When I retired, I had a Gmail address and an email address with my former employer, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point (UWSP). I learned the department (School of Education) official secretary kept up the list of retirees and others who had an email address listed. The School of Education is a bit different from "academic" campus departments. They give students knowledge, such as French or history of art. SOE prepares students to teach, mostly in Kindergarten to Senior Year . A student can be quite knowledgeable about one or more subjects but not be impressive as a candidate for a teaching job. Public schools accept a wide range of students and are often involved with political forces and groups. Teachers in publicly financed schools run from taxes are required to have licenses from the state.
As I was retiring, I wanted an email address not connected to my former employer. One of my nephews had just earned a master's in computing and I saw that he had a Gmail address from Google. Taking him as a model, I signed up with Google. The account is free and includes access to about 240 apps and tools.
These days, when I see email addresses of att, aol, ones that to me represent a fairly old company, I wonder if that person has considered what I consider a more modern email address. I guess Gmail has more functioning email address holders than any other company. Google search says more than one billion people (roughly ⅛ of humanity) have Gmail addresses. Gmail addresses open the door to a set of programs that, to me, completely eliminate the need for Microsoft Office programs and that is just one aspect of the free stuff that is available with Google. I realize the main objection I have heard is that Google copies my information and sells it. I don't know much about that or much else that snobbery and myth guides in my life.
