I recently discovered that an acquaintance of mine does not have an email address, due to the fact that every time she went to sign up, the form indicated that she was required to already have an email address.

This I find hilarious. She actually said to me:

"The reason I don't have an email address is because I don't have an email address, and the reason I don't have an email address is because I don't..."

Recursion is inherently a little funny to me; someone as smart as she is being completely thwarted by such a simple chicken-and-egg problem is even funnier. It reminds me of when I first saw the instructions on shampoo as a kid (yeah, I know this is old, tired material for comedians, but) I honestly stared at that shampoo bottle for a long time, incredulous that they would give infinite-loop instructions.

I told her it must be easy to fake it - using a friends address, or using a site that doesn't actually verify with a confirmation email, etc etc but she has a curious way of thinking - she refuses to do anything if she isn't 100% sure that what she is doing is completely legit from every angle.

I know that the sensible answer to this problem would be to convince her to just do it anyway. Opt out of that requirement, or try fake addresses, or use someone else's, whatever. Sadly, I think she is just a little mentally unstable, and do not think I could convince her that it 'would be okay'.

And I know there are 'anonymous' email address places out there she could use to get her 'starter address'; but again I think she would have some serious trust issues with such sites. She needs something mainstream.


So my question is:



Are there any mainstream, recognized-brand web based email providers who don't expect you to already have an email address?

Heck - if she wants, I'll set up an email account for her and give her all the information so she can change the password and make it her own.

yahoo doesn't require you to already have an email address

Just help her get a real address. she should be able to use any computer to check her email.

I always thought that was optional? Google does the same thing but it is optional and not required, only use for it is if you forget login information...but I'm pretty sure for the most part it isn't required to have an e-mail address to get an e-mail address...

gmail

Yeah, they do. I set my brother's account up using mine, because he didn't already have one.

It's a stupid policy, sort of a catch-22. They claim they need one in order to verify your new account, but when you think about it, it's irrational; most people only need one email address anyway. I used to have several of them, now I only have a couple, but I doubt if most people have spare email addy's just lying around...

Nope, I just checked, its totally 100% NOT required, its just a means to recover your account if you cannot remember your details.

So the list is

Gmail
Yahoo
MSN

and probably goes on and on and on. In fact I have about 12 different emails address, most free that have never made that a requirement.


In fact here you go, proof.


There is absolutely no reason in the world not to have a free email these days.

Interesting. Maybe they changed it, this was like 11 years ago, so they might have changed it. Good to know....

No worries, I couldn't even remember if it was it was soo long ago I first signed up, I was curious so I tested it out.

Thanks everyone for responding. I took her at her word regarding it being a 'requirement', though I can see her still being freaked out that her form 'isn't complete'. I will pass this on when opportunity arises.

Ummm..you do not want to fill out everything on every sort of webpage that asks you info. Just a useful tip. Only that is somehow indicated (with a * or said "necessary"), but even then, in many places i give bogus info.

Gmail is free and works with outlook and thunderbird.