Google Cannot be Trusted

[Pawtucket Redemption]

I have a small consulting business and have used the same email address for over three years. It is a Google address. Recently, my account was disabled, yet I don't know why. I have gone through all the processes to restore my account without success. Google tells me that they can disable a person's account at any time, for any reason, even for no reason, and the email that people have sent you over the years is just lost.

I have contacted Google Support time and time again to no avail. There is no live person to talk to, you have to do everything through their online system, and no real person contacts you. Also, you can only enable your account automatically if you have a cell phone, which I don't.

I'm warning everyone now, DO NOT sign up for a Google account unless you don't care if they disable your account and you lose all your email history and new email, with no possible way of recovering it. Think of the ramifications and the effects this has on my business. I have never participated in any email scam, nor have I even used my account to send marketing materials to others. It has been used specifically for communication with my clients, acquaintences and family.

I will never sign up for a Google email account again.

[Clancy]

It's true, you cannot trust a giant corporation.

With the far more extreme injustices routinely committed by corporations that are paraded here everyday, I'm surprised anyone still thinks they're trustworthy at all.

But, more importantly, you yourself cannot be trusted with your data either, because you didn't back it up.

For the umpteen-thousandth time, if you have any data you do not want to lose, BACK IT UP. Otherwise, you are absolutely, positively guarenteed to lose it, sooner or later.

I have a small consulting business and have used the same email address for over three years. It is a Google address. Recently, my account was disabled, yet I don't know why. I have gone through all the processes to restore my account without success. Google tells me that they can disable a person's account at any time, for any reason, even for no reason, and the email that people have sent you over the years is just lost.

I have contacted Google Support time and time again to no avail. There is no live person to talk to, you have to do everything through their online system, and no real person contacts you. Also, you can only enable your account automatically if you have a cell phone, which I don't.

I'm warning everyone now, DO NOT sign up for a Google account unless you don't care if they disable your account and you lose all your email history and new email, with no possible way of recovering it. Think of the ramifications and the effects this has on my business. I have never participated in any email scam, nor have I even used my account to send marketing materials to others. It has been used specifically for communication with my clients, acquaintences and family.

I will never sign up for a Google email account again.

[Speak2Truth]

For the umpteen-thousandth time, if you have any data you do not want to lose, BACK IT UP.

As the IT director for a large corporation, I had put a plastic Jesus action figure on the wall where everyone could see it. Below it was the admonition:

JESUS SAVES - SO SHALL YOU!!

Speaking of which, time to do my backups...

[Speak2Truth]

Just try getting a bunch of willfully independent super-genius geeks to comply with certain rules regarding the locations of all files upon which they operate. Not so easy.

Knowing human nature, we take extra measures to remind the free-willed to take responsibility and uphold their duties - without undue punishment that might result in great resentment and a geek rebellion.

Sure, there was RAID mirroring and offsite redundancy - but that only goes so far.

[farmfresh]

What is the best way to back up emails?

It's true, you cannot trust a giant corporation.

With the far more extreme injustices routinely committed by corporations that are paraded here everyday, I'm surprised anyone still thinks they're trustworthy at all.

But, more importantly, you yourself cannot be trusted with your data either, because you didn't back it up.

For the umpteen-thousandth time, if you have any data you do not want to lose, BACK IT UP. Otherwise, you are absolutely, positively guarenteed to lose it, sooner or later.

[podfish]

ah, you've hit the real problems with computers. They're still not really up to the standards that a commercial consumer device should have. Silly little things get technical way too quickly.
Sorry to say, the first question is "what email client do you use?".

If you use Microsoft outlook, or Thunderbird, you can fairly easily save the files on your computer and then burn them to CD, DVD or put them on multiple hard drives. If you use web-based mail like GMail or Yahoo mail, it's a bit harder.

What is the best way to back up emails?

[Artaloha]

I have my email accounts with both Yahoo and Gmail -- how can I back up all the files and saved stuff? (I do have Mozy - the free account - and they back up my computer daily - would that include my emails? - I can't remember if it does emails or not?)
Thanks!

ah, you've hit the real problems with computers. They're still not really up to the standards that a commercial consumer device should have. Silly little things get technical way too quickly.
Sorry to say, the first question is "what email client do you use?".

If you use Microsoft outlook, or Thunderbird, you can fairly easily save the files on your computer and then burn them to CD, DVD or put them on multiple hard drives. If you use web-based mail like GMail or Yahoo mail, it's a bit harder.

[podfish]

to keep it brief, since it's kinda off topic:
- if by "Mozy free account" you mean Mozilla's Thunderbird: select from the menu Tools/Account Settings and in the dialog that pops up, on the left side, select "Local Folders". On the right side of the dialog, you'll see your "Message Storage - Local Directory". Just copy all the contents of that directory to somewhere safe and you're backed up. (Safe means CD/DVD/other computer). I know this is a bit cryptic, but without going into a much longer tutorial it's hard to be more helpful.
I haven't heard of an easy way to backup webmail like GMail. Most people needing good backup seem to forward theirs to a POP account. You're pretty safe because the web mail systems are backed up, but you're at their mercy if they do screw up, or if you accidentally delete things you wish you'd kept.
I still think it's insane that normal people have to know about POP and email clients vs. webmail just to keep their stuff safe. This is hobbyist-grade stuff that's been unleashed on the world by Bill Gates et alia.

I have my email accounts with both Yahoo and Gmail -- how can I back up all the files and saved stuff? (I do have Mozy - the free account - and they back up my computer daily - would that include my emails? - I can't remember if it does emails or not?)
Thanks!

[Fring]

I have a small consulting business and have used the same email address for over three years. It is a Google address. Recently, my account was disabled, yet I don't know why. I have gone through all the processes to restore my account without success. Google tells me that they can disable a person's account at any time, for any reason, even for no reason, and the email that people have sent you over the years is just lost.

I have contacted Google Support time and time again to no avail. There is no live person to talk to, you have to do everything through their online system, and no real person contacts you. Also, you can only enable your account automatically if you have a cell phone, which I don't.

I'm warning everyone now, DO NOT sign up for a Google account unless you don't care if they disable your account and you lose all your email history and new email, with no possible way of recovering it. Think of the ramifications and the effects this has on my business. I have never participated in any email scam, nor have I even used my account to send marketing materials to others. It has been used specifically for communication with my clients, acquaintences and family.

I will never sign up for a Google email account again.

So when you tried to log in it says your account is disabled? Or you can't just log in?