Moving from outlook to Gmail (from my 2016 article)

In 2016 I sent out a semi-regular email newsletter. This article was in one of those. I thought I'd review it and republish it on this blog with some up to date information.

With Bigpond / Telstra migrating all of its customers to a new email system ([in 2016] read, new servers etc.) yet again, many people are choosing wisely to ditch them and go to web mail of some kind.

Now I know the detractors will cry out about privacy issues and security etc. etc. but really, do you think Bigpond is any less susceptible to problems?

Based on experience, I'd strongly suggest they are more likely to stuff up.

NOTE: During this migration in 2016 Bigpond did stuff up a lot of their customers. They stuffed their email and then emailed them to tell that they'd stuffed their email. yeah, see what I mean!?

If you are truly worried about email security the best answer is to stop using email. But that is a whole other story.

The other key to email; frustration is your email client e.g. Microsoft Outlook, Thunderbird or similar.

It seems that, sooner or later, these all become bloated and painful at handling your emails. I have explained this in detail in previous emails so I won't repeat it here (email me if you'd like to hear the detail).

So, assuming you believe me and you are here because you want to make the move, there's an elephant in the room...

You have a tonne of email in "Outlook" that you now want in "Gmail" (these are in quotes because I am now using them as generic terms for your email client and your web mail of choice. I am lazy, I'll stop with the quotes from now on too.)

Gmail provides uploader tools to get your emails, contacts, calendar and other bits and pieces from your PC and into the cloud (Gmail). It is now called G Suite Migration for Microsoft Outlook®, (GSMMO).

IMPORTANT: Provided your Outlook data is in a PST file. If it is in an OST file then that's a whole other world of pain.

These do a pretty good job and even allow you to pick and choose the subset of emails and data you upload e.g. between specific dates, from certain email accounts or data files etc.

Of course you'll keep your Outlook data files for at least a while as a backup, but once your data is up there you needn't go near Outlook and its issues ever again.

If I was to judge Outlook (and other email clients) against my personal use of Gmail (within Google app's), I can honestly say that it has more than significantly reduced the email problems I have.

NOTE: Another 4 years on and I am still as happy, in fact happier, with my choice to be in Gmail. Let's try not to jinx it now though OK?!

I've had less than a handful of Gmail problems over 8 [12] years or so, I would have had that many problems with Outlook in a week.

These email uploaders exist for a variety of email clients and platforms.

Just Google your combination to see what is available.

But be wary of third party tools that offer to do this "as a trial" and then demand money from you. Most of them are less than legitimate. I'd suggest you only use genuine Google tools.

Take care, have fun, David