At Journey, we use an email solution called Google Apps. This is basically Gmail but branded for an organization – using their domain and usable as web-based groupware (word processing, spreadsheets, and calendars – all collaborative). A major benefit of Google Apps is that it allows over 7 GB of storage – over 100 times more than most Exchange setups. Most people are used to storing their email on their computer, but with IMAP, the best place to store email is on the server. This also makes it easier to access elsewhere. So, to get to the practical part, here’s how to switch to IMAP.
First, enable IMAP within Google Apps. For Journey, go to mail.takeajourney.org and sign in (don’t include @takeajourney.org but just the part that proceeds it). Then click on Settings in the top right. Then Forwarding and POP/IMAP. Finally, Enable IMAP and Save.
This enables IMAP for your Apps account.
The next step isn’t as simple – enabling IMAP in your mail client. Most staff at Journey use Outlook or Apple Mail. First, familiarize yourself with the Google Apps Help for Users. The link there for email just goes to the Gmail Help page, which will give you tons of info. Getting more specific, check out Troubleshooting IMAP. Finally, here are the links for the clients I’ve seen in common usage.
I attended a conference a few months back that was incredible. Now anyone who wants to can watch the sessions for free! Check it out.
So I don’t get it. Why do companies still use Exchange and give users 10-50 MB size limits on their mailbox? Especially schools and non-profits? (Check out Google Apps for free solution for your domain.) I’m just going to write some lists:
Pros/Cons of Exchange:
- Pro – Stored on site for security
- Con – Less people monitoring uptime
- Pro or Con – runs with Windows well (pro for those using it, major con for anyone wanting a better OS)
- Con – Major limited storage capacity
- Con – Only as fast as your internet connection
And now for a pet peeve/rant. Use IMAP! If you are using POP3, stop it. You won’t be able to organize your email from more than one device. Since most people want to be able to check from their home desktop, work desktop, laptop, phone, and via the web when somewhere else, steer clear of POP3. With this comes a change in the storage location of your email. It will now be on the server instead of your PC/device. I think I’ll write a blog post about this switch with more details soon. For now, /rant.
Pastor Jimmy spoke this message a few weeks ago. I just wanted to repost it here – to test my video embedding and because it’s a great message.
http://www.vimeo.com/4945009
While the book Wild at Heart by John Eldredge has some helpful points, overall it has some serious flaws. I thought this review by Daryl Wingerd accurately described some of them, so I’m going to repost his review here.
A Critical Review of John Eldredge’s Wild at Heart
Author: Daryl Wingerd
John Eldredge’s book Wild at Heart was recommended to me by several different Christians. To be honest, reading this book was not high on my list of priorities, but the people who recommended it to me are very dear and trusted friends. Partly out of respect for them, and partly out of my pastoral sense of obligation to “Test all things; hold fast what is good,” I made the time to review what Charles R. Swindoll endorsed as, “the best, most insightful book I have read in at least the last five years.”
From the outset, you will undoubtedly notice that my review of Wild at Heart is overwhelmingly unfavorable. There would be no point in tempting you to read this entire essay by leading you to believe otherwise. But still, I want to begin by saying that I do not disagree with everything John Eldredge has to say. I believe, as he does, that men in America have become passive, passionless, and even feminized in some regards. I commend his efforts to convince fathers to steer their boys in a more masculine direction. View full article »
