Gmail is Google's email service.
Starting next week (Wednesday) Window users can use GMAIL with a Windows
Program, similar to Outlook express.
For information go to Welcome to Gmail
Macintosh Users using Entourage (A MS) program can set up a GMAIL box
on their computer. Use the POP Account.

Just thought I'd chip in.

I've been using gmail for years now. I quite like my account there. Especially the spam countermeasures are effective, but I've been using a wide variety of its features.
I never bothered with email clients (POP-based) like Outlook and the like. I just can't see the point of using that when there's a web based solution... but that's me.

The idea of a Microsoft account, or a POP account is for the ease of use.
I have a Group Mailbox for a group I run. And it is fully functionally from
my computer without signing in to a website (Microsoft or GMAIL).
Yahoo! charges for POP account information.
Previously I was using Optonline.net but ran into a problem.
I use Entourage, a Microsoft Program for Macintosh which runs all of my
mail features.
For those not in the group mode, probably signing in and out does not matter.
I have to wonder in the World Wide that eventually mail programs, Apple,
Microsoft, GMAIL will send and receive mail in various languages.
Which at the present time is limited.
My Macintosh, and probably Window machines have fonts or language programs built in, Chinese, Hebrew, Arabic, Russian and so on.
The idea of Gmail is that you get a lot of storage.
And ease of use.
It took me less than 2 minutes to set up an account into my Microsoft Program. Probably next week due to what MS is doing, I will be able to receive mail into Entourage, (A MS program). At the present I am only able to send mail.
GMAIL by the way shows up on your computer for ease of use.
Settings: There is a Spam setting in GMAIL.
from GMail into Entourage.

I too have been using gmail for years. Unfortunately its biggest problem is that you can't file your emails (even if you want to). They have some stupid label system. I admit, though, they're anti-spam measures are great and very little spam reaches my inbox there.

That said, however, I think Outlook is vastly superior to gmail in many respects.

AO

According to Google, and MS you can integrate GMail into Outlook Express.
Something is happening today, Tuesday, where MS indicate it will no longer block GMAIL from MS products.
Go to GMAIL SETUP. A whole list of MS products will show.
For Macintosh users Apple Mail can receive GMAIL using the POP account.
I use Entourage a MS advanced product not available for Windows yet,
and receive GMail, and send GMail through the program.