3 ms·

Logging into Google and its services has always been a mess. Once upon a time you could even have a Google Account associated with an e-mail address hosted else

Logging into Google and its services has always been a mess. Once upon a time you could even have a Google Account associated with an e-mail address hosted elsewhere, not through Google Apps. It was always a confusing maze of separate cross-associated accounts (YouTube, Google Account, GMail, Google Groups...) strung together. Actually, it's one of the aspects of Google's services that has clearly improved over time. Even with all the G+ nonsense.

gilrain 13y ago
You can still do this, and I recently did. You have to have an alternate email address set and confirmed. Then, you delete your GMail account, which can by done through the products section of the account management page. After that, your Google account's primary email (and thus login) will be whatever your alternate address was set to.
- MichaelGG 13y ago
  Do you have solid instructions on this? I tried this once, and it sorta worked, then didn't. Then I re-registered the Gmail address (separately) and all my Google Groups subscriptions snapped back over and so on. Plus, don't Android 2.3 devices require a Gmail account to setup/login? I just tried using my normal Google Account and it complained "oh you don't have Gmail".
  - andrewaylett 13y ago
    I still have two Google accounts on my phone for this reason. I've turned off syncing for most things for the GMail one, though.
MichaelGG 13y ago
>Once upon a time you could even have a Google Account associated with an e-mail address hosted elsewhere, not through Google Apps. You still can; that's the only good thing. Earlier Androids required you to have a Gmail account (I just tried a 2.3 Android phone out). So now I have a stupid, half-used Gmail account, and a separate, proper account with my own email. No way to merge them, and then no way to setup older devices without Gmail. And now when I'm in Google Play or their other apps, I've got to switch between accounts -- it's an idiotic mess. On a side note, Microsoft had functional SSO in the 90s. For all the silly rebranding (and killing and reviving it) at least you could sign in with an email address.
- dmix 13y ago
  Yahoo also has a competent SSO that was well integrated across products.
Wilya 13y ago
You still can use an external email address. On register screen, I still see a "Use my existing email address" link. I've almost never used gmail, and things work fine.

gilrain 13y ago

You can still do this, and I recently did. You have to have an alternate email address set and confirmed. Then, you delete your GMail account, which can by done through the products section of the account management page. After that, your Google account's primary email (and thus login) will be whatever your alternate address was set to.

MichaelGG 13y ago
Do you have solid instructions on this? I tried this once, and it sorta worked, then didn't. Then I re-registered the Gmail address (separately) and all my Google Groups subscriptions snapped back over and so on. Plus, don't Android 2.3 devices require a Gmail account to setup/login? I just tried using my normal Google Account and it complained "oh you don't have Gmail".
- andrewaylett 13y ago
  I still have two Google accounts on my phone for this reason. I've turned off syncing for most things for the GMail one, though.

MichaelGG 13y ago

>Once upon a time you could even have a Google Account associated with an e-mail address hosted elsewhere, not through Google Apps. You still can; that's the only good thing. Earlier Androids required you to have a Gmail account (I just tried a 2.3 Android phone out). So now I have a stupid, half-used Gmail account, and a separate, proper account with my own email. No way to merge them, and then no way to setup older devices without Gmail. And now when I'm in Google Play or their other apps, I've got to switch between accounts -- it's an idiotic mess. On a side note, Microsoft had functional SSO in the 90s. For all the silly rebranding (and killing and reviving it) at least you could sign in with an email address.

dmix 13y ago
Yahoo also has a competent SSO that was well integrated across products.

Wilya 13y ago

You still can use an external email address. On register screen, I still see a "Use my existing email address" link. I've almost never used gmail, and things work fine.