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by brudgers 4508 days ago
Non-tech people use Gmail because it's free, portable across ISPs [though they don't use the term "ISP"] and a gmail address is socially acceptable in a professional setting, unlike Hotmail, Yahoo, Mac, or AOL...hmm...a CompuServe address, now that would be nerdtastic.

Anyway, I can't see why a tech savvy person wouldn't just have a domain and email hosting service instead of gmail and being locked to Google's whims, e.g. the ability to download could be a first step to shuttering gmail since gmail doesn't provide the core tracking data Google uses while creating specific privacy headaches - I.e. gmail is problematic to monetize efficiently.
2 comments
snogglethorpe 4508 days ago
> I can't see why a tech savvy person wouldn't just have a domain and email hosting service instead of gmail

Maintaining your own email server to the same level of reliability (backups, etc), speed, and functionality as gmail would be a lot of work. Not every "tech savvy" person out there wants to invest the time and resources needed to duplicate what gmail gives them for free.

[Also gmail's web interface is very, very, good, and it's well-integrated with other google products, which are very popular.]

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fauigerzigerk 4508 days ago
Why does Gmail not provide valuable tracking data? It has tons of very personal content, it has contacts, so I don't see what's missing if you're in the business of compiling personal profiles.
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