bradwall
Level: Smiter

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Registered: 02-12-2003
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New feature coming soon to gmail:
http://mail.google.com/mail/help/chat.html

Yep, IM directly in the browswer when you are logged into gmail.
Now, your IM can be on when you are at any machine with Internet access. Kind of nice.

Mattcrampy
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Registered: 05-29-2003
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Only on Jabber, though.

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NekoIncardine
Level: Master Delver
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Registered: 08-23-2005
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Mattcrampy wrote:
Only on a vast majority of independent Instant Message servers.

Fix'd. Also, it's Google's own system too, so...

Personally, I think this is going to be a big step for Google; they've been having quite a time getting people to adopt Google Talk, and strongly highlighting the idea of "hey, you can do this from any computer that supports Gmail without making a new account or anything!" might be just what they need.

Personally, I like the idea... Now it just needs to be USED.

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Chalks
Level: Master Delver

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Registered: 04-17-2005
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I logged into my gmail account today, and what did it tell me?

"You have instant messaging now!"

what I loved though, was the little button at the bottom that literally read: "Sweet, go to my inbox!"

bandit1200
Level: Master Delver
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Registered: 10-29-2003
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It probably won't affect the vast majority of people, but it may not be prudent to send any personal email through Gmail if you don't want it to be accessible by anyone except the person you are sending it to.

The powerful searching encourages account holders to never delete anything. It's easier to just leave it in the inbox and let the powerful searching keep track of it. Google admits that deleted messages will remain on their system, and may be accessible internally at Google, for an indefinite period of time.

http://www.gmail-is-too-creepy.com/

No email is 100% secure, but I think I can do without a provider that admits they might use or look at mine. I'm no conspiracy theorist, I just like my privacy to remain that way.

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[Last edited by bandit1200 at 02-15-2006 08:41 AM]

Maurog
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How do you define privacy? I can think of no better place to hide my very personal e-mails than a database of gazillion other personal e-mails. From my experience with the Google search engine, it means nobody can find it unless they know exactly what it is. My dark secrets are safe, mwahahahahahaha!

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eytanz
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Registered: 02-05-2003
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bandit1200 wrote:
It probably won't affect the vast majority of people, but it may not be prudent to send any personal email through Gmail if you don't want it to be accessible by anyone except the person you are sending it to.

Or actually, through any other e-mail system. Every email you send, through every provider, goes through several servers run by several different ISPs and other entities. Any and all of them can keep copies of the emails going through them. Web-based email is actually somewhat safer, because at least if you keep it in-house (i.e. gmail-to-gmail, yahoo-to-yahoo), it doesn't need to go through third-party servers, so at least you know who has copies of your email.

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bandit1200
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eytanz wrote:

bandit1200 wrote:
It probably won't affect the vast majority of people, but it may not be prudent to send any personal email through Gmail if you don't want it to be accessible by anyone except the person you are sending it to.

Or actually, through any other e-mail system. Every email you send, through every provider, goes through several servers run by several different ISPs and other entities. Any and all of them can keep copies of the emails going through them. Web-based email is actually somewhat safer, because at least if you keep it in-house (i.e. gmail-to-gmail, yahoo-to-yahoo), it doesn't need to go through third-party servers, so at least you know who has copies of your email.

Yep, I know how it works, but we are talking here about a company that admits that it will keep mail users think they have deleted, and that they may "access" it at a future date. Why should they need to? Would you be happy about someone opening and reading mail sent from or delivered to your house? In fact, it would probably be highly illegal.

eytanz
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So, you're ok with people storing and accessing your email as long as they don't admit it?

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bandit1200
Level: Master Delver
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eytanz wrote:
So, you're ok with people storing and accessing your email as long as they don't admit it?

Do you realise how predictable that reply was?
Of course I aren't OK with that, and you know well it was a ridiculous question. I would rather use email through someone who assures me my email is as private as they can possibly make it, than someone who seems to think they can do as they wish with it. I know I can't be 100% certain that my email will be private, even with an assurance, but it will definitely be safer than with someone who admits they may look at it.

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[Last edited by bandit1200 at 02-15-2006 07:47 PM]

eytanz
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bandit1200 wrote:

eytanz wrote:
So, you're ok with people storing and accessing your email as long as they don't admit it?

Do you realise how predictable that reply was?

Yes.

Of course I aren't OK with that, and you know well it was a ridiculous question. I would rather use email through someone who assures me my email is as private as they can possibly make it, than someone who seems to think they can do as they wish with it. I know I can't be 100% certain that my email will be private, even with an assurance, but it will definitely be safer than with someone who admits they may look at it.

I disagree. Google at least lays the ground rules, and you know what you are in for. Email privacy is not protected by law the same way mail privacy is, and any perceived safety you get is entirely illusory. I feel much safer with someone who at least aknowledges the issue than someone who is just totally silent about it. Of course, if there was a service who would assure you that they *won't* look, that would be preferrable, but to the best of my knowledge that doesn't exist.

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[Last edited by eytanz at 02-15-2006 09:32 PM]

jamie
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That's one of the reasons why I run my own mailserver..

The other is that after working in a dept. that was in charge of email services (amongst others) for 12,000 employees, I was rather shocked at how glibbly the support staff treated it, and how they'd be happy to delete rather than fix corruptions etc.

Of course, whilst I accept SSL SMTP connections, most servers don't use it, so there's a danger of snooping, and also I have no control over the other persons ISP/connection...

Still, I know my mail is safe, and backed up and looked after

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bandit1200
Level: Master Delver
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Registered: 10-29-2003
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After receiving a middle of the night phonecall that no family member should ever have to receive, email, along with most other things, is no longer of any interest.

mrimer
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

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Registered: 02-04-2003
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bandit1200 wrote:
After receiving a middle of the night phonecall that no family member should ever have to receive, email, along with most other things, is no longer of any interest.

Yikes! That sounds awful

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