General Recommendations for Mail Clients for UCSB Connect

Owned by Marc Miller
Last updated: Sept 18, 2018
3 min read

Here is a recommendation list for clients to use with your UCSB Connect Account based on what type of system you are on.

Important Note

At this time, it is strongly recommended to make use of the GMail Web or App available for your Computer/Device.

UCSB Connect (GMail) is designed mostly for this interface and while some of the Email Client programs can access GMail, we have found users with several years worth of email have issues with Email Clients as far as responsiveness is concerned or disk space issue over time.

Our support with regards to UCSB Connect is setting up a connection, but may not extend to improving responsiveness or managing of email in general.


Windows

This chart lists in order of Best to Reasonable experience

Client

Mail

Calendar

Contacts

Notes

Web

*

*

*

Any web browser can view UCSB Connect Mail, Contacts and Calendar at
Mail/Contacts -  https://mail.google.com/a/ucsb.edu
Calendar - http://www.connect.ucsb.edu/calendar

Microsoft Outlook

*

*

*

Most functionality is accomplished using the Google Apps Sync software provided here:

https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gappssync

Mozilla Thunderbird

*

(a)

*

(b)

*

(b)(c)

(a) Requires UCSB Connect Account to allow IMAP connections.
(b) Requires a Thunderbird Extension to be installed
(c) Does not support Thunderbird’s Distribution Lists

Windows 10 Mail/People/Calendar App

*

*

(d)

*

(e)

(d) Only shows your UCSB Connect Calendars, not ones shared to your UCSB Connect Calendar.

(e) Only shows your UCSB Connect Contacts, does not pull the UCSB Directory

If you are not using your Web Browser for your UCSB Connect, we recommend Microsoft Outlook with the Google Apps Sync software to allow you to have a separate client for Work Mail/Calendar/Contacts.

Mozilla Thunderbird is free, only requiring two extensions to incorporate the Calendar and Contact syncing with UCSB connect.

Mail/People/Calendar built in Apps in Windows 10 also work, but Contact and Calendar is limited to just your UCSB Connect Contact and Calendar.

Mac

Here is a chart of clients we would recommend in order of Best to Reasonable experience

Client

Mail

Calendar

Contacts

Notes

Web Browser

*

*

*

Any web browser can view UCSB Connect Mail, Contacts and Calendar at
Mail/Contacts -  https://mail.google.com/a/ucsb.edu
Calendar - http://www.connect.ucsb.edu/calendar

Mozilla Thunderbird

*

(a)

*

(b)

*

(c)

(a) Requires UCSB Connect Account to allow IMAP connections.
(b) Requires a Thunderbird Extension to be installed
(c) Does not support Thunderbird’s Distribution Lists

Mac Mail/Contacts/Calendar

*

*

(d)

*

(d) Only shows UCSB Connect Account’s Calendars, not Calendars shared to Account

Microsoft Outlook

*

(a)

(e)

(e)

(a) Requires UCSB Connect Account to Allow IMAP connections.

(e) Currently not supported by Client

The best experience is to make use of the Web Browser client.

Mozilla Thunderbird would be the next best client to have Mail, Calendar and Contact support.

The Mail/Contact/Calendar apps for OS X will work within reason, but the Calendar will not be able to show Shared Calendars.

At the moment, Microsoft Outlook for Mac will only support Mail.  Calendar in Outlook is not fully functional and there is no contact syncing.

Linux

Here is the current list of clients we recommend to use for UCSB Connect for Linux from Best to Reasonable use:

Client

Mail

Calendar

Contacts

Notes

Web Browser

*

*

*

Any web browser can view UCSB Connect Mail, Contacts and Calendar at
Mail/Contacts -  https://mail.google.com/a/ucsb.edu
Calendar - http://www.connect.ucsb.edu/calendar

Mozilla Thunderbird

*

(a)

*

(b)

*

(c)

(a) Requires UCSB Connect Account to allow IMAP connections.
(b) Requires a Thunderbird Extension to be installed
(c) Does not support Thunderbird’s Distribution Lists

UCSB Connect is best served using a Web browser.

If, however, you would like to use another client, Mozilla Thunderbird is the closest we can recommend using at this time.

Android

At this time, we would highly recommend using Gmail and the default Calendar and Contacts sync with Android.

iPhone/iPad

Here is a list of Clients we currently recommend from Best to Reasonable experience:

Client

Mail

Calendar

Contacts

Notes

Gmail (With Google Calendar)

*

*

(a)

*

(b)

(a) Google Calendar App would cover this functionality

(b) No ability to add/modify contacts

iOS Mail/Contacts/Calendar

*

*

(c)(d)

*

(d)

(c) Only shows UCSB Connect Account’s Calendars, not Calendars shared to Account

(d) Requires changes in Setting to create Calendar/Contacts in UCSB Connect Account’s Calendar/Contacts

Microsoft Outlook

*

*

(e)

*

(f)

(e) Only shows UCSB Connect Account’s Calendars, not Calendars shared to Account

(f) No ability to add/modify contacts

We recommend the Gmail App, even with its inability to modify the contacts, as an Account setup on your iPhone/iPad, you can sync the contacts that way.  The Gmail App will also pull from the UCSB Directory for email.

The Google Calendar App is also recommended, as it will show all calendars shared to your UCSB Connect account, whereas the default Calendar App will only show your UCSB Connect Account Calendars.

The iOS Calendar and Contacts, by default, will only add to the iCloud/Device’s Calendar and Contacts unless you go into Settings and set the Default Calendar/Contacts to point to Gmail if you are creating new Calendar invites or Contacts on your iPhone/iPad.  Unlike the Mac, you will not be able to choose where you want to add the Calendar Entry or Contact when creating a new entry.

The Microsoft Outlook App can only pull down the Contact information from UCSB Connect Account, but you can not add or modify it.  The Calendar function works to a degree, but does not update in a timely manner if Calendar information is changed from another source.

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