I think he's talking about email from agnostic sources - Yahoo mail, Gmail, etc., You can change your ISP as frequently as you like and still have the same address to use. Which brings up a thought to share - sometimes you can save money on your internet connection by changing your supplier periodically. Most offer cut rates for new customers. Switch to take advantage of that, and then when the reduced price period ends, switch to another provider (maybe the one you left originally) who likely also offers a deal for new customers. Many mail services - like Gmail - can be set up to collect email messages from multiple accounts and concentrate everything in one central place. It helps you avoid the annoyance of multiple logins, but if you do that with non-work related email accounts, it does bring into question why you need more than one account in the first place. Oh, and for the OP, really there's no advantage or disadvantage to using a mail program. Maybe you prefer the user interface, but there's likely little difference between any one and the web experience using a browser

If she wants a desktop program, it will depend on the operating system she has. If XP, then she can use Outlook Express and configure her Yahoo, Gmail, or whatever to download into that without going to the web site. If she has Windows 7, MS has a program called Windows Live Mail which she must install on her computer. Again, her mail can be configured to download to her desktop program. And there's Thunderbird which has been mentioned.

A good place to start is the bills you pay. Look through your checkbook & credit card statements, address book, email address lists and the like. That should give you a good start. I have a few lists that were compiled and some of my own additions. Some apply to some and of course some have special things like special clinics, Vets Administration, VFW clubs or the like. Any professional services. Monitor your mail of course. I didn't find it to be such a major pain. I made a form letter and sent to the ones I didn't handle by phone. So here's a start: Accountant Address book contents All mail forwarded 2 me Alumni Groups Attorneys Auto clubs Banks & Credit Union, any other financial? 401k etc Cable TV/Satellite TV Catalogs & Mail Clubs Cellular & Paging City Hall old & new for billing & mailing stuff Clubs & organizations Credit card companies Credit Cards Creditors Customers Doctor/Dentist? Driver license bureau Dept Motor Vehicles Discount cards/promo programs Domestic Services Email lists Employers/past employers (if benefits involved) Frequent Flyer Progs Friends Shopping Clubs Garbage service Gas & Affinity Cards Hotel & Car Rental Programs Insurance agents Insurance Companies o Auto o Health/Dental o Homeowners o Other: Life, Fire, legal Internal Revenue Service Internet Providers/ISP Investment Managers & Brokers KAXE Library Magazines Mortgage Co. & debtors Motor Vehicle Dept (contact in person) Mutual & Pension Funds Newspapers Non-Profit Organizations Online businesses, (Paypal etc) Personal Services Pharmacist to transfer prescriptions Phone Companies Post Office Professional Associations Professional Services Publications, newspapers etc QVC/HSN or online ordering places Registration Relatives Retail Membership Programs Safe deposit box Sams Club/Costco ï± Social Security Office ï± State Tax Office ï± Stock Broker ï± Tax preparer ï± Union/pension, etc ï± Utilities ï± Cable TV/Satellite TV o Electric o Gas ï§ Steam o Water/Sewer o Water Conditioning o Garbage o Recycle o Local Phone o LD Phone o Cell Phone o Fuel Oil Supplier ï± Vehicle registration ï± Vets/pet needs/service suppliers ï± Voter Registration Any special needs? Water conditioning, water supplier (bottled), grocery delivery, yard service, mowing/plowing, plumber, electrician, handyman, etc. Medical records, prescriptions and anything you use as an ID. Passport, driver license, ID cards. School records. Any local store accounts? Dry cleaner, drug store, diaper service, Dept. stores, water conditioning, septic company, fuel providers, dairy delivery, etc. And of course, relatives, friends, business associates, churches, schools, landlord or tenants, managers you utilize, etc. PTA, neighborhood association, other community groups licensing / certification boards ...to name a few! :)

Yes, mine changed (both of them) and I just adjusted the theme (not too many to choose from, though) to what I was using before and it's not a big deal to me. It's free, so I don't want to complain, it's theirs to do with what they will.