First there was Google search. So many reasons to move away from the behemoth Yahoo! had become. Search was never as accurate before or for the foreseeable future. Then came along Gmail. I’ve been using Gmail as my primary email since about the time they started in 2004. Once signed up, there was no looking at any other mail client. Then came along other services – Calendar, Maps, Docs, Reader, Android and finally Plus… Every service Google started was a breakthrough success. A clear disruption in each field. What better – all of them were free! Of course, people wouldn’t mind the unobtrusive ads (which drives everything G) when they were offered the niceties.

Over the years I’ve been “entrapped” in the ecosystem too. Over the past few weeks, particularly after the very visible thrust Google has been giving G+, I’ve given a long and hard look at moving out of the big G’s ecosystem. Since the time most of G’s services have launched, there have been other products/services that are comparable or as good as Google’s but without the advertising baggage (which I can’t get rid of at all. Even if I want to pay for it).

So over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting on such alternatives and my experience in setting them up and using them. Good that I own a domain to play around 🙂

Got servers and services to setup, lots of work to do, see ya around!