Yesterday we introduced our new, improved webmail system for you to try. We’ve been overwhelmed with the number of users trying the system out, and as expected, we got many requests for changes in the way the new program works. We’re working on your requests, and have implemented many of them. The old webmail system will continue to be available for users who prefer it. Check out the new system at https://webmail.infowest.com/webmail/
First, why the new system?
The old webmail system we’re using has been in operation since the mid-90’s. The program is outdated, difficult to maintain, and has a number of bugs that the authors have not addressed. Our customers have asked for a more modern interface, the ability to properly handle attachments and HTML messages, as well as the ability to interact better with standard email programs like Outlook and Outlook Express. Our new webmail program does a much better job at these tasks.
What’s missing?
The old system allows you to create folders to organize and archive emails. It also includes a “trash can” and “sent items” folder. The new system does not - YET. We are working to add those features as soon as possible. Additionally, when we add folders to the new system, those folders will also be viewable in other programs like Outlook, Thunderbird or most other email programs. The old webmail folders are only viewable on the web.
Yesterday evening, we added the ability for you to import your address book and picklist from the old webmail to the new - with just one click!
Will the old system go away?
We will not take the old system down in the forseeable future. We will leave the old system up and available for our customers who use such features as folders and the trash can. When those features are available in the new system, we will let you know. We’re confident you’ll see the advantages of migrating, but if you choose, you can still use the old system.
What are some new features on the new webmail?
We’ve been hearing requests from our users for a long time to add many features to our webmail system. Some of these are:
- Better email editor: You can add more styles, pictures, color, etc. to emails now.
- Sending attachments: You can attach up to 8 files to an email. This is a much requested feature that we were missing on our old system.
- Better contacts interface: The address book can be imported or exported from most email programs such as outlook and outlook express. There are more fields such as phone number, web page, notes and fax numbers that can be stored in the address book.
- Email groups: You can organize your address book into groups so you can send emails to up to 50 friends or acquaintances with just one click.
- Search: Quickly find emails in your inbox.
- Receiving Attachments: You can zip up attachments before you download them, saving time and space
- Printing - Cleaner printing of emails.
- Calendar - You can schedule events, invite others, and receive confirmations from attendees.
There are many other features I haven’t listed here. Our goal is to make this program powerful and friendly enough that you can use it as your primary email program, accessible wherever you are.
Again, feel free to use the old system or the new system. We’re confident as we continue to improve the new system, you’ll find it more useful and easy to use.
May 11, 2006 at 11:07
We are thrilled with the new webmail!! It is beatiful and so much more functional than the old one. You have hit this one out of the ball park. We love the speed and ease of deleting email. We are anxiously awaiting your addition of folders. We have critical stuff re: banking, etc. in the old webmail folders and can’t wait to migrate them to the new webmail.
Thanks, Randy, and the rest of you. Great job!!
Jim Morgan
May 11, 2006 at 16:05
Thanks Randy, this webmail is so much better.
May 11, 2006 at 16:13
Old saying if it is not broke don’t fix it. The existing system was not broke.
From what little I can pick up on my initial trial is that the new one is confusing for us who are not all that computer literate. There are no instructions that i could find to tell me how to use it.
Please do not do us any more favors. Pedal the new one to people who want it. but leave the rest of us alone, i am very happy with my existing system.
Don Roberts
May 11, 2006 at 21:09
Ditto to the above comments. I have become very pleased with the old system and it is very user friendly. Have had no issues with it and would like to continue to use it. Thankyou-David Dial
May 12, 2006 at 15:27
May 12th,2006 1600 Hrs.
Thanks for the new site , this is really cool , as we needed to updated like everything else, as we all know, in computers, we need to update constantly to get better programs, and faster sites to get in, so much new things keeps coming out….this is what life in the computer business is all about ! otherwise, we should all, just read books…..but I love it ! this is good for the mind to have new ideas , I am happy as it keeps my brain going. I know that for some people that are not too literate on computer knowledge , I can totally understand, I was one of them, but once I used it, played with it, I realized how great this is , longer I fiddled with the computer, better I get, and I wanted to say thanks to all your staff, as when I needed help, you guide me through with so much patience and time…..even when it had nothing to do with Infowest mail…… Thank you !!!!! you guys are the best !!! you rock !!!!!!
May 18, 2006 at 05:28
You keep doing this. Just when I figure out one system you change it. I am not a computer intellect so it takes me a little time to figure out where you are going. How hard would it have been to put out some kind of a tutorial as a precursor to springing this on us. I find the new system time consuming and difficult. I never know where I am or how many messages I have left to search. the old system allowed me to click and it was gone. the new one requires a new screen and much more time. many of my friends have told me that there are better programs out there. maybe this would be a good time to take a look.
May 19, 2006 at 14:55
The new system is great, except for one thing. I can’t tell if my emails are new, already read or replied to. With the old system I could tell all of those things. Can’t the new system do that too?
May 22, 2006 at 10:14
What about folders? I can’t create new folder to store emails in an organized fashion. Can’t we have folders?
May 22, 2006 at 13:57
Answering a few questions.
1 - Folders - They are coming. The old system had folders, but they were based on non-standard way of storing mail. You could not put mail in a folder, then see that folder from other programs. When we have folders, you will be able to view them from Outlook, Outlook Express, or the new Webmail. They will be based on the IMAP4 standard. We hope to start testing these later this month.
2 - Trash - Same answer. When folders work, there will be a TRASH folder.
3 - Sent Items - This is just another folder. See answer number 1.
4 - Read / unread Items - This may be a feature that will work when we get folders working. We still need to do more testing.
5 - Will the old system go away? There are no plans to eliminate the old system, but we will not be making further upgrades in it. You can keep using it if you like. I think you’ll like the new system when we add a few of these features you have requested here.
6 - Font sizes - We will also work on this in the future, and hopefully have an option to show the mail folders in a much larger, easier to read layout for those who have requested.
Anything else I am missing?
Thanks for all the feedback!
Randy
May 31, 2006 at 14:57
I’m glad to hear you guys went with DWMail. It has been a great little package for me on my servers. Like I mentioned before I’ve been using Roundcube alot, but it’s still in it’s infancy.
June 12, 2006 at 09:40
I definitely think the new and improved email is a plus. I haven’t used it a lot yet, but what I have noticed is that it’s painfully slow compared to the old system. I’m going to try it from a couple different internet connections (home, work, etc), and hopefully this is some kind of anomaly on my side and not the expected performance? It takes me 20 seconds to log on - I thought maybe that was a first time phenomenon, but it’s the same each time I log on. It takes about 6 seconds for a create new email window to pop up. I don’t mean to be critical, but your customers (especially ones in a hurry) will expect better performance, else they will remain on the old system.
Greg B.
June 25, 2006 at 13:01
I do not like this new system as I keep getting confused and end up deleting everything which is not recoverable as in the old system where I could go into the trash file and recover. I agree with “if it is not broke, why fix it”.
July 22, 2006 at 08:38
Help! I really miss the Sent Items folder. Drives me nuts not to be able to access my sent items. So please hurry and get it added.
July 26, 2006 at 06:50
Will my email address remain the same if I go to the new system? Lots of people and businesses have it. It would be difficult to change and notify.
July 30, 2006 at 09:42
Well, I think you should always have up to date email backups. I used to do it manually by saving the .dbx files, until I found http://www.amicutilities.com/outlook-express-backup/ - Outlook Express Backup Genie that does it automatically at regular times.
I choused it over other because it can work with both MS Outlook and Outlook Express
Alicia
August 6, 2006 at 12:50
one thing that has been happenng to us is we mark 3 of
the messeages that we want to come to us and one of
the three will come to us but not the other two, what
are doing wrong, outside of that it is going to be
a great site, when the bugs are worked out. thanks for
you help. dick romney
November 26, 2006 at 10:23
I use the website system only when I am at someone elses computer. I have my mail automatically downloaded to Outlook Express at home.
I had a bout with my email being deleted the other day, expecting to see a check all button when it said delete all. When I look at my mail on the infowest site, I have to now read every bit of mail then decide if I want to delete it or not. The redundant window to delete takes too much time when you are look ing at 30 emails and have to do a hit and run on someone elses computer. When I have a long list to delete, but want to keep some of them, on the old system I could hit check all and then uncheck the few I wanted to keep. This time I hit the delete all button by mistake (because you have no other option as of yet) and all my emails went away, even the important ones I absolutely needed to keep and there is no way to recover them.
Like some of the others, I do not like change…..especially when there is no way to learn about what to do if something goes wrong.
July 1, 2008 at 13:04
ya know there is a problem with the new email everytime i try to import my address book nothing happens any suggestions anyone??????????