Gmail slow

Discussion of general topics about Mozilla Firefox
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cowboy
Posts: 164
Joined: October 29th, 2003, 11:11 am

Gmail slow

Post by cowboy »

I don't think this is a FF issue but who knows ?

In Sep/Oct Gmail rolled out a new gmail format, which is dog slow, it's mentioned quite a bit on the web....

Since I only use FF, not sure if others out there might not have this problem...?

I'm , on Win 7, w/ FF 63.0.1
Jn 17:17
lasardo
Posts: 182
Joined: September 9th, 2018, 1:41 pm

Re: Gmail slow

Post by lasardo »

On a slow connection especially, Gmail is really slow in Firefox but it is also somewhat slow in Chrome. It is much worse if you have your settings to clear the cache often (like on every close), or if you are blocking caching, or if you are clearing or letting cookies expire.
Most people don't use them anymore, but if you only have one computer you use almost all the time (in other words, if you don't access your email from a phone or multiple computers) you can use an email client like Thunderbird to avoid the horrible new gmail website.
cowboy
Posts: 164
Joined: October 29th, 2003, 11:11 am

Re: Gmail slow

Post by cowboy »

Yes I'm referring to a desktop computer. Not phone.

I do keep cookies, but clear the cache upon closing FF.

This seems to be somewhat of a mute point, because Gmail was working under these same conditions prior to the new updated Gmail ?
Plus I see on the web and the Google help pages, that this seems to be a known issue, and doesn't seem to be FF specific....

But on the other hand if there is a way to tune FF that will help performance that might be an option.


p.s. If the issue is with Gmail how does using Firebird help ?

Thanks
Jn 17:17
lasardo
Posts: 182
Joined: September 9th, 2018, 1:41 pm

Re: Gmail slow

Post by lasardo »

Thunderbird is an email program often called an email client, used instead of using a webmail website. The gmail website is bloated with megabytes of javascript code. As an alternative to that, an email client uses ancient protocols like POP3 to ask for only your emails, not the megabytes of GUI. Then it displays them itself in a simpler way, without extras that might slow it down such as phone calling and chat (features of gmail webmail). Also, an email client like Thunderbird doesn't have any ads. This post gives a bit more: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1040860

Another benefit of email clients are the extra features they allow you to add. One email client could put up warnings and little chili pepper icons if you were about to send a message that is offensive.

One way to tune Firefox for Gmail is do not clear the cache. Gmail is not as bad if you keep the cache.
cowboy
Posts: 164
Joined: October 29th, 2003, 11:11 am

Re: Gmail slow

Post by cowboy »

Thanks, that helps.
So TB doesn't take Gmail "as is" it strips it out/cleans it up so to speak.....

I had tried to install TB before with a different email account, and had problems getting it set up.
It was an off brand email (not gmail,yahoo etc) fastmail....

Maybe I will try it again for GM.

Are there any down sides to using TB ? security, tracking, performance, whatever ?

Thanks

p.s. sorry for the typo, I said FB firebird before....... I think there used to be such a thing ??
Jn 17:17
lasardo
Posts: 182
Joined: September 9th, 2018, 1:41 pm

Re: Gmail slow

Post by lasardo »

Firebird was a previous name for Firefox I think.

For tracking, you could say Thunderbird is better - it can block javascript or remote images in emails, it can access emails without setting any cookies, it can view emails as text only which would avoid many types of viruses and many tracking methods such as web bugs (tracking images that may be invisible or only 1 pixel).

Downsides of Thunderbird - one is the effort of setting it up for the first time. Second, since it is a piece of software it updates from time to time. The biggest gotcha is this though - you can in Thunderbird choose to "leave messages on the server" or not. If you do not leave messages on the server, the *only* copy of them is the one in your computer - so an accident, crash or virus could lose them. If you keep them only locally, it would be your responsibility to make backups of your computer or the Thunderbird data.
cowboy
Posts: 164
Joined: October 29th, 2003, 11:11 am

Re: Gmail slow

Post by cowboy »

I can and do backup my desktop so that isn't an issue, are there any other issues/benefits of having them local vs server ?

Is there an option to have them on the server AND locally ?
Jn 17:17
lasardo
Posts: 182
Joined: September 9th, 2018, 1:41 pm

Re: Gmail slow

Post by lasardo »

Yes they can be on the server and stored locally as well. You can just tell it (if you are using POP3) to leave messages on the server, I am pretty sure that is the default anyway. IMAP is a little different, things get complicated. One neat thing about an email client is (almost always with POP3, sometimes with IMAP) you can read your old emails even if the internet was down for some reason.

If you have backups, there are subtle pros and cons of leaving on the server. For the most part it is personal preference, but suppose someone hacks your password. If you have your emails left on the server, the hacker could access them. If not, they couldn't. Or, if someone with a subpoena wanted your emails, if they are on the server maybe they get them instantly, if they are on your computer you may still be it trouble, but if they are on your computer and you use an advanced method like full disk encryption maybe you would be safe.
cowboy
Posts: 164
Joined: October 29th, 2003, 11:11 am

Re: Gmail slow

Post by cowboy »

So , I'm , on Win 7, w/ FF 63.0.1

Would be working with Gmail.....

Would I use Pop, Imap ? would both be available ? or is there a default ?
Jn 17:17
lasardo
Posts: 182
Joined: September 9th, 2018, 1:41 pm

Re: Gmail slow

Post by lasardo »

You can use either with Gmail as mentioned here: https://support.google.com/mail/answer/7126229 and here https://support.google.com/mail/answer/7104828
Neither works until you go into gmail webmail and turn one of them on as in those links above.
Thunderbird would pick imap as the default if you do the automatic configuration, you can read about imap and pop3 more. With pop3, your emails are in a simple format stored on your own computer. There are files with no file extension in your Thunderbird profile on your computer that, if you opened with a text editor you would just see all your emails one after another. Tools exist that can convert those into traditional filetypes like MBOX or EML. With imap, you will have to do your own research about how it works, but it is definitely different.

Note: pop3 only ever accesses the gmail INBOX, and when you send messages it can put them in a sent folder. If you want to organize with folders, you do it using Thunderbird, but on the gmail server itself you cannot have other folders. If you have other folders on gmail webmail, a pop3 email client cannot see them!!! If you need to fix this temporarily, you can move all messages back into the webmail inbox, then download them all, then sort them within Thunderbird.
lasardo
Posts: 182
Joined: September 9th, 2018, 1:41 pm

Re: Gmail slow

Post by lasardo »

There is a Thunderbird support or Thunderbird general forum here http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewforum.php?f=50 where more Thunderbird users could see and answer questions you might have. You might want to get a second opinion on some of this stuff so you probably could make a new post in one of those forums.
They would have different thoughts about if you should use Thunderbird vs webmail, and pop vs imap. To tell the truth the main reason I don't use imap is probably just that I don't understand how it works and how to effectively make backups using it, but I have heard it is possible to make backups using it.
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DanRaisch
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Re: Gmail slow

Post by DanRaisch »

Both POP and IMAP access are available from Gmail and both work fine in Thunderbird. As for advantages and disadvantages, that depends on how you access/use your email. Will you be accessing the account from multiple computers or just one? Do you have a very large amount of mail on Google right now?

With IMAP your messages are stored on the server and can be accessed from multiple computers, both sent and received messages. Gmail IMAP does have some quirks, such as putting a copy of your sent messages in your own inbox as well as the defined sent folder.

POP accounts are good if you access the mail on only one computer or one computer and a mobile device. They also allow you to easily back up all of your message data as it is stored on your local computer.
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tanstaafl
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Re: Gmail slow

Post by tanstaafl »

See http://kb.mozillazine.org/IMAP_backup for suggestions on how to make backups for a IMAP account.
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