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Factoids on E-Mail for Seniors:

• For June graduates, your e-mail account expires ~July 15. That means you can no longer log in to your e-mail after this date.
• However, your account does not close until October. In this time between July and October, you can still get your e-mails and other files in your account by going to fasit.fas.harvard.edu. (E-mail tools -> Download Account Archive)
• After your account closes, it is gone FOREVER. I once spent 30 minutes on the phone explaining to someone that she will never be able to use her FAS account again and that even if she sets up a post.harvard e-mail address, she won’t get messages sent to her fas e-mail.
• Your Post.Harvard e-mail address has no inbox. All it does it forward messages to another e-mail account that you have (gmail, ymail, hotmail, etc).

How to Best Make the Transition

• Start making the transition now. Tell people your non-FAS/college e-mail address.
• If you use an e-mail client that supports POP or IMAP, transfer over your entire FAS account at once. For example, a Gmail howto.
• Start switching over your log-ins for your online bank account, merchant, facebook, myspace, etc.
• Don’t wait until the last moment. Once your account expires, you can’t log in. Once your account is closed, it’s gone. Forever.

How to Get a Custom E-Mail Address: “you”@”yourname”.com

You can get your own, customized e-mail address that still runs G-Mail. For example, I have an e-mail address at darrenhe.com, which I access at mail.darrenhe.com. But you don’t even need a website. You can get you@yourname.com for about $10/year. Here’s how:

• Create a Google Apps account here. Click on “I want to buy a domain name” – http://www.google.com/a/cpanel/domain/new
• Alternatively, you can use another domain name registrar such as GoDaddy.com. In that case, you’ll have greater control over your domain, but the setup is a bit trickier. To do so, buy your domain from GoDaddy, then set up your account at Google Apps using an existing domain. Then follow these instructions to setup your mail: http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=33353
• You’ll need to create an administrative account, which should be your primary account.
• That’s it! You’ll have a professional looking account that still runs G Mail and is accessible at http://mail.whateveryourdomainis.com. (.org, .net, .info, .me, etc).
• You can have up to 200 free e-mail address @yourname.com. For example, if you bought asianharvardman.com, you could have bill@asianharvardman.com, jill@asianharvardman.com, and so on.
• You can customize your logo! This will replace the G Mail logo generally found in the top left. To do so, go to your Google Apps control panel (accessible from your e-mail by clicking “Manage this Domain” in the top right. Click on “Domain Settings” and then “Appearance.” In this screen you can also change your log-in box color.

That’s all for this post. Remember to tune in next time, and please spread this information! (referencing me is courteous)