GMail is still down. But forlorn users of Google's email service are not without ways of coping with their waking nightmare. Together, we will get through this. Here's how.

  • Twitter. The microblogging service was many people's first alternate messaging system the last time this happened, in February, and the service has added tons of users since then. Direct message friends if your message must be private; attach images using Twitpic and even broadcast your temporary Yahoo or Hotmail address. Disclaimer: Works only until Twitter is inevitably brought down by people complaining about the GMail outage.
  • Instant messenger. It's intrusive, compared to email, but Google's failure is your perfect excuse.
  • Facebook: Sure, Facebook has a handy private messaging feature, but some people never check that. Write on your recipient's Wall; no message is remembered so well as one delivered in front of family and friends.
  • Text SMS message. Pricey, but why not bill your employer, especially if he put you on a cheap-ass free Google Apps account in the first place (*cough* *cough*)?
  • Print and FAX: This has the advantage of wasting precious hours of your employer's time. Bonus points for a "sent from my iPhone" tagline; double bonus points for cutting and pasting your recipient's last FAX underneath yours.
  • Carrier pigeon: Sure, the Google snafu has made them hot commodities, but today's markup can't be more than, what, three, four hundred percent?
  • Pick up the phone and speak to the person using your actual vocal cords: Ha ha, just kidding! As if.

We've exhausted our knowledge of alternate communication media. But we're sure you can come up with of your own; post them in the comments.

UPDATE, 5:34 PM ET: GMail appears to be back, as indicated in the comments.

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