Web portal, web portal, web portal, oh and web portal. Web portals are what people use.

That just sounds like "there's an app for that" with extra steps. Why use this when you can just get the app? Why use that when you can just get the app?

That's part of what put us into this "everything is tracking you" predicament today.

Apps, too. Email, you mean GMail and Outlook?

I use Thunderbird on my phone and Outlook on my work phone. Also, email accessed through a web portal vs locally doesn't mean anything when SMTP is used for both on the backend.

That said, I hate web portals for everything. Many are poorly optimized for mobile, I don't want to be stuck on desktop just to get a PDF of an invoice, and none of them actually notify me about anything. Email is already on my phone - it's one of the definitive features that created the "smart" phone segment in the first place.

You're trying hard to just be negative.

Where did I say it was useless. You’re trying hard to be offended.

Well, your intentionally inflammatory comment certainly doesn't help your case:

You mean spam trap? Outside of 2FA or a few other small things, which even those are using it less. Who actively engages with it on a regular basis. I can DM friends and family easier, with less spam and restrictions on multiple other platforms. And those that do actively engage with it are often using HTML hypertext interfaces. (Proton Gmail etc) I didn’t mention Usenet either. Or ssh that I use daily.

Most people don’t have a pop or SMTP app installed anymore. Not outlook, not Thunderbird, etc etc etc. It’s easy to imagine a world without email. So many other apps and services easily slot in to replace it. And already have in many places. Now, try to imagine a world without HTML or HTTP servers. What would that even look like?

I use Thunderbird on my personal phone, and Outlook on my work phone (configured via MDM). The Gmail app that so many people use can also download emails.

You mean spam trap? Outside of 2FA or a few other small things, which even those are using it less. Who actively engages with it on a regular basis.

And those that do actively engage with it are often using HTML hypertext interfaces. (Proton Gmail etc)

My first paragraph was a direct response to these sentences.

It’s easy to imagine a world without email. So many other apps and services easily slot in to replace it. And already have in many places. Now, try to imagine a world without HTML or HTTP servers. What would that even look like?

My second and third paragraphs were a direct response to this.

My generalized interpretation of your comment was that laypeople don't use email anymore, their only interaction with the internet is through HTTP, and HTTP is the only internet protocol that could not be easily replaced.

My counter argument was that laypeople in the business world absolutely still use email daily, almost always through a client like Outlook, and there are a number of other protocols with varying degrees of usage (among laypeople and enthusiasts) that would also be very difficult to replace.

I apologize if I misunderstood your comment, but hopefully this clarifies my point and intentions.