Not only can the be another Gmail, but there's also a huge need for it. Gmail lags quite a lot (even on fast connections), and the price you have to pay to get it for free is the fact that Google builds a huge database on your person/interests, and that American authorities have easy access to your data because of the Patriot Act.
I'd much rather pay a small sum of money to a provider in Europe ( = better privacy laws).
I disagree with your view of CodeIgniter. It's one of the best documented frameworks out there; it's quick to learn; and it doesn't require a lot of typing/coding. It's best suited for smaller projects, I would say, but for those projects it rocks.
I'd much rather pay a small sum of money to a provider in Europe ( = better privacy laws).