Comments
9 CommentsI'm having an attack of complete idiocy.
I'm trying to register a new email address with Google, but am struggling to think of a username. Let's face it, my current one - rich.rich - is a little silly.
It needs to a) not be stupid, b) be suitable for use on, say, a CV, c) preferably not include my surname (though the initials would be acceptable) - I have a personal email address already if I want to get that personal.
I'm already annoyed that I've missed the @gmail.com boat, so I want something short and snappy to avoid having a long, tedious email address I have to type out.
Every single permutation of my first name and surname initials (DW) appears to have been taken already. The best I've come up with so far is rich.hdw@googlemail.com (includes middle initial), and that sucks.
This really isn't a big deal, I'm just anal about these things and I don't want to end up wanting to change it again in a few years. Changing email addresses is a damned pain.
Suggestions?
Cas
Written Mar. 13, 2007 / Report /
If it's for something you can put on a CV, so I am guessing more business-like, what's wrong with using your surname?
Oli
Written Mar. 13, 2007 / Report /
Because it's HUGE! Longer email addresses mean more chance of somebody bodging it when writing an email.
Don't you have "Dunlop-Walters".com/something? Couldn't you use rich@dunlop-walters.whatever and forward that onto gmail... or even use their domain-email and get them to handle your email directly?
Or do the first then move it across when it's changed because getting accepted onto the domain email thing takes a while.
publicenergy
Written Mar. 13, 2007 / Report /
Another option is to use your own domain name - they're pretty cheap these days - you could have pretty much anything you like then.
You can then use Googles Applications to use Gmail for your domain (if you really want to use Gmail).
Rich
Written Mar. 13, 2007 / Report /
I do have one for @dunlop-walters.net, and it will be primarily for professional purposes. But I like gmail's interface too much to abandon it.
I just need (want) a separate email for other things, leaving @d-w.net free for personal shiz. The majority of the emails the gmail receives will be automated, but when emailing people in a non-professional capacity, using @d-w.net seems far too formal. I like to keep work and play separate, or something. Inefficient, yes, but it's how I roll.
All I meant by CV-suitable was that it not be something ridiculous like richypoo86@googlemail.com.
(Is there any way to get an @gmail.com domain at all anymore?)
Irrelevant with the above reasoning now, but I'll mention it anyway: Gmail for domains requires fudging with MX records and I don't want to risk breaking that because I'm an idiot and it will happen at some point if I use it. Besides, I'm buggered if I forget to pay hosting renewal, or it goes down for whatever reason then.
philbowell
Written Mar. 13, 2007 / Report /
As far as using gmail over googlemail any @googlemail address will work with @gmail. My email is an @googlemail one but I give it out as @gmail and I receive all my emails. Being in the UK I had to have @googlemail due to some copyright on gmail, but @gmail still works perfectly.
ErinR
Written Mar. 13, 2007 / Report /
I'm quite fond of richypoo86, actually.
Josue
Written Mar. 13, 2007 / Report /
Richard, you can manage your d-w.com email in gmail without using google for your domains. you can either forward all to gmail, or setup the pop access for the account in gmail, and you setup an alias to send emails.
what about rdunlop@googlemail.
Rich
Written Mar. 13, 2007 / Report /
Pop and forwarding is a waste of time, because I frequently access my email on my mobile and desktop too. Until Google can do IMAP, it's a no-go.
mattplanet
Written Mar. 13, 2007 / Report /
My email pwns you all.
mattplanet@gmail.com