Just wondering if you guys think it is appropriate to use Google Apps for Domains on a large, "professional" website? Also, emails have to be sent out from the site (i.e. welcome emails). Should these be routed through GMail's SMTP, or should I be using another means (what?). Not sure whether or not I might have something misconfigured, but it seems that when I send through them, it takes at least 1.5 seconds to process (causing a delay in page load)...
If the app is completely appropriate, then by all means use it. If it doesn't add something to the site that your visitors would find usefull, then leave it out. If, for example, your large professional site is about SEO, and you have a Google app to check PR, then that's handy. However, using a Google clock widget just because it say's Google is useless. Welcome emails should always be from the domain they signed up at unless you specifically say that the email will be coming from another related domain. For example, Joining gmail and getting an email from google.com is an acceptable alternative to getting an email from gmail.com. However, I would expect a phishing scam if I saw a welcome email from smoochy.deathstar.r42899.gmail.com or some such thing. If you can route the email through GMail's servers while keeping your domain name in the from address, then that would be acceptable.
Well I'm actually using gmail JUST FOR MYSELF... I use it for personal, and it does such a good job of archiving and just managing mail in general, so I use it for the domain as well (sales@, support@, etc. etc.) It isn't actually a "hey, have an email @ our domain"...
You can but it make your site look unprofessional coz normally client will received email from etc.And if you use the free apps,then your client might interpret that you are not serious enough in doing biz coz using free apps. So avoid it at all cost especially your site is well know