In light of recent changes at Google such as the upcoming shutdown of Google Reader, the restriction of access to CalDAV, and the blocking of external XMPP contact requests, it's likely that some people are thinking of leaving Gmail. Some of these people, wanting to never be locked into an email provider again, will probably get their own domains.

This begs the question: Should every savvy Internet user get his or her own domain in order to have a stable email address and Jabber ID without being locked into a single provider? That seems a bit extreme to me, if only because domain names were originally intended for companies and institutions, not individuals.