Outlook and Gmail (fails)

[Diggs]

Just a heads-up to all - I'm getting a huge uptick in calls the last few days from people using Gmail in Outlook. Seems that in the Google security settings the "Allow less secure apps" switch has been turned off again. Just sayin'.......

 

[Metanis]

Google pushing their "security checkup" again? That's caused me plenty of headaches in the past.

 

[carmen617]

it's also so confusing to the end user. What do you mean, you are allowing me to be insecure??

 

[Mainstay]

the message is clear: "don't use Google Mail in Outlook".

We've stopped setting it up as inevitably this happens (even with GSuite Sync) and the customer thinks it is our configuration / setup.

Nope, not accepting that responsibility so if you want Google email, you use Chrome.

 

[Mainstay]

Or Thunderbird

Nope - We are pretty much done with Thunderbird as well. People loathe it in our community. I can't explain it very well but the visceral distaste for Thunderbird is palpable.

People are very entitled and seem to think a FREE mail program is their birth right.

They hate:

• the attachment handling (yes, that tiny drop arrow that can be adjusted - too much work!)
• the spell checker - it works fine for me... so not sure why they hate it so much
• the multi-tab capabilities that are a novel way of displaying open emails
• the start page - which can be adjusted
• the search - which works every time we demonstrate it
• the fact that Google has All Mail - which is somehow TB's fault
• the file association feature - which admittedly can sometimes forget the correct association

I should point out that we take pains to ensure the setup is as user friendly as possible... but somehow it is still deficient in their minds.

 

[Mainstay]

@Computer Bloke - completely agree. I think TB is a beautiful alternative and works very well. It is certainly stable and the add-ons, which I haven't spent too much time on, all seem to bring value to a stable platform.

But I find we have to "sell" it to our customers... both on the, "well, we can't install WLM anymore, so here is a solid replacement" all the way through to supporting and ultimately justifying our recommendation to use TB. We already gave you the options of buying Outlook and you rejected it... so what would you have us do?

I even had a commercial client that hated Outlook for Mac (understandably) and Mac Mail didn't do what they wanted, so we found a lovely alternative that was something like $10 USD / license and they lost their **** on the exorbitant price! Ya... great market, eh?

 

[GTP]

Most of my clients love "Thunderbox" , "Thundermail" etc. After being setup and given a little instruction they seem to pick it up very quickly.

Now to try to stop the confusion with Thunderfox, Firebox, Foxfire......... "No, that's not for email." "well, yes, technically you can access you're email through Furfox, but...."

 

[fincoder]

Another option for a solid email client that supports OAuth (security used by Gmail) since 2015 is emClient. Free for home users (up to 2 accounts). Supports Exchange too.

Amazingly it seems even Outlook 2019 won't support OAuth, or at least I can't find anything suggesting that it will. Anyone know otherwise?

 

[glennd]

Amazingly it seems even Outlook 2019 won't support OAuth, or at least I can't find anything suggesting that it will. Anyone know otherwise?

Microsoft don't support Google. You find that odd?

 

[nerd2u]

I don't understand customers who go with gsuites only to insist they use outlook to check their mail.

You can get an o365 mailbox for the same price and pair it nicely with outlook.

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

 

[Mainstay]

I don't understand customers who go with gsuites only to insist they use outlook to check their mail.

You can get an o365 mailbox for the same price and pair it nicely with outlook.

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

I agree... but we also see users that prefer Google Docs and Drive over Office online and SharePoint... but can't get past Outlook to use Chrome for webmail access to GSuite... and I pretty much fall into that camp myself.

I want the full features of Outlook w/ Boomerang but absolutely loathe the SP environment and the synchronization of OD w/ local systems (this has improved, but early use soured me on SP/OD).

 

[Your PCMD]

I loved Thunderbird. Just not the look of it. The layout and design is a little old school for my tastes. The arrangement of panels and panes and the way mail is managed and filtered just doesn’t suit my workflow the way Outlook does.

 

[fincoder]

Microsoft don't support Google

Incorrect. Microsoft supports Google accounts in the Windows 10 Mail App, with full security (OAuth).

So it seems the only reason for the lack of support in Outlook is that they haven't allocated developers to do it.

 

[callthatgirl]

Heads up received, I'm glad to take these calls all day long!