They give you ads based on demographics. They don't scan the text of your e-mail, record notes about word usage, and put ads inline with the text, and construct a profile of your e-mail activities (who you e-mail, waht you say, how they respond, etc). They also don't store any personally-identifyable information, like GMail does (for an INDEFINITE period of time, as well).
However, if you really need your email to be private you need to be encrypting it.
If you're really worried about it here's the privacy policy: http://gmail.google.com/gmail/help/privacy.html
I personally don't have any worries trusting google just because as a company: google has single handedly turned porn popups into text ads, this appeared in their blog, their donating their time to folding@home, and they are also giving you free e-mail with 1000Megs of space with just about the easiest to use, most intuitive UI I've ever seen on a mail program, more so than Lookout and Eudora.
(Man, I either sound like I'm being paid by Google or I'm a complete a-hole, and it's my first post too. -_-;;)
Oh yeah, I have six, who wants some?
Build a man a fire, warm him for a day,
Set a man on fire, warm him for the rest of his life.
I have 6 invites... but want to save a few. So if 3 of you guys want one I don't mind sending them out at all.
Shoot me an IM or email. avail in profile.
-Ev
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 1058
Location: Reykjavík, Ísland
Doesn't everyone and their grandma have gmail + 50 invites by now?
Edit: Umm... Now that I posted, I guess I better make it something useful. So if everyone else runs out of invites and someone still needs one, I have plenty (PM me).
Joined: 3/13/2004
Posts: 1118
Location: Kansai, JAPAN
I'm also offering invites at this time. Bumping this topic so that some of our newer members might notice.
I'm really enjoying my Gmail as the ads are easy to ignore and the "Conversation View" is really handy. I'm also looking for work right now and a giant mailbox comes in handy as a lot of my mail has attachments lately.
That + You can use Gmail with POP3 with a program called "Pop goes the Gmail".
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/1088397932/1
So you get a gig of space that you can use with outlook or whatever pop3 email client. And you can access it anywhere!
Gmail is neat, which is why I want it! :)
You don't need another program, GMail supports regular pop3 access. You just have to turn it on in your preferences first.
Anybody want an invite?
