Gmail and Google Apps

by Dean

First of all, I just want to thank Jay for providing blogging space for me, during my transition. But I wanted to just describe my trials here for my first post so that others may benefit.

Fittingly, there was an article in eWeek magazine this week about Google and its wonderful applications that make collaboration possible. It's true.

Until you lose the email account that you use all this wonderful stuff with.

Early last week, I discovered I could not log on to my Gmail account. Interacting with the Gmail Help group, I tried several things to no avail. I'm still waiting for a human from Google support to get back to me.

Since I use that account to log on to Blogger, there is no blogging to be done at my blog until this is fixed. And the way this has happened, I doubt I'll blog there even if it is fixed. So look for me on WordPress for now.

Google calendar? Gone. Docs and Spreadsheets? Gone. iGoogle? Gone. Reader? Gone. And the list goes on.

And every account that I've used the Gmail account to log in to has been lost to me. And the newsletters that I had sent to that account.

One, in particular was the WordPress site. It had been hacked by S--- Eater 007. I don't know if there is a connection, but I suspect there is. Fortunately, WordPress.com's support is better than Google's, so that's fixed.

And this has also sent me into a password changing frenzy.

I've changed my method of operation now also.

1. Every Gmail account has a secondary account. You can do this very easily and I highly recommend it if you haven't already.

2. If I ever get my original site back, I may keep it, but will add myself under another email as an administration author. Hopefully, if one goes down, I can still log in with the other.

3. I'll backup my blog. Blogger gives instructions for doing it, but I always put it off. The template was backed up, but not the posts. I'll take advantage of every backup. For example, WordPress has an API key. Write it down someplace.

4. I may even set up a shadow email account and auto-forward everything there.

There may be other things I'll do, and some of you may share things also.

Again, thanks, Jay, for letting me post here.

Cross posted at Musings of a Thoughtful Conservative.