Comments on: The case against webmail

By: Benoît HERVIER

Benoît HERVIER — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:27:27 +0000

@Walter :

Hum … the main security hole will still be the webmail and cross scripting … :)

By: Walther

Walther — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:40:57 +0000

@Boke: You are right, you can have decentralized webmail too and the security/privacy depends on the security of the IMAP or web server.

The only advantage of webmail that I see is that it is easier to access it from a computer you’ve never been on. Although I always try to avoid typing in my passwords into computers I don’t know.

The big reason for having a dedicated e-mail client (and why they won’t disappear anytime soon) is that it is tailored to the specific device and/or software platform. Especially for mobile devices it is much better to have a dedicated e-mail client. You only need to set it up once and it works anywhere you go. Modest works way better on my N800 than the gmail webinterface.

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:44:08 +0000

(laughing)…being a security enthusiast, i believe that every point of transfer is a possible point of failure…therefore, trusting as few people as possible is best. this must be breif because im posting from a (an?) n810 with a tiny keyboard.comcast, bell* (or *bell or att) already know whatever your doing, who else would you volunteer you data to?

what the he!!z with the hardcore capcha!!! ……………….. ARGH!!

By: crf

crf — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:05:49 +0000

My Father works in a governmental job. When his organisation was audited, the auditor general involved outside consultants. One of those consultants was using hotmail to communicate. My father was very upset at how lackadaisical some people and departments can be because confidential and sensitive information is routinely discussed during an audit. He though the whole discussion shouldn’t be cc’ed to microsoft.

Policies and practices that worked okay when email was centralised and accessed by login do not work well when those practices now involve other parties, like web services. Yet to end most users, there is no big difference. It is not webmail’s fault, it is just how things are evolving. This story is, I think, a bit scary, since it shows that policies, procedures and education are all substandard for many governmental communication functions now.

By: Boke

Boke — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:07:20 +0000

I think you missed the point. When you were told that the future is in web 2.0 webmails, it doesn’t mean that the future is gmail or yahoo mail.
Ok, the cool webmail at this time are gmail and yahoo mail(or whatever).
But I guess in the future you’ll be able to install such webmail on your company mail server and that’s the way I imagine email future.

The problem really is not who owns your mail, but the way you access your mail.
And, for the last 2 years, my preference goes to webmail compared to a dedicated email client. And I don’t see why this preference would change.