Ippimail is closing
Dear Friends,
Ippimail is due to be taken down any minute now. Friday 1st May 2009.
Thanks to all who have supported us over the years. Part of me is incredibly proud of what we did and part of me feels I let everybody down by not making it work longer term. Next time perhaps.
I must mention Kate and Lorraine who worked with me on this and put up with so much. Special mention also to Jason, the original developer on ippimail. Without him it would probably never have happened and I miss working with him.
Look out for the Big Red Hand on future projects 🙂
Love
Simon
Dear Friends,
It is with very great regret that we have to announce the closure of the ippimail project.
Had the economic climate been better we may have been able to keep going for longer but we just can’t carry on without an income.
I have promised to give you all three months notice so barring a miracle we will take the site down at noon on the 1st May 2009, UK time.
Please rest assured that any personal data we have on our server will be deleted without being passed to any third parties.
For this reason it is imperative that you remove any email you need from your account by forwarding it to another email address. There is *absolutely no way* we will be able to retrieve your email after the 1st May 2009.
Please also be sure to tell all your contacts that you have a new email address. Mail sent to any ippimail address *will not* be delivered after 1st May 2009. It would make sense to do this sooner rather than later and keep checking your ippimail account for anyone who hasn’t got the message.
It’s quite likely that we will do another ‘Social Enterprise’ in the future so it’s important that we complete the ippimail project in the best possible way. Please put any comments you may have in our forums or post a comment below
Many thanks to those people, all over the world, who have supported the project over the last few years.
Sincerely
Simon
Simon Martin
Ippimail's status blog 
June 20, 2009 at 4:50 am |
It is very sad to see so much of what we all were coming to an end. and now you too. I wish you well for the future. Ippimail was inspired.
June 20, 2009 at 8:50 am |
Barry,
I have something else I’m working on which I’m hoping people will join me in. A new Social Enterprise along the same lines as ippimail but something I can do myself as opposed to relying on external developers quite so much. In the next few months with a bit of luck…
I think what you are doing is great btw… 🙂 http://www.barryvoss.com
Simon
May 4, 2009 at 8:37 pm |
sad to hear ippimail is closing. I will check what u become. Thanks anyway 🙂
May 2, 2009 at 7:55 pm |
Thanks for everything, Simon – sorry it didn’t work out. I hope that something can begin again in the future that is set aside from the uncharitable corporations we once again have to use!
Cheers,
Frost
May 2, 2009 at 9:49 am |
As the main developer of Ippimail I will be sad to see it die, Simon has been a very dedicated man in pursuing an idea that has a very high moral standing in this world full of greed, and I for one am grateful for being involved in such a cool project.
Thank you all for your kind comments and support over the last few years, let us hope that Ippimail is just sleeping for the moment.
May 1, 2009 at 4:32 pm |
If I happen to win an inordinate amount of money (or even just a reasonable amount), I’ll put some of it towards a new ippimail. Who knows? Stranger things have happened. Gordon Brown, prime minister. John Major and the egg woman. I rest my case.
May 1, 2009 at 2:16 am |
bump (just so that I can check the ‘notify me’ box – just in case something gets off the ground in the future). Bye for now.
May 1, 2009 at 2:14 am |
Here’s to Ippimail past and what may come. Good luck Simon and thank you.
April 30, 2009 at 6:19 pm |
So sad to hear this, I’ve always liked Ippimails way of doing things 😦
Guess I’ll have to transfer everything over to gmail.
April 30, 2009 at 2:46 pm |
Bye! See you sometime, somewhere, somehow!
April 29, 2009 at 11:02 pm |
Well, it was great while it lasted. Best regards to all who started and worked on Ippimail. Best of luck in all your future endeavours. Thanks for offering this very cool service.
April 13, 2009 at 9:40 am |
Really sorry to hear you are closing. It is so good to have a second email address that is web based rather than reliant on ISP. I’d happily make an annual subscription if that would help to keep ippimail going.
Ann,
Thank you so much for your support.
I think the subscription thing just isn’t going to work out. There’s just not enough people willing to do it.
One day ippimail will be back 🙂
Simon
April 1, 2009 at 11:18 am |
Dittoing the subscription fee. I’m genuinely very saddened that this hasn’t worked out. I love being able to help charities rather than big business. Thankyou so so much for trying, you’ve made a difference xx
March 2, 2009 at 8:21 pm |
Good heavens, one more good act making an exit. I love my ippimail. It is just unfortunate that we are all victims of the phenomenin called economic recession.
March 2, 2009 at 1:35 pm |
I am also willing to pay a subscription fee. Count me in.
February 26, 2009 at 7:55 am |
Just been on the forum and I reckon that’s about £500 straight off, so if we do all pull together, it may be viable.
Simon, I never got an email about this and just found out (at the front door), so get informing us useless scrotes. Hopefully there’s more out there like the wonderful people above.
Regardless, thanks for a brilliant idea and heaps of hard work that you put in over the years.
Best of luck for this or the next one!
dave
Dave, Worrying that you never got the email about this… I’ll keep reminding people. We’ll see what the total comes to. Simon
February 24, 2009 at 7:09 pm |
oh gosh…you know i made up a flyer about ippimail ages ago cos i tend to know people who hand out alot of flyers for events and in hippi circles… everything got really stressy and i couldnt afford printing at the time and so i didnt end up putting it out there, thought it must be doing oh k…i had tried to get in touch with you but guessed you wouldnt mind me doing it, but i knew you guys were working with no extras so i didnt make a fuss…what a shame cos its a good facility…well done
February 22, 2009 at 2:41 pm |
Are you going along with Tara’s suggestion? If so where will we find the information?
Amanda, I’m just about to send out the email but basically…:
Log in to your ippimail account
Go to our Forums. The link is in the navigation bar below the top three tabs when you are looking at your inbox.
Click on the link named ‘Taking up a collection to keep ippimail going’. It’s the first topic in the forums.
Click on the ‘Donate to ippimail’ link.
Cast your vote in the poll. **Don’t forget to click ‘Submit’**
This should give us a quick and easy measure of how much milage there is in the idea.
The poll will run for 30 days. You only get one shot at a vote. Simon
February 20, 2009 at 6:54 pm |
Go for it Simon, lets see how much support there is.
Best of luck.
Mike.
February 19, 2009 at 11:53 am |
Hello Simon,
Surely if we all subscribed a few pounds each, it would be enough to keep you afloat? Without wanting to be accused of canvassing, could you not email all members and ask for a definitive yey or ney from people?
Best regards,
Tara.
Tara, I’m going to send out a message this weekend. 🙂 Simon
February 18, 2009 at 8:40 pm |
A subscription charge, I’m up for it!
Lets get it moving, email me. freckletonmusic[at}rocketmail.com
COME ON, WE HAVEN’T GOT LONG!
February 18, 2009 at 1:24 am |
I want to echo everything everybody has said: it is a great shame ippimail has to close. It brought a real human feel to email. Also due to the real care Simon took with everything, his personal touch in ‘customer care’ and all that. I also would like to know what you and others on the ‘make it human’ front here are up to (and will send that email to the webmaster). Simon, couldn’t we keep this blog here going also for updates, or even discussion (tips) for a really human email community? May all your efforts be rewarded manifold. You should be getting this executive bonus!
Thank you for all your caring and sharing, and best wishes for what will be next.
AR, Thanks for the kind words 🙂 Certainly this blog will stay here, for what it’s worth. There’s no reason to take it down. Perhaps it will be a monument to the project. Simon
February 13, 2009 at 8:35 pm |
Bravo for everything you all have done! Great work! It was not wasted! Here’s to the big wonderful things you all are able to embark on now. Thank you for all the professionalism and kindness. Great things are in store for each of you! 🙂
February 13, 2009 at 12:59 pm |
Sorry to hear of the closure of this worthy cause. I’ve been proud to have supported the Ippimail project and hope to see another such social enterprise when the economic climate is more favourable.
Thanks for your service and all the best.
February 11, 2009 at 3:16 pm |
so sorry to hear the sad news, thankyou Simon and all at ippimail. please can you let us know if you manage an other venture.
February 10, 2009 at 3:44 pm |
This is such a shame. Have loved my Ippimail account and what you guys stand for. I’d too be up for paying some sort of subscription, especially if a portion of it could go to charity too? Whats the current thoughts on this?? Amy x
Amy, Thanks for the thought but we’d need *hundreds* of people volunteering to pay a small subscription and we just aren’t getting that sort of response. I can’t see it happening. Sorry. Simon
February 10, 2009 at 12:39 pm |
I’m with Skeye are you going to keep some sort of list to let us know when you do your next venture? Amanda x
Amanda, Sure. I sent a message out recently in fact. Just send me an email to webmaster[at]ippimail.com. Put ‘Keep in touch!’ in the subject line. Remember to use your new, non-ippimail address. Thanks 🙂 Simon
February 9, 2009 at 11:00 pm |
Sorry to here you’re shutting down. I would have willingly paid an annual subscription for this service, especially knowing I was helping good causes.
R, just not enough people of a like mind to you 🙂 I wish. Simon
February 9, 2009 at 4:49 pm |
”“It’s quite likely that we will do another ‘Social Enterprise’ in the future”
In the event that you do, can I be on a mailing list? ”
please let me know too. I shall miss ippimail. Thank you for all you did
MM, I’d really like to keep in touch with people who are interested in our next project. Just send a message to webmaster[at]ippimail.com with ‘Keep in touch!’ in the subject and I’ll let you know if we manage to do something else. Remember to send the message using your new, non-ippimail address. Simon
February 7, 2009 at 9:38 pm |
I just gotta say *damn*skippi is going to miss you!
Really, this has been the best e-mail service, it has been a great alternative to the ‘big guys’. Sorry to see you go, but I thank you for all you have done and shown how it can be done.
“It’s quite likely that we will do another ‘Social Enterprise’ in the future”
In the event that you do, can I be on a mailing list? I am keeping my Yahoo account for a backup.
Be well Simon!
Peace…
February 6, 2009 at 4:51 pm |
When is the collection starting?
Amanda, There just isn’t enough people responding positively to take up a meaningful collection. Sorry. Simon
February 6, 2009 at 12:08 am |
I am sorry to hear this. Best regards.
February 5, 2009 at 9:42 pm |
I feared that apparent lack of demand, coupled with the current economic situation, would probably end up forcing Ippimail to close. I say “apparent” lack of demand because there probably is sufficient demand for a service like this, the trouble is that those who would like it don’t know you exist because you don’t have either the established brand or marketing budget of other webmail providers. Thank you for trying and for persisting for as long as you could. As an occasional forum contributor, I would also echo those thanking Simon for responding so well to comments.
If you would still like your everyday use of the web to help your favourite charity at no cost to yourself, then you might be interested in the UK based search engine Everyclick.com. It donates a tiny amount for each search you make, but those tiny amounts all add up and, what is more, you can choose any registered UK charity to benefit from your searching.
Good luck in the future to all involved with Ippimail.
Edit from Simon: The google search on ippimail does exactly the same thing as ‘Everyclick’. Moot point now of course 🙂
February 5, 2009 at 8:22 pm |
Thank you for running this site and for your professional and helpful service. I’m very sorry to see it go, but hope it will reappear in some other form at a future date.
February 5, 2009 at 4:48 pm |
I know i’d happily pay a years subscription fee to keep it going…!
February 5, 2009 at 4:41 pm |
By all means keep me informed of future projects. I have loved ippimail for all the same reasons other people have posted on the forum. A job well done, even now: I’m truly grateful for the three-month warning, since I have so many correspondents to redirect.
Like the rest of us, I’m busy contacting correspondents and giving them a new address, and now I’m starting to think about what to do with all my saved messages in ippimail.
You exhort us to “remove any email you need from your account by forwarding it to another email address”. Do you mean that literally? I have to take every single message and forward it to another account, so it now has a new header and timestamp?
Is there no way we can grab our saved messages unchanged, for example via POP?
Ted, I can’t promise anything but I’m looking in to providing IMAP access for the remainder of ippimail’s time. I don’t think POP is an option as it would most probably need login details of its own. Simon
February 4, 2009 at 10:32 pm |
Oh no! I love my ippimail. What a shame. please come back.
February 4, 2009 at 10:58 am |
It’s a shame, after struggling for so long to have to give up when, the people who got us into this mess have had buckets of our money thrown at them.
Pity the powers that be couldn’t chuck some your way!
Thanks for your professionalism and the best of luck for your future ventures.
What a sad day.
Take care.
February 4, 2009 at 10:52 am |
Albert Straub said: “I think I’m going to cry. Thank you!”
Albert, These comments are bringing a tear to me for sure. It’s going to be hard to think of ippimail as gone.
Several people have suggested taking up a collection to keep the project going so I’m going to start a thread on the subject in our forums. Join me please.
Simon
February 4, 2009 at 10:11 am |
I can only echo the sadness expressed by fellow ippimail users. This is such disappointing news. It was really satisfying for me to know that the simple act of emailing my friends and family was something that potentially benefited others in need. Well done team ippimail for providing such a great service. I genuinely feel quite sad that I’ll have to refer my contacts to my hotmail account. Ippimail is special for me because I use it exclusively as a space for keeping in touch with my family and friends. All the best for any future endeavours. I’ll miss ippimail and I’ll always feel very proud to have been part of it.
February 3, 2009 at 9:24 pm |
That’s bad news. I just got someone to use ippimail only last month.
It was good while it lasted.
Good luck with your future projects.
February 3, 2009 at 8:32 pm |
Dear Simon.
I’m so sorry to hear that you are shutting down – what will I do without my ippimail? You run such a professional service and your spam filters are second to none.
I will miss my ippimail address – and raising money for good causes.
I second the donation thing – bear it mind? I’m sure that even the odd tenner from the unemployed (me!) might help!
All the best for the future
Triv
February 3, 2009 at 8:16 pm |
too bad, but it speaks volumes of our world that financially cut throat organisations seem to survive any storm yet charitable ventures go under….so all of us have got to keep thinking and doing positive things in our own little individual ways, to keep the balance…..good luck simon, you are a great example for us all.
February 3, 2009 at 7:15 pm |
I think I’m going to cry. Thank you!
February 3, 2009 at 6:09 pm |
This is really sad news. I’ve loved using ippimail because I’ve just LOVED the fact that me rambling away online has made money for charities. It has been an absolutely superb idea and will hopefully be a trailblazer for other similar projects.
Thanks for all your hard work, you’ve made a difference to the world.
February 3, 2009 at 5:18 pm |
It came as a complete shock to me. Over the last 6 years that I have spent on using different email accounnts, ippimail is the most admirable service. I am very much sad that ippimail is shutting down. Simon has alwys been a much helpful and patient guy. Since 2006, my first stint with ippimail, its never been a single time time that he had not replied to the problems I have posted in ippimail forums. I did not even get such attention from yahoo or even gmail.
I am not in the the positon to donate anything (except my technical skills) otherwise I could have donated 300 pounds only on my own 😦
I am proud to be an ippimail user.
February 3, 2009 at 1:27 pm |
Hello Simon,
Taking into consideration the uniqueness of Ippimail, I’ve been posting links to Ippimail at different message boards etc. Thankyou for giving me the opportunity to do service activities of such a nature.
Bhagavad Gita, a scripture book from India, speaks about engaging in righteous action (Dharma) without attachment to the results of that action, and making every action sacred… Ippimail endeavor has indeed created ripples of righteousness and charity across many people from different parts of the globe.
You have played an important in that endeavor. Wishing you the Best.
My appreciations to all people who were part of this endeavor.
Regards,
Ajith
Ajith, Thanks for those kind words. I love how ippimail has reached out around the world. I just wish there were more of us… Simon
February 3, 2009 at 10:31 am |
To all involved with ippimail – it is sad that you are no longer able to continue to offer such a professional and admirable service. My friends will no more be able to smile at my “hippimail” address! Good luck for your next social enterprise and well done for doing so much for all the charities that you helped to raise the profile of.
Kind regards,
Tara.
February 3, 2009 at 10:12 am |
Frost,
That’s a kind offer but to get on an even footing we would need in the order of £3000. That would get us a year’s hosting and an upgraded site on a new server (I’m holding my breath that our server will last until May) but I’m not sure if we ought to be keeping something alive for which there isn’t sufficient demand.
Simon
February 3, 2009 at 10:03 am |
This sucks – can we help at all? Donations from member perhaps?
Frost
February 3, 2009 at 9:04 am |
Hi Guys – having only just set up my email address with you because my longtime email address is facing the same problem, i ‘m sorry to hear that you too are now closing down. Such a worthwhile cause with obvious committment to do good, it’s not fair….
hope you manage to find a way to stay, but if you dont in this way, no doubt you’ll find another ‘social enterprise’ soon!
all the best, and take care – kT 🙂
February 3, 2009 at 8:36 am |
I’m so sorry, I’ve enjoyed being with Ippimail and what it stands for, sadly Amanda
February 3, 2009 at 12:24 am |
sorry to hear of the closure of this site, round of applause to all involved for giving it a go & trying so long . good luck with any future plans you have.
regards
patricia
February 2, 2009 at 10:00 pm |
So sad to hear this news Simon. We will take steps this week.
Thanks for all your help in the past.
Kind regards
Lin & Mo
February 2, 2009 at 9:52 pm |
That’s too sad, but not surprising in the current economic climate. For an organisation that hasn’t been making any money, you’ve been very professional. (Including the way you’re handling the shutdown.)