...with yahoo and hotmail email services? Personally I find them slow (especially hotmail...), with TOO much ads and keep in mind that yahoo stopped giving us pop access a long time ago ;(
Don't forget also that you have to pay to get extra storage (they offer up to 6mb for "free") whereareas Apple give us 15mb ;(
Also, if you don't use outlook/entourage you DON'T get access via your email app even on hotmail
Also, their navigation while in a browser sucks EVEN with yahoo's somewhat new beta navigation system which is of course better than their old one and hotmail's too! Apple's WebMail is SO clean and fast and makes even non-experienced users start using it immediately!
As for .Mac WORTH (and not cost) being $100 per year, to me seems that it is actually $50 for the first year, then $100 for the next ones... Also, DON'T forget that what Apple offers it functions with your OS (mostly jaguar that is) as one! Also, take note that what you get DOESN'T include ads which is standard between yahoo and hotmail services which ALL of you saying that you get free not considering the ads that pop up here and there all the time! Free services my behind
Here is an idea: Instead of asking Apple to give you .Mac for free, if you prefer the ads system of yahoo, hotmail, etc, write to Apple saying that you prefer the ads instead of paid service and see what happens! I've seen MANY people and not only on this forum saying that up until now they were getting iTools for free. True. But NOT .Mac services! They were getting what was somewhat a part of what .Mac is now or even better will be... However, Jobs at NY MacWorld said it better: The world is changing, M$ and other companies charge for similar services and other companies closed their doors because of their Free similar offerings. So, Apple HAS to take money for .Mac if actually we want it to exist... (Well actually he didn't say EXACTLY these words but you got the point)
To mee, only the idea of NOT needing other services to get work done and all this having not to point my browser here and there, back and forth all the time, seeing all those ads and pop-up windows, etc, I say this: Jaguar + .Mac = WORTH what Apple asks for and maybe even more!
WORTH, WORTH, WORTH and not COST, COST, COST for .Mac and Jaguar
About iDisk: is not only handy when you need to use internet storage but you also get loads of utilities, demos, patches, etc. from the same access point instead of browsing Apple downloads, Cnet downloads, Versiotracker, etc. Also, have you seen any easier method for uploading/downloading files? Full drag'n'drop support via the Finder!
One final thing: Jobs himself said that .Mac will offer MORE services in the not so distant future and it is more likely that this will happen without the need of paying more (other than the $50 or $100). At least they will be free if most of us, the Mac consumers, will support .Mac! What do you except guys? M$ consumers to support .Mac? Come on!
