# On the use of 'legacy' email addresses. . **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 28, 2022, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601 "2022-01-28T23:59:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2022, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/121 "2022-02-05T19:37:27Z")
When did they increase the size? Mine’s only six, but I was “early,” around 1996. There _used_ to be a way, through the Outlook account settings, to tell when you set up the account, but darned if I can find it anymore. Tripler I am darned, so sock it to me. ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/122 "2022-02-06T01:12:23Z")
I would hazard a guess that once all the five-or-less options were used up, that set a de-facto minimum of six, even if it was never a policy. But now of course if you wanted to start a new Hotmail account, you couldn’t for all the anchovies in Norway. If memory serves I set mine up at the end of the nineties, but it was more a matter of my brother telling me I needed to have one, and I spent no more than five seconds choosing a handle that happened to be five letters long, which just happened to be unclaimed, and it has served me well to the point where I brag about it on forums like this one. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/123 "2022-02-06T15:06:52Z")
> [@Hatchie](#): > > But now of course if you wanted to start a new Hotmail account, you couldn’t for all the anchovies in Norway. Looks like you can still get an AOL email account. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/124 "2022-02-06T15:12:57Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Looks like you can still get an AOL email account.   But can you get an NFT of an AOL email account? 😀 ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/125 "2022-02-06T16:33:09Z")
I read a story that claimed Apple’s `me.com` addresses are cooler than `mac.com` or `icloud.com`. First there was `mac.com`, and people were happy. Then Apple transitioned to `me.com`, and people hated it, because it was a change, and having a `mac.com` address meant you’d been using Apple products longer. After a short while Apple got rid of `me.com`, and switched to `icloud.com`, which is what new Apple accounts now get. That meant that `me.com` was only available for a short time, and many people avoided it, so the addresses are much more rare than `mac.com` or `icloud.com`. Rare and unavailable = cool. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2022, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/126 "2022-02-07T13:57:26Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > That meant that `me.com` was only available for a short time, and many people avoided it, so the addresses are much more rare than `mac.com` or `icloud.com` . Doesn’t everyone who has a @mac.com email address automatically have the @me.com address? A quick test using @me.com indicates that it’s still an alias for my @mac.com address. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2022, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/127 "2022-02-10T23:59:56Z")
I have a very common name, not “John Smith” but something like that. I was an early enough adopter that my email is the equivalent of [johnsmith@yahoo.com](mailto:johnsmith@yahoo.com). I had never thought about what message this might send until I read this thread, but yeah, “old and not enthusiastic about technology” is kind of my brand, so I guess it fits. ---
**Author:** ![billy-jack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@billy-jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billy-jack)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/128 "2022-02-11T01:23:49Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > I have a very common name, not “John Smith” but something like that. I was an early enough adopter that my email is the equivalent of [johnsmith@yahoo.com](mailto:johnsmith@yahoo.com). In the mid 1990s, I went back to school to work on my doctorate until my committee chairman left town. My e-mail address was my middle name at the school’s domain name. It drove me nuts with all the e-mail that was clearly intended for someone else. For example, at the start of each school year, some incoming freshman’s mother wouldn’t know her kid’s e-mail address and so would just send it to his first name at the school’s domain name. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/129 "2022-02-11T02:10:03Z")
I kinda wish I had kept my compuserve address. It was only 4 digits. But on the other hand I heard a quote recently about “seriously, he still uses email!”. So is it cool to be new or old? I might as well wish I still had old letters from before zip codes came out. We didn’t even have an address other than the small town name, no house numbers and informal (and inconsistent) names for the roads. “Name, Town, State” was the whole address. ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/130 "2022-02-11T04:04:28Z")
It doesn’t matter which email domain I use. Potential employers will estimate my age by adding up the years of my Job History. Depending on which jobs I choose to show, it can imply several ages from 41 to 61. Actually, I’m over 70 - I got my BS in my 30s. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/131 "2022-02-11T04:14:53Z")
> [@Steven\_Maven](#): > > It doesn’t matter which email domain I use. Potential employers will estimate my age by adding up the years of my Job History. Side question: here in Germany, it’s absolutely standard that your resume starts with the basic data of name, address, phone number, email address and birth date. It also should include a photo. Is this not the case in the USA? ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/132 "2022-02-11T04:32:31Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > here in Germany, it’s absolutely standard that your resume starts with the basic data of name, address, phone number, email address and birth date. It also should include a photo. Is this not the case in the USA? In the US, most people do not use a photo to reduce racial discrimination. It is illegal for an potential employer to ask an applicant’s age before hiring to reduce age discrimination. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/133 "2022-02-11T04:40:44Z")
> [@Steven\_Maven](#): > > In the US, most people do not use a photo to reduce racial discrimination. I absolutely see the point, and that’s also discussed here. But doesn’t this become irrelevant the moment the applicant is invited to an interview, when their appearance and age becomes obvious? ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/134 "2022-02-11T05:02:49Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > doesn’t this become irrelevant the moment the applicant is invited to an interview, when their appearance and age becomes obvious? You are correct, but it’s better than nothing. They also can see that somebody is in a wheelchair and many other physical aspects. ---
**Author:** ![billy-jack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@billy-jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billy-jack)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/135 "2022-02-11T05:08:24Z")
> [@Steven\_Maven](#): > > You are correct, but it’s better than nothing. They also can see that somebody is in a wheelchair and many other physical aspects. Do companies still have prospective employees fill out an application form? If they do, they’d probably figure it out from that. Also if the applicant asked if the company would cover their Medicare Supplemental Insurance cost. Or whether the lunch room offered senior citizen discounts. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/136 "2022-02-11T09:21:05Z")
> [@Steven\_Maven](#): > > It doesn’t matter which email domain I use. Potential employers will estimate my age by adding up the years of my Job History. It’s not only your age that your email address may indicate, but how tech-savvy you are. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/137 "2022-02-11T13:28:47Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > It’s not only your age that your email address may indicate, but how tech-savvy you are. My resume would quickly dispell that notion. If a perspective employer is stopping at my email address and not noticing my years as a compiler engineer, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to work there. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/138 "2022-02-11T15:09:04Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Side question: here in Germany, it’s absolutely standard that your resume starts with the basic data of name, address, phone number, email address and birth date. It also should include a photo. Is this not the case in the USA? A lot of resumes come through a listing service (or a headhunter) which puts their own email, and besides, I tell my employees to make new emails just for this job. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/139 "2022-02-11T16:56:17Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > It also should include a photo. Is this not the case in the USA? Photographs are so abnormal here that some HR departments have a policy of instantly discarding any resume that includes one, so as not to be accused of looking at it. This is severe overkill (as HR types are wont to engage in) but there’s certainly no reason to include a photograph and lots of reasons to avoid one (unless it’s, like, an acting or modeling job). ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601/140 "2022-02-11T17:02:00Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > My resume would quickly dispell that notion. If a perspective employer is stopping at my email address and not noticing my years as a compiler engineer, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to work there. The problem is you have to get through an HR layer first with bigger employers and can only guess at what arbitrary criteria they may use as filters. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-use-of-legacy-email-addresses/958601.md?page=8)