June 21, 2004

This is an Outrage

Posted by Kieran

It turns out that not one but two of my students now have Gmail accounts and I — I, what sits on their dissertation committees! I what gives them papers to grade! — do not. Appalling. I am investigating whether I can become a co-author on both of their Gmail accounts despite having done nothing to get one of my own. There’s a lot of precedent for that kind of thing.

Update: Well, that didn’t take long. Two readers generously emailed with invitations: Alex Halavais was first, so I took up his offer. Thanks very much, Alex and Brad. For my next trick I will publicly sulk about not having enough $50 bills.

Posted on June 21, 2004 02:57 AM UTC
Comments

This is obviously like one of those special flight lounges that the mobile vulgus aren’t even supposed to know about.

I mean, I had heard of Gmail, but I didn’t realise there was some sort of invitation-only club. What gives here?

Posted by John Quiggin · June 21, 2004 04:01 AM

I mean, I had heard of Gmail, but I didn’t realise there was some sort of invitation-only club. What gives here?

As far as I can tell, it’s less an invitation-only club than a class of a pyramid scheme - those (or some of those) who already have an account are given an allotment of accounts to disburse to others. And if anyone out there has another account begging that they’d like to give to a Timberteer, I’d be happy to take it off their hands …

Posted by Henry · June 21, 2004 04:33 AM

And I’ve just been offered one … thanks

Posted by Henry · June 21, 2004 04:58 AM

Me too, please!

Same for the $50 notes

Posted by John Quiggin · June 21, 2004 05:03 AM

Well…not that I’d necessarily accept just any old invitation from just anyone…

Oh, who am I kidding? I’d do just anything to join the kool new club!

Ask me ask me ask me!!!

Posted by robbo · June 21, 2004 05:59 AM

I don’t know if anyone saw this link about Gmail is too creepy at Pen-Elayne on the Web.

Whaddya’ think now?

Posted by scaramouche · June 21, 2004 07:40 AM

I got my invite (thanks, Baptiste!).

Now I have to work out what to do with it! It seems as if a gigabyte of Google-searchable storage ought to be really useful, but I’m not immediately sure how. Like Scaramouche I’m a bit leery of putting all my email into such a system.

I might try forwarding blog comments there.

Posted by John Quiggin · June 21, 2004 12:37 PM

Yeah, GMail is great!

Server Error
Gmail is temporarily unavailable. Cross your fingers and try again in a few minutes.

All this and they get to send you targeted marketing too!

Posted by dop · June 21, 2004 05:57 PM

I was jonesing for a GMail account for a while too. I schemed and plotted how I might aquire an invite. Finally, I did what you did…begged my users for one.

Hey, whatever works.

Posted by Chuchundra · June 21, 2004 09:43 PM

At this point I’m starting to wonder whether I’ll be cooler if I don’t have a Gmail account.:) Nah, please somebody send me an invitation. Thanks.:)

Posted by eszter · June 22, 2004 12:50 PM

Ehm, can I have an invitation too?

I’m not a Timberteer, but at least let me be a g-mailer!! I mean, I’m a not a co-blogger at a very cool blog, hence for the sake of some weird conception of equality I’m entitled to something else as a compensation… ;)

yes, an extremely weird conception of equality, but I just thought that it was worth giving it a try.

Posted by enzo · June 22, 2004 08:22 PM

I’m all set, thanks. Unfortunately, as expected this late in the game “eszter@” is already taken so now I’m at a loss…

Posted by eszter · June 24, 2004 08:05 AM

Just because it’s scarce doesn’t mean you have to want it…. this is marketing

Posted by taak · June 24, 2004 08:09 AM
Followups

This discussion has been closed. Thanks to everyone who contributed.