Reason 1,292 to Hate AU
Jun. 6th, 2008 11:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
akujunkanI pay a hefty technology fee to AU. This technology fee goes toward things such as providing students with email access. Yesterday, my email was "migrated" from university servers to a "solution" hosted by none other than google.
Yup. I no longer have a university email account. I now have a gmail account that the university claims is still a university account. In other words, I am now paying several hundred dollars for the "privilege" of using a service available for free on the Internet. Above and beyond pointing out that this is like suddenly myself being forced to pay for the right to breathe air, it pisses me off in other ways. Namely, I do not like the fact that American University is forcing me to let third parties invade my privacy.
Don't get me wrong. I already have a gmail account and I love it. I'm fine with using it for things like mailing lists and sending pictures to friends, because it's amusing to get adverts for "Comfort with Style for Men & Women Shoes for the Otaku Generation!" every time someone sends me a squeemail about manga.
But I draw the line at my "official" email address. You know, the one I use for actual real life purposes. The one that knows everything about me, like what banks I use, what credit cards I own, what charities I give to, what classes I'm taking, and the contents of my communication with my bosses, both for the freelance work and the K Street gig.
Indeed, even though I have fewer than fifteen emails in my box at present, the gmail ads are already heavy on finance (my bank and credit card statements), and news (the K Street stuff). Also, I'm worried what will happen to the emails on the older server--those are my communications with profs, bosses, my bank, advisors, and the dual degree program.
NOT COOL, AU. NOT COOL.
That will be all.
Yup. I no longer have a university email account. I now have a gmail account that the university claims is still a university account. In other words, I am now paying several hundred dollars for the "privilege" of using a service available for free on the Internet. Above and beyond pointing out that this is like suddenly myself being forced to pay for the right to breathe air, it pisses me off in other ways. Namely, I do not like the fact that American University is forcing me to let third parties invade my privacy.
Don't get me wrong. I already have a gmail account and I love it. I'm fine with using it for things like mailing lists and sending pictures to friends, because it's amusing to get adverts for "Comfort with Style for Men & Women Shoes for the Otaku Generation!" every time someone sends me a squeemail about manga.
But I draw the line at my "official" email address. You know, the one I use for actual real life purposes. The one that knows everything about me, like what banks I use, what credit cards I own, what charities I give to, what classes I'm taking, and the contents of my communication with my bosses, both for the freelance work and the K Street gig.
Indeed, even though I have fewer than fifteen emails in my box at present, the gmail ads are already heavy on finance (my bank and credit card statements), and news (the K Street stuff). Also, I'm worried what will happen to the emails on the older server--those are my communications with profs, bosses, my bank, advisors, and the dual degree program.
NOT COOL, AU. NOT COOL.
That will be all.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
::stabbity::
on 2008-06-08 05:53 pm (UTC)Rolling my eyes so hard my eyebrows hurt!
on 2008-06-10 12:29 am (UTC)