Warning: This is far far more OT than the OP. Sorry in advance to
everyone still looking for a gmail address (I have no more invites)

I have thought about it (my privacy), and I do not see a problem if no
humans read the emails. After all, I type everything into a computer,
and that computer "sees" what I type. Not to mention the several
thousand computers that will see it when I send the email.

To address the site:

>Problem 1: Gmail is nearly immortal

I would offer: "Close only counts in horseshoes and handgrenades". I
can delete emails if I want to (I deleted gmails opening welcome
email, thats it so far)

>Google admits that even deleted messages will remain on their system,
and may also be accessible internally at Google, for an indefinite
period of time.

And when you delete a file on your computer (even emails) if often
remains on your hard drive in unallocated space for an indefinite
period of time. Know how long your ISP holds on to backups? Do they
even mention it?

>Problem 2: Google's policies do not apply...
>They've said that their advertisers won't get personally identifiable
information from email, but that doesn't mean ...

This seems to be self-contradictory.

>Problem 3: A massive potential for abuse
>. Google could grow a database that spits out the email addresses
> of those who used those keywords. How about words such as
>"box cutters" in the same email as "airline schedules"?

I think there is serious underestimation about how much information
the government already gleans from internet traffic using their own
systems. They get a lot more than just emails addresses and keywords.
If I wanted to have privacy, I would spend time getting things like
the PATRIOT act (and all copycats) revised/thrown out.

>Problem 4: Inappropriate ad matching

Do you expect google to protect people that fall for scams? Isnt there
some sort of law enforcement agency that is more equiped to deal with
this?

Sorry to anyone that read this far ;-)

- Ben

On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 10:30:20 +0100, p.cousens <p.cousens@biscit.biz> wrote:
>
> You want me to list every single reason?
> Follow the link and then follow the links they list etc
> Just about everyone who has THOUGHT ABOUT IT thinks this is an extremely
>
> dangerous direction to go in
>
> Are you OK with a private company opening and photocopying every letter
> you get?
> Recording every phone conversation?
> Following you around all day making notes of where you go and who you
> see?
> Then storing these records forever?
> Analyzing these records forever.
> To be sold to the highest bidders
>
> And YES I will not respond to emails direct from a gmail account
> Or use google anymore
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pic microcontroller discussion list
> [mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of Ben Hencke
> Sent: Friday, June 25, 2004 4:51 AM
> To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> Subject: Re: [OT] Anyone want a GMail account?
>
> While this is getting OT for this thread, I feel compelled to ask why
> you send that tagline? Do you not want to talk to people on gmail
> because it saves the email?
>
> On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 02:59:06 +0100, p.cousens <p.cousens@biscit.biz>
> wrote:
> >
> >     This is for your copy-and-paste convenience:
> > Dear Gmail user:  Due to privacy considerations, we cannot respond
> > unless you resend your email from a different account. For more
> > information, please visit www.gmail-is-too-creepy.com
> >
> > PC
>
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