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Ads in Gmail displayed as normal emails?

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Re: Ads in Gmail displayed as normal emails?

#71
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> they wanted to "help us" sort out our inbox? As long as it stays in "promotions" tab, I could care less, as this is where they belong. If that's the case that's actually a smart move to introduce in-maillist ads without polluting the "real" inbox. As soon as they flow out of that bucket, we're entering Twitter's dickbar levels of dorkiness.

One step further: If I'm in the "promotions" tab, then I'm actively looking for deals. So if Google can come up with promotions that interest me, then I'll welcome this new change. It's not like they're spamming our other inboxes. It's just the promotions inbox.

The promotions tab is NOT where you go to actively look for deals. You do that on Groupon.

The promotion tab is where you get promotional emails from services that you have OPTED IN to receive emails from.

So is it far game if the Viagra emails only appear in the promotion's tab?

Google is sending spam (unsolicited emails). That is all there is s to say about it.

Re: Ads in Gmail displayed as normal emails?

#72

So to all intents and purposes this is targeted, Google endorsed spam delivered directly to my inbox? If that's the case then it could be time to start looking for a replacement for the last Google product I use.

It's in the "Promotions" tab, not the primary inbox. Personally, I think there are better reasons to leave Gmail (which is why I did so years ago).

So if I've got rid of that (generally I have fewer than half a dozen e-mails in my inbox so tabs were pretty pointless for me) where do they appear? My assumption was in the regular inbox.

Re: Ads in Gmail displayed as normal emails?

#73
post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I, on the other hand, am happy. It is the same thing as the NSA working as my email backup provider. Changes like these give growth to new/alternative businesses.

> NSA working as my email backup provider Backups are only useful if you are able to restore from them.

FOIA!

Re: Ads in Gmail displayed as normal emails?

#74
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A free ride, running one of the largest and best-of-breed, free software-infrastructures.

The gmail I have now is a shadow of what it was when I was invited in more than a decade ago. I so rarely login (it's a backup dumping ground now) that I can't find what I want, it's non-intuitive, things aren't where they used to be and I can't stand it. I might just be getting old though...

> I can't find what I want, it's non-intuitive, things aren't where they used to be and I can't stand it. I might just be getting old though...

Definitely getting old. You sound exactly like every old person (3 of them) who i've moved from Outlook to Gmail.

Re: Ads in Gmail displayed as normal emails?

#75
While Im not sure my Karma would withstand a defense of this, if one must have adverts, isn't sliding them in to the email list a better use of screen real estate, compared to big blocks of in your face adverts? Assuming these advmails are clearly marked as such.

I dont like it, and I'm not really a gmail user (I have an account as a sort of throw away),but this does seem better than yahoo's big blocks of ads. Although, I do block those.

On the other hand, is this not just way that gmail can defeat traditional ad-blocking? Easier to block some nasty flash ad than it is to filter email?

Re: Ads in Gmail displayed as normal emails?

#76

I'd love for Google to work out how much money they make from me in a year, and then to offer to go ad-free for 50% more than that. At least then I could make an informed decision.

Google as an organisation is primarily setup for bucketing users into groups for ads. It's a core assumption thats part of everything they do. Therefor, it's not about how much money they make from you but rather that it's really hard for them organisationally to separate users who want to pay to opt out from the rest who are their product.

The cost there isn't what they make from you in ads, even if you're willing to pay double - it's the effort for them to switch their engineering to making money off two types of users - those pay not to be tracked and those who don't care.

Re: Ads in Gmail displayed as normal emails?

#77
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been actively looking for alternatives recently after all their "improvements" kept breaking my flow. Unfortunately there isn't much out there :/

Fastmail is pretty great.

I've just noticed the praise recently for this. Two dealbreakers for me:

- No push on iPhone (as far as I can see)

- No Calendar integration

Re: Ads in Gmail displayed as normal emails?

#78

So to all intents and purposes this is targeted, Google endorsed spam delivered directly to my inbox? If that's the case then it could be time to start looking for a replacement for the last Google product I use.

It's in the "Promotions" tab, not the primary inbox. Personally, I think there are better reasons to leave Gmail (which is why I did so years ago).

What's a good email provider? I have tens of domains I want to consolidate into a single inbox (and maybe send valid mail from), and Google Apps hasn't been doing a great job with that until now.

Re: Ads in Gmail displayed as normal emails?

#79
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A free ride, running one of the largest and best-of-breed, free software-infrastructures.

The gmail I have now is a shadow of what it was when I was invited in more than a decade ago. I so rarely login (it's a backup dumping ground now) that I can't find what I want, it's non-intuitive, things aren't where they used to be and I can't stand it. I might just be getting old though...

You're not wrong. Google has repeatedly made Gmail worse, and I'll probably dump it when the "compose box" is forced on me.

Re: Ads in Gmail displayed as normal emails?

#80
post #39

Email used to be fun, then spammers came, then good email providers added spam filters and made email fun again, now email providers are sending us spam. The circle is almost complete.

> now email providers are sending us spam

Mine isn't.

Get used to it: if you aren't paying for the service, you're not their client and they are not your provider. You're their product.

It's not pretty, but sadly this is how life tends to work :-).

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