What is GMail?

[Coldicote]

I browse with Internet Explorer and my opening page is normally Google. At the top of the Google page there are various tabs including an invitation to 'Sign in' for GMail. I see one has to have a Username and a Password, so presumably it's an alternative to Outlook Express - or is it? Can someone please explain what benefit there is, if any, by signing in for GMail? I would appreciate a better understanding rather than risk upsetting my present system trying it out.

[whiskeryron]

I have both gmail & hotmail emails & thunderbird email client to gather all of my mails together & I find the setup works very well .Ron.