Many Google Groups activities don’t require you to have a Google Account, while many others do. For a brief description of which activities require an account and which don’t, please see below:
Activities that do NOT require a Google Account:
- Reading posts in public groups (the Ukes Group is Private, not Public)
- Searching for groups, posts, or authors
- Posting to groups via email if they are public or, if they are private, if you are already a member
- Joining a public Google Group via email
Activities that DO require a Google Account:
- Creating and managing your own Google Group
- Posting to groups via the Group web interface
- Creating pages and uploading files
- Joining a Google Group via the Google Groups web interface
- Changing your subscription type (No Email, Abridged Email…)
- Reading a private group’s posts online (eg. the Ukes Group)
If you would like to create a Google Account, please visit the Google Accounts homepage and follow the directions on that page.
If you are a previous Google Groups or Gmail user, you can use your existing Google Account to log in to Google Groups.
If you have different Google Accounts for different products, you can’t use those products at once.
If you have a Gmail window open, you’ll automatically be logged in using that account when you open a Google Groups window. If you wish to use your other Google Account instead, you’ll first need to click the “Sign out” link in the top-right corner.
(Info copied from Google Groups Help – 28th Jan 2008)