Microsoft's Ballmer: Google Reads Your Mail 264
Anonymous writes "A piece of video has emerged in which Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says of Google, 'they read your mail and we don't.' Evidently, it was part of a lengthy discussion on the future of the software business model, and whether advertising could support free consumer software. Ballmer said it doesn't work, at least when it comes to email. '"That's just a factual statement, not even to be pejorative. The theory was if we read your mail, if somebody read your mail, they would know what to talk to you about. It's not working out as brilliantly as the concept was laid out." Ballmer isn't the first to fire salvos at Google's Gmail privacy policy. Privacy advocates have been critical over the policy almost since the beginning, but the popularity of the service has skyrocketed nonetheless.'"
so... (Score:3, Informative)
it's just the last sentence and it contains every justification of mixing up the verbs "to read" and "to process". reading is something done by humans, not some word-sensitive processing for freaking advertisements. everyone a bit tech-savvy knows about googles somehow strange interpretation of privacy - so: if you don't like it, don't ******* use it.
talking through his back.ORIFICE as usual .. (Score:4, Informative)
Re:What a crock (Score:5, Informative)
Re:What a crock (Score:2, Informative)
The difference, and it is a big one, is that google is processing the text you transport through their mechanism to discern information to use against you. Yes, I view advertisers and advertising as primarily being targeted to be used against the consumer. It isn't uncommon for people to view advertising as intrusive and a bad thing. Even in this new world of google-worship.
It's kind of shocking, to be frank, how much some people lick the boots of the advertisers these days.
Sending mail in the clear is nutty (Score:3, Informative)
As for Webmail, Web-based backup services could not even be sold without encrypting payload. How is it that lack of encryption is still acceptable in Webmail?
Re:Pot, meet Kettle (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Pot, meet Kettle (Score:3, Informative)
http://www.aaxnet.com/news/M010512.html#rights [aaxnet.com]
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/03/30/all_your_data_and_biz/ [theregister.co.uk]
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=01/04/03/1535244 [slashdot.org]
Re:What a crock (Score:5, Informative)
Just a news flash but your email is sent across the internet as plain text! It is not secure in any way shape or form.
If you want email a private massage then you should encrypt it and send it as an attachment.
I don't care if it is hotmail, gmail, or outlook.
Re:What a crock (Score:3, Informative)