[derekp7]

There is a hybrid approach -- run a local mail server for receiving mail, and configure your Gmail account set the "From:" address to your domain, and forward any mail to Gmail to your domain. This way you are still mostly in control of your mail, but with the sending reliability of a major service.

[glomph]

This basically negates half the privacy though. And given most of the mail you recitative will be sent from gmails servers anyway...

[derekp7]

For myself, I'm not too worried about privacy (if I want that I'll use PGP). I'm more concerned about vendor lock in. Because as long as people are sending you mail to a domain you own, you can change the sending email provider to any other one that allows a custom From: address. Now from a practical side, I currently let Google Apps completely handle my domain's email, but I can yank it off there at a moments notice if I had to (i.e., if Google decided that I'm not allowed to host my domain there anymore).

[badgersandjam]

Interesting approach and one I hadn't considered. Thanks for the heads up.