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Any technically inclined Gmail user should at least consider switching his email address to a domain he owns plus free Google Apps. It works just like regular

Any technically inclined Gmail user should at least consider switching his email address to a domain he owns plus free Google Apps. It works just like regular Gmail, but you can change providers whenever you'd like. It may take many years, but someday Google is going to be technologically behind or an untenable steward of your data. Changing email addresses is a pain -- better to do it now, while you can slowly transition with email forwarding. Use filters to auto-label mail that is sent to the old address, ask senders to change your address, and switch over any mailing lists and accounts as automatic emails come in.

mise 16y ago
In practical terms for those interested: in cPanel, for instance you can set forwarding for info@example.com to example.com@gmail.com. Then, when you want to switch providers, change the forwarding rule in cPanel. This would still leave you with the problem of your history of emails being stuck within Gmail.
- JoachimSchipper 16y ago
  That's one way, but it's better to set up Google for domains and direct all mail there directly (set the MX record).
  - mise 16y ago
    Didn't know that. What's better about that way?
    - JoachimSchipper 16y ago
      An MX-based setup does not use the cPanel provider's mail server, so it should be more reliable/secure/convenient in a dispute/etc. If you also use your @gmail.com account to send mail, it has the added benefit of allowing you to migrate off GMail easily, should it ever start to suck (just set up an account elsewhere and change the MX record - people should already have you@yourdomain in their address book). Additionally, most spam filters take the sending host into account ("this host is known to have sent a million spam messages today - let's not bother talking to it"), but this information is lost (untrustworthy) if you forward via another mail server; it's likely that GMail has a better spam filter than your cPanel provider, so try to give it all the information you can. There are some minor other issues - faster delivery, less wasted disk space on the cPanel provider's end, message sizes are limited only by GMail - but the above are the main ones. Do note that you need GMail "for domains" instead of just a @gmail.com address. The "for domains" version is free, though (perhaps up to some upper limit - 50 mailboxes?).

mise 16y ago

In practical terms for those interested: in cPanel, for instance you can set forwarding for info@example.com to example.com@gmail.com. Then, when you want to switch providers, change the forwarding rule in cPanel. This would still leave you with the problem of your history of emails being stuck within Gmail.

JoachimSchipper 16y ago
That's one way, but it's better to set up Google for domains and direct all mail there directly (set the MX record).
- mise 16y ago
  Didn't know that. What's better about that way?
  - JoachimSchipper 16y ago
    An MX-based setup does not use the cPanel provider's mail server, so it should be more reliable/secure/convenient in a dispute/etc. If you also use your @gmail.com account to send mail, it has the added benefit of allowing you to migrate off GMail easily, should it ever start to suck (just set up an account elsewhere and change the MX record - people should already have you@yourdomain in their address book). Additionally, most spam filters take the sending host into account ("this host is known to have sent a million spam messages today - let's not bother talking to it"), but this information is lost (untrustworthy) if you forward via another mail server; it's likely that GMail has a better spam filter than your cPanel provider, so try to give it all the information you can. There are some minor other issues - faster delivery, less wasted disk space on the cPanel provider's end, message sizes are limited only by GMail - but the above are the main ones. Do note that you need GMail "for domains" instead of just a @gmail.com address. The "for domains" version is free, though (perhaps up to some upper limit - 50 mailboxes?).