[sandworm101]

I was just reading something about all the defunct and abandoned google projects. So now "How Gmail Happened" reads to me like gmail too is done and gone, something that happened in the past but is no longer happening. I guess that day will come eventually. Maybe tomorrow? I never know what google is thinking when it comes to cancellations.

[tomcam]

Nope. It’s now also a paid enterprise product (at consumer prices) so it probably pays for itself. I’ve been a customer since day 1 and think the $7/month or so it costs is ridiculously low. Also see this critically important comment regarding use of your own domain: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19566056

[scruffyherder]

Its a horrible UI, and insanely expensive. GMAIL is a joke. I know there is a massive anti MS circle jerk, but I'm paying HK$97.00 (12.42 USD) user/month for Office 365 Business Premium. And it's SO much better than gmail will ever hope to be.

google products are clearly written by people fresh out of high school. They are utterly devoid of features and functionality that MS had developed 20 years ago. It's so sad the lack of desktop integration, alerts, rules, and being able to utilize external data in 'sheets' and other nonsensical toy apps.

But we have a generation that grew up on 'free' crap and they honestly don't know any better, and MS is far too inept to market anything.

Also it's so nice to not be the ones with the 'old and out of date' office installs, or doing bids with big companies and not being able to open their XL sheets. I can't even fathom trying to compete using children's toys like google anything.

[tomcam]

I agree with much of what you’re saying, but the search and spam control make it worth far more than what I pay. YMMV certainly.

[gdulli]

Let's be honest, it's also a big way they build data on you and show you targeted ads so I'm sure it pays for itself without direct revenue.

[wstrange]

They do not scan the contents of mail for advertising purposes (consumer as of 2? years ago, and for paid gsuite I don't recall them ever doing this).

[michalskop]

Just wondering how you would know that they do or do not do that?

[datguacdoh]

They are pretty explicit about it here https://gsuite.google.com/learn-more/security/security-white...

[koolba]

Does that include those of us lucky enough to sign up prior to them actually charging for g-suite and being grandfathered into. Free plan for up to 10 users?

[dunefox]

Yeah, sure they don't...

[roneythomas6]

Nope that's never going to happen, Gmail is the cornerstone of G Suite. As of January 2017, G Suite has 4 million paying businesses, and 70 million G Suite for Education users.

[saghm]

That doesn't seem to preclude that it could become an enterprise-only product

[gumby]

I see no reason to cancel it or not, but those numbers seem pretty small relative to google's general user base and revenue.

I have no idea if or why they would cancel it or not, just saying that the numbers you gave seem like small potatoes. Then again Google really needs to show alternatives to advertising revenue (e.g. why Nest was brought onto Google's balance sheet).

[jayalpha]

Gmail is likely there to stay. Nevertheless you should always use your own domain (is this still possible for free with Gmail?). I made the move and left Gmail for most things, except an Android account. Missing the most: Decent search

What is bad about Webmail in general: Webmail is not email. Public Wifi Spots, even Internet providers are more and more blocking ports.

[estebank]

I do not know if it is still the case, but I believe that you can still create a new GCE or GAE account in a custom domain which will create a new Google Apps organization for you. You will have one free email account (and can set up all other addresses to be redirected to it).

[davchana]

That Google Cloud thing for custom domain email is also closed.

[estebank]

Thanks for letting me know.

[neogodless]

To the best of my understanding, there is no free option for a custom domain on the Gmail/Google platform. "Google Apps for Business" once has a free tier, but it was discontinued, and "G Suite" now starts at $6/month (per user.)

[mandeepj]

Can you elaborate on Webmail? any email service opened via browser is - Webmail ?

[jayalpha]

Yest, but this is not "email". Not unusual to block all ports (incl. 25, 587, 465 and 110) except 80 adn 443. If you complain that email does not work then they check their "webmail" and say "what do you mean? Gmail works...".

This is not a major obstacle for me since I can pass through all ports via a http/https VPN but this is not how the internet is supposed to work.

[soperj]

It is. I do it.