GMail

Not possible in IE8. But you can do it in Firefox.

Anak said:

• Go to Tools, Internet Options
• Switch to Programs tab. Under Internet programs, click Set programs
• Choose Set program access and computer defaults in the pop-up window
• Select Custom as your configuration
• Click the double chevron, scroll down to Choose a default email program, and select a program as your default email client
• Click "OK"

That should do it, but there is a disclaimer at the bottom saying if the program does not respond, you should contact the programs vendor.

And pray how do you get gmail to show up in the list of email programs??

Anak said:

...select a program as your default email client...

I wouldn't expect to see gmail in the list since gmail is a website, not a program. However if you install an email client like Windows Live Mail, gmail can be set as the default account within WLM. WLM would be set as the default program.

Actually I feel that sometimes in the quest to be minimalist we go overboard. Am minimalist myself so this is not directed at anybody in particular. Now gmail notifier, its a tiny app (around 300kb download I think) which makes the task of gmail as default client a breeze, but many of us will go to extraordinary lengths to circumvent that. I noticed the OP's other post about avoiding a 3rd party unzipping utility.

All of us have these beast like computers these days with mammoth hard disks and lots of spare RAM, but we are obsessed about disabling windows components, shutting down services, removing this and deleting that. This is a lesson I have learnt myself- to just sit back and enjoy (win7 indeed lets you do that) instead of always poking and fingering.

Again, this is just a rant, no offense meant.

Bill2 said:

...Now gmail notifier, its a tiny app (around 300kb download I think) which makes the task of gmail as default client a breeze...

Thanks! Found it here: Making Gmail your default mail application - Gmail Help

Bill2 said:

Actually I feel that sometimes in the quest to be minimalist we go overboard. Am minimalist myself so this is not directed at anybody in particular. Now gmail notifier, its a tiny app (around 300kb download I think) which makes the task of gmail as default client a breeze, but many of us will go to extraordinary lengths to circumvent that. I noticed the OP's other post about avoiding a 3rd party unzipping utility.

All of us have these beast like computers these days with mammoth hard disks and lots of spare RAM, but we are obsessed about disabling windows components, shutting down services, removing this and deleting that. This is a lesson I have learnt myself- to just sit back and enjoy (win7 indeed lets you do that) instead of always poking and fingering.

Again, this is just a rant, no offense meant.

Hear hear!!

Nice to hear a guru echo my feelings!