ATTENTION REGISTERED USERS!!

It’s time to turn the tables a bit here. Here’s a chance for Registered Users to give your opinion!

I’m interested to know your opinion if Gmail, instead of being an online service, was a PC-based email client that you downloaded onto your PC that worked either standalone or in conjunction with Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, etc. Read on for more information…

The application would be a personally-downloaded, personally-installed, and personally-run application that would provide you with Search, Labels, Conversations, and a fast interface. The application would scan your email for viruses, scan your messages to manage Spam, and scan your messages and displays related, targeted Ads and related Links alongside your email. It would add these message because it considers itself “Adware”.

How would this client app be any different from the current Gmail service?

How would businesses concerened with competitors’ ads appearing with their content react to such an application?

Note that this is NOT something I’m considering writing or even proposing. It’s just that I’m still trying to understand just why the Gmail service is being so attacked by pundits, especially with regards to recipient-agreed competitive ad placement.

Registered Users, please feel free to comment!