WengoPhone vs. Skype

[Derek Broughton]

Brad De Vries wrote:

> On 8/28/07, Gene Heskett <gene.heskett at verizon.net> wrote:

> It sounds like you're a bit unhappy with vz.  Have you considered a
> different ISP?  Also, on a personal note, I find it rarely helps your
> cause or your standing to use "non-repeating vocabulary or unprintable
> words" or to get personally abusive towards others.  I do, however,
> encourage the escalation method if you're not satisfied with the
> results your getting.

At least you can escalate.  I'm stuck with a damn satellite ISP that refuses
to ever let me talk to anybody above them.
> 
>> I use fetchmail, then procmail and spamassassin for all incoming mail,
>> sorted to mailing list folders here in kmail, but I haven't figured out
>> how to tell
>> fetchmail to suck the vz junkmail folder.

Have you tried getting to them via IMAP?  I've found that most ISPs install
mail servers that have both POP3 and IMAP by default, and never even seem
to realize IMAP is turned on.  I complained to mine that the server
certificate for their IMAP was invalid, and they told me I'd have to
subscribe to a pricier plan to get IMAP...

Anyway, if that works, fetchmail can retrieve the junkmail.

> I've setup my wife's account to use a very similar process.  She also
> has a gmail account and I've setup our server to pull with fetchmail,
> deliver to procmail, and route through sa.  (Shameless plug for gmail
> that provides POP3 and SMTP access on their free e-mail system.) 

That's the way to go - with a 10MB mail account, it only needs one person to
send you the pictures of what you were doing the night before to prevent
you getting any mail at all!

> It 
> doesn't work as well for me because I'm on the road more and it's very
> convenient to retrieve my personal e-mail from a client's PC that has
> Internet access or via hotel Internet access.  I rarely connect my 
> work-required Windows laptop  to a client's network for fear of
> viruses, etc.

I have a cheap hosting account that gives me shell access.  When at a
client's, I access gmail via ssh through the shell account.
> 
> The other advantage to something like gmail is that when I change
> ISPs, I don't have to change e-mail addresses.

They have Hosted service, too - my pointerstop.ca MX _is_ gmail.
-- 
derek