RE: several messages

This is a somewhat silly discussion, pretty much the ONLY real reason to use your own domain rather than a gmail or aol or whatever is precisely the fact that switching costs are high.

And the real problem is not gmail.com but comcast.net. If access to the email address requires continuation of an ISP service the switching cost issue bcomes a very real problem. Even more so if the ISP decides to rename itself - as mine has three times.

________________________________

From: ietf-bounces@ietf.org on behalf of David Morris
Sent: Thu 11/13/2008 12:02 AM
To: Al Iverson
Cc: ietf@ietf.org
Subject: Re: several messages

On Wed, 12 Nov 2008, Al Iverson wrote:

> On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 11:37 PM, David Morris <dwm@xpasc.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> > On Wed, 12 Nov 2008, Al Iverson wrote:
> >
> >> On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 11:08 PM, David Morris <dwm@xpasc.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> > In the end, walking isn't a viable alternative.
> >>
> >> Because it's so hard to open a Gmail account? I think your thinking
> >> here is about two generations out of date. Back in 1995 when we each
> >> had our one dialup account, and webmail was much less common and
> >> acceptable, your point would have been more valid.
> >
> > C'mon ... my example contractor has printed collateral, web pages, etc.
> > all with his email address. Changing an email address is non-trivial for
> > folks who don't have any need to register their own domain name. Even
> > those who have a web serving domain often have no business need for
> > email.
>
> The professional who has printed their AOL.com email address on their
> business card has problems that are far greater than, and not unique
> to, an ISP's use of DNSBLs.

I never said they used aol.com ... only that it was a major ISP. Both that
ISP and aol *HAVE* worked to deal with issues I've had. Other ISPs have
not. It was still a waste of my time.

My point is that it is difficult to change email addresses because there
are lots of references which have value. Business cards are one example.
All other business printed materials are another. Every customer's mail
folders are another.

Simply walking from an ISP isn't an easy choice. This is particularily
true for folks for home computer technology is simply a tool they use to
communicate. This general issue is well enough understood that the FCC
forced phone companies and cellular carriers to provide number portability
to insure folks with an investment in their phone number could take
advantage of competition.

Dave Morris
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