Backing up is fine, but the problem is you still don't own your identity. If your email address is xxx@gmail.com you've lost that forever and that could be a big problem.
Set up your own domain name for $5/year or less and use the free email aliasing that comes with it,
e.g. paul@wvenable.me would be aliased to paulharris@gmail.com at your DNS provider.
Then you only ever pass around wvenable.me addresses. If you get a good provider, they will give you unlimited free aliasing (though they may not allow catch-all address for free, which redirect anything@ to some default address, due to spam potential).
Combined with monthly backups via IMAP or export from your actual email providers, you will never be dependent in either identity, contacts or content with any single provider.
Needless to say, all of the above is trivial to setup for a typical HN'er.
That's a problem anywhere. You have to own your own name or share it with someone you trust for life or just adapt to change like we did before cell phone number portability.
e.g. paul@wvenable.me would be aliased to paulharris@gmail.com at your DNS provider.
Then you only ever pass around wvenable.me addresses. If you get a good provider, they will give you unlimited free aliasing (though they may not allow catch-all address for free, which redirect anything@ to some default address, due to spam potential).
Combined with monthly backups via IMAP or export from your actual email providers, you will never be dependent in either identity, contacts or content with any single provider.
Needless to say, all of the above is trivial to setup for a typical HN'er.