jorgelito

So, I 've been thinking of consolidating, reorganizing my life. Well, not thinking, doing. That included updating tech stuff. I am interested in getting a gmail account and my bro sent me an invite. However, I read the fine print, (yeah, I always read the fine print) and it says they have lite advertising based on your content. Does that mean they read my emails and tailor ads accordingly? I don't consider myself parnoid, but that's a bit creepy. Is it true or can anyone clarify?

Kadath

The emails are parsed for certain words and ads are generated automatically. For example, a buddy of mine works for a pharmaceutical company. Whenever I get emails from him, the ads are about prescription drugs. There is no human being reading your mail and then writing ads for you.

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ratbastid

Right. It's all automatic.

If you think about the sheer volume of mail they process, it's a reasonable conclusion that your personal data is practically anonymous.

Of course, it's vulnerable to subpoena, but that's a different issue.

jorgelito

Ah, ok. I think I get it. Thanks for the clarification. So then, in your opinions, would anyone recommend gmail?

MexicanOnABike

completely. it's great for junkmail(i get none). the layout is much better than hotmail or the other free email sites around. and they even include their GTALK messenger RIGHT INTO the gmail window. isnt that awesome? theres much more great things but why not give it a shot? it wont cost anything.

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ratbastid

Absolutely. I use it for all my mail. I abandoned a desktop client about a month ago and so far I haven't regretted it.

snowy

I love Gmail. I use it not only for email, but to backup a lot of my important documents. And with the search feature, it makes it easy to find what I need when I need it.

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jorgelito

Thanks, you guys, I'm sold. *begins task of swtiching e-mail systems*

Charlatan

I use it for all my personal email. It's awesome.

I second the convenience of Chat built in.

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captobvious

Gmail is by far the best email available right now. Once you switch, you'll never look back, and you'll probably wonder why you didn't switch a long time ago.

cyrnel

I'll put in another gmail vote.

With or without gmail you may want to go the extra step and obtain your own domain. That can simplify or complicate things, depending on needs.

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There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

dd3953

Yeah, I use it for the same thing. It's great for saving homework (since most computer labs don't want you saving things on their computers) & it holds a lot of imformation.
& i love the label system instead of folders to save messages with.

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robot_parade

Gmail rocks so much, I don't really care if they are reading my mail. ;-)

Seriously, though - it is an automated system, though it is possible that someone could 'break in' and read your mail - so I'd always be aware of that possibility no matter what email client you use.

Also, if you use Gmail, do you use the keyboard shortcuts? They *rock*!

http://mail.google.com/support/bin/a...594&topic=1546

Why move your hands back and forth between the mouse and keyboard?? Using the shortcuts is much more efficient.

cyrnel

If you're truly worried about confidentiality yet hate complex PK encryption tools... try Freenigma. Fairly cool webmail-compatible solution.

http://www.freenigma.com/

__________________
There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

trickyy

i think chat is one of their strategies to keep you logged in longer
then they can analyze your searches, etc. better