Solution: use Gmail inside a native mail client like Apple Mail or Outlook. All of these "issues" are inherent to Google's style guide and have nothing to do with Gmail as a product. In fact, almost all of his complaints are about Google+!
That's what I was thinking. 90% of the time I check my Gmail on my phone. I only go to the desktop browser when I need to download attachments to my computer without having to transfer from the phone first.
The privacy complaints I can understand. I'll be careful using Google products. I'll delete anything with sensitive information. Beyond that, Gmail is just too convenient. Instead of setting up e-mail on my domain, I just have Gmail take care of it. It's too convenient to give up. The only maintenance involved is deleting old or sensitive emails. And then it's easy to use Gmail with other clients, since the ones I use have a Gmail setting instead of inputting a whole bunch of server parameters.
I'll certainly be careful with it, but I won't ditch it. I like the convenience too much.
