GMail

[waider]

I don't quite get this.

Legislation is being drawn up in California to block Google's new free e-mail service, Gmail, because its advertising is seen as intrusive. (BBC news

Elsewhere, various privacy advocates are getting their knickers in a twist over Google trawling their email for marketing and what not. But, eh, how do I put this, it's not mandatory to use GMail (assuming it ever actually gets launched). If you feel that the adverts are intrusive, or that Google will scan your mail for things to give to marketers, feds, John Ashcroft, The Pope, your parish priest, or your mom, why would you even consider using it? You want a searchable mailbox? Use WAIS. Or Outlook. Or whatever. Just don't go whining that the system you volunteered to use at no cost turns out to have side-effects.

Comments

rationale

[tongodeon.livejournal.com]

Here's the problem. Gmail reads your incoming mail and attempts to parse it for keywords to determine what you're interested in. Then it shows you stuff you might be interested in. This is clearly a problem, because in the random sampling of girls I've talked to, EVERY SINGLE ONE has expressed concern that they might not get penis enlargement advertisements once Gmail figures out that they do not have enlargable penises. Nope - ads should be COMPLETELY RANDOM.

(Actually, I'm pretty sure this is due to pressure from other email advertisers, who resent that someone else's penis enlarger ad could be triggered by keywords in their own penis enlarger ad, and the text ad they paid for at the bottom of your mum's holiday newsletter would be outclassed by Gmail's animated GIF.)

Re: rationale

[waider.livejournal.com]

Wait, you're saying women of your acquaintance need more penis length? can you introduce me? I'd like to help.