before gmail and the like people didn't choose a server.
the majority of email addresses people got from the institutions they were affiliated with. their university, their job, their isp.
and when they switched their isp or their job, they also had to switch email addresses.
it wasn't until gmail and other independent email services that people actually got to choose.
the only exception were those people who got their own domain who either set up their own server or used the email service offered by their registrar.
email was already ubiquitous before people even had a choice, and when those choices came available there were only very few because the majority of servers were and still re restriced to the members of the institutions they belong to. so for email paralysis of choice never was a concern
and when they switched their isp or their job, they also had to switch email addresses.
it wasn't until gmail and other independent email services that people actually got to choose.
the only exception were those people who got their own domain who either set up their own server or used the email service offered by their registrar.
email was already ubiquitous before people even had a choice, and when those choices came available there were only very few because the majority of servers were and still re restriced to the members of the institutions they belong to. so for email paralysis of choice never was a concern