email, Outlook is the bane of my existence.
Many of us connect to the Internet in more than one place — at work, at home, and on cell phones. It can be very frustrating to realize that we’ve left the message we needed to reply to at the office.
Many of us have more than one email address. I try to keep my work and personal email separate, plus I have a series of email addresses that I use when registering on websites that might try to send spam. And I have several email addresses that were given to me, such as the ones that are automatically created when signing up for instant-messaging services like Yahoo, AIM and Windows Live/MSN.

What can be done to overcome these problems? Here are some tips that might help you and your clients and friends be more productive.

Get your email on the web. Dump your desktop email software, and switch to Gmail/Google Apps or another online provider like Yahoo. If your Internet connection is unreliable, Google Gears lets you work offline.
Create a master inbox. If you have multiple email accounts, you can set up forwarding to receive and send email from one place.
Use IMAP. If you need mobile access to your email, set up your phone software to use IMAP, not POP. By using IMAP, your messages will sync automatically in all of the places you check your mail.
Use social networks. It seems like all of my friends under 30 don’t do email anymore, but they’re on Facebook a lot.
Use instant messaging. For short, simple conversations, IM can be very efficient. In a few seconds, you can schedule a meeting or a lunch date. It’s much faster than email or phone conversations.
Use file-sharing services for sending large documents. There are lots of such services, and new ones are popping up all the time, including Fluxiom and FileShareHQ. And Dropbox and the new Opera Unite service allow you to share files directly from your computer.
Organize your electronic communications. Celine wrote about this recently, and I’ve talked about it, too.

Oh, and one more:

Remember your passwords. This is obvious to you and me, but I’ve heard “I didn’t know I had a password” way too often. Online services like LastPass, or programs like 1Password, SplashID, or the free KeePass (Windows and phones; also available for Mac and Linux) can be lifesavers.

How do you keep email simple?

Image by stock.xchng user chris27.

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FileShareHQ Now Offering Paid Accounts and Branding

Simon Mackie — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:00:02 +0000

FileShareHQ, the file-sharing and sending app for creative professionals that I covered last month, has begun offering paid plans with more storage space. Accounts range from $5/month for 2 GB of space with five users to $49/month for 100 GB of space with 100 users.

The most expensive “Business” plan also offers the ability to rebrand the service, giving you the option of creating a professional-looking client files area that matches the look and feel of your existing web site.

Free accounts with 1 GB space and two users are still available.

Have you used FileShareHQ? Let us know what you think in the the comments.

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FileShareHQ: Easy File Sending and Sharing for Pros

Simon Mackie — Fri, 01 May 2009 23:00:04 +0000

FileshareHQ, a new file-sharing and sending service that was launched today by UK design agency Slipstream Studio, joins a very crowded space, one currently occupied by the likes of Dropbox, box.net and YouSendIt. But FileshareHQ differentiates itself by targeting “pro users” — designers, web developers, photographers, video editors and the like — and offering FTP access to files, in addition to the usual web interface.

If you’re one of those pro users, this service should appeal to you for two reasons. You’re likely already using FTP for managing file uploads, so FileshareHQ should slot right into you workflow. You can use your favorite FTP app; you won’t need to download additional programs or have to deal with a web interface. And your less tech-savvy clients can access the files through an easy-to-use web interface. Plus, with a paid “Business” account you’ll have the option of branding the service, making it easy to create a professional-looking client area for your files.

FileshareHQ's web interface

FileshareHQ launched today with free accounts offering up to 1 GB of space, and a maximum of two users per account. Paid options should be available within the next seven days, offering more space and more users per account.

What services do you use for sending large files?

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