Glook

Desktop E-Mail program would make sense

[ThomasB]

I have my GMail account since about 36 hours now and I really like the interface. The only problem I see is that I can't manage all my pop/imap accounts using GMail. As I'm travelling a lot I like to have a replica of my emails on my notebook to be able to work offline. If G would create a clean, fast Email client in the style of GMail I'd probably use it because it's pretty easy to navigate.

For G it would make sense as well because the email program is running all the time for most users and they'd have their way to the desktop machines without making an OS as some people think. They could integrate all their services to the top of every screen and nobody would realize that he's giving his soul to G.

[jbarr]

This is an excellent idea, but I don't see this happening in the "free" version. I definitely could see this as a "premium" feature, though. Being able to maintain a synchronized, offline Gmail account would be excellent!

[digitalv]

<sarcasm>
Yeah ... and using Google's scanning technology, they could scan the contents of your hard drive and show you ads based on your browsing history, who you bank with, and the software you like to install.
</sarcasm>

Heh... the anti-gmail nerds will have a field-day with this suggestion.

Joking aside, what you're saying is really kinda the opposite of why you would have a Gmail account isn't it? If you want your mail delivered to your desktop, using your own storage space for holding messages, why would you need a GMail account? Just use the one your ISP gave you. The purpose of having a GMail account is so you can have a 1 GB Web-based mail account.

[bakedjake]

purpose

Actually, the promise of GMail to me is Google's search technology. What on earth does someone need a 1 GB webmail box for?!?

Everything except maybe Opera M2's search functionality is dismal for large numbers of messages, and even M2 leaves much to be desired. If GMail's technology (which is very similar to M2, I might add) was made into an offline mail client, I might use it.

But it'd have to be commercial - I'd never use adware for an email client.

[digitalv]

Google will never do it ... there are too many people who could reverse-engineer a compiled executable and steal their methods.

[ThomasB]

there are too many people who could reverse-engineer a compiled executable and steal their methods.

They could offer a good version of their search algorithm for the client which is more ressource-intensive and slower and have the perfect one on their servers. But if it's really that much faster nobody would care I guess. They also published the toolbar which people could crack to get the PR checksum out.

The rumors about the search client for the local hard disk was posted a couple of days ago as well. [webmasterworld.com...] so I wouldn't be too surprised if it happens.