How do you like Google Apps for your domain?

[geckojohn]

Hi,

I have a small insurance agency and thinking about setting Google Apps.

What are the benefits? How do you like it compared to using Outlook?

Please let me know what you think.

Thank you

 

[Reliant]

I currently work for a University. We house all our faculty/staff on Exchange and all our students (30k+) on Google apps. The students like it because it feels and operates like Gmail, I like it because I don't have to Admin mail servers for all the students any longer. I'm not sure how in depth you want to take the Google Apps integration, but some of our largest hurdles were automatic account provisioning using our ERP system and also the migration from GroupWise to Google App and the data migration using their API.

 

[pstylesss]

You already know what I think.... If you use gmail then you've used google apps. I like it just as much or even better than outlook since I can get everything anywhere.

 

[TheTony]

FYI - GAFYD now supports synching with Outlook.

 

[TwiceOver]

We use Google Apps to share some documents with our China facility. Seems to work, but their internet sucks over there.

 

[axelfox]

I like.

 

[George P Burdell]

Google Apps is essentially Gmail + Google Docs + Google Pages + Google Calendar + Google Talk + other Google services branded with your own logo and (optionally) running under your domain name.

On the positive side, you have Google's excellent infrastructure running your email with the same spam-blocking capabilities as Gmail. You also get to use Gmail's excellent search feature on your email. On the downside, the free version has ads running on the side. I use Thunderbird to access my mail over IMAP so I don't have to deal with ads.

 

[QueBert]

I tried to get the Google Calendar SYNC program to work with my Outlook calendar, what a POS program I can't get it to do anything at all! the "beta" tag on Google's stuff is appropriate.

 

[geckojohn]

Is it difficult to setup?

Also, since it has POP email support, does that mean that i can download email to my Outlook if i wish?

 

[pstylesss]

Originally posted by: geckojohn
Is it difficult to setup?

Also, since it has POP email support, does that mean that i can download email to my Outlook if i wish?

Yes it's very easy to support and yes you can set up email to your outlook. You can also setup calendar sync so that you can have shared calendars. I do this with one of my clients.

All it takes to set up is changing MX records and they basically walk you through it... also you may have to put a file on your webhost or set an A record to prove it is your domain.

 

[George P Burdell]

Originally posted by: geckojohn
Is it difficult to setup?

Also, since it has POP email support, does that mean that i can download email to my Outlook if i wish?

It even has IMAP support which is vastly superior to POP.

Originally posted by: geckojohn
Is it difficult to setup?

For email, you just need to change MX entries, which most hosts allow you to do. Some, like Dreamhost, make it even easier. Here's a screenshot

 

[skyking]

I've migrated 4 client domains to it, with few problems.
None of them use google docs extensively.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: ZeroIQ

Originally posted by: geckojohn
Is it difficult to setup?

Also, since it has POP email support, does that mean that i can download email to my Outlook if i wish?

Yes it's very easy to support and yes you can set up email to your outlook. You can also setup calendar sync so that you can have shared calendars. I do this with one of my clients.

All it takes to set up is changing MX records and they basically walk you through it... also you may have to put a file on your webhost or set an A record to prove it is your domain.

the Calendar sync is crap, a lot of people have big problems with it, I know I can't even get it to sync period. The program has no options besides name/password and 1 way or 2 way syncing. I've tried everything with no luck. It does work flawless for a lot of people, but there are plenty of us who can't use it at all. Really sucks because I love the idea of it.

 

[sygyzy]

The Calendar sync works well for me. The one flaw is they always prompt you to choose a profile. I choose one and tick "remember" and it never does!