09-01-2013, 04:07 PM
Space,
I faced a similar problem with a friend but not with a yahoo email address. He has an email address affiliated with the local ISP. The problem is the local ISP is horrible and he wants to switch to a new ISP But, he refuses to give up his email address for the same reason you listed in your post. Everyone knows it and uses it.
I had to use the "parent taking away a privilege" method to finally get him to switch. In this case, I told him that I would absolutely refuse to troubleshoot and repair computer issues for him until he switches to a personal domain and dedicated email provider. Or, at the least, switches from email provided by his ISP to email via a dedicated provider.
It took a few calls from him and refusals to help before he finally relented and allowed me to walk him through getting a domain and an account with Fastmail. The switch is an easy process. It just takes a bit of time and patience, i.e. several emails to everyone about the change, an email on the date of the change, reminding stragglers to get with the program. After a while only a handful of people used the old address and that was only because they were individuals who rarely emailed him and/or checked their own email.
The process of making the change from one email address to the other is inconvenient at first but definitely well worth it in the long run. I would keep after your mother-in-law about it until she finally relents.
Robert
I faced a similar problem with a friend but not with a yahoo email address. He has an email address affiliated with the local ISP. The problem is the local ISP is horrible and he wants to switch to a new ISP But, he refuses to give up his email address for the same reason you listed in your post. Everyone knows it and uses it.
I had to use the "parent taking away a privilege" method to finally get him to switch. In this case, I told him that I would absolutely refuse to troubleshoot and repair computer issues for him until he switches to a personal domain and dedicated email provider. Or, at the least, switches from email provided by his ISP to email via a dedicated provider.
It took a few calls from him and refusals to help before he finally relented and allowed me to walk him through getting a domain and an account with Fastmail. The switch is an easy process. It just takes a bit of time and patience, i.e. several emails to everyone about the change, an email on the date of the change, reminding stragglers to get with the program. After a while only a handful of people used the old address and that was only because they were individuals who rarely emailed him and/or checked their own email.
The process of making the change from one email address to the other is inconvenient at first but definitely well worth it in the long run. I would keep after your mother-in-law about it until she finally relents.
Robert