GAFYD

What is GAFYD?

  • GAFYD = Google Apps For Your Domain. It is a service available from Google, in both free and paid versions.
  • In a nutshell, you can use GAFYD to setup and manage the email for your domain. You can create user mailboxes, add aliases, define filters, etc. You can use your preferred email client (Outlook, Thunderbird, etc.) in addition to the full Gmail-based web interface. And you get the full benefit of Google's best-in-class spam filtering for all your email.
  • In addition GAFYD provides access to all other Google services, such as Google Sites, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and more. You can use any/all/none of those services as you choose. You do not have to transfer an existing website to GAFYD unless you choose to do so.

Benefits

  • You do not change your email address. GAFYD supports your existing email address(es).
  • It's free! You can have up to 10 separate users/mailboxes. But each of those can also have unlimited aliases.
  • Your email is stored in the Google Cloud: no need to ever delete any message or worry about backups. No worries about losing your email history.
  • Once you set up GAFYD, all your messages, both those you receive and those you send, are stored indefinitely in the cloud and are searchable. You can always quickly find either a specific message you've received, or one you have sent.
  • You can read/send your email from any computer with internet access.
  • All things Google are fully integrated with Android phones, including your email in GAFYD (receive copies of every message on your smartphone). GAFYD works well on the iPhone too.
  • Google does not reject any mail, they simply route suspicious messages to your spam folder. Mail is held for at least 30 days in your spam folder, then automatically deleted.
  • Unlike Hotmail, Yahoo, and AOL, the GAFYD interface is "clean". There are a few easily-ignored text ads, but no big-graphic in-your-face advertising.

Concerns?

  • Some people worry about having Google handle/store their email. Sorry but I don't share that concern. If you are paranoid about that, you should probably stay off the internet completely. There is no privacy on the internet. The Google/Gmail software simply scans messages so they can present relevant ads (when you use their web interface).
  • You can read more and/or sign up here. Note that Google would prefer that you purchase their service, so they make it a little difficult to find the free service. But it's there.