3 ms·

> their SaaS email (in most cases probably a Gmail account) is in fact their primary identity on the Internet In which case they are in luck. There are a multi

> their SaaS email (in most cases probably a Gmail account) is in fact their primary identity on the Internet In which case they are in luck. There are a multitude of email-providers worldwide, and email is 100% transferable. Many people for instance use Office 365. A similar SaaS, not Google, allowing you to digitally separate who you are from what you do. > did you get your own medical degree so that you can handle all your own medical problems? No. Absolutely not. Nor did I once sign up for a medical check, pledging that I would for the rest of my life use this one medical facility only. Do you know anyone who has ever done so? Ofcourse not, because that makes no sense. And it should similarly make no sense to make such a move in the digital world, maybe there even less. If you separate email (identity) from what you do (like using Google services), the worst Google can do is ban your ability to do business with Google, not your ability to do business at all. As a business, why would anyone be stupid enough to take the risk and let Google have that ability? Edit: As for being the most HN comment ever, how goes conflating email for Gmail and seemingly being unaware of there being other email-providers than Google? I mean, really?

sbarre 7y ago
> In which case they are in luck. There are a multitude of email-providers worldwide, and email is 100% transferable. Really? You think the average person can navigate changing all the services they signed up for with a Google account they've lost access to, and update it to a new account at a new provider? Having helped a few non-technical but still very smart people do this over the years, I can tell you that for most people this would be way more daunting and painful than you believe. > If you separate email (identity) from what you do (like using Google services), the worst Google can do is ban your ability to do business with Google, not your ability to do business at all. You say this so casually, and that's my whole point. Most people wouldn't understand this distinction or even know where to start to actually do this. You rely on your technical knowledge without even realizing it, to even understand the need or option to do this. Again, most people do not have this level of technical acumen. These are unknown unknowns for them. I chose cars, health care, food and housing in my examples because they are day-to-day things for everyone that we all take for granted and don't deeply understand, and rely on experts to handle for us, but can't really live without. That's the Internet for most people. You missed the point by splitting hairs and nit-picking the comparisons. > As for being the most HN comment ever, how goes conflating email for Gmail and seemingly being unaware of there being other email-providers than Google? I mean, really? This is now the second-most HN comment ever. ;-)

sbarre 7y ago

> In which case they are in luck. There are a multitude of email-providers worldwide, and email is 100% transferable. Really? You think the average person can navigate changing all the services they signed up for with a Google account they've lost access to, and update it to a new account at a new provider? Having helped a few non-technical but still very smart people do this over the years, I can tell you that for most people this would be way more daunting and painful than you believe. > If you separate email (identity) from what you do (like using Google services), the worst Google can do is ban your ability to do business with Google, not your ability to do business at all. You say this so casually, and that's my whole point. Most people wouldn't understand this distinction or even know where to start to actually do this. You rely on your technical knowledge without even realizing it, to even understand the need or option to do this. Again, most people do not have this level of technical acumen. These are unknown unknowns for them. I chose cars, health care, food and housing in my examples because they are day-to-day things for everyone that we all take for granted and don't deeply understand, and rely on experts to handle for us, but can't really live without. That's the Internet for most people. You missed the point by splitting hairs and nit-picking the comparisons. > As for being the most HN comment ever, how goes conflating email for Gmail and seemingly being unaware of there being other email-providers than Google? I mean, really? This is now the second-most HN comment ever. ;-)