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Gmail initiative! A viable business model!

Recently Google announced the Gmail project initiation. And I?ve been reading most of those who got involved in discussing Google entry to such venture. I would summarize all responders? comments into 3 categories:
1. How would Google be able to stop spam
2. how Google would benefit financially (business model)
3. how far Google would go in supporting such large storage.

Some other minor comments included other issues which are not less important in their own merits, yet still fall into one of the three previous categories, i.e. Google messenger (Gim), personalization of accounts, portals and so forth.

In an attempt to give myself a starting point, I thought of it in a macro prospective, thus I would go for answering question #2 first, then justify #3, ending with an attempt to describe an effective method in blocking spam (theoretically).

A. The moment that Google was recognized for its superior search engine, they were able to provide net- demographics, usage behavior, aggressive proactive capture and comparison for all in-listed web pages, changes pre and post changes as per monitored traffic. An extremely important statistical analysis reports for to the content about search patterns to advertisers would easily be available. Such self-positioning by Google would only be described comparably as ?the modern age censes department?, but this time it?s global near real-time coverage!

Once Google develop a scan technique that would scan the contents of emails, Google shall be able to provide even more analytical prospective, but this time supported with factual figures about their findings. Even though anonymity is assured, still scanning email contents is not going to be a crime since what is sought are merely patterns not intimate details ? something in the nature of an added value virus scanning ?.

Henceforth, the ultimate behavioral analysis tool for measuring human-web interactivity and usability is geared up to be delivered to mass marketing and advertisement centric organizations, only after merging both email and user search patterns! But what if we could add to it the preset user-requested news letters and interests? Therefore, the only natural progress is to have personalization touch intact to it e.g. semi-portal coupled with peer to peer messaging. Voila, we got the basic building block for a business model that is indeed promising.

Regardless to the fact that offering 1 GB free sounds appealing, yet it is possible to cause a churn in competitors? serious users who are dependant on long term retention of some ?valuable? emails. I can not see Google spending much on what already was invested hardware wise, as simple calculation to thousands of servers already installed, it is easier to calculate the storage that was already bundled and installed. For our argument purposes, I would consider an average of 60 GB of storage was provided per server ? very classical figure ?, and should be there 10,000 server running, then this would be considered enough for serving 600,000 clients immediately only if they are going to use there allowed quota in full, which is impossible to reach during the first 6 months of full deployment of Gmail! All statistics leads to the sold fact that the average user/customer would use no more than one third of his/her quota (given the fact that larger than 2 MB multi-media attachments? transfer is prohibited to avoid possible copy rights violation). This would translate into an immediate doubling to the size of client base! Shall figures change I would presume it will reflect better forecasting in favor Google.

Not to mention if Gmail offers POP3 and IMAP accessibility that would push more users to ?clean? their accounts and move their ?contents? into their own ?local hard drives?, another increase in storage space that would translate into more quota for other potential subscribers.

However, the investment will be defiantly on the band width usability. Nevertheless, Gmail would be ready to be shipped as a corporate solution with a little bit of value additives to it. Shall we say a MS-Exchange competitor is in the horizon?

B. As for blocking spam, I would believe the only effective way to prevent spam is not to install spam ?reception? blockers software/tools, instead install a spam initiator blocking mechanism. This would require a miniature scanner as an extension to mail servers, only to scan the content of any bulk email at sending time ? only possible through buffering all bulk mail to given enough time for the scanner to work effectively ?, Shall content of the buffered bulk email match with a rate of 90-100% along with a variable recipient?s list, then it is clearly a spam.

The only method to develop such tool would be to have the right proven technology of ?search engine?. Do we need to guess what would be the most superior search engine running so far?

Although the subject is not rounded up entirely, I am pretty much sure that I already flooded the discussion area with enough words, especially after writing this article one shot non-stop!

Shall be any comments, I would appreciate very much if it is shared with me by sending it directly to my email because I am a constant TechRepublic newsletter reader, but not that much of visitor to discussion areas.

Thank you

Dr. Al Olaimi
olaimi@infonovation.com

Posted: 04/07/2004 @ 07:51 AM (PDT)

Dr. Al Olaimi

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Gmail initiative! A viable business model!Dr. Al Olaimi | 04/07/2004 @ 07:51 AM (PDT)

Do you work for Google?DC_GUY | 04/07/2004 @ 12:27 PM (PDT)

OH NO!!!Oz_Media | 04/07/2004 @ 12:45 PM (PDT)

I don't care if they scan my email.Steve@... | 04/12/2004 @ 05:43 AM (PDT)

Tradeoff - Online privacy for use of InternetGeekGyrrrl | 04/12/2004 @ 09:03 PM (PDT)

Tradeoff - part 2IT Security Guy | 04/23/2004 @ 09:52 AM (PDT)

E-Mail Scanningtlea | 04/12/2004 @ 08:15 AM (PDT)

I love having my freedom stepped onfourjames11@... | 04/12/2004 @ 11:56 AM (PDT)

AgreedTomSal | 04/12/2004 @ 01:23 PM (PDT)

RE: I love having my freedom stepped onnewsletters@... | 04/13/2004 @ 06:12 PM (PDT)

RE: DO YOU WORK FOR GOOGLEvltiii | 04/13/2004 @ 03:48 PM (PDT)

Strong Encryption Solves Many Problemsjthomson60016@... | 04/14/2004 @ 09:48 PM (PDT)

pirivacywilliamwilson5420@... | 04/12/2004 @ 02:15 AM (PDT)

I agreeOpiate | 04/12/2004 @ 08:24 AM (PDT)

Will they report immoral and/or illegal activitiesbob21 | 05/25/2004 @ 05:41 PM (PDT)

GMail is additional valuejohan.a.vranken@... | 04/12/2004 @ 03:30 AM (PDT)

Here's an idea...mcline@... | 04/12/2004 @ 03:35 AM (PDT)

Is GMail harmful or just plain dodgy?dantheaf@... | 04/12/2004 @ 04:43 AM (PDT)

GMail..sheeshhhh maillibmary@... | 04/12/2004 @ 05:43 AM (PDT)

GMail adspatrick642@... | 04/12/2004 @ 03:48 AM (PDT)

Much to do about nothing . . .JJPeck | 04/12/2004 @ 06:09 AM (PDT)

Gmail vs Yahoopatrick642@... | 04/14/2004 @ 04:24 AM (PDT)

Proofread!ticonderoga | 04/12/2004 @ 04:37 AM (PDT)

pencil pusher should be more humbleSteve@... | 04/12/2004 @ 05:59 AM (PDT)

Blathering segments notorize the avuncular ozone grapefruitshorne | 04/12/2004 @ 06:23 AM (PDT)

Oververbaizationing inevetably mean Confusination !HermanatorIII@... | 04/12/2004 @ 08:39 AM (PDT)

Physician heal thyselfseldred | 04/12/2004 @ 08:17 AM (PDT)

Take an English Class at your local collegeThe_Punisher79 | 04/12/2004 @ 06:21 AM (PDT)

correctionchrisnl@... | 04/12/2004 @ 09:58 AM (PDT)

THXThe_Punisher79 | 04/13/2004 @ 11:10 AM (PDT)

?Credmuttaga@... | 04/13/2004 @ 08:50 AM (PDT)

proofread?!? come on...patrick642@... | 04/14/2004 @ 04:31 AM (PDT)

Openly Honest Intent to SPAMAndeAnderson | 04/12/2004 @ 06:10 AM (PDT)

SPAM, not really...tlea | 04/12/2004 @ 08:32 AM (PDT)

Problem! - don't sign up. No Problem - sign-up; SIMPLEdausetm@... | 04/12/2004 @ 06:37 AM (PDT)

As long as they're up front about itCindyPsych | 04/12/2004 @ 06:54 AM (PDT)

This is the "right" threadcarpeweb | 04/23/2004 @ 11:47 AM (PDT)

To be in or to be outBayo | 04/12/2004 @ 07:05 AM (PDT)

Grammarblarman | 04/12/2004 @ 07:26 AM (PDT)

Stop showing off... Stick to the threadBayo | 04/12/2004 @ 08:14 AM (PDT)

true commentspatrick642@... | 04/14/2004 @ 04:34 AM (PDT)

Fuzzy MindsLanre | 04/13/2004 @ 01:44 PM (PDT)

Interestinggeneralist@... | 04/12/2004 @ 08:21 AM (PDT)

One solution to the scanning issuejdc1110@... | 04/12/2004 @ 08:29 AM (PDT)

Google Utilityedjcox@... | 04/12/2004 @ 09:59 AM (PDT)

I think it depends on how much of their server space is encryptedbob21 | 05/25/2004 @ 06:32 PM (PDT)

We're all Microserfs in the Digital Worldchmod777 | 04/12/2004 @ 11:37 AM (PDT)

WOW! Talk about paranoidNewfoundLuck | 04/12/2004 @ 12:42 PM (PDT)

WowSteven Booth | 04/12/2004 @ 12:59 PM (PDT)

"Free" e-mailTheChas | 04/12/2004 @ 04:54 PM (PDT)

Snail mail plusgeneralist@... | 04/13/2004 @ 08:36 AM (PDT)

Privacy ComplainersWally Bahny | 04/12/2004 @ 01:52 PM (PDT)

How much space will be left over after the flashy ads? And WHAT Privacy?RudolphReindeer | 04/12/2004 @ 05:48 PM (PDT)

GMail Initiative! Revisited!Dr. Al Olaimi | 04/14/2004 @ 01:38 PM (PDT)

Not Likely my Friendunclekrunkle@... | 04/15/2004 @ 12:36 PM (PDT)

Let's get REAL . . .relicksc@... | 04/16/2004 @ 10:11 AM (PDT)

Further Development Re; GMailunclekrunkle@... | 04/19/2004 @ 09:47 AM (PDT)

Apples and orangesdoulos8 | 04/23/2004 @ 08:11 AM (PDT)

Apples and Oranges is correctunclekrunkle@... | 04/23/2004 @ 09:35 PM (PDT)

Reality checkOz_Media | 04/23/2004 @ 04:26 PM (PDT)

Interesting Developments!Dr. Al Olaimi | 04/27/2004 @ 10:03 AM (PDT)

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