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To Google or to Google, that's the dilemma. (Photo from ischool.tv)

If you take a look at the e-mail addresses spread around this website, you will notice that defacto has its own dedicated e-mail system. What you don't know is that it is a product almost every other AUBGer has. It is Gmail!

We decided to go for this free solution provided by Google some time ago. Since then, communication has improved. Photographers can attach their large files. Editors don't have to delete anything from their inboxes. And above all, we didn't suffer the consequences of the recent upgrade complications of the AUBG e-mail system.

The amount of frustration, stress and broken communications that our community had to go through these last two weeks was not worth the upgrade to the new Outlook Web Access system.

Everyone noticed the slick design and other minor visible improvements, but what happened to replying to e-mails, attaching files, or even dreaming of no more unsolicited offers for Viagra and Cialis? Even though the timing of the upgrade and the anti-virus problem are screaming for some discussion, we would like to focus on the basics. Unfortunately for us, the AUBG e-mail does not even provide for those.

That is why even university offices, such as the Registrar's and the Events Office, are now asking students to send them alternative e-mail addresses, just in case. You never know with this new and shiny system.

Frankly, they got it right. We should go alternative. Why not go for the best provider in the global market? Let's go for Google. This idea has been running around AUBG hallways for several years now. Students have suggested to the administration to join the numerous other higher education institutions, and finally have Google work the system. Universities all around the world, from Northwestern University to Open University Malaysia, and even our Macedonian neighbors of the South East European University are using Google-powered e-mail accounts.

Imagine having an AUBG account with the same user-friendly interface as your Gmail, with 6.2 GB of storage, with an instant message application ready for you to talk to your fellow students. Imagine having a calendar that you can actually use and share with your friends, fellow club members, and even the whole community. Imagine being able to work on a group project at the same time with your teammates, using different computers. Imagine not having to see those fifty spam messages you get daily in your AUBG inbox. Most importantly, imagine being able to always access it (at least 99.9 percent of the time).

Northwestern University implemented the new system after their Student Government went to the administration and told them "we want you to implement Google Apps." Our SG should take the example of their colleagues and do the same. Now is the right time to go and demand from our administration a high-quality service that is provided by free for little money.

Northwestern encourages their students to forward all their e-mail accounts to their Google-powered Northwestern account. Why wouldn't you do that if your school e-mail service came from the most reliable provider in the world?