So I got the
invite to test out Google's email service, Gmail. I went ahead and signed up
and later sent out an email telling everyone in my contacts that I've changed my
email addy. That may have been premature considering I didn't really know a lot
about Gmail, but what the hell, I thought. The drugs have made me care less and
less about shit like this.

So far, I really like what I see. Naturally, I like Gmail's clean design.
I never like Yahoo's that much and Hotmail just got more and more busy every time
I signed in. I love the discussion
thread aspect of reading the emails. And who can knock the 1000
MB of space.

I've already had someone ask me about the whole privacy thing. (In addition to
all the news feeds, apparently there was even a report on NPR's news about it.)
Here is my perspective:

1. I don't consider my information that private to begin with. Do you realize
how much shit other people know about me as it is. It's pretty apparent with all
the frickin' junk mail I receive at home every day. Not email, actual physical
mail. Frankly, I rarely get junk mail in my email. Most likely because the
companies that do have my email address, keep it to themselves.

Between credit bureaus, creditors, magazine subscriptions, grocery store
discount cards, etc. there is a lot of info about me out there already. I
am of cautious but I remain realistic. I'm not going to obsess over something
like this. (Thank the drugs again.)

2. I think the whole issue about Google and privacy has been blown out way of
proportion. "News" usually is.

There are a whole bunch of
things to debunk this whole privacy "concern", but bottom line for
me is, I don't believe Google is the kind of company that would fuck with my
information. I am much more skeptical of other established hosted mail services
(yes, you Hotmail!) than I ever would be about Google.

So, if you want to reach me, email me at cheapblueguitar at gmail dot com.

And just for the record, I
agree with Evan. People's concerns about privacy are of course, very
legitimate. But we do live in a sound bite hungry society where people rarely
know the facts but always know the headlines.