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What I don't like about email is that it is required to create accounts almost everywhere... Reddit and HN are two exceptions. And now Google requires a phone

What I don't like about email is that it is required to create accounts almost everywhere... Reddit and HN are two exceptions. And now Google requires a phone number to create an email? I know that there are services like https://www.gmailnator.com https://www.gmailnator.com and https://www.receivesms.org/us-numbers/us/ https://www.receivesms.org/us-numbers/us/, but it doesn't always work.

majewsky 5y ago
There exist mail providers other than Gmail (allegedly).
- Vladimof 5y ago
  You can also host your own, maybe. I just don't like the way all major providers are heading.
  - everforward 5y ago
    This is a common refrain when discussing email, but modern, useful email has an exceptionally high maintenance overhead, primarily due to anti-spam features. Running a basic email server is relatively easy. Running a mail server with good deliverability guarantees is very hard. You can end up blacklisted just because someone in the same IP block as you is sending spam. Your only solution will be to change IPs repeatedly until you get one with a good reputation, up until someone starts spamming again. You can be blacklisted because your domain or IP simply don't have enough historical data to determine whether it's likely spam. Often there won't be a clear answer to why you're blacklisted. If Gmail sends your stuff to the spam box, good luck getting Google to tell you why. It's not insurmountable; you can do it, but be prepared to invest an absurd amount of time setting it up and trying to set up automated delivery tests to make sure you haven't been blacklisted since you set it up.
    - Vladimof 5y ago
      > Often there won't be a clear answer to why you're blacklisted. If Gmail sends your stuff to the spam box, good luck getting Google to tell you why. Yeah, they make it hard to get an email address semi-anonymously and then when you create your own server, they block you for "spam"
riffic 5y ago
My community college created my Gmail account for me and they needed a lot more information than just a phone number to enroll up. What I'm trying to say here is that we can get email or other identities other than the ones we make on our own. Perhaps we should be doing this identity-tying more often? Many people get email addresses from their employer and aren't expected to move those addresses around when they change jobs.

majewsky 5y ago

There exist mail providers other than Gmail (allegedly).

Vladimof 5y ago
You can also host your own, maybe. I just don't like the way all major providers are heading.
- everforward 5y ago
  This is a common refrain when discussing email, but modern, useful email has an exceptionally high maintenance overhead, primarily due to anti-spam features. Running a basic email server is relatively easy. Running a mail server with good deliverability guarantees is very hard. You can end up blacklisted just because someone in the same IP block as you is sending spam. Your only solution will be to change IPs repeatedly until you get one with a good reputation, up until someone starts spamming again. You can be blacklisted because your domain or IP simply don't have enough historical data to determine whether it's likely spam. Often there won't be a clear answer to why you're blacklisted. If Gmail sends your stuff to the spam box, good luck getting Google to tell you why. It's not insurmountable; you can do it, but be prepared to invest an absurd amount of time setting it up and trying to set up automated delivery tests to make sure you haven't been blacklisted since you set it up.
  - Vladimof 5y ago
    > Often there won't be a clear answer to why you're blacklisted. If Gmail sends your stuff to the spam box, good luck getting Google to tell you why. Yeah, they make it hard to get an email address semi-anonymously and then when you create your own server, they block you for "spam"

riffic 5y ago

My community college created my Gmail account for me and they needed a lot more information than just a phone number to enroll up. What I'm trying to say here is that we can get email or other identities other than the ones we make on our own. Perhaps we should be doing this identity-tying more often? Many people get email addresses from their employer and aren't expected to move those addresses around when they change jobs.