PipStop

One thing I've never understood is the Internet Service Provider email address.

Or to be more specific, the people who actually use them.

And to be clear about what I mean, I'm talking about those out there that have email addresses through their Internet provider, such as Comcast, Shaw, Telus, etc. 

WHY???

Those email addresses are not portable. In a society of great technological advancements, ISP-based email addresses is akin to going back and using an Apple IIe (I think I used one in elementary school 25 years ago).

If you ever have the wonderful opportunity to move to a different country, you're out of luck. If you ever move to another side of the country you live in, you may be out of luck.

Plus many ISP's have their "own" ways to filter out what they consider bad. Problem is while doing that they filter out a lot of what's good too.

I'm an unabashed Google Gmail fan. I love it, and I, for the life of me can't see why everyone isn't using it. To compartmentalize my email life, I have four Gmail accounts. I use Gmail IMAP to synchronize all my email on three computers to my email client of choice, Mozilla's Thundebird. Plus I always have the opportunity, if I'm not on any of those three computers to pull up a web browser and check any of my Gmail accounts.

And you might think that's all so difficult and convoluted. Well a little time investment to look into it, and a few questions can save you a lot of time down the road.

I also conduct a Traders Technology Online Training Room Monday and Wednesday at 10 p.m. (PT), and I go over things like this.

As much as I'd like to I'd even question why Hotmail and Yahoo Mail users don't use Gmail - but I'll leave those debates and potential conversions to family gatherings.